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Best Chain Lube?

19K views 70 replies 30 participants last post by  urbanjungle 
#1 ·
OK guys and gals I have a 2014 R1 with gold wheels... (I should have gotten black) so if there's anybody with colored wheels on theirs I'd love to know if you found any chain oil that doesn't sling all over the rear wheel.
 
#12 ·
LOL, I don't know why I'm so compelled to click on the same thread topics every time.

Lol that's the biggest problem I have this week.
You're a lucky man!

No rain, wash with water usually put a trash bag over the chain and sprocket.
Water never touches my bike with the exception of the very infrequent times I get caught in a surprise rain storm.

As far as far as lube goes, let the flaming begin. I only use WD40. My 520 chain and sprocket setup shows no where after 6000 miles. If I can get 8-9g's out of a setup it's well worth it to me to have a nice clean and shiny gold chain and black sprocket with no fling off on my sweet ass BST's. I've had chains last over 10g's using WD40!!!
 
#8 ·
Bel rays probably your best bet I never get water on the bike so being it's an o ring chain I just wipe the chain with an oily rag every couple hundred miles or so.i know what you mean about the lube going everywhere it's sucks but just the nature of the beast clean it that's all you can really do
 
#9 ·
Chain Wax .... all I've ever used ... haven't had to change chain / sprockets for many, many miles (30K on the CBR, 20K on the R6). An old maintenance guy turned me onto it a few years back.
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hope this helps
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B
 
#13 · (Edited)
wd-40 is weird because it is mostly mineral spirits. (paint thinner)
I will agree it's a way better lube than that dupont crap. I don't care how many magazines and websites praise that stuff it does not lube anything worth a crap. I have a almost new can of it and I won't use it on anything.
when I tried it on my chain after 2 rides there was rust colored dust coming out of the rollers between the links.
 
#19 ·
Wd40... Wow. That's all.
Yea WD-40 is basically a light mineral spirits blend with very little lube properties and the lube that's in it is extremly light. So light it evaporates. It's a great chain cleaner though, but not sure if it's safe to use on o-rings.

I like Bel-Ray Super-Clean. It's white in color. The key to success is to put it on after a ride when the chain is still warm. I use wide painter's tape to mask overspray, as well as using a cardboard wheel protector shield that's made from a box top. Wipe off the sides of the chain so it looks good, then don't ride the bike until the next day to let the carrier evaporate and the lube solidify a bit. I've never had one drip/drop ever come off and my chains last practically forever. They go thousands and thousands of miles without needing adjustment (a sure sign of wear). Repeat the lubing every other tankful of gas. I avoid rain at all costs and never use water to clean the bike - only detail spray.

I know it sounds crazy but look at my track record. I've done it with all of my bikes after I started riding street in 1974 and used different lubes for the 1st 10 years and got tired off cleaning the crap off my rims. Then went to WD40 and never looked back. I've heard many speak of the O rings too and it's had no effect on mine. I know a lot of other people on this site use it also. Since the change my chain and sprocket have shown no increase in wear. In my previous post I mention water very rarely touches my chain also!
 
#16 ·
Yea WD-40 is basically a light mineral spirits blend with very little lube properties and the lube that's in it is extremly light. So light it evaporates. It's a great chain cleaner though, but not sure if it's safe to use on o-rings.

I like Bel-Ray Super-Clean. It's white in color. The key to success is to put it on after a ride when the chain is still warm. I use wide painter's tape to mask overspray, as well as using a cardboard wheel protector shield that's made from a box top. Wipe off the sides of the chain so it looks good, then don't ride the bike until the next day to let the carrier evaporate and the lube solidify a bit. I've never had one drip/drop ever come off and my chains last practically forever. They go thousands and thousands of miles without needing adjustment (a sure sign of wear). Repeat the lubing every other tankful of gas. I avoid rain at all costs and never use water to clean the bike - only detail spray.

 
#24 · (Edited)
It's so weird that that happens to you. Do you ride in the wet weather a lot? I've used it for about 30 years and have never has a problem. If you look at my chain now with 6g's on it you would think it's brand new. :dunno
trust me I do not neglect a bike. and I tried the squirt bottle kind and the aerosol can. i quit using it on a EK chain on my last bike because after a ride I could hear it squeaking.
I have tried a lot of lubes out there and it is the worst ever. sorry if it bugs you guys to hear it. but you need to try other things if you think it's good stuff.
 

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#26 ·
Wd40 here also. For the longest time. Unless I'm going on distance rides, deals gap trips for example, then I use somekind of lube.

Flame suit on but some of you guys act like bikes are made out of sugar. I wash mine once every month or two and it looks damn near showroom.
 
#32 ·
WD 40
cheap and great
 
#33 ·
Never use any chain lube. I always run my chain dry. Had 19k on my 02 r1 n never a problem including track days!!! Plan on doing the same with my 16 !!!
 
#35 ·
Wipe it after cleaning.

Any spray that could actually penetrate past the o-rings and lubricate inside the rollers would concern me much more than a little clear fling. Unless of course you are going out in the wet. Then you want something with some substance to coat the plates.
 
#36 ·
When a lot of people writes that xyz product is great, then I tend to try it out to get my own opinion.

Some years ago I took a cut-off 10-link from a new chain (DID ERV3 520) , and soaked 5 links into WD-40 in a jar and sealed it.
1 week later I removed a soaked link pin, and all grease was dissolved and gone.
The links that was not in contact with WD40 was still filled with grease.

I don't use WD40 on my chains....but if it works great for others...good for them :)
 
#50 ·
When a lot of people writes that xyz product is great, then I tend to try it out to get my own opinion.

Some years ago I took a cut-off 10-link from a new chain (DID ERV3 520) , and soaked 5 links into WD-40 in a jar and sealed it.
1 week later
I removed a soaked link pin, and all grease was dissolved and gone.
The links that was not in contact with WD40 was still filled with grease.

I don't use WD40 on my chains....but if it works great for others...good for them :)
Not a valid test. The point is, it's not soaked or submerged in WD40, light spray and wipe, not enough time to penetrate past the rings.
 
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