Chain Tension

How often should I be checking my chain tension? I've got 2,400 miles on the bike and the chain is at 7mm or damn near.

Also, what is the correct way to check the tension? Do you push up on the chain until it soft stops, or push it up pretty good? I've been measuring underneath the swingarm, straight down where the chain guard bolts to the arm. That's correct right?

Noob question I know, just want to get it right.

Sounds like your doing it right. Personally I give it a pretty good shove, cos the forces in the drive chain are gonna be way more than anything I can do with my thumb. If it says 7mm it's ok. I had a new chain and sproxs a few months back and it did require an adjustment after a couple of months as the new chain bedded in and stretched a bit. How much stretch you get will depend a lot on various factors; make of chain, how hard you gas the bike, how well lubed it is, kind of weather you ride in - lots of salt and grit will make it more stretchy etc.
Personally I hate monkeying with the chain, after 26 years of riding I still feel like I haven't got a clue what I'm doing. Chains are motorcycling's black art, but a well maintained and adjusted chain is a thing of beauty...and a joy to use.

You should find the "tight" spot ,, all chains have em,, and adjust it there,,,also really you should be sittin on it too,,,too tight and your countershaft bearing will suffer,,,,

Thanks guys, I think I got a good handle on it. The chain has never been adjusted and I tightened it up about 2mm, she's sitting right at 7mm now, while firmly pushing up on the chain. Now I need to find a 3/8 to 1/2 adaptor for my torque wrench. I struck out at two automotive stores, will try Sears tomorrow. I've got a track day on Wednesday, so I need to find one fast.

What MadDog said. The chain will get tighter as more weight / force is applied. Try to get wheel as close to bump stop as possible and check chain tension. Too tight and you will be replacing bearings. Lost rear bearings years ago.. Thought I was getting a flat. tyre ok. Grabbed the wheel looking for bad swing arm bushing. Ball bearing dropped out to the road. Had to ride it out 15 miles down a mountian pass, crab style. A loose chain is a happy chain.

if my 2 (pence) is useful,

I came from a 600 with a linkage, so I thought I was doing good by keeping the chain pretty tight (otherwise it does jerk in low gears, low revs when pootling). When I had a play with the suspension I guessed something was up with the rear as 'testing' speeding over steep speed humps the rear felt locked and it wasn't the suspension bottoming. I saw with no linkage the difference everyone says; at full compression the chain length difference was much more than on a linkage rear end and I was bottoming on the chain limit. My chain now has little evident sag but probably at the loose end of recommended but set as best I can to the boundary of not restricting the rear shock.

I can feel this much better with the chain fully lubed with a scottoiler.