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@Dylan
ok, i get this now. after some googling which is didn't do before.
Although a cyclist can exert more torque/force (pulling on the chain) momentarily, it's not constant and not at high revs, whereas on a bike it's constant (especially at high speed) and at considerably higher REV's.
If a bicycle chain were used on a motorbike it probably would work, but would wear out very quickly since there is much less material bearing the load and no o-rings to stop the oil dissipating causing more friction. Also the cogs and sprocket, being smaller would wear out quickly.
So the reason is more about longevity of the chain rather than the actual strength, where a bicycle chain is strong enough (surprisingly) just not robust enough for any appreciable length of time if it were used on a motorbike .