If you’ve shopped for a new D.I.D, Regina, RK, or EK chain lately, you’ve probably noticed it: prices are up. What used to be a standard maintenance item now feels like a serious purchase. In many cases, chains cost significantly more than they did just a couple of years ago.
This isn’t a case of brands getting greedy. The reality is that global economics, trade policy, and manufacturing costs have all changed — and chains sit right in the middle of it. Here’s what’s going on.
Tariffs + Steel = Higher Base Cost
Most premium chains are made overseas and are composed almost entirely of high-tensile steel. In 2025, the U.S. expanded and increased tariffs on imported steel and certain steel-containing products. Depending on the country of origin and how the product is classified at customs, chains and their components may now carry significantly higher import duty than before.
That cost gets added before the chain ever reaches a distributor or dealer. Some brands have absorbed part of it. Many haven’t been able to — because they’d lose money doing so.
So the starting price is simply higher than it used to be.
Raw Materials Aren’t Cheap Anymore
Even without tariffs, the ingredients that make a quality chain cost more today:
High-tensile alloy steel pricing has been volatile and generally elevated
O-rings and X-rings are petroleum-based polymers — so they follow energy costs
So the price climbs before manufacturing even begins.
Manufacturing Costs Have Gone Up Too
Chains aren’t simple parts. Premium chains go through:
Stamping
Heat treating
Shot peening
Surface finishing
Assembly / riveting
Inspection and testing
All of that takes energy, equipment, and skilled labor.
In key manufacturing regions like Japan and Europe, industrial energy and labor remain higher than pre-2022 levels. When it costs more to operate the factory, the price of the finished part has to go up.
Sealed Chains Are Now the Norm
There’s also been a shift in what riders — and OEMs — expect.
Most chains sold today are sealed O-ring, X-ring, or Z-ring designs. These last longer, hold lubrication better, and perform far beyond old-school unsealed chains. But they’re also:
More complex
More precise
More expensive to produce
And because demand for cheap unsealed chains has dropped, the “budget baseline” has basically disappeared. The standard replacement chain today is simply a higher-spec product than it used to be.
So What Does This Mean for Riders?
The short version:
Global trade, material costs, and manufacturing economics now affect what you pay for drivetrain parts — just like everything else.
Dealers and distributors are adjusting inventory and pricing as the market shifts. Riders are seeing that at checkout.
It’s not ideal — but it’s real.
The Bottom Line
Motorcycle chain prices have climbed because of a mix of:
Higher import duties and steel trade policy changes
Elevated and volatile raw material costs
Increased energy and labor costs in manufacturing
A market shift toward premium sealed chains as the standard
A quality chain is still one of the most critical components on your bike. It’s also still worth buying from a reputable brand — because failure in this part of the machine has consequences far beyond your wallet.
If nothing else, understanding why the price is higher at least makes the sting a little easier to swallow.
