I use a Pro-Oiler on my AT since about 50,000km now, and I can tell you for sure that I do have a clean chain even after extensive mud rides. 250ml of cheap engine oil will be sufficient for several thousand km. The oil does lubricate the chain and prevents dirt from sticking on the chain to begin with. The dirt is thrown off the chain; if it´s really dirty terrain, I´ll increase the quantity dropped on the chain and everything´s clean again in a jiffy. Nice side effect is that my DID chains do live 30,000km and more on the AT and Transalp.

Cheers
Chris

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Honda recommended engine oil for my VFR, and that's what all the local mechanics use in Philippines.

I've gotten 25k miles out of a minimally maintained and cleaned chain on a ZX12R, that was still in spec (as were the sprockets) when I replaced it prior to a long trip.
Sprayed with a corrosion inhibitor to prevent rust when I remembered, usually 1000 to 2000 miles.
The ZX can put a little of stress on chains...



Sent from my chinaphone excuse the spelling

True, I know longer due Iron Butt type rides anymore unless absolutely necessary . . . like it may be this summer . . . 1600kms in 24 hours.

They are, from inside. But perhaps you use some magical form of lubrication that sticks to o-rings . . . but flings off chain bushings and links. Do tell . . .


You mean like this ?

Not sure what corner you're imagining . . . lubrication off-road - Nope. Nada. On-road . . . perhaps some dry lube. On-road the chain will almost certainly move faster and over longer periods of time . . . it's not IMPOSSIBLE that some lube between the bushings and sprockets could be beneficial. But I've never done it and have noticed no difference in wear over . . . 20 years and several hundred thousand KMs . . . chain life has improved with chain quality, for me.

Bit off topic here but . . . I'd no idea this was news. Carrying an extra C/S sprocket ? Replacing it at half the interval of the rear sprocket or taking it off and reversing it when possible ?

Personally I like not turning my countershaft sprockets into paper cutters . . . breaking a chain at speed is terrifying. And even at slow speed could easily destroy the engine cases. Can't imagine the noise your C/S and chain were making . . . but not everyone has a keen sense of the obvious.

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Especially if the clutch is abused . . . wheelies, dropped clutches, etc. But overall, notwithstanding your bike's prodigious power and the grip afforded by that monster rear tire . . . it has a cush drive and delivers the power in relatively smooth pulses due to it's 4 cylinder configuration. Thumpers, and to a lesser extent, twins, deliver those pulses between longer intervals and so . . . tend to wear chains inspite of their smaller displacement and lower outputs.

A buddy's ZX10 has yet to wear thru it's first chain at 24,000 miles . . . he's adjusted it once, cleaned it a few times. No lube. That bike lives in Sacramento, CA.

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I'm guessing my ZX saw worse conditions, including a few thousand miles of dirt road, and quite a bit of winter riding.
Somewhere on Advrider there are some pictures of it keeping company with several adventure bikes, all on their sides after hitting glare ice on a dirt road during a post Thanksgiving weekend trip around Vermont.

But I hear you about the big power pulse issue. It's not just chains that get affected.

Sent from my Android chinaphone, please excuse the spelling

I think that is a reverse reasoning! As far as I know it is the chain that wears out the sprockets, not the other way around. Due to the (wear) stretching of the chain, the fit over the teeth is gone after a certain amount of stretch. Then you get what looks like a saw blade sprockets. If you want to last longer with chains and sprockets, buy two chains and one set sprockets and change the chain every 10K/15K with the other one. In reality this is not practical thought because it is not so easy to press the shackels and I don't want to bring it to the shop every time.
So infact this is actually rubbish info but technically it is correct.
sorry to go a bit of topic...

Cheers,
Noel