UK Monster Owners Club Forum » .: General :. » Random Chat » Does nobody know how to cut a chain to length anymore ?

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Old 27-09-2019, 01:37 AM   #1
utopia
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Does nobody know how to cut a chain to length anymore ?

I've had occasion to buy two chains for the monster this year.

First one was as a result of snapping a chain in the Isle of Man.
Luckily this was just 50yds from the tent.
A rather hairy ride into Douglas on wet roads on a borrowed 310cc (?) Husquvarna crosser with full on knobblies saw me back at the tent that afternoon with a new chain.
Imagine my pleasure when I realised (just after the shop had shut) that the guy had cut it one link too short .. despite having the old chain to compare with.

That chain was a non o-ring, motocross chain with a clip link, as I had no tools with me to fit a rivet link at the time, and so ....
Today I took delivery of a new, o-ring chain to replace it with.
This time the chain arrived with 100 links instead of the 98 that I specified.
It wasn't just a stock control error .. the chain had been cut to this length especially for me.

I don't really wish to moan but maybe a small sigh is in order after having two wrong length chains supplied in the same summer.
Then again the world has gone mad in recent years so perhaps I should have expected it.
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Old 27-09-2019, 11:59 AM   #2
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When I was doing enduros we used to get lots of rides on the local army ranges which were pretty much all sand in one way or another so I used to buy chain by the roll.

With chain I've bought pre-cut I've often found that it's a link or two too long, when I was a younger and more trusting soul I did fit and rivet one of these once. It was flappier than the knackered one I'd taken off, oh joy and bliss thought I.

These days it's mostly just pre-packaged to specific lengths for what is popular or common.
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Old 27-09-2019, 12:16 PM   #3
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Synchronicity or just Karma?
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Old 27-09-2019, 12:46 PM   #4
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I worked at a Honda dealer and genuine chain kits always come with overlength chains that need cutting down, I suspect so there would never be an issue with oversize sprockets (even though they’d be included and were invariably stock sizes). You’d be alright in the event of a custom swingarm too.
Always easier/better to remove rather than add links.
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Old 27-09-2019, 02:29 PM   #5
Ron1000
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Similar to slob. My local (excellent) bike parts shop only orders in 120 link chains and will cut to your specific requirements.

You don’t get charged for the more expensive 120 link option either.
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Old 27-09-2019, 02:35 PM   #6
utopia
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Tbh in the case of the second chain, I would have been quite happy with a chain that was supplied overlength by the manufacturers, to be cut down by myself.
However, the supplier specified a number of different available lengths though, so I thought I might as well get one that was already the correct length.
Looking at the label on the box, and noting the presence of what looks like grinding dust on one end, it looks like the supplier has (attempted to) cut this chain to my specified length themselves.
This was the cause of my mild annoyance.

The first case was much more annoying since it cost me a day of watching the TT racing ... or at least it would have done if racing hadn't been rained off that day.
And no apology was forthcoming.

Two such cases in a couple of months seemed a bit much.
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Old 27-09-2019, 05:48 PM   #7
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I see your point there Jeff, I’ve usually used B&C Express and they’ve always supplied the chain as requested and even checked when I ordered a longer chain to suit larger rear sprocket.
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