Which one is better chain lube or wax, i want 2 buy some but dont know which one will work better? I do alot of long distance traveling so my chain needs 2 be looked after. thx :confused

You really don't need either one. Once your chain starts to look dirty, take a rag and some Kerosene and clean the chain of all the dirt. (When people just keep lubing their chain, without cleaning it propperly, you aren't doing crap to help the chain.) Now all new chains are either X-ring or O-ring, so the chain is already lubed all the time. After I clean the chain, I use WD-40 on the O-rings to ensure they stay in top shape for a long time. If the O-rings are good, then you shouldn't have any kinks in the chain either.

I too use WD-40 religously for many years and have not had a chain failure. I do however have to wipe down and lube often, due to the dirt driveway. It can attrack dust/dirt. But it sure is cheaper than "lubes/wax".

I have heard about so many people using WD-40 as a lubricant - when in all actuality it is primarily a degreaser/cleaner!

Don't get me wrong - WD-40 works wonders on chain-saw chains as a "light-weight" lubricant and as a rust inhibiter (especially if used FREQUENTLY) - however if you look at MOST motorcycle manuals, you're supposed to use clean heavy weight engine oil to lube your chain every 600 miles or so. WD-40 will cause the seals in the chain to crack and/or become brittle prematurely.

Also - cleaning the chain from dirt and foreign objects definitely prolongs the life of the chain. But you should also make sure you are using the right stuff to lube your chain with. When in doubt - READ THE MANUAL.

BTW - yes, I'm a mechanic.

I have heard about so many people using WD-40 as a lubricant - when in all actuality it is primarily a degreaser/cleaner!

Don't get me wrong - WD-40 works wonders on chain-saw chains as a "light-weight" lubricant and as a rust inhibiter (especially if used FREQUENTLY) - however if you look at MOST motorcycle manuals, you're supposed to use clean heavy weight engine oil to lube your chain every 600 miles or so. WD-40 will cause the seals in the chain to crack and/or become brittle prematurely.

Also - cleaning the chain from dirt and foreign objects definitely prolongs the life of the chain. But you should also make sure you are using the right stuff to lube your chain with. When in doubt - READ THE MANUAL.

BTW - yes, I'm a mechanic.
Your chain does not require lubricant. The O-rings are sealed. The Kerosene cleans the chain and the WD-40 degreases any deposits left on the O-rings, and acts as a rust inhibiter for those rainy days on the rest of the chain. I replace my chains yearly anyway. But they are always clean and look like new all the time.

Your chain does not require lubricant. The O-rings are sealed. The Kerosene cleans the chain and the WD-40 degreases any deposits left on the O-rings, and acts as a rust inhibiter for those rainy days on the rest of the chain. I replace my chains yearly anyway. But they are always clean and look like new all the time.

I was wondering how long it would take for me to get some flak about talking shit about WD-40 usage.

The cold hard fact is ALL moving parts require lubing - whether it's grease, oil, dry-slide, etc. The chain is no different. Even though motorcycle chains are "sealed" - they require lubricant at reqular intervals.

Like specified earlier - When in doubt, check the MANUAL! The Manual says for regular lubrication intervals of about 600 miles. I'm no Engineer or even a Chain Salesman - I'm but a lowely Mechanic that follows what the dude that wrote the manual says to do to prolong the life of the bike. Nothing more. :punk

The manual also has a recommended break-in too. Which is funny considering they beat the shit out of every bike on a dyno before it gets shipped. I don't follow the recommended break-in procedures of the manual either. Apparently, I'm doing something wrong with all the race bikes I have owned, even though I have never had a failure (such as a chain break) and my engines produce significant power. I've raced CBR's, R6's, TZ's, FZR's, Duc's and Suzuki's.

The manual is written for liability reasons for the most part. I'm sure you are a good mechanic and yes, the average person should probably lube the shit out of their chain, since they don't adjust or clean it after every ride (race weekends in my case), but those of us that actually maintain our bikes know what we are doing, as the proof is in the pudding and the results.

So tell me, if the o-rings are sealed what part of the chain do you recommend lubing? If someone lubes their chain and then doesn't do it again for a thousand miles, do you think the lube is still on the chain? Is the chain now no good? Are the o-ring seals now bad? Maybe I can find the answers in the manual?

WD40 is not a very good lubricant. It has almost 0 lubricant qualities. It was developed as a Water Displacement (WD) cleaner for small electric devices, motors etc. It leaves behind a very small residual film of something but it isn't much of a lubricant. Joe ignorant public started using WD40 for just about everything so its maker capitalized on that in their marketing and recommends it for just about everything.

It does make a very good cleaner. Using a quality chain lube following the WD cleaning will give far longer chain life.

Chains, including o-ring chains need lube!! The pin and inner roller have grease sealed in with the o-rings. The outer roller needs lube so it can roll free over the inner without excess friction and heat. A dry chain will run HOT, causing the grease to thin and eventually seep out from the oring seals.

So tell me, if the o-rings are sealed what part of the chain do you recommend lubing? If someone lubes their chain and then doesn't do it again for a thousand miles, do you think the lube is still on the chain? Is the chain now no good? Are the o-ring seals now bad? Maybe I can find the answers in the manual?

WD40 is not a very good lubricant. It has almost 0 lubricant qualities. It was developed as a Water Displacement (WD) cleaner for small electric devices, motors etc. It leaves behind a very small residual film of something but it isn't much of a lubricant. Joe ignorant public started using WD40 for just about everything so its maker capitalized on that in their marketing and recommends it for just about everything.

It does make a very good cleaner. Using a quality chain lube following the WD cleaning will give far longer chain life.

Chains, including o-ring chains need lube!! The pin and inner roller have grease sealed in with the o-rings. The outer roller needs lube so it can roll free over the inner without excess friction and heat. A dry chain will run HOT, causing the grease to thin and eventually seep out from the oring seals.


As "Mole" just previously posted - yeah the pins and rollers are what really use the lube at the regular intervals. As I'm sure you know - metal on metal contact needs some sort of lube for cooling and anti-friction. If someone doesn't lube the chain for a thousand miles - then they aren't following recommended inspection/maintenance intervals. The chain and sprocket should then be checked for wear.

You are definitely correct in that the manual is MOSTLY for liability - so let's say if a chain did happen to fail and cause significant damage to equipment or God forbid "person or persons" - who could possibly get sued for improper maintenance procedures? Not the manufacturer since there is NO MENTION of WD-40 or use of light lubricants or Solvents. The MECHANIC or whoever performs the regular maintenance of the bike could (unfortunately I've seen it happen to a couple of friends of mine - not for WD-40 usage, but other things I won't get into regarding not following recommended maintenance procedures.)

Of course the manual will not say anything about seal failure due to solvent use on chains - simply because they don't recommend using it PERIOD. That's one of the things you learn in Mechanic School - like learning to not spin bearings with shop air! So why would they have to address something that shouldn't be on the bike in the first place?

I'm not going to argue or debate WD-40 usage - do what you want. If it works for yah, then have at it. Believe what you want - just passing on 20 plus years of Maintenance Experience on Motorcycles, Cars and Airplanes (A&P Mechanic.) Just don't say you weren't warned. :nono

ive used the chain wax before and havnt had problems. have and still use WD40 to clean prior.
with my K6 i bought and used the suzuki lube. causes quite the mess if you dont let it sit and soak overnight before riding though -.-

Chain wax is all I ever use great stuff IMO. You can flood the chain with it and wipe it with an old rag to get your chain clean again. Then ride your bike and get the chain hot and spray more on from the inside out. Remember to adjust your slack on the chain and don't tighten it too much not good, its better to have it a little lose than too tight. Good luck:cheers

wd40 is good for CLEANING the chain but wont keep her in good condition.
I know the book says to do the chain every 600 miles or so but if you want your chain to last, that is not nearly enough!

As has been said, yes the chain is sealed with O or X rings but as the chain is in contact with the sprockets then it must be lubricated or else it will wear out very quickly.

If you do a lot of distances you could look at http://www.pro-oiler.com/ or an equivalent. The beauty of the Pro-Oiler system is it is electronically controlled, uses standard engine oil is not affected by temperature and keeps your chain in better condition than any manual method.

I had this system on my Tiger (I used to be a dyed in the wool manual cleaner) and will get round to fitting it to my new 750. Yes you will get some fling off (this is good as it takes the crap with it!!) and you will typically lengthen chain life by 200 or 300%!

Given the stresses your chain is put under it should be treated with kid gloves. Personally I redo the chain with wd40 then Motorex strong after any long ride or couple of short ones. Extreme? I dont think so, good condition chains? YES!

is the answer lube or wax?

I use this:
http://shop.com.edgesuite.net/ccimg.catalogcity.com/220000/226900/226902/products/13291595.jpg

And that:
http://www.horsepower.cz/fotovyr/107.jpghttp://www10.tok2.com/home/kyosei/img/s2/brush2.jpg

i use Wurth dry chain lube on mine, turns into a kinda of wax when put on the chain... does not fling either :)

What are you guys thinking - saying that you don't need lube because it's an o-ring or x-ring chain? That only keeps the INSIDE of the links lubed. You clean and lube the chain to keep the OUTSIDE and the SPROCKETS from wearing out . I would think that would be painfully obvious.

Also, a wax such as MAXIMA chain wax works great. It has incredible film strength and does not fly off at all.

I beat the crap out of my 'Busa and sold it with 10K miles on it and the chain and sprockets looked brand new. I lubed every 300 and cleaned everything every 1K with kerosine.

Soooo, what do you use for a lube to reduce the sliding friction between the chain roller and the sprkt teeth?? When I see the rollers gettin shiny its time for the lube.. Had 33000kms on my 02's chain and it was just like new.. And I have been wrenching on putts for 30+ years, some know of what they speek.. use a good quality lube .. often.. its cheaper than chain/spkt sets.. WD-40 is mainly a cleaner, NOT a lube.. its your chain, use what ya want..

clean and lube everytime or lube lube clean or is it lube lube lube clean

Pretty simple. The chain needs lubrication. Wax or Oil (petro based) doesn't matter. Wax will cause less "fling" and oils will lube better. The catch is that oils and waxes don't mix. If you use wax, the best thing you can use to clean the chain is large quanities of it. The wax is in solution in the can, and the solvent will disolve/flush dirty wax from the chain. Use it heavily, let it sit about 15 minutes and wipe off the excess. The outside of the chain doesn't need lubrication. If you use an oil lube, then use kerosene to clean it. I don't put a lot of effort into it. The chain will need replaced eventually, and my time is worth more than toothbrushing a consumable component of the bike.

I use Maxima Chain Wax, it's good for chain lubing and keeps that chain good and greased all the time, i wouldn't use anything else

I use this:
http://shop.com.edgesuite.net/ccimg.catalogcity.com/220000/226900/226902/products/13291595.jpg

And that:
http://www.horsepower.cz/fotovyr/107.jpghttp://www10.tok2.com/home/kyosei/img/s2/brush2.jpg

Exactly the same thing I use.

Exactly the same thing I use.

yeah, me too, except my toothbrush is blue :lol

I'm using Motul Chain Clean for cleaning along with the KettenMax chain cleaning brush system.

For lubing I'm using DuPont Teflon Chain Wax/lube, this stuff is the only way to go. Keeps your chain clean, and doesn't fling off!! My white rims stay white and my gold chain stays gold. I swear by this stuff. Unfortunately I can only get it in the US so if you're in Canada you gotta make a trip across the border.

MotoRex makes an awesome chain cleaner. you just spray it on and the old dirt and grease run off like water. then I use PJ-1 Blue chain lube. it goes on clear so the chain looks new and any fly-off lube doesn't show. trust me it's a winning combo. on a side note...WD-40 ain't a great lube and you DO need to lube the outside.

I use this:
http://shop.com.edgesuite.net/ccimg.catalogcity.com/220000/226900/226902/products/13291595.jpg

And that:
http://www.horsepower.cz/fotovyr/107.jpghttp://www10.tok2.com/home/kyosei/img/s2/brush2.jpg


me too.:punk

It seems like most of you have the right idea. there really is no right or wrong when it comes to chain wax or chain lube.:cheers I also use wd-40 on a rag then wipe the chain(i don't spray the wd-40 directly to the chain) i have come to find that Silkolene Pro Chain race lube is the best for me. I have even had a couple of mechanics and friends swear by it after i showed them. It really is great. 18,000 miles on a 04 gix 1000 and the sprocket and chain still look pretty damn good. the lube also help prevent any corrosion.

What are you guys thinking - saying that you don't need lube because it's an o-ring or x-ring chain? That only keeps the INSIDE of the links lubed. You clean and lube the chain to keep the OUTSIDE and the SPROCKETS from wearing out . I would think that would be painfully obvious.

Also, a wax such as MAXIMA chain wax works great. It has incredible film strength and does not fly off at all.

I beat the crap out of my 'Busa and sold it with 10K miles on it and the chain and sprockets looked brand new. I lubed every 300 and cleaned everything every 1K with kerosine.

me too, 16000 miles and chain/sprokets in almost perfect condition...
WD40 will over time corrode your o-rings... with the temperature the chain reaches you do need proper lubricant, be it wax or lube....

The wiff discovered the best cleaner you can use. Spray the chain really well with Simple Green. It should foam up pretty good. Let it soak for about five minutes, then rinse it off completely.

The hard part is staying patient enough to let it dry 100%. Then lube and run.

If you're using wax, remember, to lube it, then ride it for a few minutes, then lube it again. We lube our chains immediately after every ride when the chains are still hot.

I have 14,000 miles on the Busa chain and she has 7,000 on hers. Still at the same adjustment points they were on originally.

--Wag--

as it has been said, either will be fine. frequency is much more important than which product you use. I like wd40 to clean and honda white lithium grease to lube. it does not fling much and has kept my chain and sprockets looking good.

Originally Posted by slack0Yd
I use this:
http://shop.com.edgesuite.net/ccimg.catalogcity.com/220000/226900/226902/products/13291595.jpg

And that:
http://www.horsepower.cz/fotovyr/107.jpghttp://www10.tok2.com/home/kyosei/img/s2/brush2.jpg

Same here too

I'm using Motul Chain Clean for cleaning along with the KettenMax chain cleaning brush system.

For lubing I'm using DuPont Teflon Chain Wax/lube, this stuff is the only way to go. Keeps your chain clean, and doesn't fling off!! My white rims stay white and my gold chain stays gold. I swear by this stuff. Unfortunately I can only get it in the US so if you're in Canada you gotta make a trip across the border.


The DuPont Teflon Multi is the shit! I got it for my chain after reading many reviews and this stuff rocks! I have been using it all over the freaking house on every thing, even on fire arms. It is amazing! :punk

Maxima chain wax +1

+1 on the dupont teflon chain lube.

Wow, that KettenMax chain cleaning system is pretty nice. I've seen something similar to that somewhere, except it looked like a 3-headed toothbrush. To each his/her own on chain cleaning. It's your bike, so clean it whatever way makes you happy.:cheers

Theere are alot of products out there, no doubt and to each his own personal preference. There are however many parallels between a bike and say a gun. The idea being that your life can depend upon the equipment, the care of, and the expirience. You want minimal effort, cause we all know how many things there are to detail no one wants to spend all day cleaning and lubing their chain, (or gun for that matter) you want to clean, lube, and protect. And thus, there is the answer I found, a common product that allows you to spray on lightly and wipe off with a cloth, very slick, and will prevent rust and dirt from getting in or building up. Ive turned on a few friends and all have come back with many thanks. Brake Free's CLP clean,lube,preserve one of those things youd wished you knew about to begin with.

The process I've used to clean my chain:

Spay WD-40 all over chain, wipe away crud with shop towels. Ride around for 10 mintues to get the "flyaway" off the chain.

Apply actual CHAIN LUBE with the chain still being warm. Wipe away excess lube.

I used to get comments all the time about how clean my chain/sprocket looked.

MotoRex makes an awesome chain cleaner. you just spray it on and the old dirt and grease run off like water. then I use PJ-1 Blue chain lube. it goes on clear so the chain looks new and any fly-off lube doesn't show. trust me it's a winning combo. on a side note...WD-40 ain't a great lube and you DO need to lube the outside.

Unless your answer is "too prevent rust", why the hell would the outside of the chain need lubricant?

hey guys! m8s got an interesting one! ive seen his chain on his ducatti and its immaculate and he told me the trick! buy from ur local hardware store sum chain saw oil! apply it with a toothbrush. wipe exess off with a towel! and bingo a nice non sticky chain! Jay