Drive Chain

SAFETY FIRST: Protective gloves and eyewear are recommended at this point.

The Suzuki Katana uses an O-ring chain. The 600 models have 118 links and the 750 models have 116 links.

Proper chain adjustment is critical to the safe and efficient operation of your vehicle. An improperly adjusted chain can break or derail from the sprockets resulting in vehicle damage or loss of control of the motorcycle.

Before riding, the drive chain should be checked to make sure that it's adjusted and lubricated properly. The best time to clean and lube a chain is when its warm after a ride.

Inspection

Shift the motorcycle into neutral, and place it on its center stand. Turn the rear wheel and inspect the chain for damage, rust and kinking. Replace the chain as needed. See the Drive Chain topic for more information.

Stretch

Remove the cotter pin from the rear axle.

Hold the axle with a 17 mm wrench and loosen the nut a few turns with a 22 mm socket.

Turn the chain adjuster evenly to make the chain taut.

Measure the distance covered by 21 pins. Replace the chain if it exceeds the service limit.

(Chain Length 21 Pins Service Limit: 319.4 mm or 12.6 in)

Adjust the chain slack.

Slack Inspection

Measure the amount of chain slack on the lower run of the chain midway between the two sprockets. Measure the distance from the chain at rest to when it is pushed up with you fingers.


Drive chain slack 600			25 - 35 mm (0.984 - 1.379 in)
Drive chain slack 750			30 - 40 mm (1.2 - 1.6 in)

Turn the chain adjuster nuts evenly with a 12 mm socket until the chain slack is within specification.

The rear axle must line up with the same mark on both sides of the swing arm. If the axle doesn't line up correctly, readjust the chain slack so that the slack is in specification and the rear axle is correctly aligned.

Hold the rear axle with a 17 mm wrench and torque the axle nut to specification with a 22 mm socket.

Rear Axle Nut Torque Self Locking Type	50 - 80 N-m or 36.0 - 58.0 ft-lb
Rear Axle Nut Cotter Pin Type	55 - 88 N-m or 40.0 - 63.5 ft-lb

Recheck the chain slack.

Insert a new cotter pin into the rear axle and bend it securely into place.

Cleaning

Clean the chain with a stiff bristled brush and a high flash-point solvent that will not damage the O-rings. Suzuki recommends cleaning it with kerosene.

Lubrication

Oil the chain with a motorcycle chain lube approved for O-ring chains or a heavy motor oil.

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