Chain Lube?

[zuluwiz]

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?

[Rich82GS750TZ]

[mmattockx]

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

[Rob S.]

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.

[oldGSfan]

Maybe one of these?

https://www.kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/602264-chain-oiler

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.

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.

[Cipher]

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.

[oldGSfan]

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.

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.

[Rob S.]

Maybe one of these?

https://www.kzrider.com/forum/5-chassis/602264-chain-oiler

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.

[Gorminrider]

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!

[rphillips]

And to think I've been wasting my time & money on chain lube for yrs. Gonn'a be hard to break that habit.

[limeex2]

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.

[mmattockx]

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.

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

[zuluwiz]

Now I'm happy I asked this question. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm glad I asked.

[Brendan W]

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.

[Gorminrider]

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.