Brass Chain for Bikes (2026): What Brass Plating Really Does, Brass vs Normal Chain, and Which Rolon Kit Fits

Search for a brass chain for your bike and you will find two kinds of advice. One says the gold chain is stronger, smoother and lasts twice as long. The other says it is just paint. Both are wrong, and the truth is more useful than either.

This guide explains what brass plating genuinely does, what decides how long a chain really lasts, who should spend the extra, and which Rolon BPR kit fits your bike, with a fitment table covering 71 kits.

What a brass chain actually is

A brass chain is a normal steel motorcycle chain whose plates have been brass-plated. Underneath the gold finish it is the same steel: the same pins, bushes, rollers and side plates that carry every bit of your engine's torque to the rear wheel.

The kits we sell are Rolon's BPR (brass-plated) kits, made by L.G. Balakrishnan & Bros, the company that supplies original chains to most Indian motorcycle manufacturers. A BPR kit is not just a chain. It is a complete set: a brass-plated sealed chain, a front sprocket and a rear sprocket, matched to your bike's factory gearing.

What brass plating genuinely does

1. It resists rust

This is the real benefit, and in India it matters. A plain steel chain starts to rust within days of a monsoon ride or a night parked outside near the coast. Rust on the plates is not just ugly. It roughens the surfaces, holds moisture against the chain and speeds up corrosion of the parts you cannot see.

A plain steel chain and a brass-plated chain after the same wet weather.

Plating puts a protective layer over the steel. Chain makers are consistent on this point: plated chains are far more resistant to corrosion than raw steel, which rusts easily. If you ride through the rains, live by the sea or park outdoors, this is the reason to buy one.

It is also worth knowing that Honda's own warranty in India excludes the drive chain and sprockets as wear items, and separately excludes damage from sea water and sea breeze. Corrosion protection is your responsibility, not the manufacturer's.

2. It looks better, for longer

The gold finish suits retro and adventure bikes, and it stays gold. A plain chain goes brown and then orange. Rolon's own box lists this as a "lustrous aesthetic", and it is a perfectly good reason to buy one.

What brass plating does not do

• It does not make the chain stronger. Strength comes from the steel, the heat treatment and the pin design. A plated chain is not stronger than an unplated version of the same chain.
• It does not reduce friction or add power. The plating is on the outside of the plates. Friction happens inside, between the pins, bushes and rollers.
• It does not lubricate itself. A brass chain needs exactly the same cleaning and lubrication as any other. Skip it and the brass chain wears out just as fast.

If anyone tells you a brass chain will give you more mileage or a smoother ride on its own, they are selling the colour, not the chain.

What actually decides how long your chain lasts

Chain life is decided by four things, and plating is not one of them.

Sealing

Inside every chain link a pin turns inside a bush. On a sealed chain, rubber rings between the plates hold factory grease in and keep grit out of that joint. This is why sealed chains last far longer than unsealed ones. Rolon's BPR box describes its chain as having enhanced wear resistance due to quadruple sealing, and that sealing does far more for chain life than the brass does.

Illustration: the wear happens inside the joint, where the rubber seals keep the grease in. The brass only covers the outside.

Sprocket quality

BPR kits come with hardened sprockets and, on most bikes, a rubberised front sprocket. The rubber ring does two jobs: it damps the clatter you hear from the front of the bike, and it softens the shock of every gear change. That is where the quieter ride people credit to brass chains actually comes from.

Lubrication

A clean, lubricated chain outlives a neglected one by a wide margin, whatever colour it is.

Correct slack

A chain that is too tight loads the gearbox bearing and wears fast. Too loose, and it snatches and can jump the sprocket. Your owner's manual gives the figure. On the Honda CB350 range, for example, it is 25 to 35 mm, and Honda says not to ride if slack exceeds 50 mm.

Brass chain vs normal chain: the honest comparison

	Plain unsealed chain	Standard sealed kit	Rolon BPR brass kit
Rust resistance	Poor	Fair	Good
Grease sealed inside the joints	No	Yes	Yes
Rubberised front sprocket (less noise)	No	Not always	Yes, on most bikes
Strength	Same steel construction	Same	Same
Looks after a monsoon	Rusty	Brown	Still gold
Cost	Lowest	Middle	Highest

Expect to pay somewhat more for the BPR kit than for the standard Rolon kit for the same bike. On the Honda H'ness CB350, for example, the standard Rolon kit sells for around Rs 1,550 and the BPR kit for about Rs 2,400. Most BPR kits on our store fall between roughly Rs 2,100 and Rs 4,500, depending on the bike.

Is a brass chain worth it for you?

Buy the BPR kit if:

• You ride through the monsoon, or live anywhere humid or coastal, which covers most of Kerala, Goa, Mumbai, Chennai and the North East
• Your bike is parked outdoors
• You wash your bike often
• You want the gold look on a retro or adventure bike
• You want the rubberised front sprocket for a quieter drivetrain

A standard sealed kit is fine if:

• You ride mostly in dry weather and park under cover
• You clean and lubricate the chain regularly anyway
• Budget matters more than looks

Either way, if your bike currently runs a plain unsealed chain, moving to any sealed kit is the bigger upgrade.

Which Rolon BPR kit fits your bike

These are all the Rolon BPR brass kits we stock, grouped by brand. Every kit is matched to the factory gearing. The tooth counts and chain lengths are taken from the Rolon packaging and, where available, the manufacturer's owner's manual. Tap your bike to see the price and stock.

Royal Enfield

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Classic 350 (2021 onwards), Hunter 350, Meteor 350	BPR kit	Factory gearing	See kit page
Classic 350 old model (UCE, rear drum brake)	BPR kit	Factory gearing	See kit page
Thunderbird 350, Thunderbird X 350, Classic Gunmetal Grey and Signals 350	BSORC CL 272	16T / 38T	102 links
Thunderbird Twinspark 350	BSORC TBTS F403	15T / 38T	100 links
Bullet 500, Classic 500 (UCE)	BSORC CL 271	18T / 38T	102 links
Thunderbird 500, Thunderbird X 500, Classic Stealth Black 500	BSORC CL 273	18T / 38T	102 links
Himalayan 411	ORC 329NF	15T / 38T	525, 110 links
Himalayan 450 / 452	SORC 457NF	15T / 47T	520, 115+1 links
Guerrilla 450	SORC 462NF	15T / 45T	520, 113+1 links
Interceptor 650, Continental GT 650	HAXRC 323NF	15T / 38T	525, 100 links
Shotgun 650	ACRC 464NF	15T / 40T	520, 105+1 links
Super Meteor 650	ACRC 465NF	15T / 40T	520, 107+1 links

KTM

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Duke 125 (new model)	HPORC 373NF	14T / 45T	520, 112 links
RC 125	HPORC F412 NF	14T / 45T	520, 112 links
Duke 200 (July 2012 to April 2014)	HPORC 362	14T / 42T	520, 110 links
Duke 200 (May 2014 onwards)	HPXRC 267	14T / 42T	520, 110 links
Duke 250	HXRC 372NF	14T / 46T	520, 112 links
Duke 390 (before 2024)	HXRC 268	15T / 45T	520, 112 links
Duke 390 Gen 3 (2024 onwards)	HXRC 453NF	14T / 43T	520, 111+1 links
250 Adventure	HXRC 505NF	14T / 43T	520, 116 links
390 Adventure	HXRC 385NF	15T / 45T	520, 114 links
390 Adventure BS6	HXRC 507NF	14T / 48T	520, 118 links

Bajaj

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Pulsar 150 DTSi 2018 twin disc	HPORC F392	14T / 42T	520, 106 links
Pulsar NS160 (2023 onwards)	NORC F455	14T / 46T	428, 136 links
Pulsar NS200 (April 2012 to August 2015)	HPORC 349	14T / 39T	520, 108 links
Pulsar NS200 (September 2015 onwards)	HPORC 241	14T / 41T	520, 110 links
Pulsar RS 200	HPORC 240	14T / 41T	520, 110 links
Pulsar 220	HPORC 355	14T / 37T	520, 104 links
Pulsar 220 DTSi (2017 model)	HPORC 354	14T / 36T	520, 104 links
Pulsar N250, Pulsar F250	HPORC F413	15T / 45T	520, 110 links
Avenger 220 Street, Avenger 220 Cruise	HPORC F399NF	14T / 36T	520, 109+1 links
Dominar 250	HPORC 391	14T / 46T	520, 120 links
Dominar 400	HXRC 269	15T / 45T	520, 119+1 links

TVS

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Apache RTR 160 2V	NORC F383	13T / 44T	428, 124 links
Apache RTR 160 4V (BS4)	NORC F322	13T / 45T	428, 138 links
Apache RTR 160 4V (BS6)	NXRC F429	13T / 45T	428, 136 links
Apache RTR 180	NORC F394	14T / 46T	428, 130 links
Apache RTR 200 4V	HPORC 332	13T / 45T	520, 116 links
Apache RR 310	NXRC 320	17T / 42T	520, 112 links

Yamaha

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
RX 100	CSBC F350	15T / 39T	428, 110 links
RXG, RX 135 (old model)	CSBC F351	15T / 37T	428, 110 links
FZ16, FZS, Fazer 150	NXRC 231	14T / 40T	428, 128 links
FZS V2 150	NXRC 233	14T / 41T	428, 128 links
FZ V3, FZ V2 rear disc FI, FZ-X, FZS 2022	NMRC F327	14T / 41T	428, 128 links
FZ 25, Fazer 25, FZ-25 MotoGP Edition	NMRC 328NF	15T / 46T	428, 136 links
R15 V1, YZF	NXRC 234	14T / 42T	428, 120 links
R15 V2, R15S	NXRC 232	15T / 47T	428, 132 links
R15 V3, R15 V4, R15M, XSR 155	NMRC F326	14T / 48T	428, 128 links
MT-15, MT-15 V2	NMRC F363	14T / 52T	428, 130 links
R3 (321cc)	NXRC 319NF	14T / 43T	520, 112 links

Honda

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Hornet 2.0	NORC F410	14T / 45T	428, 132 links
CBR 250R	HPORC 331	14T / 38T	520, 108 links
H'ness CB350, CB350RS, CB350, CB350C	HPORC 393	14T / 35T	520, 104 links

Kawasaki

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Ninja 250R	HPXRC 236	14T / 43T	520, 106 links
Ninja 300, Ninja 300 BS6	HPXRC 237	14T / 42T	520, 106 links
Ninja 650R, Z650 (2017-18), Versys 650	HXRC 238	15T / 46T	520, 114 links

Suzuki

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Gixxer 150, Gixxer SF 150	NORC 235	15T / 45T	428, 132 links
Gixxer 250, Gixxer SF 250, V-Strom SX 250	HPORC 388	13T / 40T	520, 108 links
V-Strom 250T	HPORC 466	13T / 40T	520, 114 links

Hero

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
XPulse 200, XPulse 200 FI	HPORC 387	13T / 38T	520, 106 links
XPulse 200 4V, XPulse 200 Rally Edition	HPORC F411	13T / 45T	520, 110 links

There is no listed Rolon kit for the Xpulse 210 yet, so message us before ordering. For everything else that fits each Xpulse, see our Hero Xpulse 200 4V and 210 upgrades guide.

Triumph

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Speed 400	HXRC 452NF	15T / 43T	520, 103+1 links
Scrambler 400, Scrambler 400X	HXRC 530NF	14T / 43T	520, 105+1 links

BMW

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
G 310 R, G 310 GS	NXRC 321	16T / 40T	520, 112 links

Benelli

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
TNT 300, TNT 302R	HAXRC 324	14T / 44T	525, 108 links
Imperiale 400	HORC 367	14T / 46T	525, 109+1 links
TNT 600i, GT 600, GTS 600	HAXRC 325	14T / 46T	525, 118 links

Jawa, Yezdi and Mahindra

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Jawa Perak (334cc)	HXRC 374NF	13T / 45T	520, 114 links
Yezdi Roadster, Yezdi Adventure	HNXRC 428NF	13T / 45T	520, 105+1 links
Mahindra Mojo 300	HXRC 390	13T / 45T	520, 110 links

Electric

Bike	Rolon BPR kit	Front / rear	Chain
Ultraviolette F77	NXRC 420NF	17T / 56T	428, 126 links

Some bikes have no BPR brass version, so we stock Rolon's other kits for them: sealed kits for Triumph's bigger bikes such as the Street Triple RS 765, Tiger 800 and Bonneville T100, EV kits for the Ola Roadster and S1 range, Tork Kratos R and Kinetic E-Luna, and Rolon Orange kits for the KTM RC 390, Duke 200, Duke 125, Pulsar NS200 and RS 200.

Riding a Royal Enfield 350? There are two different kits, and buying the wrong one is the most common mistake we see. The new Classic 350 (2021 onwards), Hunter 350 and Meteor 350 kit does not fit the old UCE Classic 350 with a rear drum brake. The same applies to the Pulsar NS200, where the 2012 to 2015 model uses a different rear sprocket from the newer bike.

Not listed here? Browse every kit in our Chain & Sprocket Kits collection, or message us your bike's model and year.

How to tell a genuine Rolon kit

• The kit reference, such as HPORC 393 or HXRC 268, is printed on the end label of the box along with the chain size, link count and tooth counts. Check it against your bike before you open anything.
• Genuine boxes carry an L.G. Balakrishnan & Bros label with the part number, MRP and date of packing.
• In Rolon's kit codes, the brass BPR version usually ends in C. For example, NXRC 320 is the brass kit for the Apache RR 310, and NXR 264 is the standard sealed kit for the same bike.
• A price far below everyone else's usually means old stock, a standard kit described as brass, or a kit for a different bike.

When to replace your chain and sprockets

Left: hooked, pointed teeth mean the sprocket is finished. Right: a new sprocket with even, flat-topped teeth.

• The chain needs adjusting much more often than it used to
• Slack varies as you turn the wheel, a sign of tight or kinked links
• You can pull the chain away from the back of the rear sprocket and see daylight between them
• The sprocket teeth look hooked, pointed or uneven
• Rollers are damaged, pins are loose, or O-rings are missing

Always replace the chain and both sprockets together. As Honda's own manual puts it, using a new chain with worn sprockets causes rapid chain wear. A new chain on old sprockets can lose most of its life in a few thousand kilometres.

Fitting a sealed brass chain

Most BPR chains are supplied with a rivet-type joining link, not a clip. That link has to be pressed and riveted closed with a proper chain riveting tool. A clip link is not a safe substitute on a sealed chain carrying this much torque. If your mechanic does not have a riveting tool, find one who does.

After fitting, set the slack to your owner's manual figure, check rear wheel alignment, and recheck slack after the first 500 km while the new chain beds in.

Looking after a brass chain

Lube the inside of the lower run, where the rollers meet the sprockets, and wipe off the excess.

Honda's owner's manual for the CB350 gives clear guidance that applies to any sealed chain:

• Clean with a chain cleaner made for O-ring chains, or a neutral detergent, with a dry cloth and a soft brush
• Do not use a steam cleaner, a pressure washer, a wire brush, petrol, benzene or abrasive cleaners. These damage the rubber seals, and harsh cleaning will also wear the brass finish
• Lubricate with a chain lubricant made for O-ring chains. If none is available, SAE 80 or 90 gear oil will do
• Lubricate immediately after washing and drying the bike
• Wipe off excess lube so it does not fling onto your tyre, brakes or clothes

A good rule is to clean and lube every 500 to 700 km, and always after a wet ride. In the monsoon that may mean every week.

Common questions

Is a brass chain better than a normal chain?
For rust resistance and looks, yes. For strength and power, no. A brass chain is the same steel chain with a protective plated finish. Most of its longer life comes from the sealing and the matched sprockets in the kit.

Does a brass chain increase mileage?
No. Plating does not change friction inside the chain. A clean, lubricated, correctly adjusted chain of any colour gives you the efficiency your bike was designed for.

How long does a brass chain sprocket kit last?
It depends far more on how you ride and maintain it than on the plating. A well-maintained sealed kit commonly lasts tens of thousands of kilometres. A neglected one can be finished in a single monsoon.

Will the brass colour wear off?
Some fading where the chain meets the sprockets is normal. Harsh cleaners, wire brushes and pressure washers will strip it much faster.

Can I fit a brass chain on my old sprockets?
Do not. Worn sprockets destroy a new chain quickly. Rolon sells these as complete kits for that reason.

Can I change my gearing with a Rolon kit?
Rolon kits are made to factory gearing. If you change the sprocket sizes you usually need a different chain length too, and the rear sprocket mounting can differ between models even when the chain size is the same. Message us before ordering anything non-standard.

The short version

A brass chain is a rust-resistant, better-looking version of a good steel chain. It is not stronger and it will not add power. What makes a Rolon BPR kit last is the sealing, the hardened and rubberised sprockets, and your lubrication habit.

If you ride through the rains, live near the sea or park outside, it is worth the extra. If you ride dry and keep your chain clean, a standard sealed kit will serve you just as well.

Find the kit for your bike in our Chain & Sprocket Kits collection, or send us your bike's model and year. We will confirm the right kit before you order, and we would rather tell you a standard kit is enough than sell you one you do not need.