Never buy chain lube again...

[Jeffg]

I have 26,000 miles on my FZ1 chain, always used WD-40 after nearly every ride, chain and sprockets are in good condition. Nice video, but I'm not convinced.

[runnerhiker]

13 hours ago, betoney said:

You must not ride very much or you trade in your bikes early.  Not EVER needing to replace a chain is an impossibility, its a consumable item and WILL wear out like tires and brake pads.

In the last 15 years I've owned eight bikes with chain drive.  And I have never had to replace a chain or a sprocket.  The most miles were a VFR800 with 11,000 miles and a ZX-14 with 19,000 miles.

On the other hand, I've gone through tires like crazy.  Sport tires last me 3K miles and Sport/Touring tires last me 6K miles.

I think my lube on the o-ring chains work, and my throttle hand still wears out the tires.

[FB4004]

11 hours ago, runnerhiker said:

In the last 15 years I've owned eight bikes with chain drive.  And I have never had to replace a chain or a sprocket.  The most miles were a VFR800 with 11,000 miles and a ZX-14 with 19,000 miles.

On the other hand, I've gone through tires like crazy.  Sport tires last me 3K miles and Sport/Touring tires last me 6K miles.

I think my lube on the o-ring chains work, and my throttle hand still wears out the tires.

I am with you here runnerhiker - my last bike I had over 43k miles on it when sold. the chain and sprockets were still plenty good. I was a little obsessive about keeping the chain lubed well at all times.. and I did a fair amount of touring in the rain where the bike got completely soaked.  

The chain had no kinked links and any specs of rust were always removed quickly.

Will it eventually need replacing? I think so but that's a ton of miles without an issue

[DavidS]

just replaced my chain and sprockets at 26K miles, and they were toast!

Probably should have replaced it earlier, but I was commuting to work in Seattle in the winter. No reason to replace a chain until the sun came out in the Spring......

Replaced the tires too

[dbezerkeley]

My local Japanese motorcycle mechanic who knows a lot  recommends  gear lube.....the downside - as his experiment indicated - it makes more of a mess of my back wheel

[mellow]

So, don't buy chain lube, instead buy gear lube as your chain lube... so keep buying chain lube... lol

For now, sticking with my PJ1Blue.

[fr8dog]

Been using gear oil since this thread was startted. Coincided with new chain and sprockets. I like it. Nothing sticks to it. Looks good all of the time. The longer I leave it on before riding the less it flings off. Even then not much fling.

I used chain wax on the oem chain. Lasted 20k miles. Everything sticks to it, but 20k is a lot miles.

I tried some chain lube from the dealer. What a sticky mess. Threw it out after one use.

I have enough gear oil sitting around I doubt I'll have to buy any ever again.

 

[DavidS]

FR8Dog - curious, what brand and weight gear oil are you using?

[keithu]

2 hours ago, fr8dog said:

 

I have enough gear oil sitting around I doubt I'll have to buy any ever again.

 

That's been part of my excuse. I still have a quart of BMW transmission oil (80w-90 gear oil) leftover from the K-bike I sold 19 years ago. I've been using it as chain lube ever since and it's only just now almost empty. At this rate I should only need to buy one more quart of gear oil for the rest of my life. 

[redfjniner]

Here is what I do now:  I first wipe down the chain using a terry cloth rag with a light coating of WD40 by rubbing back and forth at the rear sprocket about two times around the chain.  I let stand a bit then I use Dupont Chain Saver, and spray it on inside and outside O rings and on the rollers.  Spinning the tires by hand, I found I used too much lube, so now I start the engine and put it in gear and do the above allowing 2 seconds for a complete rotation of the chain to lube each the inside and outside O rings and 2 seconds to lube the rollers.  I let it run a bit at idle to work the chain lube in.  I then wipe the chain with a terry cloth rag to get as much excess off as possible, maybe twice around the chain, and not with the motor running.  I use a lighter touch when doing this.  Using this method my last chain went 24,000 miles, and I'm sure I could have got another 3,000 out of it but had a scheduled 5,800 mile ride so I replaced it.

The OEM chain, I used an expensive thick sticky lube and installed with a toothbrush about every 3-400 miles.  Chain went 14,500 miles.

2nd chain, was an upgraded chain by EK.  I used Chain Wax by Maxima and got 17,550 miles, but I just sprayed it on, not inside, outside and rollers.  Used original sprockets.

3rd chain, was another upgrade to 1300 cc and higher psi ratings by EK.  I used Liquid Wrench Chain and Cable Lube.  I had picked this up on a ride because the 2nd chain was terribly tight or kinked at 15K and the LWCCL allowed me get another 2,500 miles out of it.  This high strength chain lasted 17,620, but I was using the same technic by just spraying it on.  New Aluminium rear sprocket and steel front supplied by JT.  Sprockets only lasted as long as this one chain.

4th chain, was back to OEM (DID basic O ring chain) chain and sprockets.  Instigated the above technic for putting on Dupont Chain Saver Wax and got 23,895 miles but could have gotten another 3,000+ if I hadn't had a 5,800 miles ride to do.

5th chain, is a EK basic gold chain and reusing the OEM sprockets installed with no. 4.  I now has 11,785 miles and was ajusted before my last ride about 5,000 miles along with new tires.  It could have gone without, but I had everything loose, so why not.

I may test the gear lube on my next chain, since I have some left in a BMW Liter container, but my experimenting noted above showed me it was more important in how you applied the lube than what lube you are using.  I also added two links to the chain making it 112 links.  Works.

Note:  On my last tire change I pulled everything apart and cleaned out the excess wax build up.  I should do this every time I change tires. 

[superfist]

On ‎6‎/‎3‎/‎2019 at 10:37 PM, redfjniner said:

***, so now I start the engine and put it in gear and do the above allowing 2 seconds for a complete rotation of the chain to lube each the inside and outside O rings and 2 seconds to lube the rollers.  I let it run a bit at idle to work the chain lube in.  ***

Wow, this is exactly what I did from new.  Put the bike on a rear stand and spray with it running while being very careful of the rotating assemblies.

I have a little over 21,000 miles on the original stock chain and sprockets.  It's just now starting to show some minor tight spots and some mildly tight links that don't flex as easily.  All of the rubber seals are still in place with none missing.

The sprockets are only showing the slightest amount of wear, but I'm going to replace the chain and both sprockets at the 24k service.  Sooner if they look like they need it, I already have them on a shelf awaiting installation.

[betoney]

1 hour ago, superfist said:

Wow, this is exactly what I did from new.  Put the bike on a rear stand and spray with it running while being very careful of the rotating assemblies.

I have a little over 21,000 miles on the original stock chain and sprockets.  It's just now starting to show some minor tight spots and some mildly tight links that don't flex as easily.  All of the rubber seals are still in place with none missing.

 

I also spray the chain while running in gear on the center stand and wipe off the excess.  My oem chain lasted 18,500 miles, I replaced it with a DID VX chain, the bike now has 34,000 miles.  I just got back from a 2,000 mile road trip last week and am leaving on another 2,500 mile trip next week, the current chain still rolls smoothly and is tight on the sprocket, it doesn't pull back off the rear of the sprocket.  I think the DID chain will last much longer than the oem chain.

[racer]

I have a friend with one thumb.  The other thumb was lost between the chain and rear sprocket while cleaning the chain with a rag and the bike in first gear, running while on the centerstand.   The rag got caught between the sprocket and chain and his thumb went around the rear sprocket, but didn't come out the other side.  It wasn't a pretty sight.  Do what you wish at your own peril.  Racer

[chitown]

+1 Also have a friend without a finger tip. Just don't see enough upside for it to make any sense. Of course, I've given up lubing completely with great results so riding more lubing less