How do you guys take care of your chains?

[JacobJakeJacoby]

I'm asking because maintenance on my 2018 KTM RC 390 wasn't a big thing; I basically kept the grime off it with a 3-in-1 chain brush; used from chain "wax" that was generic, and called it a year lol. But I put about 5k miles on it those first 12 months and plan to put 2400 miles on the FTR next month alone. Meaning I'm going to be on the road from TX to FL for Bike Week and I'm curious how you guys take care of yours chains? Short term or long term, any tips I"d appreciate.

 

[Deleted member 706]

I bought my first Scott Oiler over 25 years ago. At this stage I'm only doing a kerosene wipe and spray on chain wax, if I think the bike is going to be a long term keeper I'll probably put a Scott Oiler on it.
On the Trident I did a lot of commuting including wet weather riding, due to the parking arrangements i could get to work drier on the bike than a car. It's in the wet that the Scott Oiler really pays off as the lube gets washed off it gets replenished by the auto feed. I got over 80,000K's (50,000 Mi) out of that chain.

https://www.scottoiler.com/

 

[Max Kool]

I'm asking because maintenance on my 2018 KTM RC 390 wasn't a big thing; I basically kept the grime off it with a 3-in-1 chain brush; used from chain "wax" that was generic, and called it a year lol. But I put about 5k miles on it those first 12 months and plan to put 2400 miles on the FTR next month alone. Meaning I'm going to be on the road from TX to FL for Bike Week and I'm curious how you guys take care of yours chains? Short term or long term, any tips I"d appreciate.

If your riding day is dry, do nothing. If it’s been raining, spray at the end of each day.

And give it a big brush and kerosene treatment once back home.

 

[K9F]

I bought my first Scott Oiler over 25 years ago. At this stage I'm only doing a kerosene wipe and spray on chain wax, if I think the bike is going to be a long term keeper I'll probably put a Scott Oiler on it..........

+1 for Scottoiler clearly visible under the rack grab rail as is the feed pipe going down the swing arm to the feed nozzle. There are three types an E-System for fuel injected bikes, a V-System for older carburetor bikes or X-System . The E-System is significantly more expensive, two and a half times more expensive than the V-System and needs a controller wiring in. The X-System requires wiring to the battery and again is twice as expensive as the V-System. The older V-System is much cheaper and simply relies on the vacuum created by the carburetor to open the valve and gravity feed oil to the chain.

So as to not over-complicate the issue I bought a V-System and simply derive the vacuum to turn it on via a medical syringe. I only use it when conditions insist on longer journeys or when it is wet or dusty or the chain looks like it needs a little lubricating and/or cleaning.

 

[Charliemurphay]

I usually go 500ish miles before cleaning. I get some kerosene/jet-a, dump some on a microfiber and wrap the microfiber around the chain, running the chain through the microfiber/my hand while I rotate the rear wheel. The kerosene eats dirt right off and the microfiber soaks it all up. Leaves the chain nice and shiny. Then I take another microfiber with some heavyweight gear oil soaked on it and do the same thing to lube the cleaned chain. Been working fantastically for 7k miles. The kerosene rags then go to the fire pit as they make excellent fire starters for a bonfire.

 

[ferraiolo1]

clean with kerosene and use maxima chain wax.

 

[Keles]

After every ride in the rain or every 500 km, S100 Dry Lupe chain spray comes. the chain always holds an average of 35,000 km. Every 5000 km the chain is completely wiped and cleaned with Balistol. Then chain oil S100 Dry Lupe comes.

 

[edgelett]

I lube it when it's looking dry or after it's washed/wet
i clean it when it needs cleaning

 

[S2Davies]

Just a note of caution on the Scottoiler, just make sure its feed rate is not too high. A friend and I rode down to the Nurburg Ring from the UK a few years ago, now I know to some of our American and Australian brothers this length of journey could just be the equivalent to a visiting a neighbours' house, but to us Brits its a bit of a trip 😁. Anyway, because of the several hundred mile journey bolt upright without a hint of a corner, when we got down to southern Germany the first left hander we came across and enthusiastically attacked, my mates tyre lost contact with the road due to the excess oil that had run down the side wall onto the left side of his tyres tread pattern. It probably would never happen on normal rides, because any drops of oil wound be scrubbed off due to normal frequent cornering, but the accumulation an that long straight road ride was frightening.
Just thought I'd mention it, so have a look now and again and try to keep shiny side up.

 

[Max Kool]

Good advice!

 

[JacobJakeJacoby]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I"m going to just do regular maintenance on the chain; not worry too much about installing a real oiling system. Despite the fact I think it's super cool and looks awesome; and is functional. For how much I ride in weather where it'd be neccesary? It's just not worth the effort to install it. I'm in North TX; and don't typically ride in wet or cold all that much.

I take good care of my bike though; at least try to.

 

[Charliemurphay]

Can tell a lot about a bike owner by the state of their chain 😂

 

[Yaxi]

I so need the new BMW chain ,a promise of no lubing and no retensioning .surely the holy grail of chain tech !

 

[Max Kool]

I want one too, but they don't come cheap. $280-330,-