Drive Chains, care and cleaning of.

Remember that racing is totally different than street. Much less desert racing.

Road racers go with light weight chains that don't last long.

If my chain only lasted 4 months I'd be pissed. I'm looking for durability in my chain, I don't mind losing a couple HP with a heavier more durable chain.
 
(Charlesbusa @ Jan. 10 2007,11:11) Remember that racing is totally different than street.  Much less desert racing.

Road racers go with light weight chains that don't last long.

If my chain only lasted 4 months I'd be pissed.  I'm looking for durability in my chain, I don't mind losing a couple HP with a heavier more durable chain.
my point was chain wax attracts dust and dirt and wears the chain faster. I am on the extreme of dirt in the chain with desert racing thats why my chains wear out so fast, but the same would apply on the street just not as fast.
 
Think of the chain wax as keeping the dirt and moisture out of the pins and rollers...kinda like painting a house so the weather
doesn't get in and rot the wood
wink.gif
 
(warwgn @ Jan. 10 2007,10:30)
(Charlesbusa @ Jan. 10 2007,11:11) Remember that racing is totally different than street.  Much less desert racing.

Road racers go with light weight chains that don't last long.

If my chain only lasted 4 months I'd be pissed.  I'm looking for durability in my chain, I don't mind losing a couple HP with a heavier more durable chain.
my point was chain wax attracts dust and dirt and wears the chain faster. I am on the extreme of dirt in the chain with desert racing thats why my chains wear out so fast, but the same would apply on the street just not as fast.
Yeah, its no biggie  
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Its just that my point is racing, road or desert, just doesn't apply to street riding.  
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(BA BUSA @ Jan. 10 2007,13:38) Think of the chain wax as keeping the dirt and moisture out of the pins and rollers...kinda like painting a house so the weather
doesn't get in and rot the wood
wink.gif
My main concern, and it may not be a valid one, is that with chain lubes I used in the past they would accumulate dirt, grime and all kinds of nasty stuff around the front sprocket under the cover.
Also when it attracts dirt, that grit causes premature wear between the chain roller and the sprocket valleys.

Maybe the stuff they have now days doesn't do that.
 
(Burger King @ Jan. 10 2007,11:36)
(BA BUSA @ Jan. 10 2007,13:38) Think of the chain wax as keeping the dirt and moisture out of the pins and rollers...kinda like painting a house so the weather
doesn't get in and rot the wood
wink.gif
My main concern, and it may not be a valid one, is that with chain lubes I used in the past they would accumulate dirt, grime and all kinds of nasty stuff around the front sprocket under the cover.
Also when it attracts dirt, that grit causes premature wear between the chain roller and the sprocket valleys.

Maybe the stuff they have now days doesn't do that.
This is a very valid point but never had any alternatives other than cleaning and re-oiling the chain with more sticky stuff. I am going to try some of the SS51 from Sidewinder and will post my impression. Of course the proof is in how long the sprokets and chain lasts.
 
(Burger King @ Jan. 10 2007,12:36)
(BA BUSA @ Jan. 10 2007,13:38) Think of the chain wax as keeping the dirt and moisture out of the pins and rollers...kinda like painting a house so the weather
doesn't get in and rot the wood
wink.gif
My main concern, and it may not be a valid one, is that with chain lubes I used in the past they would accumulate dirt, grime and all kinds of nasty stuff around the front sprocket under the cover.
Also when it attracts dirt, that grit causes premature wear between the chain roller and the sprocket valleys.

Maybe the stuff they have now days doesn't do that.
That's EXACTLY the concern I've always had. Gotta be something out there which lubes, doesn't dissolve the o-rings and does NOT attrack grit and crap to the o-rings.

Regardless, I bought a can of silicone lube today to try it out. We'll see what happens when I take the plunge.

I'm willing to experiment. Give me a few months to report back!

--Wag--
 
I used wd-40 to clean & maxim chain wax to lube on my 2001 gsxr 1k & granted i dont ride like a heathen but that chain and sprockets went 43,000 miles. i think i will be sticking with this method. i dont care what anybody says you have to lube o-ring and x-ring chains.
 
Rich is probably right. The excess weight of the rider may be the most significant factor.

My wife is going to continue using the wax until her chain is worn out. I'm interested in seeing how long it lasts. My most recent chain (15,000 miles to failure) and her current chain were cared for exclusively with wax. Religiously, too.

If her current chain lasts significantly longer than my last chain, I'll have to say it strongly suggests that rider weight is the more crucial variable since both hers and my chains were cared for exclusively with wax and cleaned on the same schedule (nearly every 600 miles).

--Wag--
 
I love these chain discussions. For my $.02--I clean with diesel fuel (brother owns a large farm & I get it for nothing) then use Bel-Ray chain lube. Been doing it for years on my Honda's, Yamaha's and now 'busa. Never had a problem.
 
Okay. Installed the new chain today. Took it out for a ride. Bike's running awesomely!

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Lubed it up with some silicone spray I got from the local diy auto parts store. We'll see how it looks in short order.

--Wag--
 
FROM Web Bike World

*WD-40 & Motorcycle Chains*
Some interesting information on the use of WD-40 on motorcycle chains:

"Saw your article on using WD-40 for chains and you asked for evidence of potential harm that WD-40 can do, so am attaching a photo. This photo is of a bearing surface from an airplane.

This is a ball and races in a sealed bearing that had been subjected to regular use of WD-40 for a year or two (see attached photo below). The grease was NOT cleaned out before taking this photo - there simply is no grease and the brownish tint is really rust.

The ball had grooves (visible) and was shaped like a potato chip. The races had not evenly worn (see sectioned edge) and were rutted in spots, although neither shows too well.

We learned that WD-40 is really good for the light uses that it was intended for and that needs to be emphasized. However, it is largely a penetrant, which will do just that!

Once it penetrates into the sealed area, it dissolves the petroleum out of the grease, leaving the clay binders. What's left in the bearing is essentially dirt that cakes up, causing the balls to skid. Without the petroleum, the bearing will also rust.

The reason that kerosene and diesel fuel are still favorites and recommended by the chain people is that while both can be penetrants, they are a thicker petroleum and just what the O-rings are trying to seal against. Of course, gasoline cleans about the same, but with thinner viscosity and better penetrating power. In all honesty, I still use gas to clean (I'm lazy), but don't beat the bike often, regularly measure for linkage stretch and sprocket wear, and re-lube on every other tank of gas."

Moral of the story is to not use WD-40 for cleaning motorcycle chains.

wd_40_bearing.jpg
 
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