Motorcycle Drive Chain: Function and its Maintenance
Motorcycle Drive Chain is one of the most important parts of a motorcycle. They are used for the very critical task of delivering power from the gearbox to the rear wheel. A Motorcycle drive chain mechanism needs two sprockets and a motorcycle drive chain to function. A mall sprocket is connected to the gearbox, and a large one is present on the rear wheel. The gearbox turns the front sprocket, which, with the help of the motorcycle drive chain, turns the rear wheel, putting the motorcycle in motion.
Most motorcycles in India have a non-sealed motorcycle drive chain, while some premium ones come with an O-ring type chain. The prior one needs more attention than the latter one because of the self–lubricating and cleaning technique of the O-ring type chain. If your motorcycle has a non-sealed chain, you need to keep a keen eye on it for cleaning, lubricant, and wear. However, an O-ring type chain comes with a little O-ring between the rollers and link plates of the chain, which keeps the grease locked for a longer time and keeps dirt out.
It is significantly important to keep its maintenance up to date, as a faulty motorcycle drive chain can make your motorcycle crippled, and this situation can be very dangerous. This means that we need to pay special attention to this part, and for that, we need to know about chain maintenance.
Types of Motorcycle Drive Chains
Motorcycle drive chains are classified into three different types. Here is a brief explanation of different types of motorcycle drive chains:
Standard Roller Chains
A standard Roller Chain for a motorcycle consists of several parts. In essence, it is metal links connected in a series as outer and inner links. These links are formed by smaller components, including outer plates for the outer links and dinner plates for the inner links. Between these plates, at the centre, you have solid pins, which are surrounded by brushings or hollow pins. On top of these brushings, you have cylindrical rollers that roll over the teeth on sprockets to allow for a smooth, relatively friction-free transmission of power.
Furthermore, it is important to know that standard roller chains also rust easily and require frequent cleaning, making it relative cleaning, making it relatively tedious to maintain them.
O-Ring Chains
An O-rings chain is quite similar in construction to the standard roller chain, except for one key difference- it has an arrangement to seal in lubrication between the links. O-rings are nothing, but rubber rings with an o-shaped cross-section, placed between the outer link and inner link plates around the pin bushing to seal the lubrication. The chain manufacturer, in this case, pre-fills the space between pins and bushings with grease for lubrication, which, in turn, is sealed by the O-ring. Moreover, the O-ring chains have a much longer life compared to standard roller chains, and they also don't require lubrication for the most.
X-Ring Chains
The X-ring chains were designed to overcome the relatively higher resistance and drag that O-ring chains create compared to the standard roller chains. As the name X-rings represents, the rubber seals between the inner and outer link on the X-ring chain have an X-shaped cross-section as opposed to the O-shaped cross-section of the O-ring chains. Moreover, X-ring chains are also known to provide better sealing in comparison to O-rings and, therefore, do a better job of packing the grease. X-ring chains are also known to last longer than their O-ring counterparts.
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Furthermore, you can fill out the enquiry form choosing your desired product. Afterwards, you will be contacted by listed manufacturers and suppliers to learn more about Motorcycle drive chain prices and other parts.
FAQs related to top Motorcycle Drive Chain
What is a drive chain on a motorcycle?
The drive chain mechanism needs two sprockets and a drive chain to function. A smaller sprocket is connected to the gearbox, and a larger one is present on the rear wheel. The gearbox turns the front sprocket, which, with the help of the chain drive, turns the rear wheel, putting the motorcycle in motion.
How long does a motorcycle drive chain last?
On average, you can expect to replace your chain and sprocket between 20,000 and 30,000 kilometres, less if you ride fast and hard. However, if you spot any damage to your chain or sprocket, it's better to replace the prematurely worn part right away.
Which type of chain is used in a motorcycle?
Roller chain or bush roller chain is the type of chain drive most commonly used for transmission of mechanical power on many kinds of domestic, industrial and agricultural machinery, including conveyors, wire- and tube-drawing machines, printing presses, cars, motorcycles, and bicycles.
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