Let’s review shall we, what do we know about chains? We know that they’re only as good as their weakest link. And, that a large percentage of motorcycles still use chains as the driveline. If you put teeth on a chain, it becomes a useful saw for falling trees, or a wicked weapon of choice for a series of cheesy slice and dice movies. After that chain trivia facts become a little foggy for most.
KMC Chain industrial Co., LTD was established in Tainan County, Taiwan in 1977. In 1986, KMC Group started a partnership with the Japanese bicycle accessory supplier, Shimano Inc, and this relationship has continued ever since.
Between the establishment of the KMC Group and start of partnership with Shimano Inc., KMC Chain had become one of the largest chain manufacturers and suppliers in the world. Currently, KMC Group produces 150,000,000 meters of chain per year and the sales has reached over 130 countries in the world with its strong marketing network in more than 10 languages. Chains also serve a huge array of industrial uses, and KMC is a leader there as well. These guys know everything about chains and it’s reflected in a top-notch product.
The mechanic at my dealership says the only way he knows how to judge a good chain is by the price. Scary isn’t it, a supposed expert using cost as the only yardstick. So if you make a inferior chain just charge a higher price for it, I reckon that’s the marketing answer. Thing is KMC makes so many miles of chain each year that they can afford to sell a superior product for less. And the chain I now have on my bike is indeed a stellar product. This chain (525UO o-ring), for my Suzuki DL650, retails for about 70 to 75 bucks, depending on where you purchase it.
The real success of a chain is when you forget about it, meaning it works without kinking or stretching over time. Several hundred miles into it, all driveline systems are a go. With regular chain lubrication I expect to get twenty or thirty thousand miles from this KMC chain. That’s a lot of bang for the buck.
