>A question to all regarding chain tension.  I could be wrong but 
>I believe all of the talk, including the manual, says to tension 
>the chain while it is on the center stand.  I was talking to my 

If I may inject a comment from an ex-chain junkie:  Most manuals 
have you adjusting the chain for the 1 or so inches of free play 
with the bike on the centerstand.  This usually results in a 
chain that is too tight once the bike is back on its wheels and 
loaded.  The end result is a chain and sprockets that have been 
trashed prematurely.  The excessive sideloads on the countershaft 
and rear wheel bearings don't do them any good either.

Most of you probably know this already, but the reason for this 
phenom is the relative positions of the countershaft and the 
swingarm pivot points.  If these two points were one in the same, 
the chain tension would remain constant regardless of the 
position of the swingarm.  In actuality(sp?), the countershaft 
sprocket is usually in front of and slightly below the swingarm 
pivot point.  As the end of swingarm (axle) travels from its full 
down position (on the centerstand) to where it'll sit with the 
bike loaded, the distance between the countershaft and rear axle 
actually increases, thereby causing the chain to tighten.

Kind of a pain in the butt, but the best way to adjust the chain 
is:

1.  Put the bike on the centerstand. Slowly rotating the wheel,
    look for the rear wheel position where the chain is the
    tightest on the bottom loop (chains *do* stretch - unevenly). 
    Leave the wheel in this position.

2.  Mark the side of the tire with a piece of chalk at the 6
    o'clock position.

3.  Roll the bike off the centerstand and return your mark to the 
    6 o'clock position.

4.  Loosen the necessary hardware and adjust the chain to a
    slightly looser tension than you actually want.

5.  Sit on the bike and reach down and feel the resulting chain
    tension.

6.  Too tight, loosen the tension slightly; too loose, tighten it 
    up a little.  Always check the tension with a load on the
    bike.

7.  Once satisfied, tighten everything up to spec.

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> 1.  Put the bike on the centerstand. Slowly rotating the wheel,
>     look for the rear wheel position where the chain is the
>     tightest on the bottom loop (chains *do* stretch - unevenly). 
>     Leave the wheel in this position.

Yep, and the older the chain, the more important this is.  BTW, one way to
decide to replace the chain is that the difference in tension seems to be
getting excessive.  I also am suspect of any chain that needs too much
adjusting, which indicates wear/stretching also.

  
> 2.  Mark the side of the tire with a piece of chalk at the 6
>     o'clock position.
> 
> 3.  Roll the bike off the centerstand and return your mark to the 
>     6 o'clock position.

If you find the tightest spot rolling the bike, not on the centerstand,
you won't have this problem.  Which is leading to my basic point.  I'd
adjust the chain with someone else, whenever possible.  One person can be
the "load" and the other can do the actual task.  It's the easiest way to 
do this, if you've got someone who can help.

  
> 4.  Loosen the necessary hardware and adjust the chain to a
>     slightly looser tension than you actually want.

Two people cacn eliminate the guesswork that this involves.

> 5.  Sit on the bike and reach down and feel the resulting chain
>     tension.

This is the part I don't really want to do.  Low speed/no speed drops
still cause lots of damage, and reaching down to a chain while sitting on
the bike is something I personally avoid.  Why tempt the plastic gods?

> 6.  Too tight, loosen the tension slightly; too loose, tighten it 
>     up a little.  Always check the tension with a load on the
>     bike.
> 
> 7.  Once satisfied, tighten everything up to spec.

And, it should be noted, always replace the cotter pin with a new one.  I
carry a few in the little glove-box thingy (technical term) on my GTS,
just so I won't get stuck without.

Phil