What's your regime - please let us know what your triggers for maintaining your chain is and what it consists of.

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I swear to Ipone chain cleaner and transmission oil for lubing. On the road, unless on a very long trip, I resort to diesel, a tooth brush and a rag (don't carry lube except for on very long trips).

I'm rigorous with my chain maintenance. I try to clean after every "longish" ride or 500 kms, whichever comes first. If I've been riding in filth, I may do it as soon as it is convenient to do so. Also, before and after garaging the bike for a long time.

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Relaxed. I mostly ride on tarmac, I use high-quality sealed chains, I watch the rollers and lube the chain when they start getting shiny (rather than dull) and about every 1000km. I have a Kettenmax chain cleaning thingie but mostly just use it when I see that the chain is filthy; I'll also clean it off with a power-washer when I wash my bike.

On a long trip, when I do 500-700km per day, yeah I will lube the chain afterwards. And if it's been raining.

I'm an 'as and when' chain owner. I have a diy chain oiler (or did before I broke it recently) on one of my main bikes and every time I stop for fuel I'll glance at the chain. If it looks dry I'll set the oiler to deliver some over the next 20-30 miles. If it looks oily I'll leave it alone. Unless it's wet in which case it'll get more oil more often.

No chain cleaning though; I bought into that many years ago when you had to take the chain off, scrub it in paraffin and boil it in some sort of black grease. No longer I'm afraid. I'd rather replace the chain than go through that again. If dirt wears it out then so be it.

My little 125 Suzuki has an enclosed chain. I put some oil on it 10,000 miles ago when I changed the front sprocket. It's still oily and hasn't worn. Not bad for something not much bigger than a bicycle chain with no O or Z or any other sort of rings. Just goes to show what the bigger bikes are missing (protection in case you're wondering)

I add a little oil with my chain oiler at the beginning and end of each ride. Thats it.

Take the advice your mother gave when you were nine: "If you keep playing with it, it'll drop off".

Andy

Anyway , Andy, back to chains !!
I oil my chain through a syringe and tube that is fixed near front sprocket and
i use old engine oil and i never let my chain run dry !
33,000 miles on a crf1000 and the chain was as good as new !
K

Cleaning chain on your Vespa?

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Riding bikes continuously for 43 years now and since automatic chain oilers became available I have used nothing else since.

Curious about chain oilers - know nothing about it. Doesn't it create a mess? Does it lube effectively and evenly? How about cleaning?

To me, cleaning is as important as lubing. And, using stuff that doesn't penetrate behind the rings or deteriorate them. It is also not only about the chain, but the sprocket as well.

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IMHO you don't want it if you ride in dusty conditions oil + dust = grinding compound. It works very good if you mostly deal with the rain.

I try to do diesel cleaning/maintenance after wet or dirt ride, it ends up being something 500-2000mi give or take.

Personally I can't wait when BMW/Regina Endurance M diamond chain will be available in 520 size.

They are lash-ups. Everything from someones high school electronics project through to hospital syringes and fish tank hose. The environment at the chain sprocket interface will make a surface protection/paint/adhesives engineer sit sucking his thumb rocking back and forth in the fetal position, it is no place for 3M pads and cable ties. If you are lucky they stay put and apply something like a suitable amount of suitable lube. If you are unlucky they get cut to pieces when they lose out in fight with the chain, drench the tyre in a unsuitable lube or do nothing and give you a false sense of security.

I will not have another. Scotoil was the wrong lube, too sticky, never going to do anything more than stick dirt on and make grinding paste. Engine oil rotted the seals on one of the fish tank hose and syringe contraptions and a bit of WD-40 can straw bosticked in was never going to control the flow. Both cost more in time and cash than I'd have spent with a rag and oil can or stripping the back end of a Bavarian Behemoth to get at the splines.

The correct current solution is the factory made, bellows design chain case MZ used. Industrial chain lasted 100k+ miles. I hope the BMW teflon/diamond works. Until then is it really so hard to wipe it with an oily rag?*

*I don't use spray cans, sticky is bad. Tot up how much you'd pay wurth and you may as well just buy a new chain when they wear out. These things wre consumables, so consume them.

Before buying an oiler do a lifetime cost analysis. I'd have to successfully transfer the same oiler from bike to bike three times.

Andy

The one I use has an adjustable flow so you can decide how much lube it needs in any given situation.. Very effective, no mess, and I use SAE 90 gear oil in it so no issues with damaging solvents. It also only dispenses oil once the revs rise above idle speed so no puddles of oil if stationary whilst idling. As for dusty conditions, I turn the flow up and this prevents the grinding problem.

Seems to me that to the extent that turning the flow rate up helps with "the grinding problem," it would necessarily be because enough oil is being dumped on the chain so that it washes off the dust....onto the ground, mixed with a lot of oil. I'm not sure that's ideal, exactly.

I put my bike(s) up on center stand, idle in gear, and spritz liberally with WD40 to wash off dust, grit, and grime. Then I wipe with a rag while still running, risking serious injury or dismemberment. Then I forget about it for another 300, 500, or 800 miles before doing the same again. Mostly this happens in my garage, where a couple of rags captures the wash; away from home, I try to find someplace less rather than more obnoxious to pollute.

I've given up lubing O or X ring chains--the WD40 is for cleaning, not lubrication. They last a good long time, then I replace them...using clip-links. I don't replace front or rear sprockets at the same time unless visibly worn, and these, too, seem to last a long time. Call me crazy.

I use DIY oiler and the main advantage is saving me the hassle of lubing the chain after a day of riding. Additionally, I can use engine oil, which I normally carry to top off oil that burnt, so I don't have to carry another lubricant.


I usually turn off auto lubrication before going on a dirt road.

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I tried Tuturo chain oiler on a couple of bikes. Motion actuated and adjustable flow are good ideas but I found the nozzle got knocked off in the dirt.

Now I use a small bottle of Muc-Off C3 dry lube every other day or on the road.
Pre-clean dirt with a toothbrush.
Dab onto the brush and apply around the chain.
C3 seems to attract less grit, though it is for pushbikes.
I used to use engine oil, better than nothing, but for a ride of a few weeks a bottle of proper lube will last.

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