The Most Controversial Aspect of Motorcycle Ownership | Cleaning and Lubricating a Motorcycle Chain

Welcome to our video on the most controversial topic in motorcycling... lol. In todays video we demonstrate how to effectively clean and lube a motorcycle chain. Many owners have their own way of cleaning a chain, let us know in the comments if you have a more effective way of cleaning and lubricating a chain.

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Thanks for watching.

[GoblinRides]

Hey Goblins, thanks again for watching, I understand chain maintenance can be a controversial topic, and some will have an issue regarding the use of WD-40, a pressure washer, and the maintenance interval for motorcycle chains.

WD-40 is somewhat criticised when used on motorcycle chains as it supposedly degrades the rubber O rings on sealed chains, however I have never found an issue using WD-40 / penetration fluid to clean sealed chains. There are certainly some cleaning products that can be too harsh on sealed chains such as engine degreaser / brake cleaner. So to be safe, use the recommended chain cleaner stated in your bikes owners manual, but keep in mind WD-40 should be okay in most cases.

Regarding pressure washers, the one I used in the video was a pretty low power unit, and you could simply use a regular hose to wash down the chain after brushing. You shouldn’t have any issues using a pressure washer on a sealed motorcycle chain as long as you don’t get too close. As with WD-40, some motorcycle owners will insist on not using a pressure washer, however again, I’ve not had any issues using one in my experience.

Lastly, I state in the video 500 miles for chain maintenance, however this will depend on the motorcycle itself, the type of riding you do, and your riding frequency. Between 250 - 500 miles is usually the recommended time frame, or every couple of months, whichever comes first. Again check your bikes owners manual to make sure you’re maintaining the chain at the recommended intervals.

Check out the video description for links to all the items used in todays video, we'll get a small kick back if you buy via our Amazon links. 👍🙂

There’s a lot of opinions out there when it comes to motorcycle chain maintenance, but the way I see it, motorcycle chains are designed to take quite a lot of punishment whilst you’re riding, so cleaning them a little harder with a brush, using a pressure washer, more than likely won’t do any harm to it compared to the beating it will take on regular rides. Let me know what you think in the comments, take care and ride safe.

[Patriot-flch]

I use a piece of cardboard on the front of the swing arm with some tape that catches the excess chain lube so you have less of a mess. I've also used old tooth brushes to clean the sensitive parts.

Opening up a can of worm's here like washing your hair, Everyone has there own method.

[BarnettSpeedSuzukiThou]

Gt85 once a week whilst the chain is warm helps drying and penetration. Remembering to wipe it first.

[nicholasonions]

Try using paraffin for cleaning much cheaper and less aggressive also won't damage your o rings. Ps your vlogs on the ZZR1400 spurred me into getting one. What a brilliant bike.

[rabola]

The "washers" are actually O-rings, made of rubber, and for god's sake put some cardboard between the chain and the wheel when spraying, the part at 11:45 made me cringe, lube all over the tire. It's a good idea to take the bike for a ride after clening, let it heat up and dry all the internals, specially when using pressure washer like this.

[keepyourdatatoolsafe]

Everybody has to start from the beginning just remember to reference your bike manual, At 350aud for a 9500+ tensile strength chain whatever the oxwy ring I'd be using a decent chain cleaning kit

[mattburke]

WD40 penetrates the seals which washes the grease out. Not recommended