I am nearing 3000 miles on my 08 s4rs and have yet to adjust the chain. I checked the tension a month or so before it went to the shop for an extended stay (another story I've told already) and it was fine (under 1 inch of play). I don't have a rear stand yet or the tool to adjust it. Seems kind of silly to take it to the shop for just this. The chain looks like it has a tiny bit more play now than before. I'm going to check it before I ride to work tommorrow night. I was wondering how often they actually need adjusted. Just looking for a ballpark figure. I'm pretty dedicated to chain maintenance otherwise and clean and lube every 300 miles give or take.

Are you checking the entire chain or just what spot the bike is resting in. Generally chains do well for a long time and sudden just get loose. Important to do a check every 500.

that being said, I usually DONT follow this either because im lazy but I usually check about every 1000. Lube and clean should be ever 500 as well..

I check it at the point in the swngarm that the manual describes. It's an s4rs (single sided swingarm).

I also have been watching the plastic chain "bumper" that prevents damage to the swingarm. I figure if there's excessive slack this thing will take some hit's. So far it is totally untouched.

Though the chain should rarely need adjustment during it's useful lifespan it is good practice to check tension and clean/lube every 4-600 miles.  1" tension, if you measured properly, is too tight for your bike.  You might want to get together with someone local or stop by your dealer to confirm you are measuring correctly.

I check my every 500 miles....never had to make an adjustment on my Ducati 8,000 miles+. My CBR is a different story, I to adjust it slightly over 2,000 miles. Don't why maybe its the bike or maybe how ride it.

You should CHECK the chain tension every time you lubricate it, which should be very 300-500 miles.  I usually adjust the tension every time I put on a new rear tire, which is at about 4000 miles.  My chains almost never need adjustment more often than that.

I would strongly recommend that if you're going to adjust the chain, first find the tightest spot in the chain.  New chains won't have tight and loose spots, but older ones often do.  I replaced my last chain because it had stretched on part of it and had tight and loose spots.  Otherwise it looked fine.  But I could feel it when riding, and I'm sure it would have done some damage to the sprockets riding with a chain like that.

My last two DID chains, the 520 erv3, I adjusted twice in 15,000 mi. each.  I never cleaned either and lubed with chain wax at about 300 400 mi. intervals I guess. They both still had life left in them when taken off. Pit bull stand is a must have item and for more than just chain maintenance.

I did take the counter shaft cover off and clean the gunk out a couple of times.

You should have received a spanner, or whatever you call it wrench, from Ducati I think. One came with both my old s4r and this s4rs. Moto wheels has nice ones fairly cheap too.

LA

Quote from: howie on August 09, 2008, 04:21:02 AM
Though the chain should rarely need adjustment during it's useful lifespan it is good practice to check tension and clean/lube every 4-600 miles.  1" tension, if you measured properly, is too tight for your bike.  You might want to get together with someone local or stop by your dealer to confirm you are measuring correctly.

My manual says up to 33 mm if I recall correctly. I could be wrong because I don't have the manual in front of me and snce I'm at work I don't want to go outside and look at it. Sounds like they do not require tons of frequent adjustment so I'll continue checking often and wait and see. I'll be getting a rear stand in the next few weeks.

Just don't forget the golder rule of thumb:  Too loose is better than too tight.  On my S2R I would just push up the chain and if it barely touches the back part of the swing arm then everything is good because that is the condition the chain is in when it would be adjusted to spec using the old ruler.  Oh and by the way when your chain starts to get way too loose it will start making click-clack noises and even then you can still ride it. 

just push up the chain and if it barely touches the back part of the swing arm

This is pretty much what I do too, at the tightest place in one full rotation of the chain. Or maybe until it almost or just barely doesn't contact the swing arm. And like was said, too loose is MUCH better than too tight.

LA