Me Chain poll with pics

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

I have had my bike for 10 months. I degrease the chain and inspect it every 6 months, kerosene, then warm water with detergent.
Gives me a chance to inspect it.
I lube with that white Bell and Ray stuff every 100 miles or so.
How about you fellas and babes.
I have the standard chain.

You know, what amazes me is that I think I have it adjusted right and keep it lubed but after the degrease process, gear changing is just so much easier.
Just goes to show what a good idea degreasing is?

Let me know in me poll.

Cheers

 

[OZXJR]

I,m replacing my chain this weekend ,I got over 48k out of the factory one and I NEVER cleaned it .Just regular lube and adjustment.

Personally I dont like degreaser any where near my wheel bearings ,but thats just me and my invisible paranoid friend,lol

 

[Ridgeback]

As above,just Wurth dry chain lube every once in a while

 

[reiobard]

have 25k miles on my stock chain so far, and still seems new to me. regulare lubing is all i have ever done.

 

[skooter65]

Usually "degrease" every oil change. I use diluted Simple Green cleaner and my favorite tool...the grunge brush!

 

[(none)]

Most cleaning mine gets is from riding in the rain or getting hosed off while washing the bike. I just spray some lube on it every 500 miles or so.

 

[Chris]

Every time I lube the chain I usually give it a quick cleaning first with some kind of chain degreaser and a rag. About every 500 km.

 

[cap'n]

Most cleaning mine gets is from riding in the rain or getting hosed off while washing the bike. I just spray some lube on it every 500 miles or so.

This. I keep a can on me, in the saddle bags. Every 4 or 5 hundred miles I re-coat. I've cleaned it off, feebly, a few times MAYBE over the 3 years. Nowadays I have no garage and no time to work on stuff, so I don't even get to wash the bike much less scrub the chain. The 2 dudes downstairs in my condo building would be apoplectic if they saw me getting any chain gunk on their precious parking lot.

edit: 26,400 miles so far, and it and the gear teeth still look pretty good.

 

[cap'n]

Actually this is good timing. I was just on Bike Bandit putting a bunch of stuff in my cart like new primary and rear sprockets, associated nuts and washers, and a few screws from elsewhere that have vibrated themselves off the bike. They want $145 for the chain. That seems high.

 

[Andz]

42,000-odd km on the original chain, never been degreased, Castrol Chain Wax when I think about it and the sprockets still look great.

 

[cap'n]

Actually this is good timing. I was just on Bike Bandit putting a bunch of stuff in my cart like new primary and rear sprockets, associated nuts and washers, and a few screws from elsewhere that have vibrated themselves off the bike. They want $145 for the chain. That seems high.

I took the chain off the order and pulled the trigger. New sprockets and such... woot!

 

[edski]

Usually "degrease" every oil change. I use diluted Simple Green cleaner and my favorite tool...the grunge brush!

I lubricate my chain with DuPont Teflon Multi-purpose Dry Lubricant every few hundred miles, and actually break out the Simple Green, an old toothbrush and a rag for major chain cleaning about every 1000 miles.

 

[Wolfman]

Me & chains just dont seem to get along.....

First OEM 530 chain only lasted 16000km's, and my second 520 chain (did the 520 conversion), lasted me about 25000km's....

Now i wash my bike a lot! but always lube the chain straight away...

I sometimes use a bit of degreaser around the rear wheel, and sprocket, as i like to keep things clean, but always lube the chain after...

But i like to do a bit of touring...and when intouring mode, i tend to get a bit slack with lubing the chain...for instance, my last trip to Phillip Island (about 2500km's return), i didnt lube my chain the whole time i was away...

Result - Dead chain!

 

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

Seems as chain maintenance can save your chain. I am interested about your Vic ride.
Why didn't you lube the chain regularly?
No lube on hand?
Couldn't be bothered?
Don't know how?

Some of my friends have shaft drive bikes but hey, I reckon a bike should have a chain!! Those shaft drive bikes are cruisers, not sport bikes.

So yesterday cost me 2 hours, some smelly rags, a litre of kero and some new lube. I never realised that if you don't lube your chain it wears out quicker, I just thought, 'I don't want a chain failing on me in the boondocks, look after it bro!'

This forum certainly is a great database of info for our bikes. I appreciate your comments.
Peter

 

[Bikebiz]

I give my chain a good brushing when I wash it, and every maybe 3,000 use a specific chain cleaning can.

I'm wondering Peter if kero may do your o-rings some damage in the long term?

42,000-odd km on the original chain, never been degreased, Castrol Chain Wax when I think about it and the sprockets still look great.

Sprockets still look good, but how about the chain? Not saying it's happening here, but the majority of my mates who do check the chain for wear, usually do the old 'pull it up over the sprocket teeth and check how far it can be pulled' thing. But the one they often overlook, and imo more important, is to push the chain sideways and toward the opposite side of the bike, at its most slack part (ie the centre). Then when you can't push it anymore, check it's not binding to any part. I'm not certain the acceptable range of movement, but have found with some friends' bikes that it can move far enough to bind if it moved whilst in motion. So their seemingly good chain was well shagged.

Best I've had is 35k kms, and I lube mine religously after every 3rd ride or so, so about every 200km. And apply immediately after the ride whilst the chain is warm. I love the pillion grab handle (I've got the naked) to lever the rear wheel up and spin the rear to help apply the lube!

 

[Kazza]

We lube our chains after every "big" ride and every week or so. Don't degrease them at all.

Mike's hit 30000 kms on his XJR. No problems yet.

 

[Rumpole of the Bailey]

Manual says degrease with kero.
My o rings are good. the rubber would be buna-n which resists oil, kero, diesel etc.
Think of the stuff coming off a wet road like a freeway. lots of diesel, fuel, oils and detergents which would naturally degrease your chain anyway.

Rumpy

 

[Humperdinkel]

Never degreased a chain in my life but i have always given them a weekly lube & im yet to have any chain problems :thumbup:....

 

[clrd_2_lnd]

Clean and wax every 500 miles

 

[Bram]

I never degreas the chain.
I only lube it when the grease is off the chain, and the metal is showing.

I don't look at mileage, only visual inspection. When the chain is "bling-bling" it's time for a lube.