Poor GOATs

[kdtrull]

I've had several "GOATs".  The 2008, 2009, and 2013 year model, Yamaha XT250, is just one (I suspect ALL XT250s are the same) of three. 

For a 292 lbs scooter...all by itself...250cc is a long ask for hauling around an extra 300 lbs....day...after day...after day for so many miles.

My newest 250cc GOAT, a 2013 XT250 (purchased used with about 5k miles), just turned 27K miles.  It has never presented a single performance hiccup:



If you think about it, every day a 250cc air cooled engine carries a 260lbs man (plus gear) a couple hundred miles, is a (bit of a) reliability test.

On the other hand, I've had a couple KLR 650s and DR650s (also GOATs) as well.  None of them have produced, until now, an unexpected failure.

My 2021 (purchased brand new..fresh out of the crate (0.1 miles)) DR650SE produced this at only 2,800 miles:





What do you make of that?  Is it a one-off manufacturing defect, known issue, or, something else entirely???

I really don't know.

I've, never once, had a chain break....even on very worn chains.

I feel very fortunate that it shot straight out of the rear, without tangling, onto the ground.  This occurred mid-curve and accelerating.

[Chitza]

 ??? So glad nothing bad happened with that, kd. I haven't had any chain problems, but I've also had as many belt driven bikes as I have had chain drive. Belts skeer me. Ask @yamahamer about losing a belt at Barbers. Ho, boi.

[Nice Goat]

Could be a defect or maybe the chain was too tight while you were riding?  Us big guys need to put stiffer springs on the rear shock or it compresses too much.  Too much sag and the swingarm pulls too much tension on the chain.  I remember a few people on ADV tearing through chains on their loaded down, adventurized WR250s.

[yamahamer]

Looks like you got lucky and it went out the rear. They do a lot of damage when they bind in the front.
Side pull will cause this to happen, rear wheel no being aligned with the front. When you replace it check the chain alignment with something like this.
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/motion-pro-chain-alignment-tool-p
If it's not straight and the axle cams are correct check wheel spacers, they may be on the wrong side.
I never trust the cams. I have seen them good and I have seen them a full bump off before. I had a 1900cc Yamaha that was off and ate a belt in 3k miles.

And like Goat said, spring it for the weight. The chain gets tighter as shock compresses.

[kdtrull]

Looks like you got lucky and it went out the rear. They do a lot of damage when they bind in the front.
Side pull will cause this to happen, rear wheel no being aligned with the front. When you replace it check the chain alignment with something like this.
http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/parts/motion-pro-chain-alignment-tool-p
If it's not straight and the axle cams are correct check wheel spacers, they may be on the wrong side.
I never trust the cams. I have seen them good and I have seen them a full bump off before. I had a 1900cc Yamaha that was off and ate a bely in 3k miles.

And like Goat said, spring it for the weight. The chain gets tighter as shock compresses.

All good ideas.  I had my son (large feller) sit on the bike for the last chain check.  I have NOT checked for alignment (square) to the front sprocket....thanks.
I'll check the spacers too...wouldn't that make a dozen roses look like a booger?  :D  Good tip.