>>I'll be sporting new chain/sprockets soon, and I'm tired of hearing >>how badly I've been ripped off after the job is done. I purchased mine from Competition Accessories a couple of years back. I believe they are SunStar Steel sprockets and are showing no signs of wear even now. I simply called them and told them that I wanted to convert my 532 to a 530. He said "I don't think we have one for a GTS, hold on a second.........WE DO!!" I think I paid around $180 for the sprockets and DID Gold X-ring. Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike Coan writes: >>>SunStar Steel sprockets<< >>I used these for the first time. Are you able to change chains and >>keep the sprocket? Like 2 chains to every sprocket set? 2 chains to every sprocket set looks like it's going to be a good average on this setup. I've got 17K on my current chain and just ordered a new one. The sprockets look great! No hooking or other obvious visible wear. YMMV!! Be sure to inspect YOUR sprockets before replacing the chain!! Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC Date: Fri, 28 Mar 1997 18:45:59 -0600 From: "Tyler Duston" Subject: Re: 532 chain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > Why so high on the 532 chain. I'm told by the local DEALER that top of > the line, O - ring Tsubaki (sp?) 530 chain for the GTS can be had for > $130. It should be even less expensive through a mail-order house. > Hey this is the wholesale price I was given from the only place I find that > actually has the 532, Motorcycle stuff! > Yamaha at over $300. RK at $260. Yamaha $80 rear sprocket. Stay with > the 530 if you want but I don't want the noise or vibration so I have been > getting them from the UK when I am there.If we get an order that is very > large, like 10 or more we could get it down lower BUT remember to add > shipping since they are very heavy. We had some discussion about this a while back, so maybe newer people need to check our spiffy new archives (can I get an oooh! aaaah!). There are about a zillion sportbikes out there with 530 chains, so they're cheap. The GTS decided (god knows why) to use a rare 532 chain so its expensive. Simple. I forget the difference between them. You can switch to a 530 (and many people have), but as Mike C. pointed out, you would need 530 sprockets too and the OEM countershaft sprocket has a bushing on it to keep noise down (maybe other reasons, too?). So, your bike will get noisier and maybe you'll find other disadvantages. Someone said, too, that you have to make sure the strength is the same: because so many bikes use 530's, a lot of people make them, some good, some bad. Caveat emptor (sp?). Mike, I only have about 2K mi. on my bike, but let me know what the price might be if we can get a volume discount. 175+40+cntrshft sprckt+shipping is a little steep right now, but I'll need one eventually and I doubt they'll get cheaper! I think my buddy has a 530 on his 93. Maybe I'll see what he's found. I don't remember any more noise on his, but it was last summer. Thanks, tyler Date: Sat, 29 Mar 97 06:17:55 UT From: "Alan Macias" Subject: RE: 532 chain My two cents, when I put the VFR rear end on my 93, it comes with a 530 chain. The only real difference is that the 532 is a tiny bit bigger/stronger. But since the VFR is heavy like the GTS I saw no problem with the change over, and with the quasi sport bike motor we have in the GTS, every one who races the big bore Yamaha's use 530 chains so front sprockets are cheap. And ya know what? It's not noisy or any different from the OEM, at least from real slow to indicated 153 in Death Valley with out luggage. Alan Macias From: Mike Coan Subject: RE: 532 chain I am looking at the DID catalog and don't see a 530XV listed. Is it new? The catalog shows the 530VM as the premium series chain for a 1000cc bike. The OEM for 1000cc is a 530ZV2 or a 532ZLV for the GTS. Very confusing but no mention of a 530XV Mike Coan -----Original Message----- From: Lou Kallery [SMTP:lkallery@clovis.esd171.wednet.edu] Sent: Sunday, March 30, 1997 8:33 AM I didn't mean to get your ire up, Mike. For those of us who didn't know the price of 532, $175 seemed high. I fully trust that you search for the best and the best price for the GTS'ers. Locally, I HAVE called the Yamaha shop for prices and I haven't heard back. Things are casual here in the NW outback.Yesterday, I finallycalled Competition Accessories and found out that the Yamaha chain was well over $300. The question remains, however; why is the Yamaha endless chain so high? I'm told the D.I.D. 530 XV, the X-ring sealed chain is only $106. Perhaps it's the endless chain, but a fair question in terms of manufacturing costs. Date: Tue, 8 Apr 1997 11:14:45 -0400 From: "Hawkins, Kevin" Subject: RE: 532 chain >>What 530 are you guys using? I think I will go to it. DID Gold X-Ring VM Series. >>What sprockets? SunStar Steel Alloy. Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC > On Mon, 28 Apr 1997, Hawkins, Kevin wrote: > I'm at work and don't have my owners manual with me. How many links in a > GTS chain? I seem to remember 118, but I'm not sure and wanted to mail > order one today in preparation for the cross country trip. > Kevin, The official chain is indeed a 118-link unit. According to the manual, it's either: RK532GSV2/RKEXCEL DID532ZLV KAI/DAIDO Of course, prepare for an onslaught of replies telling you to go to a 530 conversion, but I for one try to stay close to stock. Or, did you already convert? Hmmmmmmm. This is starting to sound like a religious post. :) Phil Benson ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Thanks Phil! > >>Of course, prepare for an onslaught of replies telling you to go to a 530 >>conversion, but I for one try to stay close to stock. Or, did you already >>convert? > >Yep, I converted a couple of years ago to the 530. Piece o' cake! I'll be >ordering a DID Gold X-ring this afternoon. The conversion was absolutely >undetectable from a riding perspective. However, whenever I replace the chain >now, my wallet doesn't feel quite as light. > >Kevin Hawkins // Greensboro, NC ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I tried to work a deal with Motorcycle stuff to get the 532 chain at dealer prices. No luck. I did get a deal on one via a dealer but he got the wrong rear sprocket, a 530. Then the Yamaha shop didn't get in the 532 front sprocket so I ended up going to the 530. A little more vibration in the front pegs. Mike Coan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I did the 530 chain conversion on my bike the other day. I ordered some basic steel sprockets from Chapparel and a DiD chain. Much to my chagrin I mistakenly ordered a 110 link chain when I needed a 118 link chain. Sigh. Anyway, I took the oppertunity to remove and lube my swing arm pivot. Not really that bad a job, only took about 2 hours. The sprockets swapped out with no sweat. The only pain was getting the side plate on for the master link. I'm getting a chain press next time. I'm using an RK 530 o-ring, their standard model. So far, the bike has run well. The lack of the rubber bushing on the countershaft sprocket has not appeared to change the vibration or noise of the bike. As far as I'm concerned from the cockpit, it sounds and feels just like the stock chain. I also installed the new sport shield I got from Mike Coan (Thanks Mike!). A real improvement in wind noise over the old shield. Very nice. I'm quite satisfied with it. And, it allows more air flow through my Aerostich. A real plus in the balmy south. :-) I'll put the big shield back on for winter, however. Some heli-bars are next on the agenda (put a corbin seat on it a coupla months ago). I also need to do the valves and fix the cold-idler. I need some help from those of you with a good relationship with your mechanics. I need to know if the cold-idler (fast idler) is adjustable and if so, how exactly. I've inspected it on mine, but I cannot determine it's adjustability. Nor is the shop manual of any real use in this. Barring any info from y'all, I'm going to yank the throttles off next time I do a service and see if I can find out for myself. Thanks all, Michael Weaver (706)542-8872 weaver@arches.uga.edu ---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 12:49:10 -0400 From: Mark Bergman CHAIN: In fact, the loudest part of the bike seems to be the (stock, ~8,000 mile) chain. Since the tire was changed, the chain seems to be running on the very inside of the sprocket--the inside plates of the chain (and inside face of the sprocket teeth) are getting polished bright. The chain is well lubed (~300 miles with chain lube). The wheel seems to be correctly aligned--the axle holder blocks are within 1/32" of the same distance from the end of the swingarm on each side, and the chain tension is on the tight side of correct. I don't remember the chain touching the inside of the sprocket before...it was [roughly] centered. Any thoughts? ---------------------------------------------------- From: "Hawkins, Kevin" Hmmm....the only thing I can thing of Mark is the spacers on both sides. Make sure they're there and flush. ---------------------------------------------------- From: CubbyS@webtv.net (Bob Smith) flip the chain to the other side ,see if polishes the other side ,ect----if it does you ain't square ----- somewhere!!!! ---------------------------------------------------- From: "S. Bodnar" To: Subject: Re: chain/gearing/Windshields Message-ID: <199910281156.HAA40582@fireball.blast.net> Regarding chain conversion. I've done a couple one on an FZR-1000 and recently on the GTS. Got 23K before I could not stand it anymore. Used RK X-ring LFO good stuff. Tensile strength is not an issue. These cahins are stronger than the 630's of yesteryear. You can use a stake masterlink or the clip type. The stake will require a special tool to do it right, overstaking can crack the pin so be careful. I've always gone with the clip with no problems. Points to consider with clip installation if you go this route: It may sound complicated but if not done right you WILL spit the clip. 1-Follow directions with the clip. Don't forget the o-rings. 2-DO NOT use a vise grip directly on the side plate to press it on the pin. It will bend the plate and you will never get the clip on. What I did was take a side plate off the old chain, enlarge the holes so they easily slide over the new pins. Place this plate on the side plate to be installed. Now you can use a small pair of vice grips to seat the side plate without bending it. It is a light press pit. 3-Next install the clip. Make sure the surface and pin grooves are absolutely clean! 4-Spray the surface with chain lube (Maixma Chain wax works best). Install closed end in direction of rotation, make sure it seats fully into the groove. Place one end of the open clip into the other groove and gently pry the other clip end over the pin into the other side of the groove. 5-Last critical step. The clip has to be "loaded" i.e.pressure applied to it by the side plate. Once the clip is seated gently pry the plate away from the body of the chain against the clip from the top and bottom. Use a screwdriver. This will prevent the pin from twisting when under load and possibly losing the clip. GEARING Another Yamaha FOOMBA ! They all need six speeds ala KAWASAKI. For my tastes the first 5 speeds are perfect for up to 70-75 and backroads. But for long distance 80+ a sixth overdrive is best. I did the following: Dropped the rear sprocket 3 teeth. 47-44. Somewhares in the 6-7% range. In fifth went from about 4,900 to 4,500. 70 is a tick below 4,000. Still in the meat of the torque curve which really starts at 3,500. 4th becomes a slightly shorter fifth with more pull. This change DOES take some edge off the lower gears and softens the character but it does not feel busy on the interstate, more relaxed. You can always drop in 4th for more pep. An FZR 750 six speed race gearbox would work but its a big project. WINDSHIELDS Anyone have pictures with aftermaket tall shields other than Clearview ? Be happyto pay postage and developing costs to get a hard copy if you can't send it over the internet. The 6+ looks a bit ungainly but well made. I'd like to see the options befor e i order. Thanks, Stan