Best chain available for a 74 CB 750?

[rm56]

I own a 74 stock 750 that I bought in June 2006 from the original owner. At the time it had 14,959 miles on it. One month after I got it I installed new front and rear sprockets and a chain. The chain is a Gamma Series made by Tsubaki, it has 6,000 miles on it and is already shot! I was doing an adjustment today and noticed that the chain is badly stretched. As I rotated the tire it would be sloppy loose then get very tight. I have never riden my bike in the rain and I have noticed rust on the links. I keep it garaged so I do not understand why this chain rusted and became so trashed so quickly? My best guess is that it was a poor quality chain to begin with. What do some of you use. I don't race my bike, mostly commute riding and an occassional weekend ride. With regular adjusting and lube a chain should last about 10K not 6K. Don't want to buy another cheap chain. Thanks

[Re-run]

Pretty strange, tsubaki is usually really good. Hard to say about rust but was it an o-ring chain or standard? Rust generally means not enough lube on the chain. Also, did you get 530 pitch all the way around or accidentally get 530 sprockets and a 520 chain or something like that? Now I have used DID roller chain(non o-ring) and they wear pretty fast unless you do a lot of work on them. You need to keep them well lubed and cleaned every oil change. I did not and got the same thing you did. bad stretch after a few thousand miles.
Even an 0-ring chain needs lube though. I know people think they do not but they are wrong. They need lube and cleaning, just not as often.

EK, RK, DID, Tsubaki are all good. Either 0-ring or standard roller. Remember, the roller should be sprayed with something or brushed with motor oil every couple hundred miles and cleaned at least every other oil change using kerosene. With proper alignment and lube, you can get 15000 out of a good roller chain.

If you go o-ring, a quick spray with chain wax every few hundred miles is needed and I would probably clean it every few oil changed, I think kerosene can be used for that too as it should not harm the o-rings like gas does.

If they still made the can stuff(or you can find it), there was a lube that was in a can, you heated it and dipped the chain in it and let the excess drip off. It was awesome stuff and made roller chains last 20000 or more miles. Probably whay it is no longer made.

[rm56]

The chain is a 530 standard, the sprockets were OEM from CMSNL. I did some research and found out that I was not lubing the chain right. I was spraying from the rear, supposed to spray onto the sides and let it drip into the links. I have located an X-ring RK chain for around a $100. Now I need to find a set of OEM sprockets. CMSNL is out of the rear one, they only have to front. Do you know of a supplier for both front and rear OEM sprockets? RK recommends PJ-1 for lube. Thanks

[Re-run]

Well you might try david silver spares for oem Otherwise I have had good luck with sunstar. You can also check out jt sprockets.

[rm56]

I've located the sprockets and a RK 530 X-ring chain for $142.67. The standard Tsubaki chain I have is not rated for the power of a 750 4, I only wish I could remember where I bought it. I'm surprised and glad I did'nt throw it and ruin my cases.

[Re-run]

You probably got that rating from something like bike bandit. A cb750 will not break a 530 chain. Just not enough power, unless the chain is complete junk.

[ccRider246]

I have been told that Sunstar made the original sprockets on my F but I don't know if that is accurate information. They are still in business in Ohio. My local Honda specialist ordered mine for me. I used a DID chain (530). I lube using Maxim Chain Wax every ± 300 miles - more often if I ride in the rain. I also clean every ± 600 - 1000 miles using kerosene. The chain never seems to be too dirty but under the front sprocket cover gets bad fast. I have tried chain cleaners but nothing seems to work as well as kerosene for me.

[rm56]

It is now, last weekend I tried to adjust it and it is stretched so bad it would be slack by several inches
and then get so tight you could hardly rotate the rear tire. I've parked my bike until I get new sprockets and a chain. I've located both sprockets and a RK X-ring chain for $142. Is that a good price? Once I put the new sprockets and chain on I'll be more careful about lubing and adjustment. I thought my chain had rust on it, no it was residue from the brake and engine. It has a redish color so I thought it was rusted. I took a rag and it wipes right off. If the chain was not stretched I could get some more use out of it. But the last thing I need is to throw a chain and punch a hole in my engine cases. Thanks guys for the help.

[Re-run]

That price is not bad, not for an o-ring chain and sprockets. If you look, you might find cheaper but not much.