2002 6th gen, cleaning the chain with the “ GUIDE, RR. BRAKE AIR “ installed?

[DaveC61]

This is my first VFR! 
Got to work on cleaning the chain amongst lots of other things, and immediately realized that not much of the chain is actually accessible, at least compared to my CB500… I eventually took off what I was referring to in my head as a “lower chain guard” but have now looked the part up and see it is as mentioned in the title GUIDE, RR. BRAKE AIR, presumably to direct air to the rear brake. It was a real fiddle to get it off, and much worse to put it back on, but with it on you can’t get at the chain to clean it. I’m thinking of buying a second one and modifiying it so the rear bolt has a slotted hole so I can just loosen but not remove the bolt and slide the guide on and off. The front bolt is easy to remove and replace, but the rear one is too tight to the chain to want to do this every time I clean the chain…. What are other folks doing  about this?

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thanks!

[Grum]

3 hours ago, DaveC61 said:

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This is my first VFR! 
Got to work on cleaning the chain amongst lots of other things, and immediately realized that not much of the chain is actually accessible, at least compared to my CB500… I eventually took off what I was referring to in my head as a “lower chain guard” but have now looked the part up and see it is as mentioned in the title GUIDE, RR. BRAKE AIR, presumably to direct air to the rear brake. It was a real fiddle to get it off, and much worse to put it back on, but with it on you can’t get at the chain to clean it. I’m thinking of buying a second one and modifiying it so the rear bolt has a slotted hole so I can just loosen but not remove the bolt and slide the guide on and off. The front bolt is easy to remove and replace, but the rear one is too tight to the chain to want to do this every time I clean the chain…. What are other folks doing  about this?

---

 

thanks!

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Never needed to remove the air guide (Service Manual simply calls it an Air Guide) to clean the chain! .

There is plenty of room forward of the air guide. I soak a rag in kerosene and with the bike on the center stand rotate the rear wheel with one hand while gripping the chain with the soaked rag in the other hand dragging the chain through the rag, once cleaned and dry a good spray of chain wax, job done, real easy and works well for me. YMMV.

[Skids]

Never had an issue cleaning the chain so curious as to how you are having an issue. Perhaps a photo? 

[MBrane]

The only time I clean a chain is if I have to handle it for some reason. I typically get 30K+ miles out of 'em.

[mello dude]

14 hours ago, DaveC61 said:

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This is my first VFR! 
Got to work on cleaning the chain amongst lots of other things, and immediately realized that not much of the chain is actually accessible, at least compared to my CB500… I eventually took off what I was referring to in my head as a “lower chain guard” but have now looked the part up and see it is as mentioned in the title GUIDE, RR. BRAKE AIR, presumably to direct air to the rear brake. It was a real fiddle to get it off, and much worse to put it back on, but with it on you can’t get at the chain to clean it. I’m thinking of buying a second one and modifiying it so the rear bolt has a slotted hole so I can just loosen but not remove the bolt and slide the guide on and off. The front bolt is easy to remove and replace, but the rear one is too tight to the chain to want to do this every time I clean the chain…. What are other folks doing  about this?

---

 

thanks!

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If you are talking about that wierd plastic piece on the lower part of the swing arm.. I took mine off too for better chain access.... just leave the thing off... you are overthinking this...