Chain lube question

[unluckyluke]

After spending an hour cleaning my rear wheel and chain guard at the weekend was wondering if anyone could recommend me a decent chain lube. I'm using some stuff I "borrowed" from work at the moment that is chain and wire rope lubricant which is supposed to be anti fling but it seems anything but.
I want a oily chain and a clean bike, any tips?!?

[gsmunn]

I have used both Muc-Off and Motul, both are fine and do the trick
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CBT - 10/03/12 | Theory - 13/10/12 | Mod 1 - 12/09/13 | Mod 2 - 18/09/13
Riding: CB750
Gone: YBR125 / XS125

[1198]

Motul chain paste for me.

[unluckyluke]

[-Matt-]

Used wurth chain wax for a while which is translucent, although if it does flick dirt is obviously going to stick fairly quick anyway. Fairly flick proof though - but does need the chain to be thoroughly warm after a ride to get it into the chain nicely, and ideally a quick run straight after to help it settle too - so in terms of time and difficulty its not much better than standard oil/lube overall.

I've reverted to general chain lubes recently for the above reasons. Any of the standard ones are fine, generally used Motul/Wurth/Muc off - just whatevers cheapest and handy at the local shop. Plenty of people use old motor oil too, may well be good enough.

For cleaning a toothbrush is good enough, but I find one of these handy personally
https://tinylink.net/p19pl
Cut up old tshirts make good rags too

[1198]

Ummmm, I'm not too sure on exact number, but they seem reasonable value to me, I normally get them by the pair off eBay and they last me a while. Sorry I can't help more, but I don't think they are worse value than a spray can.

[unluckyluke]

Thanks for your help people, never realised you could get a wax type product. Will give that motul stuff a try and it looks dead easy with the built in brush. The less I have to clean off the rear wheel of my zx6r the better, the powder coating on the wheels is dreadful and scrubbing it not only gets the oil off but bits of paint too

[-Matt-]

You shouldn't need to scrub it much at all. The sides of my powdercoated wheels are flaking where they got damaged replacing tyres but they've remained like that without further flaking for a couple of years now.

I'm sure theres plenty of other products or even bog standard spirits that would do the same job perhaps, but i've used this on the wheels for ages and it gets them spotless with a couple of light wipes of a cloth with some splashed on. Bottles lasted me almost 3 years of occasional wheel cleaning so far
https://tinyurl.com/nhmmvgp

You can pick it up in your local Halfrauds probably, usually have them in stock. In all honesty though if you have light coloured wheels, its a losing battle, dust will accumulate on them quickly whether you get chain flick or not. I gave up on cleaning my gold wheels most of the time as its just hopeless

[delsol]

Dry lube for me, problem is you cannot see 'lube' on the chain, just remember to apply regularly, for me that's 600 miles for non winter use.

Plenty out there, e.g.

https://www.bykebitz.co.uk/wurth-dry-chain-lube-500ml.html?gclid=COKH5O6E1L0CFSMYwwod2ygAig

[Dave500]

Use WD40 degreaser (or any WD40) on your back wheel mate, a couple of coats and get a detailing brush(they are nice and soft) and its a peice of piss
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Bye bye Z hello Versys

[Enduro Numpty]

Chain lube is specifically designed to attach to everything apart from motorcycle chains. That's why there are so many cleaning products on the market. Same reason as offroad motorcycle air filters are coated with the stickiest oil known to mankind - so all us suckers buy more chemicals clean it all off.

[Boris the spider]

Well after years of trying various anti fling chain lubes.

I finally started using 80/90 gear oil.

£9 a litre. Use it on both bikes.

Brilliant stuff.

Why did I wait so long and waste a fortune on expensive chain lubes
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Yes I'm a pig....And yes... The working public do pay my wages. Tho I contribute to your benefits you lazy c##t. You do not pay my wages. So go fcuk yourself.

[c-m]

Most people apply far too much chain lube.

Just need enough to prevent the X/O rings from drying out. That's it.

All the actual lube is inside the rollers.

[Dave70]

I decided to try paraffin to clean my chain and rear wheel the other week, the wheel hadn't been cleaned for months. I found it worked far better than any of the other products I've bought and used in the past. I think it was only around £5 or £6 quid for 4 litres of the stuff too.

As for the dry wax products. Yes, they will give no fling off but, imo they aren't as good, unless you can be arsed applying it every two or three days, or even every day in the wet winters we've had. That is, if you ride every day and your bike lives outside. It just doesn't last and I kept finding rust spots developing really quickly. I'm sticking with Fuchs lube in a spray can nowadays. It's best if you can leave it over night and wipe any excess off with a rag though.

[clancy]

I have always just used engine oil on my chain, doesn't seem to make a mess at all really

My dad told me too, he always has as well
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KLX 300r

[Boris the spider]

[esullivan]

After messing about with various chain lubes for a while, I finally broke down and got a chain oiler (Tutoro Auto) and haven't looked back. The Tutoro one doesn't cost the earth and doesn't need to be hooked up to any electrics, but still works well enough. The electric ones are probably better, but I could install this one myself with my non-existent mechanical skills.

An oiler also seems to keep the chain cleaner for longer. I wipe it down with a rag once a blue moon, and that's on a bike that does 1,000 miles or so a month.

Prior to that, on my 125 and when I first got the NC700, I used Wurth or a brand called Rock Oil. The latter flung less, but all of them fling to some extent. It's part of how they work. I cleaned the chain every other week too. My chains were spotless, but didn't last much longer than the rusty chain on my neighbour's bike.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[Richy CB1000]

I've tried over the years most of the stuff out there, Wurth dry lube was about the only one I thought any good but expensive.

Nowadays I just use 80 gear oil. Initially I think most people put far too much on hence the fling etc...

Usually now I have a rag that's just "soaked" with oil as I've been applying it over time. After the clocks say about a 100 miles or so, when getting back in I'll just either wipe that rag over the chain or apply a 2/3 cm long bit of oil on the rag and wipe it over, 60 seconds, job done for another 100 miles or so.

Cheap as chips method and I honestly think my chain is cleaner, it doesn't rust and the O rings always look wet. Plus no fling! I'd stick with gear oil and adjust the amount you put on, and the frequency till you get to the point the rings stay wet and no fling.

I haven't had to clean the chain with paraffin (best) for around 6000 miles now and no adjustment either.

[LaurenceR46]

I use Castrol racing chain lube - but it works great for even everyday use. Doesn't wash or fling off. Acts a bit like a wax. Perfect stuff!
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Yamaha R6 (R46) Rossi Replica Edition

[Davie J]

B&Q Chainsaw oil

https://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-power-tools/garden-power-accessories/oils/-specificproducttype-chainsaw_oils/B-and-Q-Chainsaw-Chain-Oil-OL103-1L-9219170

Had it for 2 years and still half full. Everything else seems to stick to the chain too much then attract all the crap they throw on the roads during the winter. It then turns to grinding paste.
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Marauder 125 K3 (Murdered by a Megane), Varadero 125 V7 (sold), Varadero Thou (Sold), CB500S (Sold).

[-Matt-]

[clancy]

@ matt

I use one of these
https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/red-oil-can-08180.jpg
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KLX 300r

[unluckyluke]

[Davie J]

[-Matt-]

Cheers, definately will give the brush/chainsaw method a go

Presume its quite easy to see when it gets dry too, thats one of the things that really annoyed me with the wax you'd have to rub your hand all over it to check