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Best Chain Lube available her in Oz?

21K views 48 replies 35 participants last post by  chrisbre 
#1 ·
Hi guys,

Sorry to raise this hoary old chestnut.......

I've been searching the whole forum & found lots of suggestions from US 'Strommers on suitable chain lubes, but was wondering which one my Aussie brethren prefer, given that most of the products they suggest prolly aren't readily available here in Oz.

Anyway, plan is to use WD-40 to clean, and whatever you guys might suggest to lube.

I live in the tropics, so should I lube more often given the higher temps/humidity?
 
#2 ·
I use whatever aerosol chain lube is available in my local bike shop and apply it once every couple of months. The last time I cleaned a chain was in 1999. My chains seem to last as long as everyone else's. Your chain tension probably has more to do with it's life expectancy than the brand of lube you use.
 
#3 ·
I've used Maxima Chain Wax for years with good results - right back to my dirt bike days. It is clear, non fling and the can comes with a tube to direct the lube to where you want it. Any overspray is a bitch to get off which to me means that it must stay where its put. One of those chain brushes, a centre stand, kerosine (or WD40 I guess) to clean followed by careful application while spinning the rear wheel. Once a year.

Usually I just spray the warm chain after a ride or a wash. I have only needed to adjust the chain once since I purchased my WeeStrom in 2010, although my early services were done by the shop.

As Strange Dog says the killer is having your chain too tight. I would not think that high humidity or temp. has any effect as long as you lube lightly and regularly.
 
#4 ·
Once a year.
Once a year?

I just use BelRay spray from the local shop. Spray it onto a warm chain and let it set for a few minutes and it never flings.

Chain wear has as much to do with riding conditions as it does to do with lubrication. A bike used on rough or dirt roads where there are sudden and violent rear suspension movements combined with snatch caused by rapid opening and closing of the throttle will always wear a chain and sprockets out faster than a bike that has say been run at constant speeds down relatively smooth freeways for long periods.
 
#5 ·
I use kero to clean and usually Castrol spray lube from Supercheap.
 
#6 ·
Chain life

47000kms from original chain. Castrol chain lube and Honda chain lube, I put it on before a ride and at the end of the day if it's been a 700-1000km day. Price is an important factor for me (tight arse).:yesnod: Also after riding in the wet. Clean the chain with kero when the bike gets some TLC. A rare event as my other bikes need more attention.
 
#12 ·
Supercheap Auto!

I usually clean the chain every 5,000k service, and use Fusch's "Silcolene Titanium Dry Gel" from Supercheap Auto. Works well! Very happy with this one, it actually "sticks" to the chain, not much flung off everywhere.

Hope this helps,
Mike
:thumbup:
 
#13 ·
I use Belray spray. I spray the chain nearly every time I fill up with petrol when I get home when the chain is hot. I have 34000K on mine and I still have some spray left in a large can. I have never cleaned my chain and it still looks pretty good. Also it leaves no mess.
 
#16 ·
+1 for pro-oiler.

Bought it and installed it at 2000km. Have now done 16000km and had to adjust the chain only once. It's the GPS model and at the recommended setting of 3 (out of 10) it oils every 4k or so. Fling-off is almost non-existent unless I really ramp up the setting for rainy/dirt conditions.

Personally I think it's worth it's weight in gold and going back to chain lube just isn't an option.
 
#17 ·
Always clean with kero and a toothbrush, not as tedious as it may seem, only takes about 20mins.

Leave to air dry, then relube with motorex 622, available most decent bike shops, white in colour, sticks very well, and chain looks new.

Done this process on every bike for last 12 yrs, when I sold my zzr1100 it had 68,000 on and original chain and was not showing signs of wear.

I do this roughly every 1000 or as suits before or after big trips.

PS Ive read negative things about using WD40 to clean or lube chain, I cant expand much on it, but google would be your friend.
 
#19 ·
I have used chain wax for years with good results but it tends to wash off easily in the rain. It is excellent if you are a fair weather rider but a bit of a pain if you regularly ride in the rain. I still use it on long trips because they make it in small aerosol cans that I can keep under the seat with all the other gear I jam in there. I recently started using Motul lubes to see if they would last better in the rain. The on-road lube is very water resistant but it builds up to a think black goo over time. It doesn't have enough fling for my liking. The latest lube I am using is Motul off-road. It seems to be a good compromise between fling/build up and resistance to wet weather riding.

On previous bikes I religiously cleaned the chain with Kero and lubed as per the service manual. I would get 20-25,000km from a chain. After reading some of the posts here I decided to resist the urge to clean the chain and let the natural fling of excess lube from more frequent lubing keep the chain clean for me. It must be working because my first Wee chain lasted 45,000km. The theory is that regular cleaning washes dirt and grit into the chain links resulting in increased wear.
 
#21 ·
I tried some Bel-Ray white lube and was using Valvoline chain lube before I installed a Tutoro chain oiler. I've given my remaining canned stuff to my son and don't intend to go back. It seemed to work well, don't get me wrong, I just prefer the automatic oiler.
For cleaning I avoid any brushing and just wipe the chain with an oily rag if I feel the need.
 
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#23 ·
I decided to go dry with my latest chain. Done about 5K so far without any probs (as you would expect) so far.
I'll keep you informed
 
#25 ·
Hi Ron,
It's my experiment and in time I'll know.
BTW, what do you lubricate when you "oil" your chain?
 
#27 ·
Some people assume o-ring chains seal all the required lubricant inside the chain. That's not the case. The chain only has lubricant injected between the pins and inner bushings. While that's the main point of wear it's not the only one. The outer rollers spin on the outside of the pivots and aren't lubricated but the internal grease. Running them without lubricant at high road speeds isn't a great idea, and the heat generated will probably shorten the life of the o-rings as well as the metal to metal contact wearing at the sprockets. I remember reading where a 'trooper tried running without lube on a bike they owned and reported that the rollers turned a nice shade of blue from the heat. That was high speed road riding.
Of course if you're riding in sand then all bets are off. Anything but dry lube seems to turn to pick up sand and turn to grinding paste.
 
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#28 ·
G'Day All, Dark Angel your one of the few who understand the principal of what O Rings seal on a O Ring chain, and that lubricating a chain is mainly to lubricate between the outer rollers and the inner bushings, the O Rings do not seal this area. The lubricant has to get into the very small gap between the outer roller and the chain side plate ( you can see this small gap by pushing the outer roller side ways ) ( probably a few thou gap) . If you use chain wax as a lubricant I wonder how much lubricant gets into this small gap to lubricate the outer roller to bushing surface. I remember reading a test of different chain lubes a couple of years ago and one of the better products was Castrol Chain Lube ( I haven't been able to find the review again on the net) so next time I'm going to give it a go. I noticed in earlier posts other people have used it , does it cause any mess with fling off or does it cling on OK
If you look up Google Images you will find images showing how ORings ,side plates, pins , bushing and outer rollers are assembled Regards Paul
 
#29 ·
I've been meaning to put a grinder down the centre of an old chain, clean it up and do some pictures to make it easier to see how they're built but I keep getting around to other things I'm also putting off doing (or get informed I "have" to do by the wife).

I think chain wax, and the other various dry lube products, do get in under the outer roller, especially if you give them a good dose the first time you use it and on a warm chain. After that a bit of a squirt on each link (still warm) should be as much as you need and it doesn't fling off at all.
Personally I like my automatic oiler more and more the longer I have it, but that's not the thrust of the thread.
 
#30 ·
I do like the oil based autolubers too but still evaluating (or procrastinating).

I have been using lithium based spray on grease for last 18 months and it is great for the lubrication and anti fling properties. Chain has no visible corrosion and not sure if I have had to adjust at all over last 20000 km. :thumbsup: Cheap and easy to get from hardware stores.
Major and I mean MAJOR downside is it is sticky (relative to waxes etc)...and any dirt/long travel mandates a cleaning operation. :thumbdown:
 
#31 ·
I've used Maxima Chain Wax since getting this bike & I'm delighted with it.

Goes on easy, no fling-off & the chain is quiet.

I had a bit of trouble sourcing it, but eventually found it online.
 
#33 ·
good news

I have three cans of Castrol spray lube left. My mate used to be a Castrol agent and I scored it when he sold up!

It works well on my DRZ400.

Cleaning : when really dirty I have used my pressure washer to get rid of most of the crud, then I use a toothbrush and turpentine or kero . Once it is visibly clean I use compressed air to blow off the solvent/water and apply WD40 or similar.

Apply the Castrol a few days later when I remember.

I have fitted a MotoBrizz chain oiler on my DL. It was cheap and simple. It uses air pressure to force the oil onto a pad that the chain runs over. I tried chain bar oil, but it didn't seem to work ( too thick) so I tried 20/50 oil and it seems to work albeit too well. I will try 50% mix next.
 
#34 ·
I have three cans of Castrol spray lube left. My mate used to be a Castrol agent and I scored it when he sold up!

Cleaning : when really dirty I have used my pressure washer to get rid of most of the crud, then I use a toothbrush and turpentine or kero . Once it is visibly clean I use compressed air to blow off the solvent/water and apply WD40 or similar.


After my Triumph-tragic mate washed my 2014 DL1000 chain with his pressure washer, rust started showing after about 2 weeks later. Thinking about it I reckon pressure washing is a great way to get water in where we want lubricant, so never again for me. :frown2:
 
#36 ·
Have ordered a Cameleon oiler, has positive reviews.
My original chain is at 27500 klms, have cleaned all stuck crud out of it and although my spray lube Bel Ray super clean lube is ok it is messy to carry on long trips and I also feel it attracts road dirt build up especially near the front sprocket. Had to scrape loads of tar like detritus out around that sprocket.
Chain maintenance is up there with the oil threads. If it works for you then that's all that matters.
I also clean the chain with either a chain cleaner or WD 40, wipe down with a rag, clean it then lube ready to go.
 
#37 ·
I recently tried the castrol on my DR650 (after reading the Road rider article a couple of years ago!) I also tried a mix of bar oil and eP90.
Basically nothing (for me) beats EP90. cheap, no fling if you wipe the chain after application, easy to clean off with kero if your fannytickle.
Bar oil flung off and is STICKY!!
I found the castrol to be difficult to apply without excess application, and it actually smells like gear oil ;)
though somewhat "watered down".
So for me its EP90 for the V2 and the DR ;)
 
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