New 800GS - 200 miles = broken chain

[Lost Rider]

In the middle of a extended adventure on my R while 2400 miles from home I picked up a 8GS and took it out for a proper fist day of dirty riding....
After riding 200 miles my chain had loosened up greatly, going from properly tight to 4+ inches of play.
Kind of weird but since I've been blessed with no chain for years I didn't think much of it. The next day I went back to A+S to sort out some other stuff... anyways they tightened the chain up for me and I set off. I stopped for gas, pulled out, nailed the gas, and BAM! the chain broke.
Lucky for me I was on the way to Ted from A+S's house and he came and picked me up with a trailer. My bikes there and will be fixed tomorrow. Slightly annoying, but shit happens and I'm just glad it didn't happen in a few day when I'm in Death Valley, or next week in Baja, and A+S is all over it.

Any thoughts? New chains don't break right?
Did I just get a defective one?

[Reposado1800]

That is pretty scary. Glad you are alright.

[Stretch67]

What brand is it? Broken plates, or did a rivet work loose?

[Lost Rider]

Originally Posted by Stretch67

What brand is it? Broken plates, or did a rivet work loose?

not sure who makes it, but it broke mid plate

sorry no pic of the broken part

[jessehere]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Any thoughts? New chains don't break right?
Did I just get a defective one?

That is pretty scary. I think your motor must be defective making double the normal HP.
I read a report on UKGSer about a similar incident but not with that low of miles. You aren't even due for the first chain lube. I would like to see the broken links.

I think it has a Czech made chain. let use know what A&S says.

EDIT-wonder if the wheel was misaligned and a tooth cut through the plate

[Jamie Z]

There's a final drive joke in there somewhere.

Sorry 'bout that man. Was anything else busted when the chain went? They have a nasty habit of breaking more stuff when they go, and occasionally take out the rider.

Jamie

[G.Gordon]

Originally Posted by Jamie Z

There's a final drive joke in there somewhere.

Sorry 'bout that man. Was anything else busted when the chain went? They have a nasty habit of breaking more stuff when they go, and occasionally take out the rider.

Jamie

I was going there, but... ahh shucks... why not.

Can't BMW make any drive systems that don't fail?

[Gustavo]

Originally Posted by G.Gordon

Can't BMW make any drive systems that don't fail?

It's a feature. It's designed to make for good talk on bike forums...

Gustavo

[jessehere]

For what its worth, I looked at my 800gs chain and its a CZ brand 525 BDZ chain.
I found the CZ chain specs but it doesnt show the BDZ type.
CZ specs only shows 525 SDZ type.
I wanted to compare specs for a DID chain, but no luck. The CZ website specs show "breaking load" and not "tensile stregnth"

CZ motorcycle chain specs here:
http://www.czretezy.cz/produkty_a/se...alog_as602.php

DID specs here
http://www.didchain.com/specs.htm

[marc morgan]

Just a thought , but the first day you rode it and noticed it had 4" of play( not normal) but continued to ride...you think that may have caused excellerated wear and stress on the plates. Then when it was tightened up , the metal was already fatigued and it just snapped!. I've got a F800Gs and i'm really conciencious about checking the play in the chain( especially if I hear a lot of "chain slap" on offroad use. 3500miles and still on first chain!
( now watch..tomorrow on the way to work my chain will break!!:)

Glad it happened where it did.

Good Luck
Marc

[marc morgan]

anybody know whats the recommended mileage on these chains before you should changes them?

Marc

[Scottm4211]

Originally Posted by marc morgan

anybody know whats the recommended mileage on these chains before you should changes them?

Marc

< 200 miles

[Bucko]

This chain probably had a manufacturing defect. Running them slack shouldn't stress a chain, just increase the odds of it jumping the sprocket. Running them tight is much more likely to cause a failure of either the chain or the countershaft seal. Chains should be slack enough at rest that there is still some play when the rear sruspension is fully compressed (unless you have a G450X with co-located countershaft and swingarm pivot centers).

Chain life depends on use and maintenance. A good quality, well-maintained (cleaned/lubed/adjusted) chain will go 20k miles or more if ridden on the street. Taking them in the dirt/mud/swamp/dunes will shorten their life, especially if they aren't cleaned and lubed afterward. 200 miles is a ridiculously short life, hence my diagnosis of defect. I'd say it's a warranty issue with BMW.

[tmex]

I am talking only o-ring chains below. I never purchase non-o-ring chains.

I agree with Bucko, but I also have an "anal" gene". I generally replace the chain and rear sprocket on my road burners (Ducati 998 and YZF1000) at 12K miles, but these are high horsepower bikes. On my dirt bikes I will typically go a "season" (one year of use) on a chain and rear sprocket. A year of use on the dirt bikes is probably around 3000 miles. I intend to replace the chain and sprocket on the F8 annually, maybe 7k-10k miles. I would never replace a chain without replacing the rear sprocket with the exception of the Ironman sprockets which seem to last through a couple of chains. Any aluminum sprockets, although a weight saver, are taboo IMO.

I have never broken a chain in over 30 years of riding, so I have to believe it is rare. I tend to avoid the so-called case savers which are touted for some bikes because it is easier for a rock to get jammed in there and do more damage than would have occurred without the case saver. I have had chains come off several times when riding in deep ruts which push the chain guide inward, and the chain slips off the rear sprocket.

[Lost Rider]

not sure what the other broken part looks like, it's all caught up...