whats the best chain maintenance?

[twolanefun]

Damn you mean you don't replace them when they get dirty? Great, more money for beer and mods! Just kidding, all the methods work, I like to clean my chain because I do a bit of riding and the chain collects a lot of crud from the roads. So when I get back from a trip on one of my Ducs the chain gets cleaned. If I haven't taken one of the Ducs on a trip for awhile I keep an eye on it and when it starts looking bad I will clean it, my theory being that all the buildup is atracting crap from the road which may be unfriendly to chain wear. I use to be absolutely anal about lubing my chain at the end of the day, usually about 400-500 miles. Tried an experiment on the ST3 never lubed it on a trip, just when I got back 1000 - 1500 miles, got the same chain wear, about 12K. So not sure lubing it frequently is a must. At first I did not like the look of those new gold color chains, little too blingy - but now I have one on the ST3 and the M900, much easier to tell when the chain is dirty - me like. I use Motul chain clean and Chain Lube. - Gene

[potomacduc]

You're right about it being a little easier to tell when the gold chains are nice and clean.  Oddly, they also seem to stay a little cleaner.  The frst time I got a gold chain it was because that was what was in stock in the size I needed.  Now, it's my first choice.

[jetpuff716]

I use to be absolutely anal about lubing my chain at the end of the day, usually about 400-500 miles.

Sorry, I can't resist interrupting a really great thread ... but Gene your choice of words included "anal" and "lubing" in the same sentence.      Who's the Freudian freak boy, now?  No more proctologist-related funning from you is allowed.

[tocino]

Sorry, I can't resist interrupting a really great thread ... but Gene your choice of words included "anal" and "lubing" in the same sentence.      Who's the Freudian freak boy, now?  No more proctologist-related funning from you is allowed.

Dude, I think your punctuation is off - shouldn't there be a colon in there somewhere?

[Ducatista]

Dude, I think your punctuation is off - shouldn't there be a colon in there somewhere?

[944sssp]

One factor I have not seen mentioned in this thread is the crap that builds up around the front sprocket.  I clean my chain every 500 miles with Motorex or Motul Chain Cleaner and a rag and then lube the chain with either Motorex 622 or Motul synthetic chain lube.  When I clean / lube the chain I also remove  the front sprocket cover and clear the build up there away with chain cleaner.  If you have never cleaned behind the front sprocket cover and have  few thousand miles on your bike, you may have a rude surprise waiting for you.

Bill

[Ducatista]

One factor I have not seen mentioned in this thread is the crap that builds up around the front sprocket.  I clean my chain every 500 miles with Motorex or Motul Chain Cleaner and a rag and then lube the chain with either Motorex 622 or Motul synthetic chain lube.  When I clean / lube the chain I also remove  the front sprocket cover and clear the build up there away with chain cleaner.  If you have never cleaned behind the front sprocket cover and have  few thousand miles on your bike, you may have a rude surprise waiting for you.

Bill

Congrats on your first post! 

[twolanefun]

One factor I have not seen mentioned in this thread is the crap that builds up around the front sprocket.  I clean my chain every 500 miles with Motorex or Motul Chain Cleaner and a rag and then lube the chain with either Motorex 622 or Motul synthetic chain lube.  When I clean / lube the chain I also remove  the front sprocket cover and clear the build up there away with chain cleaner.  If you have never cleaned behind the front sprocket cover and have  few thousand miles on your bike, you may have a rude surprise waiting for you.

Bill

Totally agree with you Bill, my mistake for not mentioning it. I always take off the front sprocket cover and clean behind there, flooding it with chain clean until it's nice and shiny again. Sometimes I have to take a long thin screwdriver - that I've had for about 20 years - and cover the tip with a rag and use it like a qtip. - Gene

[ducatiz]

yes, it's legit.  google around and you can find it referenced on quite a few sites.  i had another link to an e-zine that called up the writer to confirm it -- and he did.

[potomacduc]

yes, it's legit.  google around and you can find it referenced on quite a few sites.  i had another link to an e-zine that called up the writer to confirm it -- and he did.

I understand that the rollers are sealed, but the plates themselves rub together and they are not sealed.  It seems that they could use some lubing as they rub together.

Finally, Chain companies exist to sell more chains so I am not sure they would tell you how to make their product last forever. 

[ducatiz]

I understand that the rollers are sealed, but the plates themselves rub together and they are not sealed.  It seems that they could use some lubing as they rub together.

Finally, Chain companies exist to sell more chains so I am not sure they would tell you how to make their product last forever. 

he is saying to CLEAN the chain with WD40 and then LUBE the chain with PJ1 Blue etc.

Not just clean with WD40.

[potomacduc]

Hmmm, I read that to say that your chain would stay cleaner if you didn't use PJ1 ot other tacky lubes.  Did I mention that Maxima is the best and everything else stinks? 

[ducatiz]

Hmmm, I read that to say that your chain would stay cleaner if you didn't use PJ1 ot other tacky lubes.  Did I mention that Maxima is the best and everything else stinks? 

you're right, i just pulled the name out when i replied.

but wd40 is only for cleaning, you still need to lube for the outer plates.  point of the letter is that wd40 is ok to clean o-ring chains

[mdubya]

WD 40 cleans, but also leaves a thin layer of protection. Chain "lube" only adds protection from rust, doesn't actually "lube" the chain.

If you use WD often and store your bike indoors, you don't need anything else. Trust me. 

[potomacduc]

you're right, i just pulled the name out when i replied.

but wd40 is only for cleaning, you still need to lube for the outer plates.  point of the letter is that wd40 is ok to clean o-ring chains

Got it, thanks.  But the two stage Maxima method is still #1!