Do you know that aroma, almost a taste, before a hard rain is about to hit or when it does? We all do, but did you know there is a name for this?
It is called petrichor – and there are a few scientific brains that explain it – but sometimes I think I live with it.
Our barn, even in a drought, seems to be a walk-in humidor.
This poses several issues, but the one I want to deal with this month is what all this moisture can and will do to your bike's drive train.
Regardless of how I "thought" I was correctly maintaining four of the five motorcycles living under our metal roof, tell-tale rust and lackluster wearability kept rearing their heads.
This was embarrassingly brought up by one riding buddy, who likes to remind me of it again, and again, and… I sent a garbage truck to kill him, but failed at that too.
When coming back from our MLB Stadium Tour at the end of this Spring, Shira's V-Strom’s chain went south and we limped back home, cutting a great few days riding in the Allegheny National Forest off our itinerary.
Problems are only temporary if you look to solve them.
After getting home, and ordering a new chain and sprockets for the wifey, I set about diving deep into Motorcycle Chains 101.
Today’s O-ring style chain is made up of links, and each link has a number of parts that allow it to work as well as they do, or should.
Do you know there are 12 parts to each link? Two rollers, two sleeves, two rivets, two plates, and four seals, and when you multiply that by chain length – let's say 118, the length of the chain just ordered for the Suzuki - you have 1,416 parts all spinning faster than cable news was after the debate.
There is a superb video by TRyan Learn Bikes called Chain Secrets 101 on YouTube. Most excellent and informative.
So, now that we know how chains work, how do we keep them doing just that?
Cleaning your Chain
Cleanliness is next to Godliness – all that - yup, yup, yup.
But how do we keep our chain clean?
First, let's toss the one product that so many riders insist on using for this task.
WD-40 is great for so many things. Squeaky door hinges, cleaning tools, general household tasks, and quick lubrication fixes around the house – but not the best to clean your O-ring motorcycle chain. It is just too caustic in the long run.
There are a number of really excellent chain cleaners to be bought off the shelf – but they are pricey.
We have found that the very best cleaner is simple kerosene - in the blue bottle from any major box store or Tractor Supply.
Pour this into a spray bottle and this is all you will really need.
You can use a hard bristle brush, or a neat product we picked up called the Brush Rag, from Grease Ninja.
The ‘Brush Rag’ is a disposable, flexible brush specifically designed for cleaning the motorcycle drive chain with kerosene or other chain cleaners. The B-Rag is approximately 5” x 5” in size with a hand strap on the back of the brush. The ‘Brush Rag’ consists of flat bristles on a flexible backing, allowing it to be ‘wrapped’ 360 degrees around the drive chain for efficient chain cleaning. When the cleaning process is completed, the ‘Brush Rag’ is easily cleaned or discarded.
Block off your rear tire and anything else you might not want to get grimy when you are cleaning, and IMPORTANT – DO NOT RUN THE MOTOCYCLE’S ENGINE – when you are cleaning or lubing a chain. It might seem easier to let the engine spin the wheel, and you are being SO careful – but you will lose a finger or worse in you screw it up.
In fact, I follow my sage “Gun Master’s” rule that you never load a magazine in the presence of a hand gun. Never.
Put the bike’s keys in your pocket.
Spray down the chain with kerosene, and give it a good working with the Brush Rag – this should be natural to 80% of the riders out there.
Then wipe down repeatedly with a clean, but getting very dirty, rag.
Wow… how shiny and clean is your chain, hmmm?
It's really greasin’ it up, folks! He’s greasin’ it up! Yeah!
Terry Kath – South California Purples
Lubrication is key, and to get the chain properly lubed, in all the right places, and a minimum of mess we have been using a great tool called The Grease Ninja. This superb, easy-to-use, and affordable product makes chain lubrication a breeze by strategically aiming your chain lube of choice right between chain link plates. Lubricant is not placed on the rollers or in-between the rollers which wastes lubricant and increases cleanup time.
This puts the lubrication where it will evenly spread doing the job the lube was created for - keeping about 1400 little parts spinning quicker than Michelle Kwan on speed.
The Grease Ninja is chain size specific, so make sure you order the correct size. The Grease Ninja sells for $15, and a pack of five Brush Rages will run $20 – an easy investment to keep you and your 1,416 little friends rolling happily down the road.
Learn more at greaseninja.com.