Speaking of chains

Here's what I'm thinking,
I get the 520 sprockets from CRA and run a Renold or Regina or an Iwis conventional chain (I'm just not an O ring
or X ring kinda-guy), I think the 520 will allow me to run a heavy-duty chain with no clearance problems.

Regarding sprockets, I'm thinking a 21 Tooth front sprocket should be good.
I'm not "Ricky Racer" (I'm more a "Cruiser" kinda-guy).
I live in Houston, Texas (no mountains, it's FLAT here).
No passengers (no passenger pegs).
The Norton is the only bike I have that can handle the highway well so it will probably get used there a lot.

The reason for running a conventional chain, with these fancy newfangled O or X rings you can't do the
heated grease bath and chain maintenance is therapeutic (one of the big attractions to these old bikes
is that they "need" me).

Thoughts?

Unclviny

Well worth it but if you can get a split link it makes any future removal and cleaning easier. DID 520 'O' ring chain, which I use, do a semi pressed split link which needs vice grips to assemble but still easier than rivetting and grinding off pins to r & r. I keep it lubed and in 7000 miles has hardly needed adjustment. Previously with any of the std 530 chains it was adjusted every 750 miles.

Unclviny said:

Here's what I'm thinking,
I get the 520 sprockets from CRA and run a Renold or Regina or an Iwis conventional chain (I'm just not an O ring
or X ring kinda-guy), I think the 520 will allow me to run a heavy-duty chain with no clearance problems.


The reason for running a conventional chain, with these fancy newfangled O or X rings you can't do the
heated grease bath and chain maintenance is therapeutic (one of the big attractions to these old bikes
is that they "need" me).

Thoughts?

Unclviny

Click to expand...

I replaced my 530 Reynolds with the CNW 520 DID kit. The DID chain is sooooooo much stronger than the standard chain it may require only one adjustment in its lifetime (same chain is on my HyperMotard Ducati with almost double the horses), and typically last 25,000 miles. When you consider that the standard rear sprocket is attached to an expensive part ($180-200) and that you need to remove the complete primary drive to replace the counter shaft sprocket, AND that you will do this 3-5 times in 25,000 miles, when the O-X ring chain conversion does it once....

I suggest that you get yourself an M&M (Martini and Mistress) if you have all this time on your hands

RS

My .02:

If you're going to the trouble of doing a 520 conversion an o-ring or x-ring chain is the only way to go. I also have the CNW 520 conversion on my 750 and love it. No mess, no fuss. I can live without grease bath therapy! I hate seeing that nice Borrani rim on my 850 getting covered with chain muck. I might go ahead and put one on that bike too.

The CNW kit is a good value, especially if you need to replace your rear sprocket anyway.

Debby

This sounds like good advice, myself, I'm thinking of going to a belt primary at some time in the future so that will be the time for the counter shaft sprocket switch too. Even the "M & M" might be good motorcycling advice RS. If it wasn't for a disasterous relationship I may not have gotten back into riding again. Alone & depressed, pondering the fact I had waseted 13.5K on a wedding ring, I thought of the Norton I had seen on one of our trips to New York. Remembered how much I had loved them and bingo! Here I am a few years later, garage full of bikes/parts etc. Best thearopy I know...