Picked up a very nice '15 R1 for track/race duty a few weeks ago. The bike is a really nice ride, with a great deal already done on it, like Ohlins front/rear suspension, etc. The day after I picked it up, I left it in the trailer and took it with my GSXR to the track, hoping to just get a little time on it to get used to the chassis. Planned to keep it to 80% or less that day.
On about my 10th lap on the bike, I came through the apex on the last turn, getting on the gas for the drive through the main straight. Shifting from 2-3, the engine red lined, and I thought I hit a false neutral. Tried tapping the shifter again and another screaming motor as no drive engaged. Threw my arm up, and drifted off the left side of the track.
Discovered that the chain had come off and was (very fortunately) riding on the hub of the wheel, rather than coming off on the outside of the sprocket, hanging up on the end of the swingarm/etc, and locking up the rear wheel at about 100mph. The reason it came off is because the previous owner had installed Mad Moto Chain Adjusters (look like clones of Lightech), and the adjustment bolt had sheared off. Even though the rear axle nut was correctly torqued, the hard throttle from 2-3 had sheared the bolt, and pulled the axle forward in the swingarm, creating massive slack in the chain, and slightly cocking the rear wheel. This pulled the chain off the rear sprocket.
Looking at the failed chain adjuster, you can see that the failed bolt is hollow, and of cheap non-hardened steel. After this happened I did a little research and discovered at least three other published failures exactly like this - all on liter bikes. I certainly don't blame anybody for trying these things out. Everything else on the bike was - and is - of good quality manufacturer. These things "look" like Lightechs. But, looks can certainly be deceiving...
I reached out to the only source I could find of these adjusters (on Ebay) and initially got a response, but after showing sending them the photo, I never heard anything ever again. To be honest, these specific adjusters don't even appear to be available any longer. I'm wondering if given the fact that I've found several other reported instances where these have failed, they've been pulled from sales.
Based on this, I not only do not recommend these adjusters, but I recommend anybody who has installed these immediately pull them from their bike.
On about my 10th lap on the bike, I came through the apex on the last turn, getting on the gas for the drive through the main straight. Shifting from 2-3, the engine red lined, and I thought I hit a false neutral. Tried tapping the shifter again and another screaming motor as no drive engaged. Threw my arm up, and drifted off the left side of the track.
Discovered that the chain had come off and was (very fortunately) riding on the hub of the wheel, rather than coming off on the outside of the sprocket, hanging up on the end of the swingarm/etc, and locking up the rear wheel at about 100mph. The reason it came off is because the previous owner had installed Mad Moto Chain Adjusters (look like clones of Lightech), and the adjustment bolt had sheared off. Even though the rear axle nut was correctly torqued, the hard throttle from 2-3 had sheared the bolt, and pulled the axle forward in the swingarm, creating massive slack in the chain, and slightly cocking the rear wheel. This pulled the chain off the rear sprocket.
Looking at the failed chain adjuster, you can see that the failed bolt is hollow, and of cheap non-hardened steel. After this happened I did a little research and discovered at least three other published failures exactly like this - all on liter bikes. I certainly don't blame anybody for trying these things out. Everything else on the bike was - and is - of good quality manufacturer. These things "look" like Lightechs. But, looks can certainly be deceiving...
I reached out to the only source I could find of these adjusters (on Ebay) and initially got a response, but after showing sending them the photo, I never heard anything ever again. To be honest, these specific adjusters don't even appear to be available any longer. I'm wondering if given the fact that I've found several other reported instances where these have failed, they've been pulled from sales.
Based on this, I not only do not recommend these adjusters, but I recommend anybody who has installed these immediately pull them from their bike.
