ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Commitment to being the best makes RK Takasago chain a winner on road and track
R K Takasago has been known as the silent assassin of chains for years. Made in Japan with meticulous attention to detail, RK has winning credentials in all disciplines across MotoGP, WSBK, EWC, ARRC, JSB/MXGP, AMA SX, Hard Enduro, WESS, ISDE and JNCC.
From the circuit to the street, RK constantly pushes the development boundaries and brings the product the champions use to your dealership.
RK started on its journey to success in 1951, later becoming OE supplier to Honda and it has been expanding and growing ever since. RK now supplies OE chains to Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Royal Enfield and Triumph, plus racing support to HRC, Kawasaki, Yamaha, KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas – to name just a few.
Dominating Race tracks since 1977
In the 1977 Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance event, it was normal for riders to change their non-sealed chains at least three times during the race. However, racers riding with RK’s sealed chains achieved victory using only one chain! The following year an RK O-ring chain-equipped machine took first and third places at the first ever Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race.
All your favourite riders have won with RK – Kevin Schwanz, Mick Doohan, and yes, even Valentino Rossi owes much of his success to the Takasago factory. All the way through to today RK is still winning with Jonathan Rea (WSBK), Tarran Mackenzie (BSB) and Billy Bolt (Enduro/Hard Enduro) all using the Japanese manufacturer’s products.
Pushing the boundaries
RK has invested a lot of research and development time into making its chains unique. RK has five types of sealed rings, bespoke to each application, meaning you always get the right balance of power and durability.
- O-ring – still the original standard, suitable for those on a budget
- RX-ring – provides a double barrier to increase the chain life
- XW-ring – has a triple barrier to give the best chain life
- U-ring – ultra-thin at just 0.8mm! RK’s lightest weight chain
- UW-ring – ultra-thin with triple barrier, gives increased chain life with minimal drag
Attention to detail
RK considers all parts of the chain as critical to the whole performance. The inner and outer plates are polished for more than 16 hours to create the smoothest finish, reducing the chain’s friction, and protecting the seal’s performance. While some manufacturers use different processes or materials for the inner links, RK treats them the same. If you choose a gold chain, it will be gold on both plates, not just the outer links, to protect all aspects of the chain from rust. RK uses the highest grade of brass to ensure the best quality – when RK uses the colour code GB, they mean “Golden Brass”, not gold and black.
Another industry first that RK introduced is laser marking on the links. This increases the fatigue strength by up to 1.5 times, compared with links with punched markings. RK also laser-marks every seventh link to keep the chain at maximum performance and looks.
RK uniquely produces its Black Scale chain for the best looks and quality. This chain utilizes the top-spec XW ring for maximum durability and striking looks with electro-deposition jet black coating and gold-plated pins and rollers. This outstanding chain brings the sophisticated looks and performance the modern rider is looking for. The electro-deposition process protects the colour from wear, keeping the premium look for many miles.
The RK420 and RK428 chains also push the boundaries for strength and are now made with a cold forged solid bush instead of a curling bush and use a four-sided rivet instead of a two-sided rivet in the same way as 520 chains. This has massively increased durability making them a market leader for even the smallest of engines.
All RK chains are pre-stressed and pre-stretched for superior performance and to minimize elongation during the life of the chain.
Is your chain OK? It should be RK!
Bickers
01394 604040
www.bickers-online.co.uk