The chain is the link between the engine and the wheels and must always be in perfect condition. These are the steps you have to follow to maintain the motorcycle chain .
Index of contents
How to maintain the motorcycle chain correctly
#1 Place the motorcycle well
The first step you have to take is to put the motorcycle safely. In case it has an easel, you just have to put it up on it. If not, you’ll need to get a maintenance stand, preferably one that grips the bike by the swingarm. You can choose one of these, either with a diabolo or with platforms. We recommend that you choose the kickstand with diabolo, since most of the motorcycles you can buy today come prepared to install this grip easily with a screw. As a last option you can have one of those that holds the motorcycle on the side, similar to a kickstand.
kit review
Once you have the motorcycle well positioned, you should check how the transmission kit is, at least the chain and crown. The attack pinion is more camouflaged, behind a specific cover, sometimes inside the crankcase cover. If you want to do it in such a way that there are no doubts about the state of the kit, it is best to spend some time disassembling the cover to see the state of the pinion, in addition to thoroughly washing all the dirt that gets into this area, a mixture of dust, oil and grease, which usually harm the condition of the motorcycle chain.
The motorcycle chain has to be flexible without lumps forming. The crown with the teeth of the same shape and identical to each other, without sharpening too much or thrown forward, as that would be a sign of wear. The position of the chain tensioners that are located on the rear axis of the wheel must remain in the initial position, and the chain in a slack position of about three cm. Check that the tensioners do not remain at the end, as this is a sign of the end of their life.
chain cleaning
The next step must be to clean the motorcycle chain well, it must be with the ideal degree of tension, greased and with all its loose links between them. Which will be difficult if it is greasy and dirty all over. So you have to clean it so that the grease does not enter parts of the motorcycle that should not enter and the links turn freely.
People think that a little soap and water is enough to leave it very clean, but this way of cleaning can cause some parts of the motorcycle to rust. There are also those who clean it with gasoline and a brush, an ancient cleaning mechanism whose effectiveness is highly doubted. There are also those who choose to remove the dirt with a simple cloth. But the most useful thing to clean the chain of your motorcycle is to use a product that is specific for such a mission, in addition to using it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
grease the bike
According to the most experienced motorcycle mechanics, it is best to lubricate with grease dissolved in used motor oil, filter it and keep it hot. This system is already obsolete, because currently there are other ways to lubricate the motorcycle. At present there are specific products for greasing the chain of your motorcycle. There are products for each specific motorcycle use, for off road, road use or racing motorcycles.
Once you have executed the previous steps correctly, this step is easy. You will only have to apply the grease with the spray from the manufacturer of the product in question along the entire length of the chain of your motorcycle, on all parts of it, keeping your vehicle in neutral and turning the wheel manually. It is of vital importance that you do not leave the engine running or any gear engaged while you carry out this process, as it can be of high risk for you, since you can have a major accident that costs you a serious injury. Do not forget that you are doing a job with precise machinery and you have to follow the steps in detail so as not to end badly.
Recheck tension
Finally, you just have to do a new check of the chain of your motorcycle. If everything was fine at the beginning of this process, there shouldn’t be any problem. And in case it wasn’t like that, you can put it in its place, proving that in the process of handling the chain you don’t leave the grease you just used on your hands or on the tools you use.
To finish the testing process, it is recommended that you take a ride with your motorcycle, this is to distribute the oil equally and naturally, thanks to centrifugal force. Thanks to this process, your chain will serve you for many more kilometers.
Leave a Reply