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A while back I did a quick and dirty chain change and banged in a spring link 'coz I didn't have a rivet link to hand.

Kinda forgot all about it 'till now.

I've put a spring link on one of the Ridersite Racing RSV chains at Brands with no ill effects. I've also done a fair distance on this chain and been pretty hard on it.

Just wondered what opinions there are out there on their use.

There isn't very much side-ways force on the master link (and hence on the spring clip). So long as the spring clip is facing the right way and is seated correctly, I can't see there being any problem with using it.

I used the spring-clip chains on my old Honda and in ~130,000km (including a few track days) I had no problems at all.

I am with Viking on this. I have a spring link on the Blackbird and have used spring links for years mainly because I can't be bothered to mess around with rivetts and the like, and to date I have never had a problem.

As Viking said, if the spring clip is facing the right way, it should not give you any grief.

I know they say that on big bikes that you should rivet them - but having gone to the faff of buying a riveting tool, used it to rejoin the chain when I changed the swinger and been very unsure as to whether it had riveted the thing properly - it's not very obvious. I guess that more than a year's use would suggest that it did the job properly.
However, I know that I'd be far more confident that I'd got a spring link on correctly (ie 100% certain).
Whether it is or isn't up to the job, I really can't say.

Think we're probably all the same here, suppliers, manufactures and Bike Mags always say don't use them as they will fail!
However, many people seem to have tried them at some time, and they seem to be OK. I have used them on occasions over the years with no problems, and I've not heard of one failing. Is that because they have not failed or because anybody that had a failure wouldn't mention doing something "so stupid".
Like Andy whenever I rivet anything I am never 100% confident. Usually keep tightening until I break a pin on my cheap rivetting tool, is this too tight, not tight enough or just a crap tool?
Probably mostly the latter, but did pay 50 quid for it.
Then again I have rivetted at least three chain with this cheap tool, two on the Falco and one on the CBR Thou, and none of them failed either, so I'll keep doing the job myself this way.

I've not had that much experience of chains but the Falco is on the second chain that I have fitted.

The master link plate is a press fit over the pins which I've achieved using mole grips. I've tried peening the rivet over but didn't think this worked. I usuall keep an eye on it to check that it remains well seated.

Unless something is seriousely out of alignment there should not be any side thrust and think I've relied for 30,000 miles or so on the press fit.

Ive always used spring links. Never once had a problem with one. Plus thay are easier to put on

If something does go wrong with the chain (not saying it would or it wouldn't), and given that the standard fit is rivetted, would the insurers have a case not to pay out?

Then again, if you messed up the rivetting and it parted company, they might argue the same...

Firestarter wrote:If something does go wrong with the chain (not saying it would or it wouldn't), and given that the standard fit is rivetted, would the insurers have a case not to pay out?

No!

Now this is getting silly, insurance pay out on a broken chain, they will always try and avoid paying out anything, "race can on your bike sir, sorry you have no insurance!"
They would probably want to know -
Are you sure it was maintained properly?
Did you use the correct lubrication at the right intervals?
Was it fitted by an Aprilia Dealer?
I would think a wrong answer to any of these would have the insurers running to the hills.
That's before we even talk about the fitting "non standard" gearing or non Aprilia sprockets, (modifying the bike without their knowledge).
Got me thinking now, I have informed them of all my mods, but not this
I for one would never have thought about making a claim for this, unless it locked solid and threw the bike and me into a hedge!

HowardQ wrote:I for one would never have thought about making a claim for this, unless it locked solid and threw the bike and me into a hedge!

That's kind of what I was getting at, wouldn't claim for a chain parting (I ain't that daft!), but if it put me down the road it's whether the insurers would hold back on damage to the bike. TC?

I presume it wouldn't make a difference, but just throwing it out there.

Interesting discussion, but all largish bike that have had sealed "O" ring chains, for the last 30 years, have had staked links, they also had bigger chains, ie my 1980 CBX 1000 has a 630 chain and kicks out 80 ish at the wheel, the CB1300 has about 109 at the wheel and runs a 530 chain, the `prllia has about the same as its the fast Bronze one with Leo Vinces, runs a 525 chain as standard.

bearing in mind we are now talking 30 years ago, split links were on my Fizzy, A10 and Trumpet Speed twin, max output prolly 30 BHP.

My Guts tell me to use a stake join, which is what ive done in the past. what do the moto gp /WSB/BSB boys use?

Firestarter wrote:
That's kind of what I was getting at, wouldn't claim for a chain parting (I ain't that daft!), but if it put me down the road it's whether the insurers would hold back on damage to the bike. TC?

Same answer. No!

If the chain is of the size and type recommended for the bike, it matters not whether it is rivett or spring link, the only time it might be an issue would be if it could be proved if the chain was for example too small or too big.

Sring links were in use long before chains were rivetted and was standard fitment for just about all bikes until realatively recently, so they would have a job proving that the chain wasn't up to the job.

However, if the chain itself were to fail, then there may be some mileage in a product liability claim.

Another vote for Spring link.

Having seen earlier said Racing RSV complete a season on a spring link at the hands of Witty (who wasnt slow when it came to riding the RSV) I would have no qualms riding on one on the road or spiritedly on track.
They pass Scrutineering even in the world paddock, so that must say something.

The only times I've had chains break were on a Triumph Tiger 750 and Honda CB750K6. Neither came apart at the split link. But they were relatively low HP - 68 on the Honda, can't remember what the Triumph was. The Honda broke at least 2, possibly 3, chains in the 2 years I had it.

Ee, I remember when them rivets was all fields . . .