Motorcycle Repair: chain slipping, kawasaki 550 ltd, horrible noise

Question
Chris,
I have a 1983 Kawasaki 550 LTD.  I was on my way to work and while on the freeway, the chain started slipping making a horrible noise.  I exited and the bike just sounded horrible.  When I got to work, I took a look at the bike and determined tha the chain had stretched, and the teeth on the rear sprocket/gear are now clearly ground away and inoperable.  Does this effect the front sprocket/gear as well? The bike is currently in the parking lot at my job, and I have no idea how to begin to get it home. This bike is my only mode of transportation, and I need to fix it as soon and economically painless as possible.  Do I need a new chain? Do I need a new sprocket/gear? How much do they run?  I really have no idea about these things, and before I take it to a mechanic, I want some idea of what I should expect so I am not taken advantage of.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Answer
Hi Tim.

With chain final-drive bikes, when you change the chain you must change the sprockets (and visa-versa) in order to insure that all of those components wear together.  otherwise you could wear out both new sprockets with a worn chain, or a new chain could be damaged by using old, worn sprockets.

As far as the work, it is fairly simple to change the chain and sprockets.  You will need to get the parts, of course, but then you get the bike on the centerstand and loosen the adjusters and remove the rear wheel.  Then you need to remove the sprocket cover on the engine and remove the chain.  Removing the sprocket on the rear wheel is easiest.  You pound down the holding tabs on the lockdown bolts and then remove the sprocket.  replace it with the new one and make sure that the lock-down tabs go back on and pound them in place after the sprocket is properly bolted in place.

The proceedure is similar with the drive sprocket, but first, you need to put the bike in gear to limit the rotation of the sprocket while you loosen and later tighten the nuts holding the sprocket on.

Follow the proceedures from the repair manual and you cannot go wrong.

Lastly, make sure that you tighten the chain properly (1.5" - 2" freeplay), lock everything down and all will be well.

Also, make sure that you lube the chain when you replace it as well as once a week when you do the weekly adjustments to the chain.  I recommend "Chain Wax".  It is a good product and is cleaner to use than most other lubes for the chain.

Good luck and ride safe.
FALCON