I've been running a DID 530 o-ring gold chain for about 3000 miles now, maybe more like 4000. anyways, I have experimented with the stock front and rear sprockets as well as some up/down combos playing with the gearing over the past couple months. All the sprockets I ave used are steel, no aluminum. However for some reason my chain just keeps stretching, more and more, I clean it, wax it almost every ride. Maybe just my riding style (i.e. heavy engine braking and accel)
I like to keep its tension around 1" slack (up/down) but after about 3 or 4 days I have to tighten it again. It's too the point where I just don't ride it any more and I need to buy a new chain.

Reccomendations?

 

How many miles on your VTR? How many miles on the sprockets you have on now? What brand of sprockets are you using? What condition are the sprockets in? Do you check wheel alignment after you adjust the chain? Have you asked a really beefy person to sit on your bike to compress the rear suspension so that you can check chain tension?
DID 530's are expensive. You should be able to ride 20,000 mi. before the chain needs to be replaced.

 

There are 25k miles on the bike, the aftermarket sprockets were new when I bought them with the chain, maybe about 3000 on them and the stock ones 25k - 3k. the front was I believe sunstar and rear JT, the aftermarket rear is pretty much smoked (the galleys were worn larger), front is ok. I always make sure the wheel is aligned according to the tensioner marks.

As far as having someone sit on it, I just really do that myself. I don't weigh a whole lot maybe just shy of 200lbs I would consider that a pretty accurate chain tightness from when i do sit and measure it. I was honestly disappointed by the life of the chain, maybe I'll try a 520 setup next (!!!). No probably not, I just would like some reccomendations of what sprockets other people use so I can go ahead and get another DID 530 and maybe not worry about it. Maybe it was my sprockets?

 

What's the cush drive like?

Don't rely on the chain wear indicators to get alignment perfect. I use a 530 heavy Duty X-ring chain with steel sprockets (standard gearing) and a scottoiler, change cush drive when freeplay becomes apparent. I get 20,000 miles per C&Ss

 

what is cush drive? those rubber things inside/behind the sprocket? I mean I think they look fine, one pair was separated/torn where the little piece is holding them together. seemed alright as far as I could tell, and they installed fine.

 

over 25,000 miles They might look fine but if your riding style is as you say above then you'll be putting them under load along with your chain. If you put the bike on a rear stand and try and rotate the rear wheel by hand if there's excessive play then the cush drive is shagged (a bodge is to shim them with thin plastic from ice cream tubs or similar.

Back to chain and sprockets - Do you clean the chain regularly (what with? WD40 or proper chain cleaner) or just keep adding lube?

Geology Question - Do you ride through or near sand quarries? (I did to work for a while and it made a grinding paste that kills C&S - once I avoided that route things got better.

 

hmm I'm going to have to inspect the cush things then, thanks for that. as far as the chain, the cush could very well be the problem. usually to clean it, I just wipe all the grime off of the outside with a clean rag and then apply some chain wax I bought at a local store, usually clean it about once a week, sometimes more often.

I had ridden in some heavy rain a week or so before I started noticing these problems, I remember that because it was the worst rain I've ever ridden in, twice in one week! I never dried it, just pulled in the garage and it sat. There could be the problem as well.
There is very little sand around here, especially on the roads (thank you jesus) so that shouldn't be an issue. I'll just have to order another chain, since this one is maxxed out, some new cush drive things (accordingly to my inspection results) and sprockets. heh... $$$
Thank you Wicky for your help!