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Chain cleaning, what's your regimen?


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WD to clean it, on a rag usually, brushes are nice but mine all gross from an engine degrease so its rags at the moment. spin up and down the street to warm it a little, grab whatever can of lube is closest to me, motul, repsol, belray, cal-gard, Honda, etc. apply to the inside of the chain for one revolution only. Go ride. doesnt get too gross, they last a long time and not much adjustment. Was getting about 30k out of chain sprocket sets on my 1200 kawi. havent had the vfr long enough to know how it will do but im guessing pretty well being lighter and less powerful than that bike

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  • 5 weeks later...
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Got my grunge brush, looks like a nice piece of kit.

Haven't had a chance to use it yet, been busy working on my truck. New vinyl flooring, replace exhaust manifold gaskets, spray bottom 8" or so of the body with rock guard, etc.

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mmmmmhhhh

Fitted a Scotoiler from new

Check slack once in a while (one? twice? a year?)

Replace after some 25k miles (donot remember)

Bike is now at 40+ k miles

Have never cleaned my chain, other than holding a rag around it and spin the wheel a few rotations (twice a year)

YMMV

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mmmmmhhhh

Fitted a Scotoiler from new

Check slack once in a while (one? twice? a year?)

Replace after some 25k miles (donot remember)

Bike is now at 40+ k miles

Have never cleaned my chain, other than holding a rag around it and spin the wheel a few rotations (twice a year)

YMMV

+1Currently @ 11+k mi. since oiler install.

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mmmmmhhhh

Fitted a Scotoiler from new

Check slack once in a while (one? twice? a year?)

Replace after some 25k miles (donot remember)

Bike is now at 40+ k miles

Have never cleaned my chain, other than holding a rag around it and spin the wheel a few rotations (twice a year)

YMMV

Same, except I've got the Hawke oiler. I'm not as good as I should be for frequency of oiling so I only got 20,000 miles out of my original chain.

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Spray with wand at car wash from a distance of about 14"-16". Drive home, apply 90wt oil .... oil slings to wheel ..... clean wheel and chain the next time I go to the car wash.

Sometimes I'll apply oil between car washes, if I think about it.

If you think I'm joking you're dead wrong.

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I have never cleaned my chain and got 40k miles on the original chain. 90w gear oil smeared with a sock every 600 miles. Most important to keep it oiled when raining or washing to prevent surface rust.

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I clean it with this and the grunge brush:

f4649f48-1ef1-477f-893b-0605add13e00_300.jpg

works really well at cutting through the gunk and de-greasing.

then I lube with dupoint multi-purpose. I clean and lube at least once a month. wipe off excess :happy:

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...For me when I get a chain that actually measures the slack the same all round. I adjust when installed then a couple 100 or less, then a little maybe about half life(1000K). Then the next time it starts needing adjustment is telling me to order a new chain.

so is the half life 1 million miles (km?) or is that the whole life? Either way, you've got pass on that brand of lube.... :ph34r:

Brian

Woops.... There's a "0" missing.......ment 10,000k and it may not need it then, it usually stretches after install and stays there though most of it's life, if not adjusted to tight to start with(ask me how I know)....... but the main thing is to get a chain that is flixable at all links, and it's a witch hunt to find one........... Although I just installed the best chain for evenness since I've had this bike(41,000k).

OEM chain (110 links)(sprockets F-16 & R-43)

2ndNew chain@ 12000 ; Adjustments : 28500 ; 30000

3rdNew chain@ 31000 ; Adjustments :36500(checked 1¼ to 1½")

4thNew chain@ 41500 ;

So, Monk, I have to say you throw me off a bit. You're from Danville, VA yet you use KM and spell "tyre" with a "y". I've known people from Danville and they don't seem like the type to do either of those rather british type things mentioned... Just curious to know the story.

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He does it just to anoy you Jeremy77. Specifically you. :tongue:

I guess that's possible... However I'm usually the one who is being annoying just for the fun of it!

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doing normal maintenance before SumSum 2 and used simple green "orange" (wtf?), anyways I have used this on my ducati chain before and some has gotten onto my wheels with no issue, however it appears on the VFR it has taken or damaged some of the finish on the wheel?

Not a huge deal but a heads up, don't think I will be using that stuff again near the wheels.

Anyone else had this happen? Is is possible it was just my wheels has a substandard finish?

+eb0

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clean with diesel and toothbrush (on occasion) and lube with 90 wt gear oil (500-100mi). Old school I guess.

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Clean it using Kerosene and rags when it starts looking really grungy (or before I leave on a long trip). Use whatever chain lube comes to hand - currently that is Chain Wax. If on a trip I decide that it needs cleaning out of convenience I will use WD40 and a rag/old sock - you can usually find WD40 in the mini-containers which is convenient when travelling.

I am not particularly religious about lubing the chain - just do it when I think about it.

Yesterday I cleaned both bikes, chains included. Always nice to have chains that gleam.

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Bike on centerstand, start it up, put it in gear, maybe rev it a bit.

Hold rag soaked with chemicals of choice on inside of chain run and squeeze for reddest effect. :ohmy::laughing6-hehe:

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Bike on centerstand, start it up, put it in gear, maybe rev it a bit.

Hold rag soaked with chemicals of choice on inside of chain run and squeeze for reddest effect. :ohmy::laughing6-hehe:

Keep it up and I'll post "the" pic. :sad:

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Last I checked that probably wouldn't pass the site guidelines.

But I have seen the video. Very much not pretty. :ohmy:

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On a related note...how often do you guys find you need to adjust the chain? I think I have only needed to do it twice in 19K miles.

deapends on the chain, some stretch like a rubber band and others not much. But 3 adjustments, I guarantee the chain will be at spec limit or running out. Once you adjust past that point, stretched chain will just start eating sprockets.

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I run the chain a little on the loose side but in spec and generally never have to adjust it in 10K miles. I check chain slack every time i clean the chain which is every 200-500 miles.

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Hello, Down here in Mexico its kinda hard to get special products, i have a can of chain libricant (cant remember the name) but i want to know what would be good to give the chain a good clean first... friends tell me to use fuel/gasoline, other mentioned petrol... i seen someone posted WD40. i want to clean the chain with a brush and then lube it. gasoline would be safe? or there is risk of damage

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Hello, Down here in Mexico its kinda hard to get special products, i have a can of chain libricant (cant remember the name) but i want to know what would be good to give the chain a good clean first... friends tell me to use fuel/gasoline, other mentioned petrol... i seen someone posted WD40. i want to clean the chain with a brush and then lube it. gasoline would be safe? or there is risk of damage

Gasoline is rather risky (in my opinion) due to the fire risk. I usually use varsol/paint thinner but it takes a while and makes a huge mess. With the bike on the center stand, I put a paint tray under the chain and then swab the varsol on the rear sprocket/chain with a stiff brush till the hardened goo is gone. Keeps some of the mess from landing on the driveway and doesn't cause that many explosions. :tour:

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