Chain Cleaning
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- RedexRobB
- Site Admin
- Posts: 7212
- Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 7:37 pm
- My Bike: ZXR400L3
- Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
Re: Chain Cleaning
yeah i think people fail to appreciate how rusty something has to be before it gives way, especially somehting as thick as that. They are just scaremongering.
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- Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:25 pm
- My Bike: Kawasaki ZXR 400
Re: Chain Cleaning
wonderpupp wrote:It's the bit I hate most about cleaning my bikes. Cleaning and re-lubing the chain.
It's not the cleaning bit I hate, It's quite satisfying to see all that crud rinse off the chain after a good squirt of cleaner and a scrub of the ol' brush. And to see that shiny silver / gold chain on there, is quite nice.
But Re-lubing it is a giraffe. It goes everywhere.
Even on a paddock stand, it's like the spray cans are just spraying too wide. Those little nozzle tubes don't stay in place.
Or is this just Muc Off chain lube?
I used to swear by castrol chain wax and I swear it's better, but I get muc off stuff for free at the moment.
Have a look into getting Scott Oil. A guy i know has it and it seems to keep his chain clean and loobed up alright. im the only one that cleans the bikes between me and my friends but ive never had to re-clean the chain from the Scott Oil
- gavinfdavies
- zxr400 oc member
- Posts: 358
- Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 10:56 pm
- My Bike: gpz500s d5, zxr400 L5
- Location: Peterborough
- Contact:
Re: Chain Cleaning
it's really annoying not having a paddock stand or centre stand, makes cleaning/lubing a pain in the jacksie. Especially so if you ride when it isn't sunny or dry. The mechanic i used to use ( til he put a fork back on half an inch lower on one side! That bike had covered fork tops so i thought i'd got a bent frame for 3 months til i actually stripped it. Even then he still blamed me!) used to always rant at me about my mucky bike. I pointed out that my bike didn't live in a garage all year except when the sun was shining, amd i just can't be arsed to wash it every time it rains or gets mucky, i'd be cleaning it after every 30 miles commute come winter!
My new tactic is Motrex 622 Strong Lube, its thick and white (kinda like pva glue) and has NEVER flinged. Or is it flung?! The bonus is you can get a giant can, and a tiny pocket can (phone sized). Then after each ride (when you remember!) just spray whatever parts of the chain you can see with it. Eventually the whole chain will get done in the course of half a dozen rides. And the mini-can once fully empty (it last at most 2 full chain lengths) can be filled with anything aerosol based (other lubes, wd40 etc) which is rather useful if you prefer something else. I got mine from Craig at www.gpzzone.co.uk.
Still doesn't make cleaning it any easier, but atleast those tight spots have gone.
My new tactic is Motrex 622 Strong Lube, its thick and white (kinda like pva glue) and has NEVER flinged. Or is it flung?! The bonus is you can get a giant can, and a tiny pocket can (phone sized). Then after each ride (when you remember!) just spray whatever parts of the chain you can see with it. Eventually the whole chain will get done in the course of half a dozen rides. And the mini-can once fully empty (it last at most 2 full chain lengths) can be filled with anything aerosol based (other lubes, wd40 etc) which is rather useful if you prefer something else. I got mine from Craig at www.gpzzone.co.uk.
Still doesn't make cleaning it any easier, but atleast those tight spots have gone.
I do 700 miles a week in all weathers including snow, that's roughly 35,000 miles a year, and some weekend warrior biker has the nerve to get out of his Audi at work to tell me to I was riding far too fast in the wet (over taking at 50... fast eh?).
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- zxr400 oc member
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- zxr400 oc member
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- Joined: Mon May 05, 2008 3:41 pm
- My Bike: ZXR400 L9
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Re: Chain Cleaning
personally i use a scottoiler, never have to clean the chain or lube it, does it all itself. Just fill the bottle every now and again. On another note though, looking through some classic biking (50-60's stuff) there are bikes that have manufacturer made chain lubing systems that are part of the bike. now if they could do it in the 50's and the chain is a rather important thing, how comes we've taken a step backwards and no longer have them? And the answer is, because people don't moan enough about not having them. As has been said, people can't be arsed and seem happy to just throw a chain away a few thousand miles earlier rather than make it last. Typical bloody marketing and government back handers purely to make you spend more, and hence pay more tax. Rant Over
These things are sent to try us!!
- RedexRobB
- Site Admin
- Posts: 7212
- Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2002 7:37 pm
- My Bike: ZXR400L3
- Location: Ipswich, Suffolk
Re: Chain Cleaning
Ive got a scottoiler on my versys, well worth the investment as i definately feel the difference between a lubed and unlubed chain on that. Had one on my old ZXR too. If it is finging then its up far too high!
- Tirpitz
- zxr400 oc member
- Posts: 766
- Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2010 2:45 pm
- My Bike: Kawasaki ZXR400L4
- Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Re: Chain Cleaning
On all my bikes, both those used 'summer only' and those used for year round commuting in all weathers, I've always used Castrol gear oil applied with a toothbrush. It does fling a bit, but then so does the spray stuff, but with the advantage that it just wipes off easily, whereas the gunky chainlube stuff sticks like sh*t to a blanket and is a real pain to get off. My chains last for ages and ages, so it definitely does the job, plus a bottle of gear oil lasts for ages and is way cheaper than the chainlube stuff. I have used chainlube but I wouldn't use it now, compared to gear oil it has no advantages that I can see.
One big disadvantage with chainlube is that it picks up grit, which it converts to a nice abrasive paste with the lube to really ruin your chain. Gear oil doesn't have the same adhesive properties so grit doesn't stick. So, what is actually marketed as an advantage with chainlube is, IMO, a big disadvantage.
You will have to relube the chain if you ride on a wet day when you get home as the gear oil doesn't resist getting washed off as well as lube. But it's a two minute job before you put the bike away and is really no hassle.
Way to go IMO.
One big disadvantage with chainlube is that it picks up grit, which it converts to a nice abrasive paste with the lube to really ruin your chain. Gear oil doesn't have the same adhesive properties so grit doesn't stick. So, what is actually marketed as an advantage with chainlube is, IMO, a big disadvantage.
You will have to relube the chain if you ride on a wet day when you get home as the gear oil doesn't resist getting washed off as well as lube. But it's a two minute job before you put the bike away and is really no hassle.
Way to go IMO.
ZXR400 L4, purple / black / pink
Hel braided hoses
Pirelli Diablos
Ohlins steering damper
A16 carbon fibre exhaust can
Nitron Sport shock
Hel braided hoses
Pirelli Diablos
Ohlins steering damper
A16 carbon fibre exhaust can
Nitron Sport shock