17 tooth front sprocket won't go on.

[whisperquiet]

I doubt that there is a master link on an endless OEM equipped motorcycle chain.  The endless chain is probably installed about the same time as the swingarm during factory assembly. I just checked my Tenere 700 OEM chain and it is endless with quad staked links and no master final link.  I changed out my OEM Tracer GT chain at 15500 miles and never saw a factory installed master link.

I would think that the 17 t countershaft sprocket will be easier to install with the rear wheel out which allows more movement of the chain side to side.  
 

To the OP……will those chain/axle block adjusters slide further forward in the swingarm?  The Tracer GT swingarm is 2” longer and the blocks will slide farther to the front.

 

 

 

 

[peteinpa]

12 minutes ago, whisperquiet said:

I doubt that there is a master link on an endless OEM equipped motorcycle chain.  The endless chain is probably installed about the same time as the swingarm during factory assembly. I just checked my Tenere 700 OEM chain and it is endless with quad staked links and no master final link.  I changed out my OEM Tracer GT chain at 15500 miles and never saw a factory installed master link.

I would think that the 17 t countershaft sprocket will be easier to install with the rear wheel out which allows more movement of the chain side to side.  
 

To the OP……will those chain/axle block adjusters slide further forward in the swingarm?  The Tracer GT swingarm is 2” longer and the blocks will slide farther to the front.

 

 

 

 

The question remains. There is a closed loop in the cast swingarm that the endless chain runs through...How??

My chain has zero wear at 7500 miles. I can't even pull the chain off the rear sprocket. Completely tight.

In sliding the axle and blocks forward the axle hits the end of the slot in the swingarm first.  At that point chain is tight as a guitar string trying to put 17 tooth in.

[whisperquiet]

I am guessing that Yamaha installs the endless chain with a regular staked link in the captive swingarm at assembly??  It is certainly not an identifiable master link like a replacement chain would have.  The parts diagram does show a replacement chain that does require the install of a master link.  
I still think you have more leeway for the 17 t install with the rear wheel out and the chain flopping about.  I had to do this to install a 16t on my KLR650 as the chain was fairly new with minimal side slop.

[peteinpa]

40 minutes ago, whisperquiet said:

I am guessing that Yamaha installs the endless chain with a regular staked link in the captive swingarm at assembly??  It is certainly not an identifiable master link like a replacement chain would have.  The parts diagram does show a replacement chain that does require the install of a master link.  
I still think you have more leeway for the 17 t install with the rear wheel out and the chain flopping about.  I had to do this to install a 16t on my KLR650 as the chain was fairly new with minimal side slop.

Get it installed yes. Have "any" slack to run it, not happening.

[Manxkiwi]

7 hours ago, peteinpa said:

Is that a pic of the OEM chain or a replacement? I know what they look like I've installed a few.

I don't have one. 🤷‍♂️

It's OEM, not buggered enough yet to require replacement. Have you looked on the inside of your chain? 

I doubt Yamaha send all of their swingarms to the chain manufacturer to be factory fitted through said swingarms before assembly. You will have a rivet type link, you're just not finding it for some reason.

[knyte]

When I bought my new-to-me '15 FJ it had a similar endless chain (complete with shredded o-rings!) with no appreciable master link.  So I just used a chain splitter on a random link; problem solved.

[Manxkiwi]

9 hours ago, duckie said:

Hmmmm, my tracer gt runs a 118 link chain when using stock sprockets…..16/45.

I know the swingam is longer by roughly 2 inches. Didnt think it would take a 8 links longer chain.

The green tape is used for chain adjustment. The other side has one also. I got a really good alignment of the rear.

When I go to adjust the chain, I place a mark on the both tapes where the front of the axle slider is located.

Once I get the chain slack where I want it using the sprocket side adjuster, I place a mark on the tape where the front of the axle slider is now.

I measure the distance between the marks and then on the other side, place a mark on the tape that distance from the current mark.

I then just adjust that side back until the axle slider front  is at the new mark.

 

 

8 5/8ths of an inch (the first 5 in '525') is 5 inches, so 2 1/2 inches longer (top and bottom of chain). 

You don't need to move the adjuster bolts when removing the wheel. So you never need to reset them once set, just count flats when adjusting.

[peteinpa]

34 minutes ago, Manxkiwi said:

It's OEM, not buggered enough yet to require replacement. Have you looked on the inside of your chain? 

I doubt Yamaha send all of their swingarms to the chain manufacturer to be factory fitted through said swingarms before assembly. You will have a rivet type link, you're just not finding it for some reason.

Maybe the beginning of the production run they did send the swingarms to the DID Chain factory. Maybe it's right next door.  Japan is not a large place.

I DID check both sides multiple times now. I marked a random link to know when I've gone around. I laid on my  side with a flashlight and spun it around.

[duckie]

Technically……all motorcycle chains are endless once installed…..

I find it strange that, if running stock numbers chain and sprockets, the axle slider measurement marks are no where mear the mark on the swingarm.

Just find that strange……

 

[peteinpa]

15 minutes ago, duckie said:

Technically……all motorcycle chains are endless once installed…..

I find it strange that, if running stock numbers chain and sprockets, the axle slider measurement marks are no where mear the mark on the swingarm.

Just find that strange……

 

It's the angle of the pic. The mark on the swingarm is right at the rear of the block, at the first mark.

[betoney]

18 minutes ago, peteinpa said:

It's the angle of the pic. The mark on the swingarm is right at the rear of the block, at the first mark.

I think what @duckie was referring to is- at normal adjustment, the axle block should be about an inch further toward the rear with the swingarm alignment mark about in the middle of the adjustment range on the axle block, not at the very end.

[Manxkiwi]

2 hours ago, peteinpa said:

Maybe the beginning of the production run they did send the swingarms to the DID Chain factory. Maybe it's right next door.  Japan is not a large place.

I DID check both sides multiple times now. I marked a random link to know when I've gone around. I laid on my  side with a flashlight and spun it around.

Hmm, that is unusual. Maybe the riveting machine at Yamaha puts the same shape on the end of the pins? No matter where the chain is fitted, it has to be looped through the swingarm and riveted by some means.

[lbturks1]

I went up 1 tooth in front and down 2 in the back for 500 lower rpm with same chain length 

[Wintersdark]

On 10/20/2021 at 1:18 PM, betoney said:

I didn’t know that one extra tooth would make it so tight. I went up 2 teeth in the back and definitely had to buy a longer chain. 

I was able to go up two teeth in the back, but *just barely* and only with like 8k on my chain.  New chain definitely needed to go up a couple links.

I'm thinking, with my next set, going back to stock chain length, down one in the front and stock rear... or maybe +1 rear, more aggressive than just +2 rear, and should fit with stock chain length nicely.  

15/45 (-1 front, stock rear) has the downside of repeated tooth-link combinations, though.  I dunno if that's really a problem or not, but it seems like it may be, whereas 15/46 avoids that... and should make the bike properly wheelie happy, even with the longer swingarm

Edited January 3, 2022 by Wintersdark

[kilo3]

On 1/3/2022 at 12:28 PM, Wintersdark said:

I was able to go up two teeth in the back, but *just barely* and only with like 8k on my chain.  New chain definitely needed to go up a couple links.

I'm thinking, with my next set, going back to stock chain length, down one in the front and stock rear... or maybe +1 rear, more aggressive than just +2 rear, and should fit with stock chain length nicely.  

15/45 (-1 front, stock rear) has the downside of repeated tooth-link combinations, though.  I dunno if that's really a problem or not, but it seems like it may be, whereas 15/46 avoids that... and should make the bike properly wheelie happy, even with the longer swingarm

What are you using for calculating that on the 15/45?  I'm going this route this summer as well. 15/45 @118 links is perfect balance:
Does my calculator suck?