Chain & Sprockets
- Vortex's V3 2.0 chains use X-ring seals, which Vortex state reduce friction compared with conventional seals.
Drilled side plates
- The chain's links are drilled, which Vortex state reduces rotating mass.
Tensile strength
- Vortex rate the 520 SX3 at 8,500 lb (37.8 kN), and for street use on bikes up to 750cc.
Steel front sprocket
- Vortex machine their fronts from steel for concentricity and durability, with lightening holes to take out rotating mass.
Steel rear
- The rear is steel, laser cut.
Specs
| Part number | CK6385 |
| Chain | Vortex 520 SX3, X-ring |
| Chain size | 520 |
| Chain length | 112 links |
| Chain finish | Black |
| Front sprocket | 14 teeth, steel |
| Rear sprocket | 43 teeth, steel |
| Master link | Rivet type |
| Tensile strength | 37.8 kN (8,500 lb) |
| Maximum displacement | 750cc |
| Suggested use | Street |
Fitment
Year(s) — Make / Model — Stock Gearing — Stock Chain
| 2015–2026 | Yamaha YZF-R3 | 14T / 43T | 520 — 112 links |
Additional fitment at the bottom.
Additional Fitment
Year(s) — Make / Model — Stock Gearing — Stock Chain
| 2020–2026 | Yamaha MT-03 | 14T / 43T | 520 |
A Note on 520, 525 and 530
The numbers look like they should mean length. They do not. 520, 525 and 530 all share the same 5/8-inch pitch — the distance from one pin to the next is identical across all three. The number describes roller width, and nothing else.
So a chain has to match the width your sprockets are cut for. The R3 is a 520 bike from the factory, so this kit is a like-for-like replacement, not a conversion.
Gearing — Staying Stock or Making a Change
This kit matches the stock 14-tooth front and 43-tooth rear on the YZF-R3. Installing it keeps your bike at factory stock gearing. If you are considering a gearing change, here is the general framework. Going one tooth smaller on the front shortens gearing — quicker acceleration, higher RPM at highway speeds, reduced top speed. The effect is roughly equivalent to adding two to three teeth to the rear sprocket. Going one tooth larger lengthens gearing — lower cruise RPM, softer pull from a stop. Stock gearing on these bikes is well matched for general street use. Neither direction is right or wrong — it depends on how and where you ride.
One practical note: the chain in this kit is cut to 112 links for stock gearing. A change of more than a tooth or two can change the length you need, so work that out before you order, or ask us and we will work it out with you.
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IMPORTANT: Please Review Your Owner’s Manual for Exact Amounts or Sizing of This Product!
Speak to one of our experts today:
469-890-0123
VORTEX
SKU:1230-1107
Description:Vortex 520 SX3 Steel Chain and Sprocket Kit – Yamaha YZF-R3 ’15–26
Product Overview
A complete drive replacement for the YZF-R3: a Vortex 520 SX3 X-ring chain in black, a 14-tooth steel front sprocket and a 43-tooth steel rear. That is the gearing the R3 left the factory with, so the kit goes on without changing how the bike pulls or what the speedometer reads. The same kit fits the MT-03.
The chain comes at 112 links, which is the stock length. Vortex supply it pre-cut and ready to install, with a rivet-type master link — the link is pressed closed with a chain tool rather than clipped on, so if you are not set up to rivet one, have it done.
Both sprockets are steel. Steel is heavier than aluminium but wears far more slowly, which is the practical choice on a bike that covers street miles. Vortex also make the same kit with a gold chain, part number CKG6385.
Key Technology & Design
SX3 X-ring chain
- Vortex’s V3 2.0 chains use X-ring seals, which Vortex state reduce friction compared with conventional seals.
Drilled side plates
- The chain’s links are drilled, which Vortex state reduces rotating mass.
Tensile strength
- Vortex rate the 520 SX3 at 8,500 lb (37.8 kN), and for street use on bikes up to 750cc.
Steel front sprocket
- Vortex machine their fronts from steel for concentricity and durability, with lightening holes to take out rotating mass.
Steel rear
- The rear is steel, laser cut.
Specs
| Part number | CK6385 |
| Chain | Vortex 520 SX3, X-ring |
| Chain size | 520 |
| Chain length | 112 links |
| Chain finish | Black |
| Front sprocket | 14 teeth, steel |
| Rear sprocket | 43 teeth, steel |
| Master link | Rivet type |
| Tensile strength | 37.8 kN (8,500 lb) |
| Maximum displacement | 750cc |
| Suggested use | Street |
Fitment
Year(s) — Make / Model — Stock Gearing — Stock Chain
| 2015–2026 | Yamaha YZF-R3 | 14T / 43T | 520 — 112 links |
Additional fitment at the bottom.
Additional Fitment
Year(s) — Make / Model — Stock Gearing — Stock Chain
| 2020–2026 | Yamaha MT-03 | 14T / 43T | 520 |
A Note on 520, 525 and 530
The numbers look like they should mean length. They do not. 520, 525 and 530 all share the same 5/8-inch pitch — the distance from one pin to the next is identical across all three. The number describes roller width, and nothing else.
So a chain has to match the width your sprockets are cut for. The R3 is a 520 bike from the factory, so this kit is a like-for-like replacement, not a conversion.
Gearing — Staying Stock or Making a Change
This kit matches the stock 14-tooth front and 43-tooth rear on the YZF-R3. Installing it keeps your bike at factory stock gearing. If you are considering a gearing change, here is the general framework. Going one tooth smaller on the front shortens gearing — quicker acceleration, higher RPM at highway speeds, reduced top speed. The effect is roughly equivalent to adding two to three teeth to the rear sprocket. Going one tooth larger lengthens gearing — lower cruise RPM, softer pull from a stop. Stock gearing on these bikes is well matched for general street use. Neither direction is right or wrong — it depends on how and where you ride.
One practical note: the chain in this kit is cut to 112 links for stock gearing. A change of more than a tooth or two can change the length you need, so work that out before you order, or ask us and we will work it out with you.
