TT500 chain & sprocket ?

[jimson]

G'day viewers I'm about to buy a new chain & sprockets for a TT500 1977 & not wanting to race the bike, it'll be used on trails & bush adventures. Any advice on this I'm not a rich man so I want to get it right the first time lol I have never ridden this bike, as it was bought as a basket case. Thanks jimson

[Mick D]

Hi Jimson,
I think the standard gearing for that model 15t front & 50 rear. The good thing about this site is that someone will sure point it out if I am wrong But I would go 15t & 52t if just adventuring around the bush trails. you will appreciate the extra 2t on the rear
This is all you need for the front and probably the cheapest you will find
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/JT-STEEL-FRONT-SPROCKET-FOR-1977-1980-YAMAHA-TT500-TT-500-15T-/232057958425?hash=item3607bb7019:g:7J4AAOSwHoFXvNCP

If your just plugging around instead of flat track racing? you will not notice the difference between a steel and aluminium rear, so that's is a chance to save a few bucks there. Will also last longer than just about all alloy ones too. This looks about the cheapest
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/52T-JT-REAR-SPROCKET-FITS-YAMAHA-TT500-D-E-F-G-1977-1980-/131903852669?hash=item1eb615107d:g:b2IAAOSwIgNXqe7z

Now the most important part is a decent sealed chain, don't get succered to a chink one, get a decent O-ring at the very least.
These RK Takasago's are a great lasting chain. They are made in Japan and a bargain for how long this set up will last you.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RK-520MO-120L-o-ring-motorcycle-chain-/282206125112?hash=item41b4cbbc38:g:T78AAOSwzaJX8nR~

Think about this next bit, if you want reliability and ease out in the scrub. Tell them you want one with a riveted link. I imagine some one like your friend Yamaico may have the correct riveting tool? Saves losing a clip and throwing a chain by sometimes simply rolling backwards
on a stick, rocks or mud build up when out in the scrub. Saves carrying a spare joining link and compressing tool with you as well.
Remember when you cut the chain, make it as long as possible to keep the wheel as far back in its axle slot as possible.
That RK chain wont wear(stretch) anyhow and it will make for plenty of slack and easy to slip the chain on and off the rear sprocket when you slide it forward.

If you ever want to remove the chain just simply undo the two lower shock mounts and pull the arm pivot bolt and arm out.
Your swing arm pivot bearings will probably need cleaning and greasing long before you wear that drive arrangement out anyhow.

A bit of money there, but it will be super reliable and last heaps and you want have to be adjusting the chain all the time either.

Put a Non-Sealed chain on a 500 thumper and you will regret it heaps.

[80-85 husky]

o ring for sure. im not fussed on the rivet link but the reasons are sound. get a joining link as well and clip it onto a cable somewhere as you never know when a mate will break a chain..

once fitted and ridden, you will need to adjust the tension once, maybe twice but after that it will be trouble free. if your going to ride in sand don't even bother oiling it, just makes sand stick to everything.

the current o ring chain on the husky was on the bike when I got it and that was in 2010. its done 3 Harrows as well....just replacing it this week. good value for money.

[jimson]

Thanks for your input & knowledge. I like to feel I'm going in the right direction when I'm spending money. Thanks jimson

[Mick D]

I would like to think none of us are still ignorant enough to head out into the boondocks with a badly worn chain.
I wouldn't head there with anything less than a quality Japanese chain, especially on a big torquey 4T 500.

For all intents and purposes, chains do not break these days in our application.
Quite simply their join fails, the joining link.
Although not common, when the failure does occur. It is quite often the case that the damage is far more substantial than
simply fitting a new joining link(cases, clutch release mechanism, ignition cover, etc,)

A riveted link does not fail or "break" only clip types do.

You don't even have to have a rock or stick hit the clip.
Some times it can simply be rolling backwards when stuck half way up a hill
and something makes your chain deflect side ways enough for the return rail chain guide to remove your clip without you knowing.
And you don't realise until your the plate comes of under full noise.
Its happened to me on a IT465 somehow , the damage was humongous.

[80-85 husky]

in years of riding and racing ive seen two chain dramas that were fixed with a spare link (not easily...its hard to press fit a chain sideplate with a rock!) 1 was a broken link and 1 was a broken chain due to a rock and a hard place. ive had o ring chains on bikes so long the clip on the joining link has plain worn away on the guide! don't get me started on plain chain issues....fine for mx but in endurance events they are a menace.

[Mick D]

I have seen two chains drop on the muddy starts of the NSW Bulahdelah complex in the same weekend.
Drives caked with mud, both bikes were rolled backwards prior to lining up.

One a Maico the other a Husky and they weren't even sealed chains.

Don't Forget, that the link of the clip type is wider than the rest of the chain and that sealed chains are wider again than a non sealed chain.
Most of these bikes from the day were not designed with the width of a sealed chain in mind. 

[shelpi]

some works riders mechanics would wire up the joining link clip, one either side of the tooth, never done it my self
but totally agree on whats been said

[tony27]

Somewhere there is a photo of the works CZs which have a piece of possibly aluminium behind the joining link folded over top so the link could not spread & come off
A trick that trials riders like myself use is to put the clip on the inside towards the wheel, we do it as the wheel shields the chain from rocks etc for most of the run which for obvious reasons is very important

[pancho]

A dirt track friend of mine, now retired, locked the clip in place with a piece of steel beer can slipped in behind the clip and folded over the top of the clip, any excess trimmed off, with just enough left to push in the space. Bit fiddly but it worked.

[yamaico]

Somewhere there is a photo of the works CZs which have a piece of possibly aluminium behind the joining link folded over top so the link could not spread & come off
A trick that trials riders like myself use is to put the clip on the inside towards the wheel, we do it as the wheel shields the chain from rocks etc for most of the run which for obvious reasons is very important

I've always done that, Coke can ally does the job. Taught to me by the late, great Warren Willing.

[LWC82PE]

I have to mess around with chains on almost a weekly basis on Australia Posts so called new and improved CT110 replacements. They do not allow any chain other than the non  o-ring OEM Honda chain to be used which is a piece of Indonesian junk, stretches and needs frequent adjustment. They think they are saving money but they are not. No the enclosed chain guard on the new  NBC does not extend maintenance intervals. Back in the old CT110 days I was allowed to fit DID 428 o-ring chains which would go for 6 months or longer before needing adjustment. They were excellent, did not even have an enclosed chain guard to 'keep the crap out'

A TT500 has a lot more torque and power than a 110  Honda
Unless you want to fork around adjusting the chain every  ride  get any name brand O or X ring chain. If you want lightweight and narrow then DID VT2 is one of the best.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/D-I-D-520-VT2-Enduro-Racing-Chain-120-Links-Natural-/272346635588?hash=item3f691fdd44:g:wNIAAOSwdzVXtxYw

Not sure why ebay sellers are charging so much. Shop around you can get them cheaper than that.

Do not waste money and time on a non sealed chain on a bike that is to be regularly ridden.

[KB171]

This'd be the high tech CZ chain pic.