Replacing/Changing rear sprocket and chain

[ZachDDill]

Okay so a few weeks back I had my bike at a Ducati specific shop (Mellimoto) I dropped about $900 on just general maintenance and what not seeing as I had the bike for a year and never took it to a shop, anywho while I was up there picking up my bike they told me that my rear sprocket did not match my chain. They told me it would cost around $300 to replace this. My question is, if I ordered the parts myself could I replace it myself as well? I looked online and parts shouldn't be more than $200 I believe. This would also save me a hour and a half drive and teach me how to do it. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

[Howie]

Not knowing your skill level or what tools you have the question cannot be answered.  Also, what bike? 

[ZachDDill]

I am an 18 year old highschooler with no experiance, my dad would be willing to help me but I was just curious if it was worth trying to do it myself, and a monster.

[Howie]

If it is a dual sided swing arm, you have a rear stand, some tools, a torque wrench, some blue loctite and know how to adjust your chain, pretty easy.  Single sided, a little more difficult, but doable.  What you save in labor can go towards tools. 

[Buckethead]

And if you're changing the chain, you'll need a chain tool, too.

Not super-difficult and it'll be a good learning experience. I say go for it. 

[Howie]

And if you're changing the chain, you'll need a chain tool, too.

Not super-difficult and it'll be a good learning experience. I say go for it. 

Doh!  That too.

[Slide Panda]

What year bike? If it's older (2000 and older) you might need a way to grind down the rivets on a link to break the chain. This can be done by hand, with a file... it'll just suck. A dremel with a metal cutting wheel works like a charm.

The older monsters have a hoop that attaches to the swing arm, that newer bikes don't. That hoop prevents you from just wriggling the chain free of the bike after you've introduced sufficient slack.

Question though - did the explain what about them didn't match?

[zooom]

also, whether you do it yourself or you let your dad or a shop do it, it'd be a highly reccomended idea to change the chain and both sprockets altogether at once in 1 shot as they wear together.

[lazylightnin717]

You're also going to need to right size allen and socket for the rear axle. Can't remember off hand what size they were 

I did mine last winter (both sprockets and chain) with no previous knowledge of how to do it on a motorcycle. It was pretty straightforward. I used an RK chain tool that I borrowed from a co-worker which was simple to figure out. Careful when torquing down the bolts. I must have over-torqued one in my new front sprocket and the head sheared off. Took it work and drilled it out on a press and through-bolted it. The hardest part was adjusting the chain tension and keeping the rear wheel straight which really wasn't hard to do.

I say go for it. Take your time and be observant. You'll learn a lot and in the end, you'll have better knowledge of how to maintain your bike 

[Slide Panda]

You're also going to need to right size allen and socket for the rear axle. Can't remember off hand what size they were 

Varies a bit. It'll depend on what monster he's got

[ZachDDill]

Sorry guys I thought I put in the post what my bike was, my bad. Shes a '99 M750. The place I take her to charges $77 a hour in labor so yeah I could pay for tools in the cost for labor.

[ZachDDill]

What year bike? If it's older (2000 and older) you might need a way to grind down the rivets on a link to break the chain. This can be done by hand, with a file... it'll just suck. A dremel with a metal cutting wheel works like a charm.

The older monsters have a hoop that attaches to the swing arm, that newer bikes don't. That hoop prevents you from just wriggling the chain free of the bike after you've introduced sufficient slack.

Question though - did the explain what about them didn't match?

The chain has slack side to side with the sprocket, as in I can grab the chain when its on the back sprocket and slide it left to right.

[Slide Panda]

Ok, so you're going to need to break the chain to get it off.

Many chain tools have some sort of attachment for punching the rivets through on a master link to break the chain. But this can and usually is a lot more hassle than grinding a head off a rivet and pushing it through.

There's plenty of info and tutorials on how to do chain work. It's not hard, just can be tedious.

The chain has slack side to side with the sprocket, as in I can grab the chain when its on the back sprocket and slide it left to right.

So sounds liek you might have 520 sprockets and a 525 chain.

When you go to get stuff, just get 520 sized stuff. You don't need anything beefier.

[lazylightnin717]

RK chain tool makes it a breeze to break a chain.

It's also good to have around in the event that the chain stretches to the point that you need to remove a link.

[Buckethead]

Or if your brother owes you money and you want to put a hole in his thumbnail.