Best Racing Chain/Sprockets

What about the EK z3d the 520 version has like 9400lbs tensile strength at 3.72 lbs per 100 links. I’ve not seen one better yet while searching so far but being it’s not mentioned here by you guys I’m wondering why???

 

It's probably just a chain with new model numbers/letters that hasn't been out very long?

Damn, that thing is expensive...motomummy has them for $175....
I'd still go RK GB520GXW for the money.

 

Buddy of mine was running one of those at the last Road Atlanta round on his R1, was only his second or third weekend on it. Chain snapped on the start as soon as he hit second gear, pin tore right through the inner link, strangest chain failure I've ever seen. And he is pretty thorough on his maintenance, I know he had the chain slack right so not a case of too tight/loose.

 

Hmm, this is concerning. I have this chain (525) version and hope this doesn’t happen to me.

 

I have an RK GB 520 GXW and Renthal sprockets on my 1000 and a DID 520 ERV3 with Driven sprockets on my 600.

 

The one thing that comes to mind is damage from cutting the chain to length. If the rivet was pushed through without grinding off the peen, that peen might serve to expand the sleeve as it's pushed through, possibly cracking it.
(Not saying your buddy didn't grind, it's just what comes to mind as a possibility contributing to failure. Depending on whether the chain broke at the master, another possibility would be an incorrect master.)

 

His was a 520 conversion

Didn't fail at or near the master. If was a very weird failure and maybe a one off type of event who knows for sure.

 

Ek's have been crap for me. I use RK's GXW on alot of bikes now inlcuding my daily rider with great results.

 

Regeared my duke and goin up 1 toothe on front sprocket and down 3 teeth in the rear gave me another 12 mph top speed. Bike showed 122mph before gearing limited and now shows 134mph gearing limited, everything else is still bone stock so i think with back fender removed and full fairing installed and going up 1 more toothe on front sprocket with a full exhaust and dyno tune Im hoping the bike will show me 140mph on the speedo.

 

Can the RK GB 520 GXW handle liter bike power in a 520 size?

 

Well yea. It has higher tensile strength than ERV.

 

my rc-8 with 90 ft lbs of torque can't stretch it, rk gb 520 gxw chain

 

With that large of a gearing change you're likely going the same speed but your bike thinks its going that much faster... depending on where the speed pick up is. Once you start playing with gearing unless it's an actual wheel speed sensor your speedo is next to useless.

 

Bike is definitely going faster but not for sure the accuracy of speedo but with the much taller gearing it still pulled the same rpm 8,800 in 6th gear which is as high as my 690 will rev.

 

it should be pretty ez to verify your speed w/ any GPS, even the one on your phone. a lot of bikes have the speedo pickup on the countershaft. so any gearing change completely messed w/ the speedo. for bikes with wheel speed sensors, ud hope they are being used for the speedo. but u never know.

 

I tried a GPS app on my phone at Daytona and it told me my top speed was 113 on my GSXR 750... I don't think it was quite accurate...

 

Are you guys running aluminum or steel 520 rear sprockets on the high HP liter bikes?
Also which brands hold up the best?

 

Ive had good luck with Driven sprockets (steel).
They are a few grams more than aluminum but if you change the sprocket studs/nuts to ti bolts its a wash or a few grams net on weight savings. Not a fan of aluminum sprockets.

 

I've had best luck with Renthal for longevity but I'm curious about the various steel 520 as well.

 

I used Superlite steel 520's on 2 different R1's. They both wore far better than a 530 Renthal aluminum I ran on an RC51, and various Vortex and Sprocket Specialist I had used. For whatever that is worth....

For me, I'll buy the Superlite steel over any aluminum for my mostly street, some track day use.