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    Chain Lube?

    I have been watching videos lately and something puzzles me: how do people keep the chains so clean? The Ratzuki is a shaftie so the question didn't pop up for me till recently. In the old days, putting chain lube on a chain meant picking up dirt, fluff, and whatever which made the chain look dirty. I don't see that anymore. Is no one using chain lube anymore? Or is there a new formula that doesn't collect dirt? Is it the lube that's different, or the chain?
    Expecting the Spanish Inquisition
    1981 GS850G: the Ratzuki
    1981 GS1100E

    #2
    Rich
    1982 GS 750TZ
    2015 Triumph Tiger 1200

    BikeCliff's / Charging System Sorted / Posting Pics
    Destroy-Rebuild 750T/ Destroy-Rebuild part deux

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      #3
      Modern O-ring and X-ring chains don't need lube on the outside except to deal with corrosion issues. I live in a dry area and simply clean my chain with WD-40 or kerosene and then leave it dry. Never gunks up or gets dirty and they last ages like this. The last OEM chain I had went over 31,000km this way with two adjustments in its life and should have been good for another 8000-10,000km more but I sold the bike at that point.

      If you live in a more humid place then you do need a coating of something on the outside to deal with corrosion. You also need to wipe the chain down with WD-40 if you get caught in the rain or it will rust some if left dry like I do it.


      Mark
      1982 GS1100E
      1998 ZX-6R
      2005 KTM 450EXC

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        #4
        My 1973 Kawasaki Z1 originally came with a chain lube system. Every so often (I don't recall how it was calculated), a few drops of engine oil were released onto the chain near the front sprocket.

        I know this sounds like a joke, but I'm totally cereal (sic). Someone back me up on this.
        1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

        2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

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          #5
          Maybe one of these?

          Wonder how much of a mess this would be. www.scottoiler.com/


          My old British bikes had a much simpler system which lubricated the entire rear half of the bike with a constant fine mist, with no pumping involved

          Not really an endorsement but I've been using BHP Dumonde lubricant on my Multistrada, one drop per seal. Seems to work fine with no mess, and it's economical, I'd say about a buck an application. Whether it actually DOES anything I can't tell for sure. Like oil or tires, thousands of opinions and probably lots of snake oil claims out there.

          Originally posted by Rob S. View Post
          My 1973 Kawasaki Z1 originally came with a chain lube system. Every so often (I don't recall how it was calculated), a few drops of engine oil were released onto the chain near the front sprocket.

          I know this sounds like a joke, but I'm totally cereal (sic). Someone back me up on this.
          Last edited by oldGSfan; 03-20-2020, 12:04 AM.
          Tom

          '82 GS1100E Mr. Turbo
          '79 GS100E
          Other non Suzuki bikes

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            #6
            I use oil and a small foam paint roller. With bike on center stand after ride dip roller into oil and apply by turning the reaer wheel.
            Topside of the bottom bit of chain. Its messy but it washes all the dirt off and lubes.

            I never had any luck with commercial gooey lubes they just attract dirt god awful stuff.
            1983 GS 550 LD
            2009 BMW K1300s

            Comment


              #7
              This stuff (I swear I'm not trying to sell anyone on it) supposedly dries to a plastic film and doesn't attract dirt. I ride in pretty nice weather here in SoCal, and only for pleasure, and it seems to live up to the promise. I'd think oil would attract dirt too (but yeah not like chain wax which is sticky as hell) but your solution sounds easy and cheap.

              Originally posted by Cipher View Post
              I use oil and a small foam paint roller. With bike on center stand after ride dip roller into oil and apply by turning the reaer wheel.
              Topside of the bottom bit of chain. Its messy but it washes all the dirt off and lubes.

              I never had any luck with commercial gooey lubes they just attract dirt god awful stuff.
              Tom

              '82 GS1100E Mr. Turbo
              '79 GS100E
              Other non Suzuki bikes

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by oldGSfan View Post
                Maybe one of these?

                Wonder how much of a mess this would be. www.scottoiler.com/
                The article on 'original 1973 Z1s' sounds accurate (It's got an official looking diagram). I was the third owner, and by the time I got my "Z," the system had been removed. I don't remember anything under the side cover, but when I removed a plate on the sprocket cover, a piece of duct tape covered a void.
                1982 GS1100E V&H "SS" exhaust, APE pods, 1150 oil cooler, 140 speedo, 99.3 rear wheel HP, black engine, '83 red

                2016 XL883L sigpic Two-tone blue and white. Almost 42 hp! Status: destroyed, now owned by the insurance company. The hole in my memory starts an hour before the accident and ends 24 hours after.

                Comment


                  #9
                  interesting to see a video that somewhat agrees with what I do! I just use cheap gear oil and a paintbrush on simple chains (no x or o rings). (I never liked the turning friction the o-ring chain I did have- I even took it off!) But under the sprocket cover, it's a gummy gritty mess for sure.

                  But my chains get a bath in diesel/kerosene/paint-thinner hpefully at least twice a year. The blush of rust they may have from salt and dampness seems to improve after a clean- in summer, they look not too bad!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    And to think I've been wasting my time & money on chain lube for yrs. Gonn'a be hard to break that habit.
                    1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Cleaned the original factory chain grease (very tacky and hard to remove)with a chain cleaning brush and clean motor oil off of the Versys. It was extremly dirty from previous owner at 4.5k. Now the chain gets noisy when it needs lubing(never did before). This could get like an oil thread. Yes. I lube it when it gets noisy and no it doesn't need adjustment.
                      Current Rides: 82 GS1100E, 00 Triumph 955 Speed Triple:twistedevil:, 03 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 01 Honda GL1800, '15 Kawasaki 1000 Versys
                      Past Rides: 72 Honda SL-125, Kawasaki KE-175, 77 GS750 with total yosh stage 1 kit, 79 GS1000s, 80 GS1000S, 82 GS750e,82 GS1000S, 84 VF500f, 86 FZR600, 95 Triumph Sprint 900,96 Triumph Sprint, 97 Triumph Sprint, 01 Kawasaki ZRX1200, 07 Triumph Tiger 1050, 01 Yam YFZ250F
                      Work in progress: 78 GS1000, unknown year GS1100ES

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by rphillips View Post
                        And to think I've been wasting my time & money on chain lube for yrs. Gonn'a be hard to break that habit.
                        When I first started the WD-40 only routine I was very skeptical, but gave it a shot because people I trust used it. 60,000+km later I am sold, for both street and offroad bikes. The chain stays clean and doesn't wear much at all on the street bikes and they last as long as any others offroad and don't get gunked up with dirt and mud like with lube. Simply not having to clean chain lube off the bike would be worth faster chain wear, but I haven't seen any evidence of that.


                        Originally posted by limeex2 View Post
                        This could get like an oil thread.
                        Cleaning/lubing of chains is definitely a religious topic similar to motor oil. That's why I simply state my experience and don't try to tell anyone else what they should do. I know it works for me and the results I have seen, but there will always be those that say it just isn't possible that way. They are free to keep using lube and cleaning the junk off their bike if they're happy that way.


                        Mark
                        Last edited by mmattockx; 03-25-2020, 08:49 PM. Reason: typo
                        1982 GS1100E
                        1998 ZX-6R
                        2005 KTM 450EXC

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Now I'm happy I asked this question. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm glad I asked.
                          Expecting the Spanish Inquisition
                          1981 GS850G: the Ratzuki
                          1981 GS1100E

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by zuluwiz View Post
                            Now I'm happy I asked this question. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm glad I asked.
                            Like ask three people and get four opinions
                            I was a gear oil and paintbrush type. Let it stand overnight and wipe dry. Traded my last 0-ring chain bike, Z650, back to the dealer at 30 000 miles and he couldn't believe it was the original chain. Front sprocket had been replaced.
                            97 R1100R
                            Previous
                            80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by zuluwiz View Post
                              Now I'm happy I asked this question. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm glad I asked.
                              i think the common ground here is to use your favourite early+often and you can't go wrong. Your original question was about "cleanliness" so That is either work or a magic elixir some like. Me, firstly, I just don't like spray-cans and "cleanliness" is on the "work" side of it.

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