Went for a 19-mile ride today...

[Norco John]

My China Girl now has about 50 miles on her, and she's getting quieter and smoother all the time. Average speed was about 16 MPH, and I was never at WOT.

I'm really thinking about putting one of those spring-loaded chain idlers on her, since most of the noise is from the chain slapping (you can NEVER get the same tension the whole length)

[Cabinfever1977]

same thing here,my chain does not have the same tension threwout the whole length,so you have to adjust it at the tightest part but then some parts will be looser.

[HoughMade]

Sounds like you both need to reinstall your rear sprockets to center them...or get a hub mounted sptocket from livefast or the manic mechanic. You should be able to get the chain to run consistently.

Norco- glad it's going well for you.

[TerrontheSnake]

Modify a rear derailer off an old mountain bike, then even if the tolerances are slightly off you can keep a tight chain. I will post pics later of my setup but you gotta understand a lot of these kits are from china and the tolerances are crap, just like buying tools from china, with the derailer it does not matter. Keep an eye on my post Bad OCC chopper later for pics. ( I mean Bad in a good way)

[Bikeguy Joe]

I put a thousand miles on a bike with the chain flapping and it never caused a problem.

You can get a stock set up to run well, but you are then called "lucky".

[TerrontheSnake]

Originally Posted by Cabinfever1977

same thing here,my chain does not have the same tension threwout the whole length,so you have to adjust it at the tightest part but then some parts will be looser.

Its the tolerances of your sprocket not your chain.

[Norco John]

Originally Posted by TerrontheSnake

Its the tolerances of your sprocket not your chain.

You'd think Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson would build sprockets to tighter tolerances than the Happy Beaver Bike Motor and Medical Instrument Company, because I always had the same problem with my KZ and FLH, a slight difference in chain tension throughout the length.

The run-out on the sprocket is less than 1mm, both axially and radially.

[TerrontheSnake]

Originally Posted by Norco John

You'd think Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson would build sprockets to tighter tolerances than the Happy Beaver Bike Motor and Medical Instrument Company, because I always had the same problem with my KZ and FLH, a slight difference in chain tension throughout the length.

The run-out on the sprocket is less than 1mm, both axially and radially.

OK with my experience in the China Motors the tolerance on the back Prockets is off, either way a spring loaded tensioner would be best for responding to the slack right?

[Norco John]

Originally Posted by TerrontheSnake

OK with my experience in the China Motors the tolerance on the back Prockets is off, either way a spring loaded tensioner would be best for responding to the slack right?

Agreed, and I'm going to swing by TSC on the way home tomorrow night and get the parts to make one.
I had to fudge the sprocket mounting a bit to get it true to the wheel. snug it a bit, spin it in the truing stand (I have a small selection of bike tools) smack it w/a mallet to shift the run-out, snug the bolts to get the wobble out, the usual drill... smack a little, snug a little, then make it all tight when it's right.

[Outrunner]

Originally Posted by Norco John

You'd think Kawasaki and Harley-Davidson would build sprockets to tighter tolerances than the Happy Beaver Bike Motor and Medical Instrument Company, because I always had the same problem with my KZ and FLH, a slight difference in chain tension throughout the length.

The run-out on the sprocket is less than 1mm, both axially and radially.

Actually, it's NOT the sprockets at all. When you put a brand new chain on your
bike, motorcycle, or motor scooter, you will notice that the chain has the same
amount of up and down "play" in the middle of the chain no matter where it's
rotated. What causes the difference in the chain tension, is caused by the
stretching of the chain. Of course the stretching only occurs to the TOP portion
of the chain when you dump your clutch to start your motor, or in motorcycles,
when you pop your clutch to pull a wheelie or fast takeoff from a dead start.The
reason, is that the front engine sprocket is pulling the chain from only the top,
which of course, is connected to the upper portion of the rear sprocket. So all of
the force that is applied to that part of the chain slightly stretch's each link between the front and rear sprockets. Then it gets stretched even more at different locations over a period of time. This results in the uneven tension and
causes a lot of frustration when you try to adjust them.
In my 23 years as a motorcycle mechanic I've changed at least a hundred of them,if not more.