RENOLD
Classic chains
for classic bikes
BY CLASSIC@CHAINS.GURU

FACT

FALSE - Renold have never stopped making chain suitable for motorcycles.

The chain made now (known as Renold Blue Box) is to the same spec as the chain fitted to all British bikes but better quality.

TRUE. Renold do not certify their chain to this ISO standard, specifically for motorcycles. However, their chain is to a specification way beyond that required for ISO 10190.

When the British bike industry was dying, the purely commercial decision was made to not continue paying for certification in what was an ever shrinking market.

The exact same chain continued to be manufactured but simply not certified.

FALSE. Renold have NEVER farmed out or licenced manufacture of chain. During the British bike heyday, chain was made at the Coventry site (where it was essentially invented), then moved to Manchester HQ until the early 1980s. Production then moved to France until the late 1990s when it moved the state of the art facility in Germany where it’s now made.

So, the truth is, no Renold motorcycle chain is made in the UK but made in a high tech factory in Einbeck, Germany.

FALSE. Renold have NEVER used split rollers in motorcycle chain. They do make some industrial low speed chains with split rollers but they are a completely different product and should NEVER be used on ANY motorcycle, classic or modern.

FALSE. Renold stamp approximately 50% of the plates but when assembled, the markings may well end up on the “inside” of the chain so may not be so visible. If a chain has no markings at all then it’s not a Renold chain and likely to be a cheap copy.

Aside from the stamping, there are a number of ways to identify Renold chain as being genuine including the type of riveting.

TRUE. Renold never made “O-Ring” chain but for a while when Motorcycle chain was still being marketed, it was bought in & re-branded as Renold chain. The quality of that chain was still to the Renold standard but sales of this stopped with the decision to drop out of the motorcycle chain market.

TRUE. Whilst Renold no longer sell chain marketed as “Grand Prix”, this is purely due to not pushing the motorcycle market. Chain superior to GP spec is still manufactured under the name “Synergy”. In fact, this Synergy chain is manufactured to a specification & quality way beyond that of the old “GP” chain. Whilst the cost is typically twice that of the “Blue Box” chain, the working life & strength is several times greater.
*IMPORTANT* Renold DO NOT officially endorse Synergy chain as being suitable for use on motorcycles.

CONCLUSION

Renold DO manufacture chain more than suitable for ALL classic motorcycles or any motorcycle that would have been fitted with Renold chain when the bike was made.

Renold chain was good enough for Barry Sheene & the vast majority of racing & trials riders winning numerous awards.

To put things in perspective, Barry Sheene’s 1977 works Suzuki XR14S churned out 119bhp at 10,800rpm, using Renold chain. This fact alone makes it very clear that it’s more than fit for purpose for ALL classic bikes or any bike putting out that sort of power.