Red Residue on Bottom of Bike

[CamMc]

SanNYC, With the lack of oil build up inside your front cover I'd venture to say your running you chain too dry or do you remove the cover and clean it as well? Is there the same red dust between the link plates of your chain?
How many miles do you put on in a month as well?

 

[2-stroke]

I got the same exact thing on mine after I washed the chain with WD40 and lubed it up. I have not washed it off but I am almost positive that is what it is. I was freaked out the first time I saw it then I looked at the bike and I had some of it under the chain guard. Most of the dust was around the center stand and front sprocket.

 

[FZ1inNH]

Time to inspect the links and verify the o-rings are ALL intact. You shouldn't clean the chain so often but you should lube it every other fill-up, that being every 400 miles or so. Are you lubing the o-rings (between the link plates) or just spraying the rollers hitting the sprockets? If you're spraying the rollers, you've not been lubing your chain at all.

 

[Cali rider]

Did we ever get to the bottom of this? I just noticed the exaxt same thing on my bike today. The residue is not as extreme, but essentlally looks the same. Only on one side of the bike as well. Pics are not the greatest but you get the idea.

I did rain on the way home this morning, so as someone mentioned, the rain may have something to do with the slinging of the chain.

For what it's worth, I use chain wax and do clean the chain every month or so.

Look INSIDE of the front fender and under the header..is there any sign of the residue visible? Just to rule out road spray..

 

[Trouble]

Some times timing is funny. I had cleaned my chain, lightly lubed it, and put it away. Apparently I didn't lube it enough because the next time I took it out it had some very mild rust on it in a few spots. I commute on the bike, and work long hours. I figured I'd re-clean the chain on the weekend to get rid of the rust and lube it more heavily. When I did this, I noticed that there was a red powdery residue around the front sprocket. From my experience I'd say that you have some rust on/in your chain. It didn't take much at all on my chain to coat the front sprocket area.

 

[vinpub]

Looking at the sprocket pictures it is definiteky your chain. I am just surprised how far the dust gets spread out on FZ6 (to the shifter pedal?).
I had the same thing happen to me on my Suzuki V-Strom. I would clean/lube the chain and sprocket, and by next week again it had similar rust colored dust buildup.
This may not have anything to do with the chain rust or dry chain either. ... The chain o-rings have internal lube - when the chain gets old enough (like 10K ) depending on the maintenance, the rings may degenerate and the lube (looks like rust powder) sprays out. Depending on which lube you use, it may be a little sticky. To double check - inspect the chain carefully, you may see traces of rust colored spots on the chain but they will just wipe off easily.
I replaced the chain and sprockets - never saw the rust dust again (almost for a a year now!! :thumbup

 

[teeter]

I just read this thread for the first time. It's a great read from beginning to "end."

Facinating, really.


Plus, I now have more motivation to keep up on chain lubrication.

Thanks all!