Chain life

Anyone worn out the chain that came with the bike and how long did it last?

With a Scottoiler and a new, decent o-ring chain will I make it to 9,000miles (my next planned trip length) before I have to change it?
Lack of cushdrive and some decent offroad have me worried.

Mine was shot after about 7,000km. I attribute that to two things. First, I don't know how well the original owner maintained the chain (I got the bike used). Second, I think the stock rear sprocket doesn't let the chain seat properly.

We'll see what this new chain will do for milage.

Thanks for that. My bike has 900miles on it. I hope the last owner was kind (that and running in).
Keep em coming..

So you're planning a 9,000 mile trip? Cool!

That's a long way on any bike, but especially these little buggers.
We'll expect a full report on that one.

Yes, London to Magadan in Siberia. I’ll be travelling alone and feel the WR² will allow me to explore any opportunities without worrying about getting stuck. Lightweight, 3-4000mile service intervals and FI are key ingredients in ease of use. I’m looking to use a small pelican box on the back, an ortlieb bag with tent in and a set of andy strapz with pac-safe mesh around them.



Hopefully I can get this setup honed to some level of satisfaction this year by doing a few mini-trips confident that I’ll be ready next year.

Wow! I don't know about taking one of the new FI models through Russia though. From reports I've heard, your fuel may come in dubious qualities. That sounds more like a KLR trip to me. Old, carbureted, and dependable no matter what you feed it.

I've got 5200+ miles on my stock chain and it seems to be doing just fine. I've only had to adjust it a couple of times so far, and everytime I clean the mud and grime off it still looks basically new. Sprockets are getting a little sharky looking though. For a 9000 mile (paved?) road trip, I think you'll be fine but depending on your mileage before leaving I'd consider replacing the chain and sprockets (stockers are crap anyways) before you go so you start fresh and have an idea of how to change the chain in case it or the sprockets doesn't make it. In any event, have a spare chain and know how to change it and/or the sprockets on the go along with the tools to do it.

A much more pressing issue in my opinion would be the fuel range, depending on how remote of an area you're heading into (I'm ASSuming Siberia is pretty goddamned empty). Even with carrying an extra 2gal can, I'm guestimating my maximum range to be about 220miles.

People are doing similar trips on modern FI bikes so I'm not concerned that the WR can't make it. Russian fuel is often of low'ish octane but still do-able. I'm fitting the Safari tank and carrying a 12ltr fuel bladder locked to the rear rack which should up the range to over 300miles which is enough for the times when I need more range. In the West Coast route through africa (on XRV750s with a range of 260miles) we only used extra range once or twice using a 10ltr fuel jerrycan.

I will def replace the chain and sprockets with a decent chain and sprocket kit, add a scottoiler, grind back the front sprocket cover for inspection purposes and take a spare front for sand.

Holy crap! You are taking the WR on essentially the toughest part of the Long Way Round trip?



That is impressive.



I'd be really surprised if you see 9,000 miles out of a OEM dirt bike chain. I never have, anyway. I think for the relatively small amount of money, given the nature and length of your trip, I'd change it.

I blame you guys for convincing me that this bike is capable of anything! I will be changing the chain to the best quality I can get my hands on.
I will be doing a lot of the mods on this site including fitting a switched-fuse box for heated grips, vest, gps, charging socket.
I'm going lightweight from an overland perspective, taking only what I need but I still need to work out a tyre strategy. I could carry a spare set of tyres and get a third set sent to Russia/Mongolia probably with a new chain maybe.

I'm more curious what you have planned for your butt for a trip that long. I can only do a couple hours before monkey butt sets in.

Good question - a whole thread by itself.
I've done an hour in one go which was fine. I'm looking at getting the seat rebuilt and/or taking my airhawk with me.
I like the airhawk to sit on and the fact that it comes off is good for offroading but realistically speaking it is easy to steal and my mate's one only lasted 5,000miles before he started developing holes and had to keep repairing it every week thereafter!

OMG! I hope you have a camera crew with you! When are you leaving?

Leaving UK in April next year. Still some time away but I wanted to get familiar with the bike in warm weather rather than in a couple of weeks before leaving :)

Wow you have me really excited, i would love to do a long trip like that but on a R²
makes it that much cooler. Are you going to have a webpage setup similar to your africa trip? I would
imagine getting internet updates on the road would be tough through Siberia.

Now we just need someone crazy enough to run a R² in the Baja 1000

I will definitely have a webpage for the trip and will also post stuff on ADV and here. There's a guy I'm following doing a similar trip on a DR350 so I'm looking forward to seeing how the WR² measures up to that. Just my experience in Africa suggests a good alternator on the bike, as well as the light weight, will be a god-send.

How long do you think the trip will take? Something like this is on my to-do list, but probably not until I finish college. Unless of course you're willing to wait to mid May and I can find a way around having to take summer classes...

I anticipate the trip will take 4 months. Hopefully the high passes through Krygistan will be warmer and free of snow and the water levels across Siberia will be at their lowest by the end of August. I can't wait.

Another Wow ! Frankly I'd rather do the Baja 100 back and forth than load the Rr with all that and do Siberia !

...at least in Baja you can get lobster and Coronas every 50-100kM !

Very impressive... I think I'll limit my adventure to taking the girl out in the Mojave for a 350 mile, two-tank jaunt all within cell-phone range !

Maybe when I get younger.... ...after I retire. ...in two years.

You guys rock ! ( ..and roll farther than I imagine).

Still early days - lots to plan and cash reserves to build up. I just felt that this trip was something I always wanted to do and one that my girlfriend would never want to do. Hence no time like the present!

There's still loads to do and see in the world but I can see myself doing the Alaska to Antartica trip in a few years, on a bigger bike with my girlfriend on the back.

The Russia trip is for me though. Pack light and see if I can't find me some adventure...

Just thought you'd appreciate an update regarding chain life. I replaced my stocker when I changed gearing to a 112L RK o-ring chain, along with a steel GYTR 13T front and JT 47T rear sprocket. I'm approaching 7000 miles on the chain and rear sprocket, no issues and I've only had to even adjust it for tension twice, once after the initial ride in and once when I changed front sprockets to a 14T for better road manners.

The 13T front was showing wear with ~5000 miles on it when it came off. The rear looks fine. Haven't checked the new 14t front, but don't expect anything to be wrong as it only has 2000 miles on it.

For your trip planning, you can get a lot further each day that you might otherwise think. I found it pleasantly easy to do 300+ miles a day on good dirt and pavement, and 400+ doable on strickly pavement riding.

Thanks for the update. I'm definitely going back to the 13T front as the bike had a 12 when I bought it.
Longer chains are supposed to give better wear rates and I imagine small front sprockets are not good news for chain life either.
The trip will be around 10K miles so I'm going to need two chains and spare sprockets or set off with the original one and take a spare (+chain tool).

Coming up to 11,000 K's on mine. I have tensioned it once at *3000ish* with knobbies on. I've been running stock wrr tyres for about 6months now..I've had to tension the chain 3 time last month. Is it getting old & worn?

Going from making one adjustment for thousands of miles to making one a week is a good sign it's used-up. :)

Stock chain lasted 20 miles on my R model. That's cause I needed a longer chain when I changed gearing.
Anyone want to buy a stock chain (or sprocket?)