This is a fairly embarrasing question considering the umpteen years I have been riding, but for once I actually looked at the KLX manual regarding chain adjustment.
It states that when measuring the slack, the bike should be on the side stand. This I have always done.
It then goes on to describe how the adjustment is done.
My question is should the bike remain on the side stand during the adjustment or should the bike be jacked up. I have always done the latter.

 

What works for me: bike on side stand, you should be able to push the bottom run up to the tightly touch the swingarm guard AND push the top run down to the swingarm guard all at the same time.

One click is a lot of adjustment on the snail cams so you may have to compromise on the loose side. I made measurement when I had the shock linkage off through full travel and the chain needs to appear looser than what you might think.

disclaimer. different sprocket combo's, especially if your running a pizza plate for the rear, could change this method

 

if its an 09, you don't have the snail cams (at least mine doesn't). it back to like an early 70's bike :-)

 

+1 to Rimbender. I recently thought my chain looked pretty loose. Adjusted it one spot on the snail, and then it was obviously too tight. Some may not realize this, but the chain gets pulled tighter as the swing arm moves up. You don't want the chain too tight at the top of the swing arm travel, it will wreck bearings etc.
Dan

 

If it's smiling , it's happy

 

[QUOTE=dan888;421558. Some may not realize this, but the chain gets pulled tighter as the swing arm moves up. You don't want the chain too tight at the top of the swing arm travel, it will wreck bearings etc.
Dan[/QUOTE]

Thanks for that explananation, as I am one of the "some" you refer to. Could never figure out why factory recommendations called for so much "slop" in chain settings, even though I realized that the rear end of the driveline (rear sprocket) was not in a fixed position. Now that I think about it I can definitely see where swingarm/sprocket travel could easily take up all that slack, especially off road.

 

Yeah and for us heavier guys that slack becomes even more important. I was on Thumpertalk or the XT 225 site the other day and someone stated that as the chain gets older it stretches more and more. I don't think so, it stretches more in the first 6 months than it does for the rest of the life of the chain. Its fairly common to take up a notch every couple of months depending on the riding you do, even on a good gold Renthal chain. I haven't had to adjust mine in a year. ...

 

A slack chain is much better. To tight just promotes wear on everthing-sprockets, chain, bearings, countershaft. As a side note: I recently changed my chain- it had 20000 kms (13000 miles) on it. Is this good for stock chain?