What do you use to lube your chain?

[Dupo]

What product do you use to lube your chain? Honestly, i think the Suzuki lube sucks. Wondering what everyone else uses.

[Badbob]

I clean with kerosene and lube with 80W90 Gear oil. I've tried two kinds of expensive spray chain lube and didn't like it. It's messy and difficult to apply. It's also harder to clean off the chain.

Gear Oil costs $2.50 per quart (32oz). Spray chain lube costs $8.95 for 13oz.

I had one chain with a couple of sticky links. The spray stuff wouldn't loosen it up. 24 hours after applying gear oil the links were nice and loose.

Spray lube I have used: PJ1 Blue Label and Maxima Chain Guard.

[clark911dispatcher]

Maxima Chain Wax. Good stuff!

[kaliron5]

Badbob, how do you apply the gear oil to the chain? Just roll the wheel and pour some on?

[Badbob]

Originally Posted by kaliron5

Badbob, how do you apply the gear oil to the chain? Just roll the wheel and pour some on?

I use an oil can to put a little oil on each joint until I'm sure there is enough oil on the chain. Then wipe off the excess.

I have all so used small pieces of towel soaked with oil and just wiped it on. It's more of a mess but it doesn't require the oil can and it travels well.

[Bill]

Just sprayed on some Chain Wax last night after the ride home while the chain was still warm. We'll see how it works for the next couple of months as we use the can up. the bike was given its first service a month ago and I think Chain Wax was used then. I didn't do it this time but should the chain be cleaned with kerosene before each application? How often should the chain be lubed?

Cheers!

[Bill]

Just sprayed on some Chain Wax last night after the ride home while the chain was still warm. We'll see how it works for the next couple of months as we use the can up. the bike was given its first service a month ago and I think Chain Wax was used then. I didn't do it this time but should the chain be cleaned with kerosene before each application? How often should the chain be lubed?

Cheers!

[Dupo]

I "think" its every 5 or 600 miles?

Not sure on the cleaning though.

Download the service manual we have here and i know for sure the scheduled maintenance is in there for the chain.

[Badbob]

Owners/Service manual say to oil the chain every 600 miles. While I more or less oil mine every 600 miles I look at my chain every time I ride which is everyday under normal circumstances. If it looks like it might need oil I oil it ASAP. If I wash the bike I oil the chain. If I get caught in a rain storm I oil the chain.

I clean it if it looks like it needs it. Since I have stated using gear lube to oil the chain It doesn't seem to need cleaning as much.

I don't know what Suzuki puts on the chain at the factory but it sure did collect a lot of crud.

[oneyunguy]

Having previously ridden a few shaft drives, I am back to chain drive. I am gonna try the gear oil, sounds like it might work (as lubes r supposed to).

One article I really remember is the following: http://www.motorcycle.com/mo/mcnuts/chain.html

Maybe that's more for the beginner, but its good to know the differences in chain manufacturing and the 'properties', chemical or otherwise, of what you are going to apply to your chain and the results/effects that will occur.

My ride was the same as Badbob describes after purchasing from the place I got mine from. It was full of crud. So I cleaned it and used some plain oil after cleaning for the first bit. Now though, it is clean, and runs nice.

cheers.