You'll be surprised to know that even the motorcycle service centers skip the procedure of cleaning and lubricating the motorcycle chain. If the chain is grimy or dry, it can badly affect the bike's performance and its service life as well. You do not want that to happen. Right?
The following guide will help you understand the complete process of cleaning and lubricating your motorcycle chain. Remember that lack of lubrication can result in sprocket and premature chain wear, which in turn, may lead to a road accident. Although bike insurance will take care of all the losses, this doesn't mean that you should be careless towards the
maintenance of your bike.
1. Investigate The Bike's Chain
Checking the overall condition of your drivetrain is the foremost step to get started with cleaning and lubricating your bike's chain. Closely inspect the sprockets (both in the rear and front) and check if they are worn. If the chain has tight spots or the teeth of the sprockets are completely worn out, it's time to replace them immediately.
2. Use a Chain Cleaner
If your chain and sprockets are in good working condition but are very dirty and grimed, use a chain cleaner to remove dirt without any hassle. You may easily find different types of chain cleaners in the market. So, finding the ideal choice won't be a problem. However, if you have kerosene at home, do use it as it provides good results. After applying kerosene, brush the chain thoroughly for better adhesion.
3. Re-spray
To finish the cleaning process, re-spray the cleaner on the chain. This will help you get rid of the minute particles of gunk still left on the chain.
4. Dry The Chain
Prior to lubricating, your motorcycle chain should be completely dried. So, wipe the excess cleaner off the chain's surface and let the chain sit for a few hours. Keep patience until the chain gets dry.
5. Lubricate The Chain
Now it is finally time to lubricate the chain. The process of lubrication will vary depending on the type of motorcycle chain. In the case of plain chains, spread the lube in a liberal amount and wipe off the excess. On the other hand, with sealed chains, only small quantities of lube will work wonders. This is because the grease inside the O-rings takes care of all the lubrication, while lube you apply only protects the chain from rust.
Motorcycle chain maintenance is a smooth-sailing process if you follow and execute these steps in the right manner. How often the chain should be cleaned and lubricated depends on your riding conditions. For example, if you are riding in dirty or wet conditions, you must clean the chain a frequent number of times. This will avoid your motorcycle chain to be loaded with heavy gunk. Lastly, do not forget to buy a
two wheeler insurance policy to stay covered against uncertain losses. So, what are you waiting for? Get started with the cleaning and lubrication process today and vroom in the town.
