Two weeks ago my 2009 TW200 received some much needed attention. Thank you
Troubadour for taking care of the wee beastie.
As you might have read in my previous post (link
HERE) the chain came off the rear sprocket the last time I rode it in January. On its way off it managed to bend a few bolts.
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| (Bent bolts on the TW200) |
With great effort, Hubby was able to remove them. I think he used a
BFH.
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| (The top two are bent, the bottom one has smooshed threads) |
In doing research online, Troubadour discovered that the word on the street forums is that the stock chain is crap and should be tightened after every ride or swapped out for a better quality one. And, if you were to go from the stock 50 tooth rear sprocket to a 47 tooth, the gearing would be a little better for the highway without losing too much torque down low for the off road bits.
Done. A chain and sprocket were ordered and delivered within a week. Ordering the sprocket and chain were easy compared to finding proper bolts locally. We needed a shorter shoulder on them since the new sprocket was a smidge thinner. After searching several places we finally ended up at
Wilco and bought the correct bolts.
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| (Left - old rear sprocket - Right - new rear sprocket) |
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| (New chain and new rear sprocket) |
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| (Ta-da, shiny new chain and rear sprocket on a very dirty bike) |
Now, I do have to fess up. It was quite chilly the day that Troubadour wanted to work on the TW, so I was a wimp and hung out in the house where the ductless system throws out nice warm air. My time spent inside was not in vain. I made scones for my mechanic. If it was summer I'd pay him in cold beer, but for now scones warm from the oven do the trick.
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| (Lemon blueberry scone) |
Now I just need to find some time to take the TW out for another gravel road adventure. Troubadour took it on a short shake down ride for a few miles and filled the tank for me. Thank you Troubadour. I am race ready. Well, as fast as a TW200 can race.
- Au Revoir
" We can do no great things, only small things with great love." - Mother Teresa
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The stock sprocket really doesn't look like it could last. Good you had a better one installed by your own private mechanic.
ReplyDeleteInteresting choice of currency... scones in winter, beer in summer. Does your mechanic negotiate the terms before?
No negotiation of terms, we just go with what seems fitting. Scones worked for the weather we've been having.
DeleteA bike always feels better with a new chain & sprockets.
ReplyDeleteThe damage to the bolts shows how much force the chain can exert.
A lot of force. So glad I wasn't going highway speed.
DeleteAmazing damage to the bolts - presumably 10 or 12 mm dia? The aftermarket bits and pieces look to be great quality. Oh, and you sure know the way to a man's heart and to keep him focused on honey-do projects :-)
ReplyDeleteI believe the bolts are M8 x 1.25; I had to go with a flange head in order to get a shoulder length short enough to account for the new sprocket. Everything else was fully threaded and I wasn't going to being do that.
DeleteI don't think he minds honey-do lists when motorcycles are involved. Preferable to home renovations I am sure.
DeleteWow, surprising damage to the bolts. I can't tell from the pictures but did Troubador upgrade to class 5 or 8 bolts as replacements?
ReplyDeleteI went with a 10.9 flange head bolt to get the proper shoulder length.
DeleteClass 10.9 is stronger than class 8.8, and is commonly found in high strength automotive applications. Class 10.9 is similar to grade 8.
Nice upgrade. If the TW was wheeled into the living room, it would’ve been nice and toasty. And from the 5th photo, I can’t see the normal marking for grade 5 or 8 bolts. But other things will probably fail before the bolts shear.
ReplyDeleteI knew to go with a grade 8 bolt, I had to use flange head 10.9 to get the proper shoulder length and avoid full threaded bolts, that would be bad.
DeleteWouldn't have been the first time a bike has been in the living room. I didn't even think about it this time though.
DeletePesky chains and sprockets. If he was any kind of mechanic he would have converted you over to shaft drive...
ReplyDeleteChanging it over to shaft drive would cost me way more than beer and scones and I think that is an illegal form of payment in all states but Nevada...... :-)
DeleteBest design practice for a chain drive would include a rubber damper, can't see one and the scone looks to be edible!?
ReplyDeleteNo rubber dampener needed with the raging 16 horsepower of the TW200.
DeleteThe scones tasted good, but didn't look very good since I used frozen blueberries.
Brad got the bolts out with a Bitch From Hell????
ReplyDeleteOh did he pay up your life insurance?
He's used one of those dodge chain clips, no way am I trusting my life to one of those dodgy little clips. I get them to clamp the chain bolts over the chain link so it will never come off again without an angle grinder.
Nice! What would we do without your sense of humor?
DeleteAnd we both have life insurance dues paid up so it is a stand off.........
Good upgrade re hardware....those bolts that were stock, wow.
ReplyDeleteYeah, in hindsight I am surprised the bolts didn't bend worse than they did. This should be much more reliable on and off road. The bike is a 2009 and only has 1600 miles on it. Not a long distance tourer that is for sure.
DeleteWow, what a blessing to have an in-house mechanic who works for scones or beer! And I love Richard's idea of doing the work in the toasty living room! 😍
ReplyDeleteI am definitely spoiled.
DeleteThe idea of riding a 200 cc off road bike on trails in old age is growing on me. Once I get to live in a place where such trails exist. If you can do it I should be able to struggle with the trail bike concept. Only I'd have to pay my mechanic in cold hard cash.
ReplyDeleteWith more and more distracted drivers on the roads, the woods get more and more appealing.
DeleteI wish there was a mechanic in our house....Maybe if I snuck it into your garage, he wouldn't notice?
ReplyDeleteThere is a mechanic in your house.....you see him every time you look in the mirror. :-)
DeleteHe might notice you in the garage, depends on if you are sitting on the bikes making vroom vroom noises or are quiet, lol.
The new chain and sprocket should make a nice difference there, hope you like it. The way that old chain bent those bolts just goes to show the force involved when that chain came off, you were so lucky not to have gone down! You were not going too fast for your guardian angel.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was very lucky I wasn't going faster, especially since we'd just turned off the highway.
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