Bike advice needed!

[smileyman]

OK we talk alot of smack but this is serious. How long is a chain suppose to last? I am terrible about keeping it oiled and last night as i pull in, I shut the bike off and push it into the garage listening to a crazy bad noise. I gave it a quick visual and nothing seemed wrong but the marbles in a soup can sound wouldn't go away. It hadn't rode any differently?

I pull the rear tire and check the wheel bearings, fine, the sprocket carrier bearings, fine, sprocket is worn but I have seen worse. Pulled the front sprocket cover and the front sprocket seems ok, no slack in it at all and it spins freely and quietly so I guess the tranny output shaft bearing and tranny itself are ok. That leaves only the chain which was to hot to touch and had a noticeable stiff length (no joking around here guys) in it.

I think I have 10,000 miles on the thing as I replaced the OEM one when I had the 14000 mile service done and I am at 24,000 miles now...

Shed some light will ya