For the longest time, (50K miles??) I've been having issues with my chain and sprockets.
Primarily, there has been a..louder-than-I-expect.. CLATTER across the sprockets.
Also, I was going through chains faster than normal (averaging 7-8K only).
I did a LOT of homework... I bought a Motion Pro sprocket alignment tool, which showed me that my swingarm marks were off... but one FULL MARK.
But even with that adjusted I was still getting ..clatter at the sprockets.
So I pulled everything apart in the back, and eventually found that the spacer inside the carrier had gotten.. mashed.. on one end; looked like someone had hit it with a flat hammer.
When I put the wheel ass'y together without the chain and torqued it all down, I found that there was an inordinate amount of ROCK in the sprocket, say at 9 and 3 O'clock...probably rocking from that spacer being deformed.
So i started REPLACING stuff... and found a swingarm on Ebay in good shape for $85. I put new bearings in that, and assembled everything... to discover that the 03 arm I bought was 6mm WIDER inside at the axle.
So I found a 2nd Gen carrier and spacer online for cheap... put THAT in, reassembled everything.
The bike ran great... much less chain noise... except for one thing:
It now sits HIGH in the back... enough to alter the geometry so I could feel it. I LOVED my previous geometry... so next I ordered a full 03 linkage and dog-bone ass'y off FleaBay.
It's coming in soon.. and I hope it will restore my lovely old geometry.. or at least make it GOOD ENOUGH again.
If not.... Back to the Modding Board.