Experts opinions,?chain tensioner

[James98189741]

I was just wondering are chain tensioner something for rookies that hurt the bike and engine in some small way or are they a must have. My experience says I don't need them but let me know?...

 

[James98189741]

And I didn't mean the stock ones I meant the ones you buy w a spring

 

[DAMIEN1307]

I was just wondering are chain tensioner something for rookies that hurt the bike and engine in some small way or are they a must have. My experience says I don't need them but let me know?...

As you can see below, I don't use one at all...Haven't in some years now...I cut down both chains to custom fit so as to be able to match in such away there is about a 1/2 inch or less up and down tension on the chain itself.

I do not have any of the usual chain and roller noise either...I started doing my chains this way after a tensioner roller grenade on me spitting shards of itself in all directions a few years back...I figured if they can do that with motorcycles, I can do it on my motorised bicycle.

When was the last time anyone ever saw a tensioner on a motorcycle chain???...I never had and I owned quite a few motorcycles in my younger years...lol.

 

[GW's Motorized]

Yup. Damien bugged me about my tensioner ever since I built my bike. Finally when I had my chain bust on me I spent the time to run it without tensioner. It does make it way less road noisy.

You can see in this picture there is no tensioner on my bike.

 

[Wrench]

When was the last time anyone ever saw a tensioner on a motorcycle chain???...I never had and I owned quite a few motorcycles in my younger years...lol.

View attachment 196536

True, the drive chain on a M/C don't use a chain tensioner. The chain is adjusted by moving the rear wheel with the Chain Adjusters
But other chains of a motorcycle need chain tensioners, and ya can't see them just by looking at the bike
Harley Davidson M/C have 2 chain tensioners
Timing Chain Tensioner and the Primary Chain Tensioner
With modern advancements in chain tensioners these are automatic and some will last 100K miles
They don't last forever and will eventually have to be replaced - per maintenance schedule

 

[Wrench]

Just when ya think you've seen it all
Aftermarket M/C chain tensioner

If ya gotta use one of these ya probably should just buy a new chain because your old chain is streatched out

 

[GW's Motorized]

Just when ya think you've seen it all
Aftermarket M/C chain tensioner

View attachment 196541View attachment 196540

If ya gotta use one of these ya probably should just buy a new chain because your old chain is streatched out

It's meant to look pretty

 

[Risk Man]

Yup. Damien bugged me about my tensioner ever since I built my bike. Finally when I had my chain bust on me I spent the time to run it without tensioner. It does make it way less road noisy.

You can see in this picture there is no tensioner on my bike.
View attachment 196538

You cheat. You only have one chain to tension.... that is a huge advantage!

 

[Chainlube]

You cheat. You only have one chain to tension.... that is a huge advantage!

I would like to pull the reverse dropout trick and see how much of a cheat that is to a bike. Would have to get a longer pedal side chain though.

 

[GW's Motorized]

I would like to pull the reverse dropout trick and see how much of a cheat that is to a bike. Would have to get a longer pedal side chain though.

He means I don't have a pedal chain on . My crank won't spin all the way so I decided not to worry about it. My bike takes off from stops just fine.