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hey guys
I would like some info on chain driven bikes , mines a nighthawk do the chains have to be lubricated and what should I use if any.

bubbyt wrote:hey guys
I would like some info on chain driven bikes , mines a nighthawk do the chains have to be lubricated and what should I use if any.

I'm going to move this to General Maintenace & Appearance instead of Total Motorcycle Talk.

Chain driven bikes do need to have the chain lubricated. First and most important is not letting it go too long between times. Any time it rains, you should lube the chain right away. My bike says every 600 miles to re-lube. Some say every 200 miles between lubes. It is critical to a safe long living chain.

I have used a couple chain lube products and they all seemed fine. I now use Bel-Ray chain lube. A lot of guys like using chain wax, since it collects less dirt and flings less than oil.

thanks for the info sorry I posted in wrong area
I'll make these mistakes until I get use to the site

that's ok, you're from the maritimes, we'll give you a few extra tries

scanevalexec wrote:Any time it rains, you should lube the chain right away. My bike says every 600 miles to re-lube. Some say every 200 miles between lubes. It is critical to a safe long living chain.

Delivery dude (also #2 salesman and #1 mechanic; it was a small dealership) said to do it "every three tanks of gas." Probably about every 500 miles. Seems like a lot, to me, but hey, it's a different world.

scanevalexec wrote:I have used a couple chain lube products and they all seemed fine. I now use Bel-Ray chain lube. A lot of guys like using chain wax, since it collects less dirt and flings less than oil.

What brand of wax? I use White Lightning on my bicycle (used to race; know way too much about chains, probably none of it transferrable to what's on my motorcycle). It collects maybe 20-30% less dirt externally, but does seem to last 20-30% longer in terms of squeak prevention. However, it's about 20-30% harder to clean off (bottle claims of "self-cleaning" aren't worth the ink on the label). Kind of a push. Though, again, maybe not at all relevant.

--Blair

The most important thing is too lube it with something.

Try different brands and types of lube untill you find what you like best. Don't buy a huge, jumbo-size can of anything untill you know you like the stuff inside it.

Lube it when it looks dry, for sure. But every 300-500 miles is a good interval to start with. It's best to lube it just after you ride, when the chain is warm and loose to get lube distributed well. I always wipe the excess off with a rag too, it helps stop flinging lube all over the bike.

You should clean the chain when it looks dirty. Dirt and crud will collect on the lube over time and will turn into a black, greasy mess. Use any safe solvent you like, most penetrating oils cut the stuff well, and wipe the mung off the chain. It takes lots of rags or paper towels and is messy, so lay down something to catch it. Then you might as well wash the bike, cause it will be a mess. And then lube the chain, just like you should lube it after riding in the rain.

BuzZz wrote: Lube it when it looks dry, for sure. But every 300-500 miles is a good interval to start with.

That's what the sticker on the chain guard says. But what does "looks dry" mean to someone who hasn't seen the difference? In my experience, wax lubes look dry a couple of hours after they're applied.

BuzZz wrote:Use any safe solvent you like,

The sticker also says not to use solvents because of the rubber O-ring seals... So what is an example of a "safe solvent"?

Out of curiosity, where's the best place to buy stuff like chain lube/wax and other sundry maintenance items? For reference, I'm in northern Virginia, USA.

My manual says to remove the old stuff with kerosene... You can find chain lube online if you dont have a local shop.

WD 40 also works.