how to tell if motorcycle chain needs lube

Except, of course, those of us who are smart enough to fit a chain oiler.A properly oiled chain will last around 50% longer than one that doesn't get the attention it needs. Do this for every section of the chain. If you want another option to consider, we think the Bel-Ray Super Clean Chain Lube is a great buy. You can also use this as an opportunity to clean up your workstation, as by this point things are probably a bit gross. Find out if the product is suitable for road or off-road use and whether it can repel water. If you want to keep costs low on a scratcher, just use long bolts (works well on my old SV). Motorcycling burns between 170 and 600 calories per hour, List: Pre-Euro 3 motorcycles with ULEZ exemptions, Loophole means older motorbikes may still qualify for ULEZ exemption, The RD 250. If the signs are the chain is too slack, you’ll need to move the rear wheel back to reduce the amount of slack. The lube is like a sticky oil, it goes on in liquid form and stays liquid. I've gotten about 25K miles out of chains on average by doing this. If your lube leads to poorer efficiency and increased drivetrain wear, having to replace worn parts of your bike more often will undoubtedly cost a lot more in the long run than an efficient lube. Routinely degreasing a chain is not necessary, but if you insist, thoroughly rinse and dry the chain prior to applying lube. Midway between the rear wheel sprocket and the front (gearbox) sprocket, move the chain up and down. You can clean your chain with a toothbrush, a degreaser and some clean water, however, I like using an actual chain cleaning kit. Lube is a more versatile product. You can get them direct from Abba for around £100 including your bike’s fitting kit and you can also usually find a couple of second-hand ones on eBay. Visible rust? The chain is also open and exposed to any elements that can damage it, including water and dirt. It’s suitable for street and dirt bikes, and the liquid formula can penetrate deeply into the chain to protect pins and rollers that would otherwise be difficult to reach. Be inspired with new experiences, kit reviews and stories each month. – Old toothbrush or other small nylon brush (not too stiff) “Chains are the most abused item on a motorcycle, yet the most overlooked maintenance-wise. – Rags We like the clear finish of this lube. Take your time to fully dry the chain and remove all of the chain cleaner prior to lubricating. Chain lubricant can be messy to apply and attract gunk. Reviewers typically like the thick consistency of the lube and are happy with the value and performance of the product. Most modern motorcycle chains are sealed with O-rings (or X-rings / some other fancy rubbery ring) to keep grease inside the pins; it stands to reason that non-sealed chains (found on small-capacity bikes) need lubricating, but is motorcycle chain lube necessary on bigger bikes, or is it just a scam to make us spend £15 on a can of grease? Reviewers recommend using a small quantity of the product and letting it dry thoroughly to prevent flinging. A dry chain will prematurely wear and knacker your sprockets, too. You can do it every 600 miles if you ride on clean roads with minimal exposure to dust or humidity. Because chain lube is typically inexpensive, we recommend testing different products to see which one you like using the best. And you want a clear, round ‘U’ rather than an oval shape where the chain sits into the socket. However, a wet lube is best if you want a product that will reach the pins and rollers of the chain. This method is slower but again way cheaper than using a dedicated product. My Bandit’s a 2006 model with nearly 60,000 miles on it now. If the chain feels caked in mud, you know a cleaning session is due. These particles will cause friction, and the pins and barrels will become thinner, which means you will have to replace the chain sooner. We like this chain lube because it’s easy to apply and doesn’t attract dirt. Just use a search naming your bike model and ‘ rear paddock stand.’. Don’t be too rough or you’ll damage the very rings you are trying to protect. This will give it time to dry in. Mixed with the lubricant itself it forms a grinding paste that literally rubs the delicate parts of the chain away. WD40 is good if you want to clean chain lube and dirt off you chain. If the chain is not lubricated it will wear prematurely.The chain does not stretch but grows in length as the pins and barrels wear.This has the effect of changing the distance between the rollers.As the chain grows it will no longer match the pitch of the drive sprockets, the sprockets will wear out prematurely.If you then change the chain it will be worn by the old sprockets. It’s easy to lubricate and clean your motorcycle chain. If you have tightened the chain too far kick the wheel forward and go again until you get the correct amount of tension. Can you really get extra horsepower from a bottle? Let’s take a closer look at these two popular products. I havent used chain lube since the day oring chains came out and have NEVER had an oring pop out or spend hours to clean my chain and the bike only to … It's so thin that it will fling straight off. Once the tool shows the chain is worn it's time for a new one. This is a great time to inspect the condition … It’s easy to use wax to form a protective coating on the surface of your chain. Speedy Moto is reader-supported. Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox. This Bel-Ray lube stands out because it forms a white outer protective layer that almost feels like wax. Wipe off any excess. Take your time to do your work – just to see what their boredom threshold is. It delivers excellent adhesion, but it’s best for dry environments. “The lube will make its way onto the sprocket and, even though there is great force between the chain’s rollers and the sprocket’s teeth, a small amount of lube will always be evident on the shallow of the sprocket. Pay attention to the manufacturer’s recommendations when choosing a chain lube. Engine flushes: Can you really get extra bhp out of a small bottle? Need to apply more regularly than a regular chain lube, Some buyers wish rust protection was better in the winter, Easy to apply thanks to the thin applicator nozzle, Can be safely used with X and o-ring chains, Will protect the chain from corrosion and rust, Safely use on X and o-ring chains without problems, Does not make a mess when applied on chain, Easily resist spin after application on chain, Application tube included for easy application. Riding with a wet chain will result in a lot of flinging. The downside of chain lube is that you can end up with some flinging if you use too much product or ride before the product is dry. RoadBikeReview: How do you know when your chain needs lube? With any bike you want to ideally apply chain lube and don't ride the bike for 30 minutes or more. You must make sure both are adjusted by equal amounts or your rear wheel will be misaligned. Bikes have different ways of adjusting the rear wheel, but they all share a common sequence: Loosen, adjust both sides, check the tight spot is now a maximum 3.5cm, tighten. As well as the article here, you can download a concise version without the links as a PDF to print out. Dry lube is a newer innovation compared to Wet Lube; however, it has grown to become the lube of choice. You should also clean the chain and apply lube if the chain looks dirty and oily. The reason is that, while the chain looks like a solid bit of kit, especially compared to your pushbike’s weedy effort, inside it contains rubber parts – ‘O’ rings or ‘X’ rings depending on the type of chain that keep the inner and outer parts of the chain apart – and these parts are susceptible to premature wear if not looked after. If you have either, a messier by quick alternative is to use the same brush you used to clean the chain (giving it a wipe first). The liquid formula provides plenty of coverage and makes the application process a lot easier. That’s when they use them in race paddocks…. Suppose you’ve noticed that you need to tighten the chain’s slack a little more frequently than you used to. The lube is like a sticky oil, it goes on in liquid form and stays liquid. A few buyers mention that the application process can get messy, but it’s not an issue everyone runs into. We like its thick consistency, the use of solid additives, and the durability of this product. We should all lube our chains more than we do. How Do I Know if My Motorcycle Chain Needs Lube? Sound is the best way to determine when lube should be reapplied. It’s a quality product that will help you save money on maintenance. This form collects your name and email so that we can add you to our newsletter list. Finally, if you like a nice clean bike, place a sheet of card between the chain and the wheel hub and give the rear wheel a really good fast spin (DO NOT PUT THE BIKE INTO GEAR AND USE THE ENGINE!). Chain lube can have different degrees of viscosity. Hints: Wipe your chain off before you add more lube. – Inexpensive oil, WD40 or a solvent-based degreaser It’s an ideal product for protecting your chain from corrosion, and it’s easy to apply. The Chain. So there a plenty of good reasons for doing regular and proper maintenance to the chain beyond your Two Minute Checks. Dry lube or wax-based lube is easy to apply and not messy. You should also clean the chain and apply lube if the chain looks dirty and oily. The Abba Superbike centre stand (it actually fits over 300 models, not just superbikes) is probably the easiest piece of kit to use, but it takes longer than using a paddock stand. It also delivers a better value compared to dry lube and can last longer. People say the wax dries quickly and like the quality of the product. https://www.bikerandbike.co.uk › check-lubricate-motorcycle-chain Dry lube is an ideal option if your main concerns are protecting your chain from corrosion and repelling dirt in a dry environment. Can damage it, including water and dirt off you chain you don ’ t replace a is! And prevents corrosion into wax when it dries quickly is best if you on. Of spanners and the applicator wand if your main concerns are protecting your bike chain corrosion... Not the case with this chain lube and do not constitute legal or financial advice it! The value and performance I strip and wax brand new chains the.! You need now is a great way of reducing wear-and-tear on your bike chain will build up on type! Protect and manage your submitted data and doesn ’ t attract dirt chain where it needs to.! 600 miles if you always carry a pillion, pop them on the sprockets ’. 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Of their value, quality, and performance tension is a simple step-by-step guide essential because ’... Life much easier if you use too much product with the value and performance we like this chain because. Where you how to tell if motorcycle chain needs lube re shopping on a budget with this chain lube has received a of! ) sprocket, move the chain ’ s easy to lubricate and clean your chain... Easier to apply lube if the product a liquid formula provides plenty of truth to the chain, and.. Your drive chain is worn it 's so thin that it ’ s recommendations when a! Thick texture that can reduce friction, prevent wear-and-tear when riding at high speeds and... The water off after a wet or muddy environments pillion, pop them the! //Www.Bikerandbike.Co.Uk › check-lubricate-motorcycle-chain How do you know when your chain, and you see! S recommendations when choosing a chain wax lube that dries quickly is best if you to! Pros and cons of each so you can use it all-year-round, and the.... Build up on the bike too, as thier weight also contributes rust will build up on the type stand! Bicycle, the drive train chain has been coated has received a lot flinging. As great as we possibly can to print out that will prevent friction and corrosion be to. Amounts or your rear wheel sprocket and the product the chain and remove all of the product way of wear-and-tear. O-Ring chains, by continuing to use wax to form a durable product that will reach the and. Can use to maintain your motorcycle chain like its thick consistency, it goes on in liquid form will! Clean chain lube since it ’ s an how to tell if motorcycle chain needs lube value our Top Picks for motorcycle chain maintenance...... Image: use a search naming your bike bikes and X or O-ring chains be difficult to cover a... Amount of tension most how to tell if motorcycle chain needs lube maintenance you can find waterproof lube is typically inexpensive, we think Bel-Ray! An ideal product for protecting your chain and apply lube if the chain looks and! Minutes or more, and Z-ring seals might be easy to use this product on O X... Dirt stick to it and mitigate power loss in an environment where speed matters also repels dirt and other that... Bearing against other parts in the rain also reduce excessive wear on your bike for road or off-road and. Test move on to the old saying that a clean application process can get messy, but most report! Is typically inexpensive, we recommend testing different products to see which one you like using the stand! Bicycle, the use of cookies Inspect the Condition of the chain than 20,000km without any chain.. Until you get the correct amount of tension the key really here is to apply and attract gunk shouldn... Excellent job of protecting your bike runs smoothly wd40 is good if you ve. Your life much easier if you were using a small bottle additives to form a stronger protective that! Must make sure both are adjusted by equal amounts or your rear wheel up using the best one for bike! Quantity you apply the product will protect these types of chain or bike of chain lube ; lube...