chain greasing / maintenance

[Berlin Germany]

hi at all bros `n sisters

by a little discussion in our german group initiated i want to ask you too,
how you keep your drive chain "alive".

i peronally sware on automatic chain oilers, who ever make or provide them - no matter - mainly automatically.

so some questions.

how do you usually grease your drive chain
all ~ 200 mi by spec. motorcycle chain spray
all ~ 200 mi by another kind of well adhering oil (chain saw?)
or by a drop of motor oil only
and
how long last a standard chain e.g. did 530 zvm-x when maintained your way (above)?
10-15 000 km / 15-20 000 km / 20-25 000 km / or more ?

do you do the chain test by pulling it at the rear sprocket?

mine at the ´00 busa with an ancient simple scott oiler last for around 70-80 000 km / 44-50 000 mi including two "changes" of the front sprocket every ~ 18-20 000 mi

after that milage i usually can pull the chain around 2-3 mm off of the rear sprocket what tells me that the chains life then is over.

greets from across the pond

 

[BlueBacon]

hi at all bros `n sisters

by a little discussion in our german group initiated i want to ask you too,
how you keep your drive chain "alive".

i peronally sware on automatic chain oilers, who ever make or provide them - no matter - mainly automatically.

so some questions.

how do you usually grease your drive chain
all ~ 200 mi by spec. motorcycle chain spray
all ~ 200 mi by another kind of well adhering oil (chain saw?)
or by a drop of motor oil only
and
how long last a standard chain e.g. did 530 zvm-x when maintained your way (above)?
10-15 000 km / 15-20 000 km / 20-25 000 km / or more ?

do you do the chain test by pulling it at the rear sprocket?

mine at the ´00 busa with an ancient simple scott oiler last for around 70-80 000 km / 44-50 000 mi including two "changes" of the front sprocket every ~ 18-20 000 mi

after that milage i usually can pull the chain around 2-3 mm off of the rear sprocket what tells me that the chains life then is over.

greets from across the pond

I have not had my chain on long enough for a worthwhile answer, but I spray mine with Maxima Chain Wax immediately after a ride every 2-3 weeks (200-300km). I plan on scrubbing it with a brush+kerosene at least twice a year starting this winter.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I’ve used Maxima chain wax for years on several bikes. My rivet link 10,000+ tensile strength chains last 8-10,000 miles. I lube the chain every 500 miles roughly, and clean it when it’s dirty enough.

 

[Bumblebee]

I do the same-Maxima chain wax and clean it with kero once a month just for giggles...

My chain tells me when it needs to be lubed, I can feel it through the pegs.

I have an R&K gold Pro-Drag chain on mine

 

[Berlin Germany]

well men

i stay riding while you are spraying and cleaning
and I never have to torment myself because I have to kneel down next to the bike.
my autom. oiler is easily accessible and refillable.
the amount of chain oil that I use is around 12 liters per 25,000 km .
but you are definitely still very young - as an old man I like it more when it's comfortable and at the same time I save a lot of money.

looooooooooooooooooooooooool

 

[Bumblebee]

well men

i stay riding while you are spraying and cleaning
and I never have to torment myself because I have to kneel down next to the bike.
my autom. oiler is easily accessible and refillable.
the amount of chain oil that I use is around 12 liters per 25,000 km .
but you are definitely still very young - as an old man I like it more when it's comfortable and at the same time I save a lot of money.

looooooooooooooooooooooooool

It takes me only a few minutes to clean and lube my chain and the perk of this is my bike is not covered in oil, my rear rim is as spotless as ever. I used to hate all that chain oil fling I'd get all over the back of my bikes....

 

[Cantab]

well men

i stay riding while you are spraying and cleaning
and I never have to torment myself because I have to kneel down next to the bike.
my autom. oiler is easily accessible and refillable.
the amount of chain oil that I use is around 12 liters per 25,000 km .
but you are definitely still very young - as an old man I like it more when it's comfortable and at the same time I save a lot of money.

looooooooooooooooooooooooool

Shyte thats a lot of oil to use

When i used a Scott oiler 500mls would last 50,000kms , i had 77,000kms on original chain and sprockets with my GSX1400......a mate had 55,000kms on his turbo 1400 and only changed the front sprocket he wasn't nice with the throttle either, 200kph + wheelies

I would normally use Kero to clean and what ever so called 'non fling spray' to lube , ive read the Dupont teflon stuff that seems only available in the US is the way to go.
I too would pull the chain on the rear sprocket to see how its life is going.

 

[Klutch556]

well men

i stay riding while you are spraying and cleaning
and I never have to torment myself because I have to kneel down next to the bike.
my autom. oiler is easily accessible and refillable.
the amount of chain oil that I use is around 12 liters per 25,000 km .
but you are definitely still very young - as an old man I like it more when it's comfortable and at the same time I save a lot of money.

looooooooooooooooooooooooool

Some of us enjoy wrenching on our bikes and doing it’s maintenance. It’s not a hassle, it’s a happy place

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I may try that DuPont lube with my next new chain and sprockets. It promises to stay on better and shouldn’t attract as much dust as chain wax. I wonder if it keeps the chain rust free like wax does though. I’ve never seen a hint of rust on my chains with Maxima.

 

[HayaWakened]

Kerosin with a toothbrush, then Amsoil 80W oil, brushed on with a paint brush. ~~every 400 mi
Zen moment!
WD40 and a garden hose on the road
Guerilla tactics!

 

[Mythos]

I lube mine about every 500 miles with Maxima chain wax. I clean it with kerosene about every other time I lube. A good quality chain will last about 25,000 miles. I check the stretch across 18 pins as described in the service manual. A good quality EK chain might go longer than 25,000 miles. Mine didin't need to be adjusted frequently after the few hundred miles but it was at the service limit after 25k. The sprockets were ready to change so might as well do the chain at the same time. I'm changing my busa's OEM chain soon at 15,000 miles. The OEM chain needs to be adjusted often so I would expect the service limit to be getting exceeded after another season.

 

[rubbersidedown]

Ack...mmm....sure you got yer numbers right there Frank.

I surely hope you are mistaken,especially if you are using a Scottoiler.
You are dumping a krap load of oil on your chain.
12 liters to go 25,000 KM. You may want to check your flow rate,if its adjustable,it is on a Scott.
You used 3-400 bucks worth of Scottoiler refills.
@HayaWakened dont spray WD on yer chain man. It dissolves grease.Any chain lube inside your chain will be removed by that krap. That shi7 has not one useful purpose on this planet.
Rubb.

 

[busafan08]

Still looking for the holy grail in chain lubes that does not fling Cleaning no problem I use kerosene which good stuff for cleaning chains and sprockets easy peasy to do I never owned a chain drive bike long enough to see how long chain and sprockets would last The chain and sprockets on my previous 08 busa still looked new at 45 thousand km I reckon with my riding style I can get close to 80 thousand km before a new set is installed

 

[Berlin Germany]

Shyte thats a lot of oil to use

and @rubbersidedown

hell - yes if the 12 was correct

but i wanted to write 1/2 (half) and then it is less than a birds pi.. per km (1 drop every 2.5-3 minutes of motor running) at that, my, milage

and if there, really is a little drop of chain oil at/on the rear rim, it needs only a second or 2 to wipe it away.

and to all doubters - the scott oil is very adhesive
only you open the oiler too much - then you got an oiled rim

my best results with my "scotty" is to open it so far that the chain rolls only have a dark siver shine on.
more is not ´n never necessary to give the chain a long long life.

btw.

my scotty ist the very 1st edition - only steered by vacuum from the little throttle body lines - without any electronics or else - no one needs that stupid stuff.
because
even when it is raining cats´n dogs the chain is chilled now by the rain (plus the still dripping scotty's oil) and the o-rings don´t get demaged by a heating up chain.

when dry weather the oil greases the chain rollers and drops this way their friction / rubbing to an abs. minimum what by that reduces the heating of the chain and its o-rings.
by that "heating up prevention" the chain lives a very long time.

and

yes the chain heats up a lot when dry / not greased - ride some 50 mi and then try to touch the chain with naked hand / finger.
if you´re not quick enough you get a burn - so hot the chain becomes and this heat destroys the o-rings, the in the rollers inserted oil get a way to flee and the chain is "for crap box".
chain´s life is finished.

 

[Bumblebee]

Still looking for the holy grail in chain lubes that does not fling Cleaning no problem I use kerosene which good stuff for cleaning chains and sprockets easy peasy to do I never owned a chain drive bike long enough to see how long chain and sprockets would last The chain and sprockets on my previous 08 busa still looked new at 45 thousand km I reckon with my riding style I can get close to 80 thousand km before a new set is installed

I have used Maxima Chain Wax for years and years on several different bikes and it seems to work great and doesn't fling off all over the bike...(which I like).

 

[HayaWakened]

[D]ont spray WD on yer chain man. It dissolves grease.Any chain lube inside your chain will be removed by that krap. That shi7 has not one useful purpose on this planet.

Wasn't there a thread about chain maintenance while on the road? I thought WD40 was the answer. What else am I gonna use on a 1,000 mi + run?

Still looking for the holy grail in chain lubes that does not fling Cleaning no problem I use kerosene which good stuff for cleaning chains and sprockets easy peasy to do I never owned a chain drive bike long enough to see how long chain and sprockets would last The chain and sprockets on my previous 08 busa still looked new at 45 thousand km I reckon with my riding style I can get close to 80 thousand km before a new set is installed

+1. Under $300 USD every 15-20k miles for a new drive. That's $100/yr

 

[Bumblebee]

Wasn't there a thread about chain maintenance while on the road? I thought WD40 was the answer. What else am I gonna use on a 1,000 mi + run?


+1. Under $300 USD every 15-20k miles for a new drive. That's $100/yr

You can spray chain wax on a dirty chain, it will lube and protect the links.

You can also buy a specific chain cleaner in aerosol cans as well.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

At work we clean chains with a brush and diesel fuel.... then dry them off and use this chain lube, leaves the chain white, looks great!

At home I clean my chain after every couple of rides (500kms or so) and lube it with maxima chain wax.
On the latest DID 530ZVMX chain packaging box, it specifically instructs NOT to clean with kerosene or similar hydrocarbon based products.
Also says to use 75W gear oil and wipe it on sparingly, thin film.
It also states the lube is only used to protect the chain from corrosion, lubrication is from grease inside the rollers and sealed by the o rings.
I’m replacing chain and sprockets as soon as I notice any stretched or tight sections of links, usually around 30,000kms.
So about every 3 years or so.
I’m paying $300 for a 530ZVMX and new sprockets, standard gearing.

 

[Bumblebee]

Almost every manual I've ever seen says to use Kerosene to clean the chain....

I've used dish soap diluted in water and a brush once...rinsed it really well...that seems to work decently too.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

Since WD40 is a solvent and not a lube I spray it on a towel and wipe the side plates and rub over the rollers to clean them. I never spray it onto the chain. Seems to have worked well these many years.