o-ring chain or non o-ring?

[demon_knight69]

so i'm finally starting to get things put back together with my fzr. i've still got a few parts left to buy for everything to get put back together. and while i was thinking of parts to buy, i figured i should replace the chain since i don't know when it was last replaced. its now been sitting for over two months with no lube added to it as well

so my question is, whats the difference between an o-ring chain and a non o-ring chain? other than an o-ring chain is twice the price. do o-ring chains last longer, or whats the deal? is it worth it to get an o-ring chain or would a $25 non o-ring be just as good?

[1BadFZR600]

With an O-ring chain, each pivot is permanently injected with grease at the factory, and the O-ring is just there to hold the grease in and keep the dirt/water out. The only lube required is on the exterior where the chain interacts with the sprockets, plus the chain wax will help keep the rings supple. The big drawback with the non-o-ring is that you will need a wet lube that will penetrate the link, and that is going to attract dirt and turn into grinding paste!

As far as performance goes, I don't think you bike will even notice the difference, so you might just as well go with the more trouble free O-ring system

I run a OMEGA O-ring Z chain...168.00....oouucchh

[YAM93]

THAT BE RIGHT BUT.......... check most manufacturer's tensile strength lists. Most only offer stronger chains in the O- or X-ring types. Get an RK x-ring 520 chain, most affordable and strongest. D.I.D. is great also.

most guys that use non-o-ring chains are riding motocross and want the most weight-savings. I use an X-ring for that also... makes very little difference to me there, but for 600cc + street riding it would, in theory, IF the goddamn tensile strength was NOT an issue. If i can confuse you any more let me know.

[zero9243]

THAT BE RIGHT BUT.......... check most manufacturer's tensile strength lists. Most only offer stronger chains in the O- or X-ring types. Get an RK x-ring 520 chain, most affordable and strongest. D.I.D. is great also.

most guys that use non-o-ring chains are riding motocross and want the most weight-savings. I use an X-ring for that also... makes very little difference to me there, but for 600cc + street riding it would.

x-ring ftw!

[YAM93]

giggity mc-Short-quote. Sorry


This post has been edited 900 times

[demon_knight69]

LOL2 thanks guys. i figured the o-ring would probably be the better choice, just didn't know why. thanks for the info

[95FZR600]

o-rings are used mostly for dirt bikes and now there are a lot more offered for the street. I went with the o-ring myself and love it.

[demon_knight69]

anyone ever use these "cheapo" chains found on ebay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1989-199 ... 0276719408

they seem like a fair price for an o-ring chain. i don't really want to spend $100+ on a chain at the moment. i just want to get something that will last for a few seasons while i fix everything else that needs fixin

[YAM93]

notice it only has 106 links (never heard of "Race Driven", sounds fake) ......so if you aren't running exactly 15-45 (530) stock set-up, it might not work.



If you want a cheap chain i'm sure a dealer could get you one for about $30. I forget who makes it though.
Probably some cheap Chinese company... with o-rings even. Probably not all dealers carry them though.

DENNIS KIRK--- Item # 11-216-106 "Parts Unlimited" Heavy Duty 530 Chain with Rivet Link. $25. Under the "Economy Chain" section.
only thing is these are "non-sealed" chains. So keep it lubed.

Cheapest other kind I could find was $78 "Parts Unlimited" (Dennis Kirk part # 11-983-106) O-ring high-performance MO chain for up to 1000cc bikes.

[demon_knight69]

yeah, i'm always a little skeptical about ebay parts. the $78 chain on dennis kirk sounds pretty reasonable. thanks for the suggestions yam!

[demon_knight69]

anyone got any good links for chain information? i notice we don't really have anything in the wiki. basically i'm just looking for an explanation of what everything means (i.e. 520 vs 530, the number of links in the chain, etc.) and then maybe we can add it to the wiki too

[sweekster]

Well..106 links is the standard size length for an FZR if you use the stock 15/45 gearing. I'm running this chain on my 600 with stock geared steel sprockets. No issues at all.