i dont think even the stock chain needs to be lubed at all...basically your just cleaning the outside to keep it from looking like shit and getting rusty. internally the links are lubed for the life of the chain

 

They make o-ring sealed chains. Most all seals are not perfectly tight forever. The 0-rings will eventully dry rot or break if you have the chain long enough and the greased chain will loose the grease. I still lube my o-ring chain. They say some lubricants cause the o-rings to break down and crack. That would make the chain to not last as long. You do not have to lube any chain. It would not last as long if you did not. I've also had a chain on one of my street bikes that was not o-ring sealed. It did not last near as long and required a lot more lubing to make it quiet.

 

Kind of like a CV joint on a car. When the boot breaks, the grease comes out. The joint then starts popping and then you have to replace the joint. If find the broken boot soon enough, you can just repack with grease and change the boot without having to replace the whole cv joint.

 

yamaha actully used to sell a couple of models that had fully enclosed chains in the 80's.

 

i dont think even the stock chain needs to be lubed at all...basically your just cleaning the outside to keep it from looking like shit and getting rusty. internally the links are lubed for the life of the chain

:bs even stock chains need lubed. I wouldn't even take the chance of "never" lubing a chain.

 

The rollers come into physical contact with the sprockets, they need a thin film of lubricant between them at all times or your chain will wear and stretch prematurely from the friction and heat produced.

 

The rollers come into physical contact with the sprockets, they need a thin film of lubricant between them at all times or your chain will wear and stretch prematurely from the friction and heat produced.

:iamwithst Totally true. The O ring chain seals in the lubricant that lubricates the chain itself. You still need to apply lubricant between the chain and the sprockets. I lube mine pretty much every time I ride.

 

Yes,they do exist......if you get one of those scottoiler things that is...
If you hate that much oiling your chain,get one and simply wipe the links clean once a week.

 

So is a stock 2003 chain sealed or not. I am confused.

Dave

 

chain is sealed. But you have to put lube on because of the metal to metal contact between the chain and sprockets.