hello people,
This one always gets me. I know there are devices on the market but has anyone actually used them? Any hints or tips on better lubing. any recommended products or products to stay away from?
I mean if we pool our ideas, I don’t see why we couldn’t get some manufacturer to put together a little bundle package of products/tools/brushs/clothes and make life that bit easier.
anyone?
Best way is a tedious way: every month, split the chain remove it, bathe it in kerosene, leave it to soak for 10 minutes, spray it dry with a power air stream, manually wiggle every link losening the stiff ones (if any) with wd40, wipe it nice and clean, re-fit it to the bike and spray with WURTH chain oil. Then every other ride wipe it a cloth WD40 soaked and reapply WURTH. The End - Chain will love you long time 
I like this idea, but I have never split a chain before.
can any chain be split? How do you get them back together?
I find it hard to work on the chain properly while it is on the bike. and I can get a good inspection on the chain.
a)Get the rear up on paddock stand
b)wipe chain with paraffin rag (and any built up deposits nr front sprocket etc) until shining
c)rub with dry cloth to help dry (perhaps wiz up road if dry to help & heat chain)
d)decent spraying (top, bottom, each side) while hand turning wheel. I use Wurth Dry Lube.
e) clean up overspray from wheel hub, sprocket etc.
Gonna get some Castrol (or similar) wax to go on top of the Wurth for the Spring when getting caught in the rain is most likely.
If the chain is really dirty (unlikely as I don’t ride much in the bad weather)I would take out the back wheel and soak it as described by others.
I’ve started wearing rubber gloves too and always wonder why I didn’t from day 1…
rubber gloves… kinky
this is a chain splitter
and you can find it in most shops, beware of cheap ones as they can damage the chain so go for something of high quality such as this http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/80/2680
I use Wurth chain squirty. it’s a wax as opposed to a lube and doesn’t attract tonnes of grime (as recommended by Henry, my superduper mechanic). The firestorm had a new gold o ring chain fitted for its Xmas pressie and is a true chav bike!
I clean the chain with Parrafin and a rag, lube with 90W gear oil and a 1/2 inch brush and wipe the excess off with a second rag.
No sticky mess, any oil that flings off will wipe away easily and the chain looks like new after cleaning. If I’m really “picky” I will spin the rear wheel up on the paddock stand to get more excess off.
How about this idea.
Buy a can of chain lube for about £6-£8.
Spray it on you chain.
That was’nt that hard was it.!!
Paint brush & paraffin until clean get as much paraffin off as possible as it damages the tiny rubber parts in the chain…
*then spray chain lube onto toothbrush and work into chain…
*do this AFTER a run on the bike as the chain will be warm and the lube will adhere to the chain better than if cold.
Note: Don’t return wife’s toothbrush to bathroom as this will offend
I’m down with that method! 
I use a Loobman. Doddle to fit, you just have to figure out where to put the bottle (mine’s on the left rear footrest hanger), how to mount the head so it’s held in position on the sprocket and where to route the tube. The instructions are comprehensive though the diagrams are hand-drawn but what do you want for less than 20 quid? I use ordinary Halfords car oil which is less sticky than chainlube so the back end is easier to clean, you don’t get the grinding-paste effect of lube and road grit. My new chain went on with new sprockets nearly 4000 miles ago and has needed adjusting just once.
Downsides…
Squeeze too enthusastically and you get oil on the sidewall of the rear tyre - never seen any on the tread though - and drips on the ground. You get used to how much oil to put into the tube for the journey you’re about to do.
It’s very efficient - works by putting oil onto the rear sprocket from where it goes onto the rollers and from there into the O-rings. This means the side plates don’t get any so they still need cleaning or they rust, especially in current road conditions. Only on the outside, of course.
It actually uses the ends of thin cable ties to deliver the oil, these wear and break eventually so you need to check regularly and replace them when they do. I’ve had to do this once since fitting about 4500 miles ago.
Good product, it’s cheap and it works. I’d certainly get another, but I won’t have to as with some new cable ties and a new length of tube you can always transfer it to another bike if you change.
If you are doing regular mileage, especially through the winter months, then an automatic chain lube system such as the Scott Oiler is worth having. I used to have one fitted to my daily ride, the ZX7. It worked fine as long as you remebered to keep the oil topped up. It was a right pain on track days though, you had to remember to turn it off and then pee around trying to reset it back to normal afterwards.
What I usually do now, prop the bike up on paddock stands, remove the rear wheel. This gets cleaned including the sprocket and carrier. I clean out the swing arm as well. The wheel goes back in and either petrol or parafin rag is used to clean the crud off the chain. After cleaning a chain lube is used, the Wurth dry one is the best that I have so far come across.
Cleaning my bike using this method, ensures you can check arm internally for any paint chips as well and stop rust before it starts.
After any decent ride, I put the bike on the Abba stand whilst it’s still warm and liberally lube the chain with lube. I’m using Agip chain lube at the moment … it seems to work really well.
Scottoilers are supposed to be the best, but I like my bike to be free from clutter. And as for taking the chain off regularly to clean it … forget it, I’m far too lazy! … and my time is worth more than the extra wear on my chain. Afterall chains are consumables … and I’m expecting to consume more this year! Having said that, I always buy DID X-ring chains.
Scottoilers are very good but be cautious when touring abroad a few countries ban them because of the mess they can make on the roads…
I’m not sure if this is the case now but it certainly was 5 years ago…
Every bike I’ve seen with Scottoilers have a messy back wheel too!
Perhaps it not diesel spills we should be campaigning over…
A well set up Scottoiler will make your chain last fvckin’ ages! … and any mess that does get on your back wheel is easy to clean off because it’s not sticky goo that comes out of a can.
Here goes with my second attempt at posting up to this one as the first disappeared after pressing POST REPLY button.
After every run, even 4 in the mornin after soho. Wedge a stick under the swingarm just long enough to lift the back wheel off the ground. spray inside of chain liberally with lube whilst turnin the back wheel.
Major clean, line garage floor with builders polythene, bike on paddock stands on polythene, brush chain, back sprocket, and back wheel with paraffin. Wipe down with cloths also clean mess off polythene. Bike off stands and outside to be hosed down and washed. (throw away polythene, no mess on floor) If paraffin on back tyre use stiff brush (the one ur missus uses for doin the dishes) and lots of fairy liquid. wheel the bike back into the garage and back onto it’s stands. Liberally spray the inside of the chain as above.
I always lube after a run as it lets the solvents evaporate overnight, thus lessening the fling effect from the sprocket onto the wheel.
Never use petrol on an ‘O’ ring chain, it rots the rings (any grease inside will get washed out and prematurley wear the chain). Paraffin doesn’t. Never use a pressure washer on your bike as it forces water thru all the oil seals
When I despatched, I took the chain off every friday night, washed it in paraffin and then left it to soak overnight in a bowl of oil. I also had a scottoiler. My chain and sprockets lasted two years, nearly 60,000 miles.
Don’t worry if your chain’s links look rusty, if it’s lubed properly then it will only be external surface rust that will have no effect on performance.
Am I not good enough 
I’m hurt boo hoo hoo
