Time to change chain and sprockets.

[YooperJon]

I'm going to buy my rear sprocket from Hord (I already bought the front one from him a few years back), but I don't own a chain breaker/splicer and I wouldn't know how to use it if I did. JD sells chains that are 120 links long. What is the standard chain length of stock Hawks with 525 16T front and 44T rear sprocket?

[Ziggy]

112 links as per the FSM for stock gearing.

[bk94si]

JD will cut to size for you.

[YooperJon]

JD will cut to size for you.

I know that you guys don't use master links, and I don't know if it would be worth my while to buy a breaker/splicer, especially if I'm just going to sell the bike in a year or two because I'm getting too old to ride. I'll be 70 on my next birthday and I'm starting to have health issues, but I'm still riding the bike for now.

[YooperJon]

I'll use an angle grinder to remove the chain.

[bk94si]

I just used a hack saw to remove the old chain. I got a riveter now but I used a clip on master for years (probably 10-15) without any problem. I did switch to rivets after I happened to see that the clip had partially come off. It never did come off but it scared me a bit because I wasn't sure why it had done that.

[ParcNHawk]

I still use a chain tool to press the link before clipping it, not just to rivet a rivet link.

[squirrelman]

you could use a clip-type link temporarily, ride to a motorcycle shop and have them install a rivet link.

[YooperJon]

Thanks for the different options. So, 112 links and it's ready to go then?

[Henway]

All the racing organizations I was in wanted a master clip, safety wired on, with a dab of silicone to doubly make sure it doesn't come off. Never had a problem on any of my bikes nor I have ever seen an issue in my lower hp classes. Rivet is wonderful if you use the $300 tool to put it on. If you use a $100 tool, you're likely to mess it up (from what I've seen). YMMV.