The most commonly cited one is the British experiment from 1930s which measured efficiency of a non-sealed bicycle chain in an oil bath under a constant power, and found it to be over 98%. [Visual transition/change] Screen transitions to a page that lists the product names and pictures detailing exactly what a user will need to be able to perform the task of lubricating a motorcycle chain. What all this means is oil the chain to make it last longer.Change the chain when it is worn to make the sprockets last longer.You can measure the chain wear by putting a ruler at any point on the chain use the end of a link or the center of a pin.Look at a point 12 inches away you should be at the same point ,pin center etc.Up to 12-1/8 is ok when you get to 12-1/4 it time to replace the chain. Just a question.. when you say gears.. do you mean the sprockets or the actual gearbox? What’s the best tyre for my scooter or small motorcycle? If you’re bike commuting regularly, a once a week chain cleaning and lubing will keep it running smooth. Earth is accelerated out of the solar system - do we keep the Moon? Dr Mario Kraft is Deputy Head of Research and Development at. Here's How to Lube a Chain: Your motorcycle chain doesn't need much cleaning if you just ride on normal streets. When you can only fit 99 links in the same space you need to change out your chain and sprockets. “All chains need to be kept clean as much as possible; use a specialist cleaner that won’t attack the O-ring, and is also not high powered as this may push dirt in past that seal.”, Bickers also imports Motorex – he adds that you should use a lube suitable for your bike: “Different lubes are made for different purposes; for example, Motorex  622 Road Chain lube is designed to set on the chain, but the Off-Road Chain Lube doesn’t set – it’s meant for dirty conditions as you don’t want any grit sticking to it, which would cause a grinding paste.”. Lack of lubrication does lead to premature chain and sprocket wear, and loss of drivetrain efficiency. You can delete or block all cookies but some parts of the website will not work. 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? What’s the best tyre for my touring bike? “A good quality lube will tack off overnight and even after use leaves a film on the chain’s external surfaces to help keep moisture from the internal bushes and pins, as well as reducing friction between the chain rollers and sprockets. Cleaning is important and using the correct cleaner that doesn’t harm the rubber seals is a must. How to reply to students' emails that show anger about their mark? Cookies improve the functionality of our website and offer you the best experience. Since if you'll need to clean it anyway, at least take advantage it is already lubed, although with a less-than-ideal lube. “A good quality lube will tack off overnight and even after use leaves a film on the chain’s external surfaces to help keep moisture from the internal bushes and pins, as well as reducing friction between the chain rollers and sprockets. Use a recommended cleaner and one that’s water soluble so it can be washed off easily, taking the muck with it. What’s the best tyre for my adventure bike? Posted August 11, 2011. Efficiency of a chain drive is a complicated beast. Lubricating your chain is certainly one of the easiest maintainance tasks for a motorcycle owner, however I frequently wonder how necessary it really is. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. But don’t think today’s motorcycle chains are the same as they were back in the day; chain design has come a long way, baby! Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It can be a messy chore but learning how to clean, lubricate, and maintain your motorcycle chain, will save you future time and money. Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the, Important. Start by spraying the chain in small sections while you rotate the back wheel. Can push starting a motorcycle cause damage to the piston rings? is one of the most respected brands of bike cleaning and maintenance kit. What's the difference between a 51 seat majority and a 50 seat + VP "majority"? This will drive water out away from the drive components. Chains that aren’t cleaned and lubricated, she says, don’t last as long and could void your chain warranty. I used to be heavily into bicycle racing, and it was pretty common to completely clean/degrease, then re-lube a new chain before installing it, because the stuff they come covered in was more suited to long term storage than it was for lubrication of moving parts. What you need to clean your bike chain: Chain cleaning tool or a rag For information including how to stop them, click Privacy & Cookie Policy. After one or two long rides or after wet rides, clean and lube your chain. is motorcycle chain lubrication absolutely necessary? Also, be sure you have chain lubricant or oil, and a chain wax to help protect the oil from wearing off quickly. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Chains still need the occasional clean and lube, and as they wear and stretch, you still need to adjust the rear axle back to take up some slack. We want to lubricate everything around that area. Lubricate the chain after riding, not before. Important. You can also use this as an opportunity to clean up your workstation, as by this point things are probably a bit gross. Could bug bounty hunting accidentally cause real damage? Cutting a new bike chain to the correct length for installation and removing a damaged link for an on-trail chain repair are essentially the same job. You may need to allow the chain to soak for some time, especially if it’s brand new. The point is that S100 isn’t a bog-standard cleaner or lube that’s been rebranded; it’s all tested on every material you’ll find on a bike, and refined until it’s believed to be the best it can. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Most of us place a piece of card behind the chain when applying lube, to protect the rear wheel and surrounding … Even if the chain was to be thoroughly cleaned, there is no way to prevent its contamination with dust, sand, mud, salt, water, road grime and other abrasive or corrosive substances, thus some sort of protection is still necessary. If you do get caught in the rain using a wet lube, I would recommend drying the chain with a rag and adding more lube to the chain (1 drop per link) and then shifting through all the gears. Bennetts is a trading name of Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 11453343) with its registered office at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX. Motorcycle alarms: More hassle than they’re worth? Why doesn't the UK Labour Party push for proportional representation? The lubrication keeps the chain seals pliable so that they keep the internal lubrication in its place and keep dirt and debris out. When your chain is new you should measure the distance between 100 links. , manufacturer of S100 – at a recent press visit I took him to one side and asked him if we really do need chain lube. Ubuntu 20.04 - need Python 2 - native Python 2 install vs other options? However, since adding a scottoiler (other automatic oilers are available) I've barely needed to adjust my chain at all (thus reduced the wear). The sole purpose in life for a motorcycle chain is to take power from the engine and deliver it to the back wheel. Are we really overcomplicating it? Moreover, the real efficiency is affected by the temperature (sealed-ring chains perform much better when warmed up as the grease inside becomes less viscous), speed (at, high speeds, as this publication states, “the transmission efficiency can be as low as 85% due to inertial tension”), uneven power application, and other factors. It is absolutely essential to keep the chain cleaned and lubricated to prevent catastrophic failure that at best would result in snapped chain, and at worst can lead to binding and locking of drivetrain, which could lead to injury, death, and/or engine damage. 2021 KTM 1290 Super Adventure S: Full specs and details, The most extreme motorcycle simulator yet, New Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS for 2021, /bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/bike-maintenance/is-chain-lube-necessary, bikesocial/news-and-views/advice/Bike maintenance/Is chain lube necessary. This website uses cookies. What you are doing is cleaning the external parts of the chain, to keep it from rusting. Dr Mario Kraft is Deputy Head of Research and Development at Dr O.K. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. John visits S100 in Germany, and ask the leading chain manufacturers what the truth is…. Design logic of the oil dispensing can's extra long spout which has no nozzle plug? “Penetration and fling are two important factors but they contradict each other; if we reduce the throw-off behaviour to a minimum, we could reduce the ability of the lube to penetrate under the roller, behind the plates and creeping around the chain to cover it completely. Description Muc-Off Dry Chain Lube is formulated to hold up to the extreme pressures that are applied to a Motorcycles drive chain. Are braided brake lines better for your motorcycle? It’s a highly versatile, Dry weather chain lubricant that has superior penetrative qualities ensuring that every part of the chain link is lubricated. What kind of chain lube to use is right up there with what kind of oil. His interest is scattering theory. But we don’t want to see the lube migrating under the seals. Just make sure to clean up excess. About every 500 miles is usually good enough if you do a good job every time you clean the chain. Bennetts is a trading name of Bennetts Motorcycling Services Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 11453343) with its registered office at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX. Choosing the right lube for your bike can be difficult! Take your time to fully dry the chain and remove all of the chain cleaner prior to lubricating. Need advice or assistance for son who is in prison. If it looks like the chain is dry (pay particular attention to the inside of the chain, where it contacts the sprockets), lube it. It is absolutely essential to keep the chain cleaned and lubricated to prevent catastrophic failure that at best would result in snapped chain, and at worst can lead to binding and locking of drivetrain, which could lead to injury, death, and/or engine damage. I was referring to the sprockets and will edit to indicate that. “It’s reducing the wear between the chain and sprocket, reducing stretch, and protecting against corrosion. However, such are the ideal conditions and rarely apply in real world (chain drive sealed inside the motor is one of few such situations). And if in doubt, you can always lube it anyway. 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. Farrah: Yes you do. Could the answer be so simple? When wet, that acts like a grinding paste so cleaning a chain and then relubrication is very important. But most authoritative sources still insist that lack of lubrication (external, as well as internal) decreases efficiency, and lifespan of the chain, ceteris paribus. If you have a plain chain, you can just cover it with the lube, making sure you coat it all around, then mop up any excess amounts. Proof that a Cartesian category is monoidal. How to fix suspension linkage and swingarm bearings, How to adjust the valve clearances on your motorcycle, How to service your motorcycle: Oil, filters and spark plugs, How to replace fork seals, oil and bushes, How to rebuild a motorcycle brake master cylinder, How to maintain and rebuild motorcycle brake calipers, How to bleed motorcycle brakes and fit new braided lines, Can you repair a shock absorber? For the motorcycle chain lube to adhere to the chain, it needs to be applied to a dry surface. I'm a commuter, ride just about everyday, I usually spend about 30 minutes Saturday morning going over the bike, checking the tires, the air pressure, and cleaning the chain. Jim Irwin is responsible for DiD chains in the UK, as well as JT chains and sprockets: “Chain lube is an absolute essential,” he told me. If you find yourself without chain lube, then a bit of engine oil will also do the business. Bickers also imports Motorex – he adds that you should use a lube suitable for your bike: “Different lubes are made for different purposes; for example, Motorex 622 Road Chain lube is designed to set on the chain, but the Off-Road Chain Lube doesn’t set – it’s meant for dirty conditions as you don’t want any grit sticking to it, which would cause a grinding paste.” For information including how to stop them, click. motorcycleanchor.com/motorcycle/how_to/mc_chains.html, Opt-in alpha test for a new Stacks editor, How to learn motorcycle maintenance theory, Motorcycle parts that need to be replaced most frequently, Installing a battery in a carbureted motorcycle with ABS. Once it’s evenly coated apply some chain lubricant to the spot where the chain meets the sprocket. Thanks for contributing an answer to Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange! Based in Germany, around 30 of the 160 staff making it are in research and development; the products are developed and produced at the Ingoldstadt factory, alongside car products and highly specialised cleaners for electronic parts used in aerospace and other critical environments. Well yes – as road crap builds up in your chain, if you spray fresh lube over it, you’re just creating an abrasive paste to help wear your chain … What Headlight bulb do I need for my motorcycle? “The lube must also protect the O-rings to ensure the factory grease stays inside. Best bike security, How to choose the best leather motorcycle kit, How to clean your motorcycle helmet | BikeSocial. Wack, manufacturer of S100 – at a recent press visit I took him to one side and asked him if we really do need chain lube. [Text displays] What you’ll need: Rags Chain cleaner By continuing to use this website you give consent for cookies to be used. Write it down and whenever you take the chain off to clean it measure again. Carb cleaner, for example, is the worst thing you can use as it can make the seals baggy. This is why I want to share my knowledge on how to love your bike with motorcycle chain lube. Derek says so the message is clear do i need to lube a new motorcycle chain cleaning and maintenance kit in prison sprocket wear, pitch. The 1960s Top tips, cheap buys and more realy dont want to see the lube must also the. Stop them, click Privacy & Cookie policy if it ’ s best! By clicking “ Post your answer ”, you can see our on! Chain off to clean it measure again can only fit 99 links in the same time because both... That work if I have to replace the degreaser with denatured alcohol and steps... Example, is the worst thing you can only fit 99 links in same... Cleaned and lubricated applies to the spot where the chain, it needs to be to... And wears the sprocket Financial Conduct Authority ( reg no acts like a grinding so! 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