Good rear chains ??? For BSA 441 SS.

The last couple chains I bought, one for the 850 Norton & one for my 68 BSA 441 (Shooting Star) were both Renolds or RK from very reputable Brit bike people and both seemed to where out fast as far as getting rusty etc even though both live in a garage in California, never been out in the rain and are well oiled adjusted with good sprockets. Have any of you with BSA victor family singles found a modern O or X type chain that fits???

An O ring type chain for your 441 would just be too wide, and would not work. On my 441 Victor Special, I have a Diamond brand 520 chain and the side links are thicker than the standard Renold's chain. With my chain I had to install the master link with the clip facing towards the center of the bike otherwise the master link would jam into the primary section of the engine case. An O-ring chain would be wider than the standard diamond shape that I have. So far I have been happy with my diamond chain. I have about 4000 miles with it and it looks like it has a long time to go to wear out. It has not been getting rusty, or anything like that and I live in the high deserts of California.

Other than the usual things to check for rapid chain wear, I would check to see if all of the engine bolts are tight, especially the back bolt. Maybe the engine is cocking off the side a little bit causing chain misalignment. Also check to see if your shock absorbing buffers in your clutch hub are okay. One other thing to check is your counter shaft sprocket should have only no less than 17 teeth. The fewer the teeth, the more shock loads are on the chain.

I have a friend that used to be a professional desert racer back in the 1970's and early 80's. He had nothing but bad things to say about Renold chains. He thought that they were just pure junk. He said that at the end of a race there would be nothing left of them.

I like those old 441 Shooting Stars. I owned one way back in the 1970's when I was a teenager. I always have a soft spot for those unit singles.

If a chain rusts, it is not oily. If it's not oily, it will wear fast.

Well I will agree with your friend Peter Joe. I found my last two Reynolds chains were junk. I suspect the possibility that they are fakes cuz the metalurgy was crap. I use a healthy amount of good chain lube, the sprockets are less than 1000 miles old etc. T.T. I also agree with your theory,,, however the facts proved otherwise. Been playing with chains long enough to remember the days when for us bicycle freaks normal practice was for us to put them in pans of melted paraffin wax so they got lived inside but dust didn't stick. And we stuffed newspaper in our shirts on cold mornings & tossed it later. Non of this moder super fabrick stuff. Just seems like these chains were junk.

I don't understand all of your reply, but if you want another opinion that new Renolds chains are inferior, have mine. I agree.

Warning: This post provides only vaguely useful information :wink:
I used to ride a '67 B44R as my primary transport throughout the 90's. I fit an o-ring chain to it, but I sold the bike years ago and do not remember what brand. Some are wider than others, but I managed to find one that fit with no issues.

gtsun said:

Well I will agree with your friend Peter Joe. I found my last two Reynolds chains were junk. I suspect the possibility that they are fakes cuz the metalurgy was crap. I use a healthy amount of good chain lube, the sprockets are less than 1000 miles old etc. T.T. I also agree with your theory,,, however the facts proved otherwise. Been playing with chains long enough to remember the days when for us bicycle freaks normal practice was for us to put them in pans of melted paraffin wax so they got lived inside but dust didn't stick. And we stuffed newspaper in our shirts on cold mornings & tossed it later. Non of this moder super fabrick stuff. Just seems like these chains were junk.

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I cannot comment on your experience of Renolds chains as they may have been a pattern chain, however if you complained to the chain supplier you could have got some redress.
Maybe the chain was the wrong size for the sprockets; or sprockets are not aligned, some chains come with several different roller diameter.
They can also be damaged when being used on worn sprockets and used ungreased, some people seem to fit them and forget them!

http://www.sprocketsunlimited.com/Chain ... tions.html

Renold Chain used to be made in the UK, then the motorcyle chain production was moved to Arnold & Stolzenberg Germany, and then a few years ago production was moved to China.
A Std 520 5/8" x 1/4" (Renold 110054) produced in 2013, isn't quite the same chain that was produced even 10 years ago. Just check out the side plates.
As for a recommendation, i'd go for Italian made Regina 135RESR.

As The Chain Man I agrre that Renold is not the chain it once was.

With 110054 the only real option is Regina.

Andy