View Full Version : Chain lube. What is best?
Evilelmo
24th January 2011, 19:59
i no this might sound stupid but what is the best chain lube??? i have a CBR 1990 RR and wondering if i should get an oiler or just use spray on oil.... any help would be great or other thread pointing me in the right direction...
riffer
24th January 2011, 20:04
Undoubtedly the best is the Scott Chainoiler.
However, I don't have one, I just use mostly whatever I can find at a good price.
Better oil than no oil.
SMOKEU
24th January 2011, 20:21
Buy a can of Spectro chain wax and wax the chain every 500km, clean it with kerosene and a plastic brush every 1000km. Make sure you clean the dirty kerosene mix off with a rag before you wax the chain again.
Evilelmo
24th January 2011, 20:36
any reason for the wax????
Gibbo89
24th January 2011, 20:40
any reason for the wax????
Shit doesn't fly off the chain so easy if it's wax
Gibbo89
24th January 2011, 20:41
i no this might sound stupid but what is the best chain lube??? i have a CBR 1990 RR and wondering if i should get an oiler or just use spray on oil.... any help would be great or other thread pointing me in the right direction...
Just don't buy the cheapest and you won't need the most expensive, find a happy medium.
Evilelmo
24th January 2011, 20:46
so either wax or oil as long as i clean it and put it back on...
p.dath
24th January 2011, 20:55
i no this might sound stupid but what is the best chain lube??? i have a CBR 1990 RR and wondering if i should get an oiler or just use spray on oil.... any help would be great or other thread pointing me in the right direction...
Unless your doing long distance touring, stick to spray on lube.
Sensei
24th January 2011, 21:12
Selleys RP7
Auminist
25th January 2011, 01:30
I use Bel-Ray Super Clean Chain Lube, and it works well. States on the back of the can "Absolutely will not fling off" which so far it hasn't so seems to work great!
BuzzardNZ
25th January 2011, 07:39
I've found pork fat works well, better than wax, thats for sure and cheap.
Phreak
25th January 2011, 10:49
+1 to Bel-Ray Super Clean Chain Lube, works good. Just don't go overkill on it. Best if you lube your chain when it's warm (ie after a ride) and let it sit for a bit before riding again. Got mine from Cycletreads.
slofox
25th January 2011, 10:52
I've found pork fat works well, better than wax, thats for sure and cheap.
Does the crackling come out OK..?
Auminist
25th January 2011, 12:01
+1 to Bel-Ray Super Clean Chain Lube, works good. Just don't go overkill on it. Best if you lube your chain when it's warm (ie after a ride) and let it sit for a bit before riding again. Got mine from Cycletreads.
Got mine from exactly the same place :) got the $30 can.
BuzzardNZ
25th January 2011, 15:29
Does the crackling come out OK..?
yes, it flicks up on the exhaust and makes my SV smell like a BBQ as I pass by.
Evilelmo
25th January 2011, 17:45
thanks guy ill take the oil just not the pig fat... we will leave that till another time me thinks...
neels
25th January 2011, 18:57
yes, it flicks up on the exhaust and makes my SV smell like a BBQ as I pass by.
Mmmmm, BBQ.
Actually, I think I'd go with bacon grease myself.
Mmmmm, bacon.
Just got a new chain and sprockets on my bike, asked the guy who fitted them (because I'm to lazy to do it myself) what chainlube to use, his answer was;
Anything that comes in an aerosol can is good.
Hiflyer
28th January 2011, 16:49
Anything that comes in an aerosol can is good.
Hmmm don't know what to think of that. I have ahad 250's for a long time (compared to others) and the small/weak chain they come with needs a bit more care than the fat, durable chain that bigger bikes have (IMHO)
I just get the most expensive I can find.
Wax is more of a bitch to put on but is safer (ie doesn'tfling out onto tyres and the underside of the tail, whatever the feck that's called)
p.dath
29th January 2011, 10:18
Wax is more of a bitch to put on but is safer (ie doesn'tfling out onto tyres and the underside of the tail, whatever the feck that's called)
No lube should be flicking off onto your tyres. You do need to give the chain a wipe after applying it to remove excess lube - which prevents getting the excess on your tyres - and it should be applied to a warm chain, so that the solvent evaporates leaving just the sticky lube on the chain.
Evilelmo
3rd February 2011, 09:06
cheers guys well i got given some wax and some wax degreser so i shall use it and see how it goes thanks for all ur input... if this dosnt work i shall go back to the trusty old lube but my mate swears by this wax so ill try it always have an open mind right....
TimeOut
3rd February 2011, 18:39
cheers guys well i got given some wax and some wax degreser so i shall use it and see how it goes thanks for all ur input... if this dosnt work i shall go back to the trusty old lube but my mate swears by this wax so ill try it always have an open mind right....
Make sure the degreaser won't harm the "O" rings (if your chain has them)
Kerosene is best
Evilelmo
5th February 2011, 15:19
it says safe with O ring chains so im taking it as safe with it but will let u guys know if my chain falls to bits
Owl
5th February 2011, 19:30
I like Prolan (liquid heavy). Pays to start with a clean chain, as it doesn't particularly like existing lubes. As a marine grade metal protectant, it protects against corrosion better than any chain lube.
It can be applied to a cold chain, dries like wax, doesn't build up in the front sprocket cover, great for cleaning chain, lasts about 700km and it's rather cheap.
ttmadness
7th February 2011, 20:23
heye guys.... does anyone know if shell bearing grease will do the job for a bike chain?
Cheers
p.dath
8th February 2011, 07:29
heye guys.... does anyone know if shell bearing grease will do the job for a bike chain?
Cheers
Personally, I wouldn't bother with a lubricant designed for a completely different purpose. Chain lube/wax only costs $25 - a tank of petrol. And a chain costs ... well a shit load more.
racefactory
8th February 2011, 12:06
Personally, I wouldn't bother with a lubricant designed for a completely different purpose. Chain lube/wax only costs $25 - a tank of petrol. And a chain costs ... well a shit load more.
poor students dont think like that
sgtp
12th April 2011, 16:32
This FAQ for the 250 ninja says gear oil and a paintbrush is just as good as the expensive can of spray-lube. :confused:
Gear oil
The o-rings on the chain are designed to keep dirt, water (and chain lube) out of the real working joints of the links. The o-rings seal in the assembly grease for the life of the chain.
It's very simple to do what Kawasaki instructs in the Owners Manual. Put the bike up on the center stand every 1000 miles or so and coat each joint of the chain with ordinary 90 or 85w/140 gear oil, using a small paint brush. You can buy the oil by the quart at auto parts stores. This heavy oil penetrates into the rollers but does not fly off (much). It normally won't get on the tire. This method is very cheap.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_often_should_I_lube_the_chain;_what_should_I_u se_to_do_so%3F
mikemike104
12th April 2011, 16:42
I agree with that (^) personally.
george formby
12th April 2011, 17:07
This FAQ for the 250 ninja says gear oil and a paintbrush is just as good as the expensive can of spray-lube. :confused:
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_often_should_I_lube_the_chain;_what_should_I_u se_to_do_so%3F
I used gear oil for years, trick is, a little & often. Do it after a ride & put some newspaper under the chain overnight to catch any wee drips. It pays to give the chain a wipe with a suitable pre-oiled rag to stop the fling.
Owl
12th April 2011, 17:17
I still like Prolan. Now that I've just procured 4lts of the stuff, I'll have enough chain lube for about 3 years.:whistle:
Camshaft
17th April 2011, 17:45
spectro chain wax works great
quazimoto
17th April 2011, 17:52
spectro chain wax works great
Just got a can of this. best stuff ive ever used!!!
LBD
18th April 2011, 02:58
For my decades of riding....I have always used a small squeeze bottle of chain lube oil...of late the hih temp scott oil. I keep the tube handy and every fuel up, I squeeze a wee dribble on one or the other side of the rear sprocket before riding off.
I have just got my hands on a 500ml of Mobil SHC46M...ultra high viscosity synthetic. I plan to try that on a new chain I have....watch this spot.
CookMySock
18th April 2011, 07:21
The spray-on lube is no use for bikes that do a lot of km. Either buy an automatic oiler or make one out of a little plastic bottle and some nylon tube, and suddenly and miraculously you won't destroy a chain every 8,000km.
The problem is, the chain must be kept wet or else it begins to wear severely, and chain wax just won't do that.
Get or make an oiler.
Bonez
18th April 2011, 17:17
80 or 90 weight gear oil is fine.
sinned
18th April 2011, 18:00
I have tried a number of spray on products - they all work. Now I have a scottoiler that also works and continues to work past the dry out distance of spray on stuff.
If you do less than 500kms per ride or per week spray a little each week. Otherwise fit at Scott. Keep the chain wet is the answer.
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