What is the best motorcycle chain lubricant?
7 Answers
Sean Foster, Over 15 years riding all year round and maintaining my bikes
3.6k Views · Most Viewed Writer in Motorcycle Mechanics and Maintenance
The truth is there is no single product that can be proven to be better than all the rest. You are almost certainly be riding with an O or X ring chain on any bike made or had a chain fitted in the last 20 years or so.
Avoid anything too sticky, it will just accumulate dirt and turn into a grinding paste that will actually increase the wear. Especially if you are a dry dusty environment.
Regular WD40 is great for lubricating seized nuts and bolts but DO NOT use it in a motorbike chain, because it will dissolve any lubricant you have in the bearings and then evaporate leaving you with no lubricant. Note, they now do motorbike specific products including a good chain lube, just don't get it mixed up with the regular WD40.
In a pinch you can use a heavy weight engine oil but only if you have nothing else. It's seldom viscus enough to stay on the chain and gets cast off at speed so it needs to be topped up a lot.
I've had really good use out of a scottoiler automated lubrication system. This gives you a constant drip of lube while the engine is running. Not so much that it drips off the chain but enough that the chain is constantly lubricated and the build up of lubricant is cast off at speed, taking dirt with it and almost washing the chain while it lubricates. One chain lasted me 27 000 miles using one of these.
If you're not using an auto lubricating system like the Scottoiler then an important part of lubricating your chain is giving it a good clean first so that any dirt doesn't just sit on the chain. I lubricate while the chain is warm from a ride for better penetration. I tend to lubricate when I get home from filling the petrol tank, (~ every 150 miles) and clean the chain before lubricating about every 1 000 miles.
Other than that there is a wide range of Teflon or PTFE or wax based spray lubricants that do a great job. It's honestly hard to go very wrong. I used to use a spray wax but moved away from that as it tended to accumulate dirt too fast. If your in a wet environment this kind of wax lubricant can help keep the wet off the metal and help prevent rust though. Teflon or PTFE based sprays from the big names are fairly common and good all round lubes. Ask fiends who ride or try a few and see which suits you best. I've recently been trying the WD40 motorcycle chain lube and have been happy with the results.
Written 13 Oct 2015 · View Upvotes
Related QuestionsMore Answers Below
Daniel Wallander, 35 years riding and wrenching on my own bikes.
1.5k Views
I don't think it really matters. I use PJ1 Blue or Black can. I use WD40 or Kerosene to clean the chain first.
I think it's more important to clean the chain regularly - every 500 miles - and thoroughly than which chain lube or wax you use. A clean chain will last. Using a cleaner that doesn't eat away at the orings is important. Kerosene is best, but it's flammable, so you need to use it outside and away from flames.
I currently have chain oilers on my chain drive bikes. They work very nicely, but you still need to clean the chain every once in a while.
Written 24 Mar · View Upvotes
David Doehm, Dyed in the wool motorcycle lover
1.4k Views
If you have a new modern chain ( X or O ring ) any of the top brand dry film spray lubes are fine. There must be over 200 on the market.
Old school guys using non-sealed old chains often use motor oil. But I'm sure there aren't many of the old chains still in use.
Written 14 Aug 2015
Jacker Frinandis, Lubrication Products Supplier
1.1k Views
The benchmark for motorcycle chain lubes is the tried-and-trusted DuPont Teflon Multi-Use spray. It's cheap, it's available just about everywhere and it works.
Written 8 Sep 2015 · View Upvotes
Christine Leov-Lealand, Marketer, Rebel, Author, Poet, Indie-publisher, Spiritualist, Artist
743 Views
Others have made comprehensive answers: I would add for an o ring chain you must use lubricants the manufacturer recommends. The wrong lubricant will destroy the o rings. Also use the lubricant sparingly applied to the inside of the chain. Go Well!
Written 6 Jun
Related Questions
7 Answers
Sean Foster, Over 15 years riding all year round and maintaining my bikes
3.6k Views · Most Viewed Writer in Motorcycle Mechanics and Maintenance
The truth is there is no single product that can be proven to be better than all the rest. You are almost certainly be riding with an O or X ring chain on any bike made or had a chain fitted in the last 20 years or so.
Avoid anything too sticky, it will just accumulate dirt and turn into a grinding paste that will actually increase the wear. Especially if you are a dry dusty environment.
Regular WD40 is great for lubricating seized nuts and bolts but DO NOT use it in a motorbike chain, because it will dissolve any lubricant you have in the bearings and then evaporate leaving you with no lubricant. Note, they now do motorbike specific products including a good chain lube, just don't get it mixed up with the regular WD40.
In a pinch you can use a heavy weight engine oil but only if you have nothing else. It's seldom viscus enough to stay on the chain and gets cast off at speed so it needs to be topped up a lot.
I've had really good use out of a scottoiler automated lubrication system. This gives you a constant drip of lube while the engine is running. Not so much that it drips off the chain but enough that the chain is constantly lubricated and the build up of lubricant is cast off at speed, taking dirt with it and almost washing the chain while it lubricates. One chain lasted me 27 000 miles using one of these.
If you're not using an auto lubricating system like the Scottoiler then an important part of lubricating your chain is giving it a good clean first so that any dirt doesn't just sit on the chain. I lubricate while the chain is warm from a ride for better penetration. I tend to lubricate when I get home from filling the petrol tank, (~ every 150 miles) and clean the chain before lubricating about every 1 000 miles.
Other than that there is a wide range of Teflon or PTFE or wax based spray lubricants that do a great job. It's honestly hard to go very wrong. I used to use a spray wax but moved away from that as it tended to accumulate dirt too fast. If your in a wet environment this kind of wax lubricant can help keep the wet off the metal and help prevent rust though. Teflon or PTFE based sprays from the big names are fairly common and good all round lubes. Ask fiends who ride or try a few and see which suits you best. I've recently been trying the WD40 motorcycle chain lube and have been happy with the results.
Written 13 Oct 2015 · View Upvotes
Related QuestionsMore Answers Below
- What's a good brand of Motorcycle chain?
- Is it ok to use coconut hair oil on my motorcycle chain for emergency purposes?
- Is it ok to use used motorcycle engine oil as chain lubricant?
- Where would you get a gold motorcycle chain?
- How do you know when to replace a motorcycle chain?
Daniel Wallander, 35 years riding and wrenching on my own bikes.
1.5k Views
I don't think it really matters. I use PJ1 Blue or Black can. I use WD40 or Kerosene to clean the chain first.
I think it's more important to clean the chain regularly - every 500 miles - and thoroughly than which chain lube or wax you use. A clean chain will last. Using a cleaner that doesn't eat away at the orings is important. Kerosene is best, but it's flammable, so you need to use it outside and away from flames.
I currently have chain oilers on my chain drive bikes. They work very nicely, but you still need to clean the chain every once in a while.
Written 24 Mar · View Upvotes
David Doehm, Dyed in the wool motorcycle lover
1.4k Views
If you have a new modern chain ( X or O ring ) any of the top brand dry film spray lubes are fine. There must be over 200 on the market.
Old school guys using non-sealed old chains often use motor oil. But I'm sure there aren't many of the old chains still in use.
Written 14 Aug 2015
Jacker Frinandis, Lubrication Products Supplier
1.1k Views
The benchmark for motorcycle chain lubes is the tried-and-trusted DuPont Teflon Multi-Use spray. It's cheap, it's available just about everywhere and it works.
Written 8 Sep 2015 · View Upvotes
Christine Leov-Lealand, Marketer, Rebel, Author, Poet, Indie-publisher, Spiritualist, Artist
743 Views
Others have made comprehensive answers: I would add for an o ring chain you must use lubricants the manufacturer recommends. The wrong lubricant will destroy the o rings. Also use the lubricant sparingly applied to the inside of the chain. Go Well!
Written 6 Jun
Related Questions
- How often should you lube a motorcycle chain?
- How do you clean a motorcycle chain?
- What is the best chain to lock up my motorcycle with?
- Is it ok to use just chain lube on motorcycle chain without using the chain cleaner?
- What's the best motorcycle for beginners?
- How do you get rust off of a motorcycle chain?
- Are motorbike chain cleaning and chain lubricating the same thing?
- Which lubricant is best for mountain bike?
- What are the specs of a 520 motorcycle chain?
- What's the difference between shaft drive and chain drive motorcycles?
- Why would you want a gold motorcycle chain?
- What is the time interval for lubricating chain in pulsar 200ns?
- Would you reccomend me any of these three sprays for cleaning/lubricating a motorbike chain?
- Where can you buy chain breakers for a motorcycle?
- What is the application of long chain diacid in diester based lubricant?
- What's a good brand of Motorcycle chain?
- Is it ok to use coconut hair oil on my motorcycle chain for emergency purposes?
- Is it ok to use used motorcycle engine oil as chain lubricant?
- Where would you get a gold motorcycle chain?
- How do you know when to replace a motorcycle chain?
- How often should you lube a motorcycle chain?
- How do you clean a motorcycle chain?
- What is the best chain to lock up my motorcycle with?
- Is it ok to use just chain lube on motorcycle chain without using the chain cleaner?
- What's the best motorcycle for beginners?