Motorcycle Riding Tips - Lube That Chain

Caring for your motorcycle chain won't just prolong its life; it will mean your bike will ride as smoothly as it should too. 

Chain lubrication should be carried out roughly every 500km or so, so if you're a weekday commuter then simply make it part of your weekly maintenance schedule, while dirt bike riders should give it a once over each and every ride. 

A well lubricated chain will ward off corrosion, run quieter and last longer, and it will prolong the life of your sprockets too, so it's well worth the effort. A variety of different brands of chain spray are available, but go for a wax-based type of spray - these tend to cling better, with more of the lubricant sticking to your chain, rather than all over your wheel and swingarm. 

If you've got a road bike with a centrestand you'll find lubricating your chain takes seconds - simply put the bike on the centrestand on level ground, engage neutral and spin the wheel around while you spray a decent coating of lubricant onto your chain. 

If you don't have a centrestand, like if you've got a sportsbike, you can always buy a race stand that performs the same job - you'll need one to easily and effectively adjust your chain anyway, and they're a help in motorcycle maintenance and cleaning in general, so whatever way you look at it it's a good investment. Similarly, dirt bike owners will need a dirt bike stand - these use a small amount of leverage to lift the bike up from under its engine. 

And here's a motorcycle riding tip - if the chain is warm to begin with, ie you've been riding the bike for a few minutes to get some heat into it, you'll find a lot more of the chain lube will actually work its way into the links and stay there, as opposed to flying off within seconds after you've ridden off with a cold chain. 

A lubricated chain will pay dividends in the long term, but there's more to keeping your chain happy than simply keeping it well lubed - a thorough clean every now and then also helps and often highlights any minor problems before they become major ones, while maintaining the correct chain tension is vital.