Rusty chain is it finished?

[lynnnsr]

I last rode my bike about a month ago. It's a 16 plate CB650F which I've had from new last summer. It's now done the grand total of 2,000 miles.

last time I went out it got absolutely filthy from a week's commuting, general road dirt more than anything else but I was not aware that any salt gritters had been out as it has not been that cold.

Anyway went to ride it this morning, front wheel won't turn, battery flat, a good bit of corrosion on the aluminium footpeg brackets and and the chain red with rust!

I am quite ashamed that I put it away in the garage in such a state and just left it dirty, but would we expect this level of corrosion to happen on a new bike? I freely admit to leaving the bike filthy, but I was a bit surprised by the impact it had had.

Most of all, though, I'm a bit worried about the chain, will it sort itself out with oil and use or am I going to have to replace it? I can still wheel the bike about in neutral easily enough.
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NSR 125 (with L-Plates) > 1994 NTV 650 > 2015 CB650F > 16 VFR800F

[MarJay]

Yeah, don't put it away like that... The chain might not be terminal, but it will have certainly reduced it's life massively.
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[andi]

Any seized links? If so it could be terminal.
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Before: Suzuki GT 185. Honda Superdream 250. Yamaha RD350LC. Suziki RG250. Yamaha FZS600. Honda CBR600F3
Now: Honda Fireblade 929

[Azoth]

There are heaps of salt out there on the road right now. Aluminium corrosion isn't a problem. But I have to rub down, clean and wax my DID chain after every ride in this weather. The oxidation pattern seems to be first yellow (pre-rust which can be shifted with the finger), then orange (new rust which can be shifted with the brush), then red (bad news rust - don't have it yet).
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Safety in numbers

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Might just be surface patina, market it as a rat bike and sell on for profit.

Otherwise clean off with paraffin and then lube well, tell yourself not to be a naughty boy again. Sounds like you need to liberally coat the bike in acf and the chain in wax before you next abandon it.
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[bigdom86]

bit of a weird one wouldnt expect that as I ride my bike in all weathers everyday through central London and maybe lube my chain once every month and clean it once every 3-4 months and its a crappy cbr125

[Beehive Bedlam]

Have you ever lubed the chain?

[Rogerborg]

Modern Honda aren't immune to tin worm.

Don't fret about the chain and ignore any doom merchants. The chain on my GPZ hadn't moved in years when I got it, and I've had stiff links on other chains: they all came good with some TLC.

Clean and oil it, then check for seized links. Rotate the wheel and see if any stand proud as they go round the sprocket or don't fall in line as they come off.

If you have any, work them free by wiggling with two pairs of pliers. No need to be gentle, if you can't free them up then the chain is toast.

If you still have a stiffie, give it a good thorough soak with oil. Ideally, get the chain off the sprocket and lying in a bath of oil.

It's probably an O or X ring chain but if you have lost any rings, just treat it as a prolespec chain and lube it more often. If I'd listened to the naysayers, I'd have binned my Nazi Tractor chain thousands of miles ago - it's still usefully in service, popped rings and all.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Andy_Pagin]

Pretty much agree with Roger. Paraffin and a nail brush make a good chain cleaning combination, all four sides of the chain, about four rotations of the wheel should expose the whole chain. Repeat until it looks okay. Then nail-brush lots of engine oil into it, top of bottom run only.
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They're coming to take me away, ho-ho, hee-hee, ha-haaa, hey-hey,
the men in white coats are coming to take me away.
Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[DrSnoosnoo]

I'd go with the idea that giving it a good cleaning can't hurt it.

I'd sit down with some old engine oil and apply with an old toothbrush scrubbing at the links. Wipe off when you've been around a few times scrubbing. See what it looks like then. Also do the checking for stiff links as described.

I wouldn't worry too much, should have seen the chain on my old CG ... oil and toothbrush and I'd leave a towel under it to catch the dripping oil overnight.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[lynnnsr]

Thanks all - freed off the front wheel with a bit of force, left the battery on charge and will have a go at the chain tonight before taking for a spin.

Didn't know of the existence of chain wax so will find some of that on the way home. Though I had lubed it fairly often with a variety of substances (engine oil, chain lube, ptfe lubricant) most must have come off in the harsh conditions.

Of course no centre stand to help with chain cleaning; and I never had this trouble with the NTV!
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NSR 125 (with L-Plates) > 1994 NTV 650 > 2015 CB650F > 16 VFR800F

[Beehive Bedlam]

Another way to free up the links is to give them a squirt with plusgas then roll the offending links on to the back sprocket before giving them a good twatting with a rubber mallet.

Also fit a scottoiler saves a lot of time on your hands and knees in the cold and wet this time of year.

[Beehive Bedlam]

[Hong Kong Phooey]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Surface rust on the chain I wouldn't worry about. Pretty much zero chance it will affect the strength of the chain. Might damage the O rings but probably enough oil where they touch for there to be no corrosion there.

Tooth brush and some oil will clean it up probably.

If the O rings have gone then I would be far more dubious using the chain for any length of time

All the best

Katy
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Moo.]

Hate wax based chain lubes. Just builds up an enormous pile of crap. I use chain saw oil to lube. Its a bit more non fling
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A2 Passed 18/6/10

[Waaarrrggghhh]

If its just surface rust then don't worry

take the chain off, put it in a bucket of coca cola (a 2l bottle from the shop will do just fine) and leave for about an hour then take it out, scrub it down with steel wool and good as new.

[Doink]

[ZX-7R]

[Matt B]

[Rogerborg]

[lynnnsr]

Chain looked worse than it actually was - engine oil and toothbrush brought it back into use.

Paddock stand is a good idea - this is cheap - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Warrior-Rear-Motorcycle-Bike-Paddock-Stand-Track-Day-Garage-Pit-/371169071935?hash=item566b66933f:g:M8wAAOSwaNBUeXU2

But will it be any good for general maintenance once in a while?
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NSR 125 (with L-Plates) > 1994 NTV 650 > 2015 CB650F > 16 VFR800F

[talkToTheHat]

Try a scottoiler. Occaisonally clean the crap that isn't flung off, then re-lube with scottoil.
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Bandit. does. everything.