Motor oil or chain lube?

[jonbuoy]

You'd think after 100 odd years of development all chaindriven bikes would come with something like a Scotoiler system from the factory. Would add a whole 400grams and about $40 to the build cost. Crazy. The early CB750's had a bleed from the drive sprocket that dripped a little engine oil onto the chain, I think it was mostly too much or too little - they could have got it about right by now.

[xwhatsit]

You'd think after 100 odd years of development all chaindriven bikes would come with something like a Scotoiler system from the factory. Would add a whole 400grams and about $40 to the build cost. Crazy. The early CB750's had a bleed from the drive sprocket that dripped a little engine oil onto the chain, I think it was mostly too much or too little - they could have got it about right by now.

I want to know what happened to full chain enclosures. They disappeared after they were deemed `unfashionable', probably due to the racers dictating fashion as usual (no point having a chain enclosure on a race bike really, added weight too).

When was the last time your primary drive chain wore out? Or, what kind of kilometres do you get out of your average cam chain (not a Honda, lol), that does far more revolutions (more stress too? Perhaps not, but it's much less heavyweight) than your final drive chain. You get much more use out of primary drive chains and cam chains because they're immersed in oil and isolated from road grit etc.

If you ran a full chain enclosure, modern chains would last forever. Pity they went out with fork gaiters.

[rudolph]

My old BSA blows oil out a breather pipe onto the chain for lube, then up the inside of your leg and back

[jonbuoy]

I want to know what happened to full chain enclosures. They disappeared after they were deemed `unfashionable', probably due to the racers dictating fashion as usual (no point having a chain enclosure on a race bike really, added weight too).

When was the last time your primary drive chain wore out? Or, what kind of kilometres do you get out of your average cam chain (not a Honda, lol), that does far more revolutions (more stress too? Perhaps not, but it's much less heavyweight) than your final drive chain. You get much more use out of primary drive chains and cam chains because they're immersed in oil and isolated from road grit etc.

If you ran a full chain enclosure, modern chains would last forever. Pity they went out with fork gaiters.

True - they could make them out of carbon fibre and still look trick and racey. Sportsbikes are the worst for chain lubing with no centre stand for cleaning/lubing. Laborious and knee damaging..

[delusionz]

Just got myself a can of motul chain lube road, so i attacked my chain with crc until all the gunk was off, left it for a while then applied the new lube. all set now

[slowpoke]

I don't think this is the case here at all.

The orings stop the lubricant getting out between the outside of the inner plate and the inside of the outer side plate.
The inside edge of the inner plate is not sealed where the roller touches it.
The roller can spin freely on the bushing and has side play.
Lubricant can easily get in here and run along the bushing - so can moisture etc.

Fair comment. Can't say I've thought about it too much....you can tell can't you?