Chain cleaning...

[EazyDuz]

How often should you do it and what is the best method?

I usually just apply some engine oil or spray lube to the chain once a month.
My cleaning routine is usually spraying degreaser on the chain and wiping it as best i can with old rags until not much black oil is visible on the rag, then just reapply some fresh oil or lube. I regularly check tension and it hasnt seemed to have gotten any looser in 1000ish miles of use.
Is this ok for maintaining the chain or should you go the whole hog and remove it from the bike and soak it in petrol overnight etc etc?
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To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[DrDonnyBrago]

[Tenko]

The man is correct - why pay for expensive cleaners when paraffin is best - good for wheels too and engine cases.

[janner_10]

Gunk brush and parafin every 2 weeks and a spray of chain wax weekly, along with old engine oil in my PD Oiler.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking your chain needs to be cleaned on the thighs of virgins every mile and lubed with unicorns tears every day.
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Yamaha FZS600 (Now gone to heaven) > CBR600F4i (SOLD) > '99 YZF-R1

[yen_powell]

I never clean them at all on my road bikes, just add fresh oil on the inside run of the O rings only, then run the bike in gear for a few seconds to use the centrifugal force as it goes round the sprockets to spread the oil around evenly. My chains tend to last forever.

On my trail bikes I clean the grit and mud off with a tooth brush and paraffin and oil it afterwards purely to keep it from getting surface rust whilst it sits in the garage.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[GREENI3]

I used to use chain cleaner and chain lube spray, but tbh I think the chain lube wasn't that effective and would just turn to paste after a few miles. The corrosion resistance properties of chain lube is also very poor.

The chain cleaner, although very good, only lasted about 2 times of cleaning the chain and at £7 a pop would have added up over time.

I'm now using 80-90w gear oil for lube and paraffin for cleaning.

The gear oil cost me about £4 for 1L and I barely used any when I went over the chain with it.
I use a paint brush to apply it.
There's barely any fling-off, due to the higher viscosity over engine oil.
And you can clearly tell if the chain is getting dry, which chain lube isn't as good at.

The paraffin was £7 for 4L and is by far the best chain cleaner I've used.
I pour a small amount of it into a mug and still have loads of it left over after I clean the chain.
And it'll last for ages compared to the spray cleaners you can get for the same price!

[hellkat]

So let me get this right ...

You get down on your hands and knees with a bowl of paraffin and a toothbrush.
And then you turn the wheel inch by inch and scrub the old chainlube off.
And then you put fresh chainlube back on.

?
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Vin]

[DrDonnyBrago]

[kawakid]

I use paraffin also, but I buy and a cheap electric tooth brush from poundland and use that.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[janner_10]

[Muscle Bike Rider]

I use a proper chain brush and muck off chain cleaner, I used to use chain gel but now use old engine oil and a paint brush, seems to last longer and not much fling off either, I lube every two weeks and clean monthly.
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Previously Known As A5tra_G
Old Bikes :2010 Kawasaki ER6 F & 2000 Honda VTR Firestorm
Current Bike : XJR1300

[Muscle Bike Rider]

[janner_10]

[Welshd1k]

Tell you what , that new wurth chail lube is an amazing cleaner / lube . Proper supprised with it good lube and well also cleans the chain down nicely .
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Current >Cb600fx hornet, ns125rk90 21.7bhp@wheel<
Sold >,zxr400 h2 (33bhp kit) rd350 n1 rd350 lc2<

[junglejim]

Amazing innit
All the technological advances that have been made over the decades, but our rear wheels are still driven by what are effectively little more than bicycle chains.

[hornetmike]

+1 for gear oil, chaun wax is just a dressing oul does the job
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87 Honda CG 125 - 97 ER5 - SR 50 -81 Z250- 96 CBR 600 F- 94 GPX600R 88- GPX 400R- 87 GS 125 - 2006 Honda CB600F- 2003 ER5 - Honda CBF 1000 2009 - Honda CBR 600 RR 2011
Current BMW R1200GS 2010

[Walloper]

[Recluso]

If like me you don't have places to store big bottles of paraffin, I find that the wee bottles of about 350ml (usually costs a pound or so) is ample to give your chain a good cleaning.

I really saw a difference using paraffin. Mine was really gungey and horrible. Couple hours cleaning and it was like I had a brand new chain on there!

I used a couple of old rags wet with paraffin (but not dripping!) which was good for wiping away the gunge and a cheapy nail brush I bought from the wee shop across the road from me (about 50p) to loosen all the grease and gunk. All in all, I spent a couple of quid to clean it. And you can't complain at that.

Take off your chainguard but DON'T try and clean it with your engine running in gear. I suspect you like your fingers attached.
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'Just erotic. Nothing kinky. It's the difference between using a feather and using a chicken.'
Honda PS125i > Yamaha YBR125 > Yamaha XJ6 Diversion > Yamaha Tracer 900

[hellkat]

[Recluso]

[PEDEGG]

is a wire brush, or maybe one of the tooth brush style wire brushes, too rough to clean a chain with? i spent over and out today trying to clean my chain with parafin and a chainbrush and there is still a load of rust on the chain that doesnt seem to be budging.

[DrDonnyBrago]

[PEDEGG]

[Walloper]