Hey all, normally when I get a new bike I pay attention to the cam chain, take the cam covers off and have a look how it looks on the teeth, check the tensioner is doing its job, clean the auto tensioner that kind of thing. On a high mileage jap bike that has no service history I would just replace it, I consider anything over 50k ish on a jap bike to be high mileage, it would depend on the bike plus other things...

Anyway....

What should I be looking at on the K? The tensioner, does it work well? How long do they last?

Never felt the need to do it on any of my K's but have heard some say they have changed the guides as a precaution.
Remember, it's not a Honda with a shagged out chain and tensioner after 20k miles. Been there, done that.

Comberjohn wrote:Never felt the need to do it on any of my K's but have heard some say they have changed the guides as a precaution.
Remember, it's not a Honda with a shagged out chain and tensioner after 20k miles. Been there, done that.

I know its not a jap....

Comberjohn wrote:Never felt the need to do it on any of my K's but have heard some say they have changed the guides as a precaution.

According to the service schedule the plastic face on the tensioning rail should
be changed every 60K km.
Did change mine at 180K km, then it was worn a bit less than half way
through the plastic.

I've got a 91 RT with 240,000klm on it and it definitely needs a new chain and tensioner. So looks like somewhere between 180,000 and 240,000 is your mark.