New 530 chain--to degrease or not to degrease?

[1_v8_merc]

Just throw it on, and grease it up, done.

[koolaid_kid]

Think of it this way:
It claims to remove rust, lubricate, penetrate, and displace water. What a fantastic do-everything product. Tongue in cheek, of course.
Want all that, or a lubricant? I know what I prefer. My chain lubricant is a lubricant.
My motor oil is just that, motor oil.
My transmission fluid is just that, transmission fluid.
My penetrant is the best on the market., Kroil, and it never goes near my chain, which has the potential to wash the inner grease out from below the x-rings.
My water displacement product is the best on the market, WD-40. Used it one rainy night on the distributor cap of a 65 Olds Delta 88. Started right up, great water displacement product.
I'll get off my soap box now, use what you want. It's not my bike, please do what you wish.

[bluewool]

I'm in the throw it on and go, camp..
WD does work very well for displacing water. Good to carry little can during the rainy season..

[wkmpt]

I was going to use kerosene, but after many of the arguments regarding other degreasers getting past the o-ring, I'm not so sure about kerosene either.

So at this point, I'm just going to use a rag and Q-tips and clean off the excess wax manually. No degreasers, no penetrants, the wax just doesn't seem like enough to worry about. I just want to make sure that any excess wax is not going to attract dust and grime.

Now that that's cleared up, what's everybody's favorite chain lube? <leaps to hide behind sofa>

I've read some good things about the Honda chain lube and the Bel Ray stuff, opinions?

[sedelen]

I was going to use kerosene, but after many of the arguments regarding other degreasers getting past the o-ring, I'm not so sure about kerosene either.

So at this point, I'm just going to use a rag and Q-tips and clean off the excess wax manually. No degreasers, no penetrants, the wax just doesn't seem like enough to worry about. I just want to make sure that any excess wax is not going to attract dust and grime.

Now that that's cleared up, what's everybody's favorite chain lube? <leaps to hide behind sofa>

I've read some good things about the Honda chain lube and the Bel Ray stuff, opinions?

You can go with the motorcycle manufacturer's recommendation.

http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/GS750E_1978_Owners_Manual.pdf

Page 36 in the owners manual states, "Heavyweight Motor Oil"
make sure you read the caution which states, "Do not use any oil sold
commercially as "drive chain oil" Such an oil could spoil the "O" rings.

Now aren't you glad you asked?
What's that, what do I use?
I use heavyweight motor oil, I usually only lubricate the inside teeth of my sprocket, very liberally (I hate that crap getting slung all over the place)
also I have a can of PJ1 that I use to spray occaisionally. No oil equals rusty chain.
I washed my bike this week and I had a RK XW ring 630GSV chain put on it when I got the bike 3 years ago, it still had that grease on it that you're talking about cleaning off of yours, it must be good stuff to stick and still be there after all that time.

[Agemax]

out of pure interest and curiosity, nothing else. this is not meant to undermine anybody's own beliefs or theories, nor is it meant to start any arguments or slang matches, i emailed DID the OP's original question.
here is the response i got.........

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your message.

New chain is usually covered with enough grease to avoid rusting.
You can wipe the chain lightly so that the grease won't spatter when you
ride the bike.
When the grease will have gone, please apply the chain lube.

Best regards,
Akiyoshi Oya
D.I.D

[koolaid_kid]

Very good. As I pointed out in my initial response, it is there to prevent rust (oxidation).
And he further states it is grease and never claims it is what we commonly call chain lubricant, or lube for short. And that it may fling. For myself, cleaning lube off my mag wheels is one of the least favorite things to do with my bike. Yuch.

[Agemax]

Very good. As I pointed out in my initial response, it is there to prevent rust (oxidation).
And he further states it is grease and never claims it is what we commonly call chain lubricant, or lube for short. And that it may fling. For myself, cleaning lube off my mag wheels is one of the least favorite things to do with my bike. Yuch.

indeed, but it does back up my initial response of giving it a quick wipe off to remove any excess then further lubricate it when required.

[bwringer]

Been a little while since we had a chain lube holy war. This one is sorta fizzling out... Where's the ire, the dudgeon, the umbrage?


Anyhoo, when you're looking at a manual that's over 30 years old, you have to bear that in mind. The admonition to use motor oil or gear oil is nonsense now that we have a wide array of excellent chain lubes available that are all, every one of them, o-ring safe. And all are a lot less messy.

Here's what I use: Dupont Chain Saver, the stuff in the yellow can. It may or may not be the best, but it works very well for me. I get excellent chain life and my chains and bikes stay clean. I bought a case last year from McMaster-Carr. I spritz it on, wipe off the excess, and my chains are clean and happy.

Feel free to use whatever makes you happy. I offer only the humble debris of my personal experience.

[JBender]

^ Big 2nd. When I bought my new chain, I did a lot of research and came across every cockeyed suggestion online as to what to lubricate it with, how to clean it, etc, and this thread is a nice microcosm of those search results. I wiped off the clean, new chain with a clean rag, lightly lubricated it with Dupont Chain Saver (cheap from Walmart) and have zero concerns.

[sedelen]

For myself, cleaning lube off my mag wheels is one of the least favorite things to do with my bike. Yuch.

You got that right. I have been doing that just now. The "Extreme Simple Green" Cleaner and Degreaser won't cut throught that PJ1 chain lubricant, it's just too mild, but Gunk or the others will, but it will also dry out the plastic coat like on the engine aluminum covers, turns them yellow, so I've been going back over everything with WD-40 to cut it then wipe it off. I don't think I'll be using that PJ1 anymore. Probably just stick with the heavyweight oil liberally applied and maybe some WD-40 sprayed lightly on the outside of the chain to keep it from rusting.

[sedelen]

Anyhoo, when you're looking at a manual that's over 30 years old, you have to bear that in mind. The admonition to use motor oil or gear oil is nonsense now that we have a wide array of excellent chain lubes available that are all, every one of them, o-ring safe. And all are a lot less messy.

Actually, the heavyweight motor oil isn't as heavy as I want it. So I went to a 90 weight gear oil on the inside of the sprocket teeth that I apply with my finger where the rollers mate with the sprocket. The rest of the chain now gets a occaisional application of WD-40 to prevent rust. I'll do this until I find something better and cleaner. That PJ1 lubes well but hard to get off once on. I'm done with that. What I've been doing must be working well as I rarely have to adjust my chain.

[koolaid_kid]

First, it has been a while since we had a chain thread going. I have yet to see the "get a shaft drive, no chain issues" post.
Second, you can ask all you want, but the final decision and actual work has to be done by you. If it is on the Internet it must be true, right?
Also, many of us have been riding chain drive bikes for decades, and have seen the quality of the chains improve immensely. I recall chains that would not last 3k miles. My last one had 15-20k on it with perhaps 3 adjustments, and was still going strong when I sold the bike.
If you want to use a penetrant, go for it. If you want to displace water, hats off to you.
I have run the gamut through the decades, starting with motor oil because that was what I had. I currently use a Teflon product because it has zero fling. If something better comes along, I will switch. Not a problem.

Perhaps we should now start another "How do I adjust my chain correctly" thread. Those are always interesting, including the "by getting a shaft drive bike" posts.

[sedelen]

Main thing is keeping it lubed and properly adjusted.
These O-rings chains last a very long time if frequently maintained.
Sure beats the old ones, don't want to go back there again.

[Agemax]

First, it has been a while since we had a chain thread going. I have yet to see the "get a shaft drive, no chain issues" post.
Second, you can ask all you want, but the final decision and actual work has to be done by you. If it is on the Internet it must be true, right?
Also, many of us have been riding chain drive bikes for decades, and have seen the quality of the chains improve immensely. I recall chains that would not last 3k miles. My last one had 15-20k on it with perhaps 3 adjustments, and was still going strong when I sold the bike.
If you want to use a penetrant, go for it. If you want to displace water, hats off to you.
I have run the gamut through the decades, starting with motor oil because that was what I had. I currently use a Teflon product because it has zero fling. If something better comes along, I will switch. Not a problem.

Perhaps we should now start another "How do I adjust my chain correctly" thread. Those are always interesting, including the "by getting a shaft drive bike" posts.

but i thought the GS's came with an automatic chain tensioner?