72’ Final drive chain. DID?

72’ Final drive chain. DID?
 
My apologies, I must have misread your post. Will reread.
Yes I'm running 520 on two bikes to save a bit of weight. The sprocket wear rate is very high, might rethink it and switch them to 530.

Perhaps you can explain this part-

"yes I have a IWIS 530 motorcycle chain here and I would not fit it to a Commando even though It meets spec that was introduced long after the Commando was on sale."


Why would you not fit this chain?




Glen
Glen,

It's too wide and very heavy. The IWIS 10B Elite chain I use has been adjusted once in the last 5K miles, so why fit a heavier and wider product. The Renold chain I had needed constant adjustment.
Realistically, either of the JWIS or IWIS Elite chain is more than adequate for our Nortons, and considering the price these days the life of the chain is pretty immaterial.
 
It's too wide and very heavy.

According to the IWIS specifications, although a whole 200 grams per metre heavier, the 10 B-1 M106SL overall width is (0.1mm) narrower than Elite.


The IWIS 10B Elite chain I use has been adjusted once in the last 5K miles, so why fit a heavier and wider product.

Andy the original "Chain Man" didn't recommend the IWIS Elite as he considered it an inferior product to M106SL.

 
A IWIS M106SL weighs 1.463 kgs.
A (114 link) DID 530 VX weighs 2.322 kgs. in the box so around 2.036 kgs. in Commando length with 21T sprocket.

72’ Final drive chain. DID?
 
Last edited:
According to the IWIS specifications, although a whole 200 grams per metre heavier, the 10 B-1 M106SL overall width is (0.1mm) narrower than Elite.




Andy the original "Chain Man" didn't recommend the IWIS Elite as he considered it an inferior product to M106SL.

To clarify, the IWIS wassel 530 motorcycle spec chain soley produced for wassel is will be by design heavier than than either the JWIS or Elite chain.
The specs for both the10-B IWIS Elite and 10B-1 JWIS chain are on the IWIS website.
 
To clarify, the IWIS wassel 530 motorcycle spec chain soley produced for wassel is will be by design heavier than than either the JWIS or Elite chain.

However, the chain sold by Wassell is called 'Elite'.
 
To clarify, the IWIS wassel 530 motorcycle spec chain soley produced for wassel is will be by design heavier than than either the JWIS or Elite chain.
The specs for both the10-B IWIS Elite and 10B-1 JWIS chain are on the IWIS website.
And I can confirm, at the cost of buying five Wassell Elite chains, that they fit no British bike I've tried them on without hitting something.

I HATE that one company uses "Elite" for multiple size 530 chains!

Does anyone sell the JWIS 10B-1 chain? Is there something wrong with it keeping AN from supplying it?
 
And I can confirm, at the cost of buying five Wassell Elite chains, that they fit no British bike I've tried them on without hitting something.

To meet ISO 10190 standard for motorcycle chain I believe it must have thicker side plates than 'standard' chain.
 
However, the chain sold by Wassell is called 'Elite'.
Ya, since both AN and Wassell sell "Elite" chain and since I'm a Wassell dealer and can get their "Elite" chain for way less than AN, I bought 5. Eventually put them in the recycle bin. On an 850 even with two chaincase to crankcase gaskets the master link hit the inner chaincase sealing plate and with the master link installed from the outside in, was going to dig a groove in the gearbox. In a 74 Trident, the master link could not pass through no matter which way installed. On a 70 Bonneville almost worked scraped randomly.

I'll check with him to to see if something has changed, but the writeup is the same:

"Elite 530 Motorcycle Chain - 100 Links.
Manufactured to the Worldwide Motorcycle Chain Standard ISO 10190 and therefore warranted by the manufacturer for motorcycle use.
Please do not confuse this product with Elite Industrial chain which is black in appearance and is not warranted for motorcycle applications.

Chain Size : 5/8" x 3/8"
Links : 100
Manufactured exclusively for Wassell."
 
What are these Elite and IWIS 530 chains for then, Harley Davidson?

If the 530 chains Andover sells don't fit classic Norton Commandos, they really should let consumers know in the part description. The buyer beware sales strategy is BS.

I bought the IWIS 530 chain Andover sells Monday. Crap on a cracker. Just another fat chain.
 
What are these Elite and IWIS 530 chains for then, Harley Davidson?

The Elite 530 (5/8" x 3/8") sold by AN fits according to Madnorton.
AN doesn't sell the (5/8" x 3/8" 10 B-1) M106SL as sold by The Chain Man.
M106SL does fit and is also a better quality chain according to Andy the original Chain Man (now Jason).

It's the Wassell Elite that apparently doesn't as the side plates and thus the overall width must be wider if it conforms to ISO 10190 - 2008.
 
Well I should know if the IWIS 530 chain I got from AN works some time Monday. AN doesn't provide any useful specifications other than 530 5/8 x 3/8 102 links. I took a shot in the dark that it might be correct for my use. I just noticed they do provide a part number. Unfortunatey, I missed that, and don't actually have a Commando parts list. 02.2876 is the number they use. Probably for a modern Norton with my luck.
 
The rear chain listed by AN as IWIS 102 links 5/8 x 3/8 came yesterday. AN shipped ELITE 10B chain. It is not IWIS. I'm not sure if I should care. It'll fit between the gearbox and inner primary without any issues.
 
The rear chain listed by AN as IWIS 102 links 5/8 x 3/8 came yesterday. AN shipped ELITE 10B chain. It is not IWIS. I'm not sure if I should care. It'll fit between the gearbox and inner primary without any issues.
Can you explain more? IWIS = JWIS = AN ELITE = Wassell ELITE (but not the same as AN ELITE) - all in name, not specs.

Why do you say it is 10B? Do you mean 10B-1? I AM NOT saying you're wrong, just trying to understand. I would love to know the width of the chain pins and the width of the master link pins. As long as a chain is nominally 5/8" pin-to-pin and 3/8" wide rollers only the overall width matters in whether it will fit a Norton without interference.
 
Can you explain more? IWIS = JWIS = AN ELITE = Wassell ELITE (but not the same as AN ELITE) - all in name, not specs.

Why do you say it is 10B? Do you mean 10B-1? I AM NOT saying you're wrong, just trying to understand. I would love to know the width of the chain pins and the width of the master link pins. As long as a chain is nominally 5/8" pin-to-pin and 3/8" wide rollers only the overall width matters in whether it will fit a Norton without interference.

10B is stamped on the link plates under the word ELITE. I bought the chain from AN. It is listed incorrectly as IWIS.

I can tell by looking at it that it will fit on my Norton, which is not a Commando. I'll go measure it and get back to you, so you can determine if it would work on a Commando. Measured the master link pin width. It is .835"

I don't mean to spread incorrect information on the interweb, but it could be my superpower, and I can't stop it from happening. ;)

72’ Final drive chain. DID?
 
Last edited:
AN do say their chain is IWIS… but the picture they show shows Elite ?!

Remember though, IWIS is a manufacturer name only, they make dozens of chain types, so even if you buy an IWIS chain, you've gotta do your research to be sure what you're buying if you want it to be the same as another IWIS chain.

Thats why I buy from the chain man, he sells a very well proven specific chain. When you buy from him, no research is required.
 
10B is stamped on the link plates under the word ELITE. I bought the chain from AN. It is listed incorrectly as IWIS.

I can tell by looking at it that it will fit on my Norton, which is not a Commando. I'll go measure it and get back to you, so you can determine if it would work on a Commando. Measured the master link pin width. It is .835"

I don't mean to spread incorrect information on the interweb, but it could be my superpower, and I can't stop it from happening. ;)
Interesting. Best I can tell, the 10B-1 master link spec is .839" so .835 is very close. All very confusing, but I think that is a JWIS chain, but AFAIK JWIS is another name for IWIS (an IWIS brand). At any rate, made by IWIS as is the Wassell ELITE chain which is much wider, especially at the master link which is .870".
 
"-1" just indicates it's 10B simplex. 10B-2 is duplex, 10B-3 is...etc.
Thanks, I've been wondering if that was the case. At any rate, 10B-1 is the original drive chain for the Commando - correct?
 
Back
Top