Motorbike chain oil

[bazzaboy098]

I am new to the manual motorbike world at the ripe old age of 46. just starting of on a YBR125 and was reading about looking after the chain.

 

so my question is what is the best oil or wax to use for the chain?

 

Thank you in advance 

Edited September 2, 2022 by bazzaboy098

[Tiggie]

You will get hundreds of different opinions on this 

 

I have always been a fan of gear oil or chainsaw oil. Its cheap and plentiful. Use a small paintbrush to apply

[Gerontious]

Just now, Tiggie said:

You will get hundreds of different opinions on this 

 

I have always been a fan of gear oil or chainsaw oil. Its cheap and plentiful. Use a small paintbrush to apply

 

This is what the people who design and produce motorcycle chains recommend. if you ever come to buy one and read their maintenance instructions the will either say EP-90 or SAE80W-90 which is the same thing more or less. Gearbox oil. a litre bottle will last you years. here is the back of a D.I.D. box. look at the centre panel upper right.

[bazzaboy098]

1 hour ago, Gerontious said:

 

This is what the people who design and produce motorcycle chains recommend. if you ever come to buy one and read their maintenance instructions the will either say EP-90 or SAE80W-90 which is the same thing more or less. Gearbox oil. a litre bottle will last you years. here is the back of a D.I.D. box. look at the centre panel upper right.

 

2 hours ago, Tiggie said:

You will get hundreds of different opinions on this 

 

I have always been a fan of gear oil or chainsaw oil. Its cheap and plentiful. Use a small paintbrush to apply

Thank you Both, would you recommend cleaning the chain before hand and also what do you use for that  

[billy sugger]

I use a dedicated chain cleaner, but a lot of folks on here use parrafin and a good brush

[manxie49]

Another fan of EP90 gear oil here.  I've tried lots of the expensive types and EP90 seems to do just as good a job, if not better.  Make sure you also get a good chain brush, keep the chain clean, especially during the winter months.  Again, you'll get lots of differing advice on cleaning, personally, I use paraffin and have never had any issues.

[Gerontious]

Paraffin, and a cheap chain brush from eBay. Small 1” paint brush for the oil.  The chain brush will need replacing every year or so, but only cost a couple of quid from eBay.  I generally put old rags under the chain to catch drips.

 

I tend to clean the chain every 3rd oiling. Following the advice in my owners manual for the right mileage to do that.

 

it’s good practice to oil the chain immediately after a ride as the chain will be very warm and this allows the oil to penetrate. Bear in mind only a tiny part of oiling is to do with lubrication. It’s mostly, almost exclusively about preventing corrosion and stiff links and thus extending the life of the chain.

[onesea]

Another opinion for you I have chain oilers on both my bikes:

 

Loobman

http://www.loobman.co.uk/

and a:

Gidibii
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264743714990?var=0&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338343596&toolid=10001&customid=eb%3Ag%3Avms%3Aeb%3Ap%3A264743714990%3BCj0KCQjw08aYBhDlARIsAA_gb0e1nBjchSimfm1vbgc0cyPX0gqXhZw0LSvWYESEU5Ht9nqir4GoFrYaAhgBEALw_wcB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1I1cXvD8FSHuOHrL62Khacg33&gbraid=0AAAAADmMgiiUsPiQM8sYpNvRxytdolx1D&gclid=Cj0KCQjw08aYBhDlARIsAA_gb0e1nBjchSimfm1vbgc0cyPX0gqXhZw0LSvWYESEU5Ht9nqir4GoFrYaAhgBEALw_wcB

 

Others will say scotoiler:

However they are out of my budget

https://www.scottoiler.com/product-category/chain-oiler-systems/

 

I have had one and IMHO the above ones need a little more work but for price…
 

None of them are fit and forget but they reduce maintenance…

 

Then I only cleaned my chain once, I think it shortened its life.  Oilers should keep chain self cleaning IMHO.

 

 

 

 

 

[bonio]

If you're riding in winter, I would go for oil. I would worry that dirt from the road sticks to wax more than it would to oil. But I've no evidence for this

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I use different methods and products for my bikes due to the difference in use.

 

My Honda CBF which is my work bike so is used all year round in all weathers - I fitted the Gidibii oiler mentioned by @onesea as above. It is cheap and very effective. I fill it with gear oil in the summer and cheap 20W/50 engine oil in the winter. Used carefully the chain stays well lubricated but doesn't attract grit. I rarely need to clean it other than wiping it down with a rag soaked in paraffin every now and again.

 

My Triumph Bobber is a fair weather bike so I use Werth chain wax on it. It gets a spray with wax every 200 miles and then a wipe over with a rag soaked in wax to make sure the side of the links are coated. Once a year I use Werth's chain cleaner which does a cracking job.

 

Motorcycle chains are sealed with rings that keep the grease installed at manufacture in the links. So the main reason for lubrication is really to protect the chain from rusting. If you need to clean a chain paraffin is fine, just avoid anything like petrol or white spirit which will damage the seals in the links. 

[Davidtav]

I use this chain wax. It seems to work and not fling off as much as others I have used 

 

https://www.halfords.com/motorcycling/cleaning/tru-tension-bananaslip-motorcycle-chain-lube-583101.html

 

I occasionally clean the chain with Screwfix no nonsense degreaser. I have it diluted in a spray bottle. And use a chain brush. 

 

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-heavy-duty-degreaser-5ltr/88668

 

Everyone has their own routines I think. This seems to work for me. 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2022 by Davidtav