Yes chains do wear out. The o rings wear out and do not provide the the free flowing movement they are supposed to. My stock chain looked good when I took it off at 10k miles. From what I have seen stock chains usually last about 10k miles. The more you keep it clean and lubed the longer they will last.

 

If you're going to switch out your chain you may as well go to a 520 set up and maybe even play with some gearing. Even if you keep the stock gearing you'll benefit from less unsprung weight.

The stock chain will go bad over time but its such a beefy chain it will probably take a while.

 

I got around 12,000 miles out of my stock chain. Chains wear out because over time they stretch (grow in length) and the pins/rollers/plates begin getting stiff and binding in spots. If your chain is wore out most likely you will know it as it will begin to make noise. A simple and easy test is to grab your chain on the rear of the rear sprocket and try to pull it off the sprocket. If you can pull it off enough to see around 1/8" to 1/4" space between the chain and sprocket it is in need of replacement.


Keep in mind - - you should ALWAYS replace the chain and sprockets together as a "Matched Set". These compnents wear together as one assembly and replacing any one of them will result in ALL components in the assembly wearing at an increased rate.

Here is a good article from SportRider mag on chains......

http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0010_handson/

 

"if your chain is worn out, it will mostly start making noise...."

HAHA, well from the point where WRMG3 and I have 000000 miles on our bikes, he could hear mine and I could hear his while we were crusing side by side....

Im thinking a worn chain prob makes a different sound though..

 

you can't hear mine. you can only hear mine cause the lube is basically gone. that's what happens when you only lube it once in 10k miles. but even after you lubed yours you can still hear it. yours sounds like a pod racer from star wars.