• When you own a motorcycle, it's vital to keep the chain in top working condition. This means keeping it clean and lubricated. If you find that, in spite of your best efforts at proper maintenance, your chain needs to be replaced or repaired, you have two options: do it yourself, or pay the guys at the shop to do it for you. If you decide to do it yourself, there are specialized tools that will make your job easier.
  
  

Chain Breaker

• Chains consist of separate links connected with chain pins. In order to take a chain apart, one of the pins needs to be removed. The chain breaker resembles a small C-clamp and has a threaded stem that has a concave surface. You position the stem directly over the pin to be removed with the bottom of the chain breaker covering the lower portion of the pin, then screw the stem down onto the top of the pin until it is pushed through the link and the chain separated.
  
  

Chain Press

• New or repaired chains need to be connected using something called a master link, which is a link with removable plates on each side. Each plate has two holes that the pins (or rivets) fit into to secure the chain. Because the tolerances are so close and make the fit very tight, a chain press is used to press the two plates together. As with the chain breaker, the chain press resembles a C-clamp and is positioned around the master link. You then tighten the threaded stem of the chain press to close the plates and push each of the master link plates onto the pins.
  
  

Chain Riveter

• Once the master link plates have been securely installed, it is necessary to flare, or stake, the rivets of the master link to ensure the plates do not come off. To do this, you use a chain riveter, which is similar in design and function to the chain breaker. Position the riveter over the ends of the rivets and then is tighten down to flare them.
  
  

Alternate Tools

• For those that don't want to spend money on specialized tools for motorcycle chain repair, standard tools can be used. Instead of using a chain breaker to separate a chain, you can use a dremel, or equivalent grinder. Grind off the two rivet heads of the master link, and then pry off the plate with a screwdriver. Instead of using a chain press, it's possible to use two flat steel plates and vice grips to accomplish the same task although more care is required to ensure the job is done properly.