Motorcycle maintenance is no rocket science, and cleaning a motorcycle chain comes in as one of the easiest things you can learn if you need to take care of your bike well and of course save some cash at the same time. Chain cleaning and adjustment comes in as an integral part of bike maintenance which needs to be done periodically after every 600 kilometers to 700 kilometers of usage depending up on the terrain and riding conditions.

Why chain cleaning is important?

Periodic chain maintenance extends life of the chain set. The motorcycle chain tends to stick dirt and slush and efficiency is thus decreased. With time all the unwanted particles sticking on the chain also cuts down the rings that hold the chain together. Also, the most common problem faced by people who doesn’t clean and lubricate their bike chains very often is ‘chain rusting’. A rusted chain will never be as efficient as a well maintained chain and thus power loss at the rear wheel comes naturally. Leaving the power losses aside, a well maintained chain’s life is much longer compared to the one which is never taken care of.

How to clean lubricate chain easily?

There are some very basic necessities for this process which include a chain cleaner spray, a chain cleaning brush, a cloth and a chain lubricant spray. Also if your motorbike doesn’t feature a centre stand you will definitely require an external support for the rear wheel which may be provided by a Paddock Stand or a G-Roller.

1. Park the motorcycle on the centre stand/paddock stand and engage the gear box in neutral to make sure the rear wheel is free to move.
2. Rotate the rear wheel clock wise and gently apply the chain cleaning spray. At the same time make sure you cover the ground with thick sheets of paper to prevent any spillage of the cleaning liquid on the floor.
3. Now use the cleaning brush throughout on all the chain walls to make sure no surface remains undone.
4. After the chain is thoroughly cleaned, use the cloth to soak up all cleaning liquid dripping from the chain set.
5. Let the chain dry for at least an hour and then use the chain lubricant spray and gently cover all the chain surfaces while repeating the earlier wheel motion.
6. Do not ride the bike until the lubricant spray settles down on to the chain which takes at least 40 to 60 minutes. Also, do not wash the vehicles right after applying the lubricant spray as it might get washed off in the process too.
7. Over application of spray may result in lube leaking out to the floor creating black patches which are hard to remove, so make sure you prevent over application of the lube spray.

Please Note: Chain cleaning and lubrication is a very simple process but can prove to be hazardous if all the steps aren’t properly followed. Make sure you turn the ignition off and never use the bike’s mechanical power to rotate the rear wheel. If done so, you might end up losing chunks of your fingers stuck between the chain and the rear sprocket and of course you wouldn’t want that. Also make sure to cover the face with a mask or a wet cloth while applying sprays to prevent accidental inhalation.