Chain maintenance
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Mine gets caked dirt due to my parents street/house not having sidewalks, so when I go visit them i have to roll over dirt that's almost as fine as sand. I was only applying lube before but it was some cheap stuff I bought on amazon and I think it really added to the caking problem. I really needed to clean it this time around for that reason and I don't think a simple wipe down would have sufficed LOL. Ended up just buying some stuff that the parts guy from my local shop recommended (he first recommended Motul cleaner but they were out of stock) and also picked up some Motul lube. Maybe I'll just go with the wipe down technique though but just make sure I am wiping it down often before the caking gets to serious. Thanks guys.
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31 Posts
getting ready to adjust chain. I guess you would have to carry a rachet and socket to loosen the axle bolt. Since it's recessed doesn't look like a wrench will work. I don't think theirs a tool on the bike to do this. Just seems like a weird setup.
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27 Posts
I just cleaned and lubed my chain. My bike is pretty new, 1600 miles. After about a 24 min. ride the yellow check engine light came on for a while and then went off. Any ideas? Did I not put enough lube on the chain? (chain wax).
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259 Posts
Personally, I'd ditch the WD40 for cleaning and just buy kerosene...... It's actually better for your chain life (o rings)
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27 Posts
How often do you lube your chain?
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6 Posts
I use motul
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31 Posts
Don't suggest WD-40. Its 90% kerosene and it will degrade the o rings pronto tonto. Clean with regular car soap and water, let dry then spray with regular chain lube. 1 revolution, just like the man said.
I maintained factory machines for 50 years. Never fails
I maintained factory machines for 50 years. Never fails
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27 Posts
I just love those discussions.....So pure kerosene is fine, but wd40 with 90% kerosene destroys the o-rings... 
who's next with some advise?? -- from the good old 'never use wd40' to 'only use wd40 and do so after every ride'
everything can be found on the net...with technical explanations and assumptions or even videos etc etc.
is pretty interesting but will def not settle any discussions i guess lol
I think the only sure thing we can learn from the internet about the topic is : keep it clean and lubed and it should last.....
everything else comes down to who you listen to......
happy driving....
who's next with some advise?? -- from the good old 'never use wd40' to 'only use wd40 and do so after every ride'
everything can be found on the net...with technical explanations and assumptions or even videos etc etc.
I think the only sure thing we can learn from the internet about the topic is : keep it clean and lubed and it should last.....
everything else comes down to who you listen to......
happy driving....
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31 Posts
Um well that told me. Thing is that the video is simply not a properly constituted experiment. Dunking o rings in a solvent and measuring the O/D is not a proper measure. The tensile strength and resistance to a point load need to be reviewed.
That said, you are right, opinions abound. The Chain manufacturer would be the final arbiter. When I worked as an Engineer in Manufacturing (back in the day when we HAD manufacturing) we discussed this with Reynolds, at the time the worlds largest chain maker. They had a conniption when asked about kerosene et al.
That said, maybe it won't matter. If you ride a lot and your chain lasts say 10,000 km, then a regimen of a solvent and chain lube may not reduce the life much to be noticeable.
That said, you are right, opinions abound. The Chain manufacturer would be the final arbiter. When I worked as an Engineer in Manufacturing (back in the day when we HAD manufacturing) we discussed this with Reynolds, at the time the worlds largest chain maker. They had a conniption when asked about kerosene et al.
That said, maybe it won't matter. If you ride a lot and your chain lasts say 10,000 km, then a regimen of a solvent and chain lube may not reduce the life much to be noticeable.
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27 Posts
At the end of the day it is the same as brushing your teeth..(next can of worms, i guess) - it doesnt matter so much which paste you use, just do it regularly.
to be honest, i struggle to understand why ppl always try to look for a 'magical' solution that is not mainstream. buy a chain lube that works well for you
(e.g. - I dont drive in the wet, and i dont drive every day, but we do have a fair bit of sand around here - so i like a non tacky lube that needs to be applied frequently after use) and just use the chain cleaner of the same product line of lube that works well for you....
One of my mates is in his 60ies and he takes the chain off and baths it in diesel to clean it... and smiles at me for just rubbing it down with a cloth and a bit of spray action from a can. Is he right? -who cares, he is happy doing it his way! (and he tells me he is not spending all that money on overpriced voodoo products that dont work any better but cost a lot for the big brand names..makes him even more happy....) so each to their own.
to be honest, i struggle to understand why ppl always try to look for a 'magical' solution that is not mainstream. buy a chain lube that works well for you
(e.g. - I dont drive in the wet, and i dont drive every day, but we do have a fair bit of sand around here - so i like a non tacky lube that needs to be applied frequently after use) and just use the chain cleaner of the same product line of lube that works well for you....
One of my mates is in his 60ies and he takes the chain off and baths it in diesel to clean it... and smiles at me for just rubbing it down with a cloth and a bit of spray action from a can. Is he right? -who cares, he is happy doing it his way! (and he tells me he is not spending all that money on overpriced voodoo products that dont work any better but cost a lot for the big brand names..makes him even more happy....) so each to their own.
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