How bad is a clip style master link?

[071300r]

I had them on my old 600s and never thought about it, but a busa has much more torque I dont think I would do it

 

[moto-chains]

The age old question. Out of all the comments no one mentions the most important one. The right master link for the right chain. All 530's are not the same. Doesn't matter if its a clip or pin link, if it is not the exact right fit you will have problems down the road. The pin diameter and length, sideplate thickness etc all vary from model to model and from manufacturer to manufacturer. You cant (shouldnt) use a DID ZVM master on an EK ZVX2 chain.
The manufacturers rate their master links at the same tensile strength as the rest of the chain. The master link, especially the clip version got a bad reputation from interchanging masters from brand to brand. Any link that has an ill fit will give you trouble, I promise! Maybe not this month, but 6 months down the road just when you thought that 'fix' you did will hold forever...
The clip goes on with the closed end facing the direction the chain will travel so it does not fill up with dirt and debris. Locktite or RTV certainly won;t hurt. The hammer and punch doesn't do much since the pins are hardened steel, probably harder then the punch or the hammer. Most 'high end' chains, the kind for a Busa dont have clip links anyway, but when used correctly are fine.

 

[jellyrug]

WOW.
This amazes me.
I thought everyone knew that the clip on links were stronger?

If done correctly, the clip on link will be the last thing on the chain that fails.

Take the clip and plate off, spray them with carburator cleaner to get the grease off.
Then spray them with brake parts cleaner to clean off the oil based carb cleaner. Put the plate back and spread a very very thin coat of rtv silicon on the plate. Install the clip with the open end facing the opposite of rotation. Make sure it's seated! Then spread another very very thin coat of rtv silicon over it. Done. That link will be there when the chain is wore out.
The average bike doesn't need this, but on a modded stretched Busa, it can't hurt.
You see very few drag bikes with press pin master links.

Just curious. Why do you believe a clip master link is stronger than a riveted link?

 

[mike04busa]

If the clip link last's on the dirt bike through all it goes through, I don't think you will have a problem. The only thing to watch out for is rolling the bike backward's and the clip catching on something and popping off. I would not worry using one myself, I just happen to have the rivit tool. The RTV trick sound's like a good idea, I like it. Buy the rivit link and then when your hanging around with someone and they say" Hey, I have a rivit tool" you could just swap it out.