How to Change your chain and sprocket

Here's another pirated write up that I stole from the BAYAREARIDERSFORUM- thanks to ELSKIPADOR.

1-This is about how to put a new chain and sprockets on a 99 SV650, all the carbed bike
are the same, as far as this goes, 99~03' the 03's are almost exactly the same. you can
use this as a genreal guide on how to swap cahin and sprockets on many different bikes,
especially the part about how to get the chain off and on.
(dont know if its the same tools for Honda's) you'll need a basic socket set that includes 8, 10, 19mm socekts, a 14 and 2 12mm opened wrenches. you'll also need a breaker bar or an air impact gun to get the front sprocket
nut loose. and of course the chain braeker and riviter tool. i really like the
motion-pro 1 i use. i've done a lot of chains with it and rarely break the push pins.
i know a lot of people out there complain about the pins or the tool, but i get it to
work very well.

start by removing the 10mm bolt that hold the shift linkage to the shifter shaft

2-remove the 8mm bolts that hold the sprocket cover on
3-use a small screwdriver and bend the tab locking the clutch cable to the hanger and then


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4-then remove the 2 10mm bolts that hold the clutch screw assembly in place
5-use a small screwdriver or drift ro bend back the sprocket lock washer and then loosen
the sprocket nut. if you're using the breaker bar have somebody hold the bike up right
while holding both brakes on. you should be able to loosen it. if not you can slip
something through the rear wheel or just use an air-impact gun.
6-remove the sprocket nut and lock washer


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7-remove the cotter pin from the rear wheel and loosen the axle nut
8-loosen the axle nut
9-remove the nut, washer and chain gude washer
10-note which spacers go to which side. slide the chain off the sprocket and lift
the wheel up and to the rear
11-remove the sprocket nuts and replace the sprocket. torque the nuts to 60 N/m
12-put the wheel back on, with the old chain put back in place


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12-put the wheel back on, with the old chain put back in place
13-now pick a link to cut the chain @, i like to use 1 close to the leading edge of the
rear wheel so i can brace the chain against the wheel when grinding the pin down
14-i like to use a drill with a grinding stone to grind the peening of the pin. this step
is really important. you'll break the push pin if you try to force the peened pin through
the chain links!!!!
15-once you've ground it flush you're ready to cut the chain


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16-heres the motion-pro tool that i swear by


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17-i'll 1st use the "riviting" pin to get the pin started on its journey out of the chain
link. this is the thickest pin in the kit, it will not fit through the chain link so just
use this to get it started
18-put the tool over the ground down pin and use the 14mm wrench to tighten it down
19-insert the riviter pin
20-thread in the pin pusher and give it several turns. you'll feel it move easily @ 1st then
suddenly tighten up. when this happenes back the pusher off and swap pins
21-put the largest of the smaller pins in the tool. you'll use this to push the pin
all the way through the chain link
22-cut chain link


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23-use the master link to hook the new and old chain together and pull the old out
and thread the new through.......we had a little trouble with this since the sprocket
we got were the stock 525 size but the chain was of the 520 variety
24-so while he went to the store to get the right parts i swapped the front sprocket
and swapped out the rear shock for a penseke. guess what the next pictorials about??? i
dunno' maybe a shock swap
25-once we got the right chain things are back on track. loop the chain around the
sprockets and connect with the master link. make sure that if you're using an o-ring
chain to put the o-rings on the master link and use the white grease that comes with
the chain
26-place the front part of the master link on the pins and use
the tool to get each pin started in its new hole


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27-now use the press attachment to fully press the outer plate on, be careful not to
over tighten it. you'll get a instant tight spot if you do.
28-now put the riviter pin back in and spread out the ends of the protruding pins.
it doesn't take a lot of force to spread them enough to keep the chain plate on.
29-torque the front sprocket nut to 65 N/m and bend the lock washer over 1 side of the nut
30-after that use the allens on the back of the swing arm to adjust the chain and
tighten the axle nut to 60 N/m and replace the cotter pin



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Kinda in a rush right now...i'll edit the post so that the pics match the text.
also if any one who have the insight- see any thing that should be done diffrently, or could make the process easier it would be great.
Help me to help you.

That is a great post, and it is very useful...but 1st timers might get discouraged by all the steps, but that is the way it is done...

Dont listen to Sirlimpzalot, he doesnt know what hes talking about...

hahaha. Yeah this might be a little techical for some, but dont be discouraged.
This is my first bike (93 CBR F2) and I have done all the mods to my bike. No help from others, other than researching and trial and error.
(so far I changed the oil and filter, wrapped my headers, rewrapped my seat with carbon fiber vinyl cleaned out my carbs, changed the windscreen for a F3 windscreen and changed the headlight bulb. next up will be, change the tires, sprocket and chain set, change the coolant, change out the stock rear shock for F4 shock, install the seat cowl, and repack and install my aftermarket exhaust can.)
yeap... the hard part for me will be locating the chain breaker-- but I have just found some info on installing the chain another low budget way... more on that tonite.

This is the poor man's way of installing a chain...Thanks to INTACEPTER of VFRDISCUSSIONFORUM
1-I measured the chain’s width at across a number of side plates with a dial caliper and came up with an average figure of .890 inch. That is how far I wanted to press the new side plate on to the pins and no futher.

I thought about a variety of “pressing tools” that included “C” clamps, pipe clamps, a mini-vise but ultimately settled on a large pair of curved jaw vise grips. I feel that a good wood pipe clamp (that is used to clamp sections of wood together) would work as well as the vise grips but you would have to use a template to fit the width of the link you are working with so the wider jaws wouldn’t contact the neighbor links.

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2-The side plate started on nicely but you could only go to the point where the pins get to the far end of the side plate until the vise grip jaws interfere with pressing it on any further. At that point I took a piece of steel I had, drilled holes in it that matched the holes in the side plate but larger and continued pressing the plate on the pins by being sure the vise grips were parallel and turning them no more than ¼ turn tighter each squeeze.

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3-I proceeded very slowly and took measurements as the plate was squeezed on. When I got to .890 I stopped. Now the plate was on the same distance as the others.


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The next hurtle was to come up with a means of flaring the pins.

I took a ¼ inch bolt and ground the end off at about a 60 degree angle and cut it off to about 3/8 inch long.
4-The angled end was placed in the end of the master link pin and the vise grips were put back to use to squeeze the fabricated tip into the pin. I was always careful to be sure the opposite end of the vise grips were contacting the far end of the pin only and not the opposite side plate while doing any squeezing. This process started the flare at the end of the pin that would insure the side plate stayed in place. I then traded the angled bolt for a ball bearing which further flared the pin.

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5-The flare doesn’t have to be huge. Just enough to stop the side plate from moving from the position you set it in. The plate itself is a very tight machine fit and it doesn’t take much at all to keep it in place.

At over $100, I won't be buying the Motion Pro tool. The filed down screw is hard to hold in place. On to plan B.

I bought the Motion Pro Jumbo chainbreaker/riveter. I didn't want to mess up my $120 DID chain, and I sure didn't want the chain to come off when I was riding. The tool pays for itself the first time you use it. Plus, it makes it so easy (and that's worth $100 to me). Nice article Tong, but it was too bad they used a SV650. It doesn't show the old CBR 1000's hydraulic clutch slave cylinder with all different length bolts or the speedo drive off the sprocket nut, but otherwise, it was the same.

I may not use it again for years. I can haul my bike to a shop and have them do it for me. I left the shift linkage in place and worked around it. Very easy. Now getting the axle back in, was something else. I didn't have a correct stand, just propped some boards under the right side foot peg, leaning the bike on the kickstand and worked with the rear wheel at an angle. Not fun.

I'm in good shape now, changed the oil and filter, changed the antifreeze also. Good to go for a long time now. Oh, need to clean the air filter and lube the new chain. Almost forgot.

one question about this process.. does it have to be done on the bike? I'm assuming it isbecause otherwise you couldn't get the chain around the swingarm.... i'm thinking of making a small hydraulic press to do the job.. ifI do my math homework i can figure out how much pressure you can put out turning on a 1/2" bolt, and then make a hydraulic jig to do it.. I'm thinking along the lines of an old brake caliper from a car, with a special jig on it to hold the chain could work really nicely I have access to a machine shop at which i could machine all the parts i need.. i'll work on making one and maybe post pics sometime

Doesn't need a hydraulic press. The Jumbo chain breaker/ riveter is basically a very strong C-clamp. But the idea is like a hydraulic press. Have you ever pressed out a U-joint by pressing a socket on one side of the joint, and a larger socket on the other side to accept the other side of the joint? The Jumbo works the same way, but uses a pin to push out the roller on the chain and a larger hole on the other side of the chain to accept it. That breaks the chain.

Any C-clamp can press on the side plate, if you make a plate to accept the pins of the master link. Again, a C-clamp can flare the end of the pin if you make a little anvil to press it in. But like I said before, do you want to risk messing up your new chain? I've been working on vehicles since 1969 and the right tool makes a world of difference. Plus, if you buy the Jumbo, you can change your friend's chains for beers and lunch.

breaking the chain is the easy part,i grind the plate right off with a die grinder and abrasive wheel, then just give it a twist to pop the plat off it, and it slides right apart, I cut chain every day at work.. but the thing is to get it back together.. I'm sketching on the back of an envelope right now to try and picture my newfangled chain riveter.. i think it should work pretty nicely.. I have milling machines, lathes, and tig welders at my disposal...0

the master links, the pins are peened to one plate already right? you just have to peen one side right?

Unless you're keeping the old chain there's no need to press anything -- just cut it off with die grinder And as was stated -- the correct tool is usually worth lunch and some beer for your 5 thumbed friends ...

hehe, yep...

here's my idea for a chain riveter..


Imagine a sprocket, but it's just flat rather than round... the teeth are milled into it, but deeper (a full 3/8th deep (roller diameter)), and it's made ot of 3/8th plate (fits 530 chain), a matching clamp plate is made for the other side of the chain to hold it... you lay a piece of 1/8th plate over it with holes drilled exactly the size of the pins 5/8th of an inch apart (fits all 500 series) for the chain pitch.. this plate will lay flat across 3 outer links, the middle one being the master link, and will prevent you from squashing the master link. then with a clamp and pin (shaped to peen the pin), gets clamped around the whole rig, finalizing the installation.. i shall try to draw it up in autocad :)