Slack Drive Chain in Peru
 

Hey all,

hoping someone out there might be able to help me with a touch of technical advice... Currently 22,000kms into a Pan-Am trip on a 2009 KLR and my chain has gone from a regular 2.5 inch to completely slack in a couple of days. Haven't touched the back wheel in weeks and it looks like there's been no movement. Had a similar issue with the chain a month ago in Chile and changing the it seemed to work, but I'm on the Peru/Ecuador border, so very access to parts. I could just adjust it, but it must be something else causing it, any thoughts???

Not overly mechanical, so any help would be great. Thanks.

Mike

The chain stretches - that's the short answer.
It will stretch more if not maintained.

A longer description can be found here:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tech/chainadjustmen

How many kms on the current chain? Sounds like it's getting to the end of it's useful life. Once it starts to stretch as it wears out, you have to adjust it and eventually it will be so stretched that even at the furthest setting back, the chain will still be somewhat too slack. You want to change it before it gets to that point because once it starts to stretch to that degree, it can progress very quickly and eventually your bike will no longer be safely rideable.

I assume that you know about replacing sprockets when you swap your chain. As walkabout mentioned, regular maintenance can lengthen the life of a chain considerably, depending on riding conditions.

africa motors in medelin colombia good repeair shop and the can geat yuo a new chain i had the same probleam 23000 kilimeters and may chain whas streage to the end and the sprokets whas dead the chain whil start flying off the sprokeat iff not changed bea awear geting sprokets in central and south america is almost imposibol i had to ordear from the usa and a front sprokeat cost 68 dollars whid import tax good luck

Some general background reading on chain maintenance and replacing.

Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Accessories by BikeBandit.com