Kawasaki Versys Chain problem

Changnoi1 · Mar 29, 2013

Yesterday 28 March 2013 I did receive an email from from Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD giving me the test results by DID and Kawasaki of my 2 DID 520 chains sold to me by Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD both with frozen links.

Their investigations results states that there is nothing wrong with the chains. So I must have been mistaken twice, as are a few people riding an Kawasaki in Thailand.

IMO this is utterly BS!

Currently my EK 520 chain is still doing very fine after 6000km. So if you buy an Kawasaki motorbike with an DID chain (new or secondhand) just have the chain replaces at once.

Chang Noi

David Race · Mar 29, 2013

Well done for trying mate yes check my post a few down Kawasaki told me the same over a month ago my links froze after 5000ks but well done mate for trying.
Stick with your Japanese made EK you should be happy with that and try and keep a spare.
Happy Biking.

TonyBKK · Mar 29, 2013

Disappointing, but not altogether unexpected. It would probably take a lot of complaints from a lot of people to get Kawasaki to do anything about this problem. (I've been whinging to them about their crap chains since 2009)

Fortunately good quality aftermarket chains are easy to find and not more expensive than the poor quality Thai-DID that comes with the bike.

KZ25 · Mar 30, 2013

Are these chains only on the Versys or also on the other 650s? What about the 250s, what kind of chain do they come with?

How about posting the address of Kawasaki headquarters in Bangkok so all dissatisfied Versys owners can mail the DID chains there instead of throwing them away?

TonyBKK · Mar 30, 2013

KZ25;288899 wrote: Are these chains only on the Versys or also on the other 650s? What about the 250s, what kind of chain do they come with?

How about posting the address of Kawasaki headquarters in Bangkok so all dissatisfied Versys owners can mail the DID chains there instead of throwing them away?

All Kawasaki 650's use the same Thai DID VP2 chain. I noticed the poor quality of the DID chains way back in 2009 when I bought my first ER6n. Back then I'd be lucky to get ~12,000km out of a Thai DID chain. But since the floods last year it really seems that the quality has gotten even worse. Now folks are reporting kinked links and damaged O-rings on chains with as little as 5000km. Totally unacceptable, but seems so far Kawasaki still won't admit there's a problem :/
That's a clever idea to mail the crap chains to Kawasaki- here's the mailing address for their home office in Thailand:
สำนักงานใหญ่ บริษัท คาวาซากิ มอเตอร์ เอ็นเตอร์ไพรส์ (ประเทศไท&#3618 จำกัด
129 ถนนพระราม 9 แขวงห้วยขวาง เขตห้วยขวาง กรุงเทพมหานคร 10310

Changnoi1 · Mar 30, 2013

Tony I think you are right, until more & more people will complain (and maybe file a law-suit) Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD does not give a hoot. Look to how Ford and Toyota tried to handle serious problems while they did very well know that there were problems.

So all people who have or had problems please let Kawasaki know. And demand an written and signed complain letter.

I think officially Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD is registered near BoWin (Chonburi) but their HQ is in Bangkok at Rama 9. See http://www.kawasaki.co.th/th/contact.asp

You can also contact
[email protected]
Ken Sakamoto
Marketing & Sales Division, Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.

You can also go to you local Kawasaki dealer and file an written complain to them, and borrow your old damaged chain to them for inspection. Yes, borrow so they can not keep the proof of the damaged DID chains.

I am trying to get an contact at Kawasaki Motors Japan, but it seems they only way is calling them. Does anyone knows an email, name or phone-number to access the right person at Kawasaki Motors Japan? Because for me this is not the end of the story.

One other things about the DID 520 chain is that you could consider an 520 chain to be a bit on the low specification for an 650cc motorbike. And still wondering if export Kawasaki motorbikes get the same chain? I mean the same DID 520 VP2 chain.

Chang Noi

Changnoi1 · Mar 30, 2013

Here is the full email that I did receive :

Dear Mr.Ivo,
Sorry to have kept you waiting, but we received the test result data of your 2 drive-chains from DID through our QA.
DID cleaned up your drive-chains first, re-lubricated it again, and inspected it with several methods.
According to their test result, they could not found abnormal operation & abnormal noise from your drive-chains. (Of course, it does not operate like an all-new chain since time has passed after actually being used).
1. Dimension of chain length with in standard, and don't have noise problem. 2. Dimension of inner width of inner link with in standard.
3. Re-check the smoothness of chain operation.
3-1. check by hand, and could not find any problem.
3-2. check by machine, and could not find any problem (these chains passed through the detector without stuck). 4. After disassembly of chains and removal of parts from chain, they found grease coating in link of chain still.
After the inspection at DID, we got these chains, and we also tested it with our "Test-Ride" motorcycle (Versys).
As the result, chains worked properly, and we could not find the problems by our riding test.
We already sent these 2 drive-chains borrowed from you back to our dealer in Khon Kaen.
As I mentioned in previous my e-mail, we provide you an new genuine drive-chain in addition to 2 used drive-chains.
We understand that you have suspicion about the quality of our genuine drive-chain,
but we would like to request you to use new genuine drive-chain which we sent you this time, and try to carry out a periodic maintenance in our authorized dealers in the future.
When our company changes the supplier or supply place of parts, our company test it carefully, and check the quality certainly.
We do not adopt any parts of inferior quality.
Please understand what we are going to do our best. Your understanding and acceptance is highly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Sakamoto
Marketing & Sales Division
Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co.,Ltd.

David Race · Mar 30, 2013

As I have said in a previous post these bad sprockets and chains come standard on bikes in Australia VERSYS ER6 etc I complained here as the same thing my chain fell apart on my Versys here.
I cannot speak for other country's but I would think they would be the same.
The bad point we sometimes forget these are budget bikes in every country in fact the Versys at the moment is cheaper than the 650 Ninja in Australia and the Versys is not a big seller that's why I think there just trying to get rid of them may be a new model with much needed updates is coming next year but yes that does not mean the quality should be so bad.
Its a bit like an exhaust here one of the first things you ditch is the chain and sprockets and buy quality you never buy the standard one again.

brian_bkk · Mar 30, 2013

Think I posted this earlier..

When in Rama 9 end Feb some time..

The staff there said all the dealers are complaining too.. Not just a few expats on the fringe.

They said all the sourcing is done from Japan.. This has been raised with HQ Japan.. Up to them to follow up with the manufacturer.
If you speak to the people facing the customers.. They know there is a problem..

I do like the idea too of everyone sending the chains to Rama 9.. You should make sure they are sent to the same person..
MD for Thailand... So he has to see them..

Did you really expect Marketing people to come back with.. We were wrong.. All the chains out there are crap...
If they have to clean up and pull apart every chain like this.. They will need a new factory just to service the chains.

Changnoi1 · Mar 31, 2013

Well Kawa could cancel the contract with DID due to low quality of the product (but I am sure someone makes a huge kickback out the contract) and have all new motorbikes with better chains. Then they could just start to replace chains at service-checks. Ford Europe did something like that once. If you just do it yourself without law-suites you do not have to admit something is wrong or bad. It is just a service to your customers.

But Kawa is doing none of this .... so actually when people buying an new Kawasaki with DID 520 VP2 chain they should demand an free replacement of a better chain.

Chang Noi

DavidFL · Apr 3, 2013

Well done Chang Noi, or should that be bulldog Noi, now?

Yeah lets hope Kawa do something, but for them to publically admit it's wrong & they are wrong - I don't like your chances.

The dealers know about & Kawa knows about, & we know about it.

Perhaps when the supplier contract is up they wont renew it & will get another supplier, but in the meantime all we can do is buy a better chain other than the one Kawa is selling.

Changnoi1 · Apr 3, 2013

Well my name would not be "stubborn" (a minor problem at my work) if this would be the end to the Kawasaki/DID story .... a supervisor technician is flying over from BKK to KKC to check my Versys.

Any supplier contract has an cancelation option, so I assume Kawasaki bought 1000km DID 520 VP2 chain and they still have 500km in stock.

On the new Honda CRF250M is also an DID chain, as I remember an DID 520 VF but that bike has a third of the HP as the Versys.

Chang Noi

Changnoi1 · Apr 5, 2013

To proof that Kawasaki and DID care about their customers I had a meeting today at the Kawasaki dealer in Khon Kaen with the Assistant manager of the Technical Service Section of Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD and an engineer of Research & Development of Daido Sittipol Co. LTD (DID). And there was an engineer from the factory Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co. LTD. This all in the office of and with the owner/manager of the Kawasaki dealer Khon Kaen.

I was given back my first original DID 520 VP2 chain and my second DID 520 VP2 chain. And they repeated what I had been confirmed by email from Ken Sakamoto that there is nothing wrong with both chains. They said DID did clean the chains and then tested them. And I must say the chains that I have been given back feel almost 100% normal. But of course I am not sure if this are actually my old chains. And I do not know how they did clean them. But never mind.

Although not said by the letter, their conclusion is that I did not clean & lubricate my chains well enough. With my first chain that could have been the case, although I have never seen an mechanic at an Kawasaki dealer cleaning my chain. Lubricating yes, cleaning no! But never mind. I know for myself that I did take care of my second DID chain.

I also do not believe that Davidfl, TonyBKK, Grubman, Dave and others did not take care their chains of their Kawasaki bikes. I still believe there is something wrong with the DID chains or with the Kawasaki setup of the chain & sprockets. Although I doubt the latter as I think that would not result in frozen links. Maybe that due to low quality of the DID chain, the chain is very sensitive for dirt and needs more & better cleaning? According to DID this chain (DID 520 VP2) is also used on the Honda CB500 and on some Ducati bikes.

They offered me to install a brand new DID chain, what I refused as I still have a beautiful EK 520 SR05 chain. So they asked me if I would give them the opportunity to put an DID chain on my bike when the EK chain need replacement. I said maybe (depending on how good or bad the EK chain will perform).

The DID guy said that at the moment they are doing 2 investigations into the quality of DID chains, mine and that of another. They said that other people with the same problem should contact Kawasaki at [email protected]

So both DID & Kawasaki did give me an new DID chain. One that I can take as spare with me and one will be at the Kawasaki dealer in Khon Kaen. The owner/manager was a bit sad that I told that for service-checks I go to Udon Thani as I do not trust their mechanics (but that is another story)

Chang Noi

Hua Hin · Apr 5, 2013

I have 15K on my Versys oem chain and sprockets. After regular cleaning/lubing in that time the chain is absolutely trashed. Rear sprocket is worn but I would call it normal. I'll change chain and sprockets for something better.

I was walking past a car care in Hua Hin the other day and a young Thai guy was pressure washing the chain on some ones bike. Ouch! I didn't stick around to see if he oiled it afterwards but I'm pretty sure he destroyed the chain. I'll assume that most of us do our own cleaning and chain maintenance so not a problem. If you do use the car/bike care services to clean your bike I'd suggest keeping a close eye on what they do.

DavidFL · Apr 5, 2013

Changnoi1;289079 wrote: They said that other people with the same problem should contact Kawasaki at [email protected]

Thanks for this. I too shall let them know what I think.

DavidFL · Jun 24, 2014

I had a couple of dodgy DID chains on my Versys bike
Tweaking my Versys

but my last chain was an EK @ 2,100 baht sourced from Sangchai Phanich the Honda Dealer in Chiang Mai.
Its just been replaced after 11 months & 25,000 kms. Now that's value for money & reliability.

TonyBKK · Jun 25, 2014

^ pay for quality and cry only once

but actually, as David's example illustrates, that crappy Thai-made DID chain is no cheaper than a quality chain imported from Japan...

John Aero · Dec 10, 2014

Just went down to the Dirt Shop to buy an EK chain for my Versys and they had no stock in fact had no EK chain at all. All they had was Reynolds chain but very expensive at 6000+ Bhat. Does anyone know where you can buy EK in BKK?

Thanks

monsterman · Dec 11, 2014

not a versys but after the last fake DID chain chain lasted only 6000km on my ducati S4 monster with 115bhp i fitted a UK bought Regina 525 gold Oring chain and new Renthal alloy sprockets ,total cost £118 ,(5500) now that chain set has done more than 15,000kms and will still be good for another 10k at least ,

i will replace with similar next time

it gets a heavy work out on a ducati

KZ25 · Feb 14, 2015

Changnoi1;289031 wrote:
On the new Honda CRF250M is also an DID chain, as I remember an DID 520 VF but that bike has a third of the HP as the Versys.
Chang Noi

Right. 18,000 km in 1,5 years, regularly cleaned with WD40 every 1,500 km or so, high temp grease applied by hand.

Sprockets don't show any wear, the chain stretched a bit, next adjustment will go into the red zone, but chain will last 24,000 km.

No complaints here.

Edit: went to the Honda dealer to see what I'm in for:

front sprocket 562 THB; rear sprocket 653 THB; chain DID 520VF 106 links 1,361 THB; total 2,576 THB!

monsterman · Feb 14, 2015

Changnoi sorry it has taken so long to reply , im in Uk and very ill,,

how do i know the RK was a fake ,, because the thai guy i bought it from addmitted it was a copy and real decent chains last about 20,000km on my ducati ,, present regina chain has 13k and still has planty of life in it

Changnoi1 · Feb 17, 2015

Wel currently I am using a Thai made DID chain on my Z250 and after 6.000 km (and good care) it still looks & feels brand new. But well the Z250 is only 32hp.
Still when changing it I will probably put an EK chain on it (and 2 tooth more on the rear sprocket). Actually I am considering to buy that now already so when I need to replace it I will have in stock myself (as here upcountry it will probably be just out of stock when I need it).