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Chain Lubrication

19K views 59 replies 30 participants last post by  explorecaves 
#1 ·
According to the manual, the chain should be lubricated every 600 miles. As someone who puts on 700-800 miles during summer months that means once a month lubrication. How many others out there are following the recommended chain lubrication schedule?

Side note. I was reading about some people having problems with the ignition lock after a couple of years. Most members recommended a squirt of WD-40 every so often. Would anyone recommend using chain lube? I've got a big can of it with nozzle extender
 
#2 ·
If you want your chain to last, you should lubricate it every 500 - 600 miles or asap if it gets wet. Cleaning should only be done on as needed basis. A simple wipe down with clean rag will often suffice.


Most commercial chain oils have additives to help thicken then once applied to keep them from slinging off. Using them to lubricate a lock is not normally recommended. Heavier oils also attract dirt and make it harder to clean the lock. Eventually it will gum up causing the lock to jam or the tumblers get stuck.
 
#3 ·
That would depend a lot on your driving conditions, I exist in almost perpetual rain and other yuck for most of the year so my lube & clean schedule preferences are in the 300-400 mile range.
I suppose that would be a potential culprit for a shorter bearing & seal life too.

I tried some form of lube in the lock mechanism and didn't seem to help, the WD-40 in the lock mechanism however appears to have some benefit.
I would recommend doing the same to your gas cap lock also, the return spring in the cap is not very strong, so anything to help the mechanism turn with less resistance can only stave off replacement for a while longer.
 
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#5 ·
Moisture is the bane to long chain life. An unprotected chain will begin to rust very quickly. If you keep it regularly lubed and give it a quick wipe down and lube after riding in wet weather, you shouldn't have any problems.


Cleaning with a harsh chain cleaner should only be done as needed and sparingly. Not only are you cleaning the chain but stripping away all the lubricants. Most chain cleaners need to be thoroughly rinsed with running water and the chain allowed to dry. A thorough soaking with chain lube should be performed and I recommend a second lubing shortly there after to allow the lube to work its way into the tiny voids the first lubing didn't reach.
 
#7 ·
I have a automatic oiler on my bike, I clean the chain about 1000 to 1500 miles, I use to do it at about 500 miles. Even with the longer interval the chain looks new, the oiler has made life easier and I could go longer with out cleaning but why temped fate. I would expect to get at least 30000 miles on the chain and possibly more on the sprockets. I do turn up the oil while riding, oil is cheap parts and labor are not.
 
#8 ·
The recommendation of chain lubrication is just a guide! You really want to lube it as needed, physicaly look at it! There are so many variables of when to lube it and with what it is crazy to even try to calculate it. Do not go by miles, just do it as needed! Example, a bike sitting in a damp humid garage for three weeks is in worse shape than riding on a clear day 400 miles. A bike with 100 miles on it and sitting three years, the chain could be shot! Depending on the lube used, on a clear day you can go over a thousand miles without lubing. Observe and lube as needed!

Do not use chain lube in key cores. Chain lube is usually thicker and designed to be best used when warmed and also thins out warm. If you use a chain wax in a core, it will pack in there and get harder to use and it will begin to work improperly. Do not use graphite in a core unless you know it will never get wet in there, meaning there is no possible way to get wet and most key cores on motorcycles do not fit into this description. Use regular motor oil for key cores, it works best and is readily available.
 
#9 ·
I look at my chain all the time. I'm paranoid about it. Actually kept me away from the c for quite awhile. But with my auto oiler I've got 4500 on it now, and totally clean. Haven't cleaned it manually yet. My brother in law maybe cleans his chain once a year. If that. He's been a long time rider and never had an issue. Just saying.
 
#10 ·
A chain oiler is by far the best and easiest way to take care of a chain on a street bike. Very little maintenance required and the chain stays much cleaner. Wear is much less due to the chain constantly staying wet with very little oil. I normally average 40,000 miles on my chains with a chain oiler and find I only have to adjust the chain every tire change.
 
#11 ·
Yeah jfc. I just felt better about it having the oiler on it. I've been so impressed with it to take my concern off it. Can I clean it regularly? Of course. But having it on there for a relatively small price I've been really glad I did. Given how OCD I was about this. I do need to pull the front sprocket cover to see what horrors lie beneath. If any. I have the tutoro. Simple gravity fed one. Their support has been outstanding. My bike fell over in soft soil. Broke the seal. I ended up sealing it with some great stuff I found. But in emailing those brits they were willing to sell me just components to get me back. Quick emails. Hoped me for the best and to email them if they could help. They're a good bunch. Good product. I just liked the simplicity of it all.
 
#12 ·
+1 for the auto chain oiler, installed mine when I did the break in oil change and that was over 2000 miles ago. Chain stays clean and lubed all the time, just awesome. Just finally made my first adjustment at 2800 miles and only needed a quarter turn of the adjusters. By far the most functional upgrade you can make in my opinion definitely worth the time and money.

I went with the Cameleon Oiler for simplicity and cost, and don't regret it for a second. I will never have a chain drive without an auto oiler again. A constantly clean chain that stays in spec forever, worth every dime. Plus when you go for a long trip just check your adjustment ahead of time and top off your reservoir and forget about it, no carrying lube and walking your bike around gas station parking lots every few hundred miles. What's not to love?
 
#13 ·
Huh. Well this gives me hope. I don't have a garage, and doing the cleaning on the sidewalk every 600 miles (which is ALL the time) is a pain. I'm pretty fanatical about it, though sometimes I go over a bit due to miles ridden in a weekend.

So far even though they live outside, mine has needed little adjustment at 18k miles, but an auto-oiler would be awesome. How hard is it for a total novice to install?
 
#17 ·
My tutoro was so simple. Bolted it to the rubbermaid bracket behind my left knee. Tube goes down to double nozzle, and I've looked at it since I put it on, right above the chain at about 7 o'clock and still there just fine. I do expect some wear over time, but as of yet haven't seen any. Just drips on the socket right above the chain.
 
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#15 ·
Let me add one more - Pro-Oiler Kit is $234.55

I have one, 2 years and going strong. It uses 12 vdc from bike, electronic control, a positive displacement pump, and runs off of the speedo output from the transmission shaft. Any weight oil from light weight mineral to gear oil regardless of temperature. It works quite well with used motor oil.
 
#24 ·
^ That's what I roll with.

I second the DuPont chain wax. I've use on my other bikes. It goes on very thin and acts like a solvent cleaning the chain, then in about 20-30 minutes it drys to a clear wax. What I like best about it is that it has almost no sling onto the wheel while riding and attracts little to no dirt.

I too went through many chain lubes until settling on the DuPont. I still try others every so often, but it is still my go to for now.

Also, I like to use paraffin (kerosene) when needing to deep clean the chain. Just spray on the chain and clean with a dry cloth. It's cheap and can be purchased at places like Walmart in the camping section.
I have a new can of DuPont laying around from before I sold my last chain drive bike, I'll give it a shot after my can of Maxima is gone.

Love Kerosene for the cleaning, costs pennies compared to the cans of chain cleaning stuff. Last time I bought an aerosol can of cleaner I used 80% of it and the can cost me ten bucks, never again.
 
#23 · (Edited)
I second the DuPont chain wax. I've used it on my other bikes. It goes on very thin and acts like a solvent cleaning the chain, then in about 20-30 minutes it drys to a clear wax. What I like best about it is that it has almost no sling onto the wheel while riding and attracts little to no dirt.

I too went through many chain lubes until settling on the DuPont. I still try others every so often, but it is still my go to for now.

Also, I like to use paraffin (kerosene) when needing to deep clean the chain. Just spray on the chain and clean with a dry cloth. It's cheap and can be purchased at places like Walmart in the camping section.
 
#25 ·
I have the Cameleon+ chain oiler just recently installed. I haven't put too many miles on the bike because of the current weather in the Northeast but, so far, so good. The Cameleon+ chain oiler requires hooking up to the battery thru an ignition powered connection. Cost was about $160. I was too afraid of doing the electrical hookup on the bike because the Honda has alot of electroics that control both engine and tranny. It cost another $100 to have my bike shop do the electrical hookup. I did all the mechanical installation except cutting the feed tube to length. The tube that drips the oil onto the chain has a wire in it and it is thick. Super sized wire cutters are need to cut the tube to length.
 
#26 · (Edited)
brain is lost..

I still revert back to PJ1 black or blue, whatever I have on hand as the most effective (but least clean) dry lube. I've tried many, posted about my findings previously. The stuff that does go on clear and stays clean tends to offer the least amount of protection over time.

There are lots of threads about that stuff here!

JFC had some good insights into the lube vs lube

PJ1 is still the most wet dry lube i've found, and it will re-vert back to a wet state when the chain is in motion, so far that is a property that seems to be exclusive to this lube.
 
#29 ·
I don't have a chain oiler yet but I'm leaning toward a Pro Oiler. One thing I'm finding is that there are a lot of different systems on the market and it seems that they all work. I'm not sure that there is a bad choice.
 
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#35 ·
Do you have the Effem Tee rubbermaid bracket on yours jfc? Because that tutoro mounts right to one of the holes that install it to a wall.. That's where I have my Tutoro mounted so it stays vertical. Short run of tubing to the rear sprocket. If you need the basics of temps I'll send them again, as these were what I got from the boys at tutoro. It's a pretty good guideline to use.
 
#36 ·
Hey John
I mounted mine using both of the stainless arms they include with it end to end to get and extra length back away from the passenger peg...my passenger cannot kick it now...including photo..in the dark but you'll get the idea...the forward end is connect to the back of the passenger floorboard bolt from the backside.

 
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