The Tiger's chain before cleaning.	Same section of chain after spraying on the Motul Chain Clean.
Another section of chain before cleaning.	Same section of chain after Motorex Chain Clean 611.
Third section of chain before cleaning.	After using kerosene and a light application with the Grunge Brush.

►Comments

Comments?  Send them to Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.

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NOTE:  See the wBW article Motorcycle Chain Lube for the source of controversy on whether to use WD-40 or not.

From "K.K.":  "Was just reading your article as I found myself in a position with no chain cleaner, and no Kero.
I noticed that you mentioned using the kerosene with a paint brush and then a grime brush, I just thought I'd pass on some advice that my local motorcycle mechanics gave me when I was last there asking about the best way to clean a chain, both for cost and efficiency.

The one thing they greatly recommended AGAINST, other than the use of WD40 (not only because of the issues you stated but also because if it gets onto your brake assembly, or tyres it can damage your grip to the road and stop your brake pads gripping) is the use of a brush to clean with kerosene, apparently this can also damage the O rings in your chain.  They recommended dousing a cloth in kero and then using it to wipe down the chain.  Hope this is helpful : )  Great article btw!"

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From "J.N.":  "I read your review and in my experience I have found no easier and economical way of cleaning a bike chain is with kerosene.

I usually fill an old plastic Chinese (food) takeaway carton with kerosene then grab an old toothbrush or two.  Dip the brush in the oil then begin scrubbing the whole chain and repeat until clean!  Get your hands on a cloth and also dip it in to the oil, spin back wheel and then run it along the length of the chain to get more of the crud off the chain.

I ride my bike all year through all sorts of weather and depending on the lube that I use it attracts some serious dirt and grit.  I think the lube is important to avoid hard cleaning jobs.  I find the dry sticky wax lubes are the worst for attracting dirt during the winter months and I now use a more oily lube.

I would recommend a Scottoiler for long term use and everyone I know who uses one have excellent chains in good condition and the oil flings off most of the dirt and requires less cleaning.  I just need £70 to buy one though!"

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From "C.W.H.":  "The best cleaner for all motorcycle chains is using good quality mineral spirits.  I learned this trick from my grandfather many years ago.  He was a machinist for many years and they would always use mineral spirits to degrease and clean many of their machines and tools.  Mineral spirits are a petroleum based product that should not harm o-rings.  Mineral spirits are also used in conjunction with a oil as a lubricant/coolant when tapping and dying metals.  I have personally used this method for years; on both on-road and off-road bikes.

I love your web site, keep up the great work."

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From "T.H.":  "From my experience as a machinist, nothing cut oil and grime better than oil.  I always just oil up the chain very well and use a rag to wipe it clean then re-apply more oil."

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From "M.D.":  "Hi there, thanks for the great site - pretty useful.  About your article on cleaning the motorcycle chain, you may want to have a look at a product called the Scottoiler.  I had this fitted on my new Kawasaki ER-6F last year, and the chain is still good as new.  This is the must have accessory to anybody that uses the bike on a regular basis.  Essentially it cleans and lubes the chain as you ride, and chain cleaning never features on my list of bike related chores.

I commute about 150 miles every day, rain or shine, except ice, and thanks to this device, the whole WD-40 debate, which is the best way to do XYZ to your chain is moot.  Simply top up when the reservoir is empty and you are good to go.  I top up every two weeks or so.  Check it out, here in the UK most commuters and long distance tourers have one on the bike."

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From "F.S.":  "Once again thanks for a great web site.  I bought a new 2006 Suzuki GZ250 in May and was not happy with the chain lubricant I got at the dealers.  But after reading a few things on Web Bike World, I felt confident on how to clean the chain (kerosene put on with a brush) and what lubricant to use ( DuPont Teflon Multi Use Lubricant).  My chain is now spotless and it'll be easy to relube every 200 miles or so."

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From "J.H.":  "I read all of your information on chain care before I cleaned mine for the first time.  I tend to use what I have on hand, so I grabbed my Simple Green concentrate, cut off the bottom of a soda bottle, and dipped my stiff nylon mini brush in it (full strength) and scrubbed away.  I rinsed it by spraying clean tap water from a spray bottle and it came out great!  I found the DuPont Teflon spray lube at Lowes for $4.29 a can and it works great, can't beat the price.  Keep up the good work informing us noobs on proper MC care."

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From "G.C.":  "Something I learned recently, to my surprise: I bought a DL-650 a couple months ago, and I just looked at the manual, which predicts dire consequences and says the warrantee is void if you use anything other than kerosene to clean the chain.  It SPECIFICALLY says not to use commercial chain cleaners or sprays, WD-40, or gasoline.

So I said what the heck and bought some kerosene.  Well, it's a riveted chain and since I'm (lazy), I was looking around for some way to easily clean the chain on the bike w/o having kerosene go everywhere.

I had a 1-gal pressure bottle with a wand for spraying pesticide.  So I poured the kerosene in that.

I put a large rectangular pan under the bike, then I found a piece of Plexiglas and I cut a quarter-circle in one corner so it would fit behind the sprocket.  I used a small c-clamp to clip the other end to one of the suspension dog-bones. I made sure the bottom of the plexi overlapped the top of the pan.

I pumped up the bottle, adjusted it to a fine spray, pointed it at the lower chain run and started spinning the wheel by hand. Bingo! in about 5 minutes I had a "brand new chain" - I didn't do ANY scrubbing at all!
It took maybe about 30 turns of the wheel, I didn't actually count.  So I figured "well, that's a 3-month-old chain anyway, let's try that on the SV-650 with 18,000 miles on the chain" and it worked on that too.
Tons of nasty black crap, grit, and red rust went into the pan.

The chain ended up much cleaner than the bottom pic of the Kettenmax.  There was no grunge in the side plates or around the pins, and even the etched DID logos are clean.  I ended up using about a 16oz cup of kerosene per bike.  The bug sprayer puts out an extremely fine and effective mist. And it was NOT messy. The plexi backstop directed all the nasty into the pan, and there was no over-spray.

Best of all, there was no effort involved.  I drizzled some 90wt oil on afterwards as a lube. So with a $15 sprayer, a $5 gallon of kerosene, and some other odds & ends, I do think I have the hot setup for cleaning my chains. I also have an excellent flamethrower if anyone tries stealing my bikes!"

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From "A.":  "Hi, just a note... I've been using WD-40 on my motorcycles for the last 20 years without a problem.  WD-40 does NOT repeat does not eat away O-rings, plastics, etc, etc.  I have O-ring chains on my motorcycles and they last me 20,000 miles...repeat 20,000 miles.  All i do is every 200 miles or so, spray WD-40 on the inside of (the) chains.  So much that it drips off onto the floor.  Ready for the next ride.  I also spray it on all my bikes tanks then wipe off (the) excess and leave it...  I also use WD-40 on my rifles all over, even the stocks.

Here's one, work this one out: someone years ago told me to store O-rings from garden hoses in WD-40.  As I noted they last about 1 year in normal storage.  I bought a pack of these garden O-rings (20) got a jar, placed O-rings inside and sprayed WD-40 to coat them very well.  There's probably a quarter inch of WD-40 in this jar.  I did this 10 years ago, and I can guarantee the O-rings are as good as the day I bought them...  Work that one out.  So if garden hose O-rings can handle this I would say motorcycle riders have no worries when it comes to spraying WD-40 on ANY PART of a motor cycle...  One more thing: my mates bike white is same as my bike, sprays chain oil (proper stuff) he worked out the chain lasts approx 12,000 miles.  He's using WD-40now...."

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From "J.G.":  "Most of my riding buddies and I use el cheapo foamy engine degreaser to clean our bike's chains.  My 2003 ZRX 1200R is still on the original chain and sprockets, and the last time I had the wheel off for a rear tire change (at 10k miles), I could not see a visible difference when holding a new sprocket against the one with the miles.

I'm running Maxima chain wax, and apply a shot to the plates and ends of the rollers about every 500 miles. I clean the chain every 1000 to 1500 miles or so.  So far, so good.  P.S. I do use a brush... A toothbrush! :)"

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From "S.C.":  "Rick…you may want to give some more thought to the chain lube vs. WD40 debate.  Just because an aerospace engineer states that it will penetrate O-rings doesn’t mean this happens in the real world.  In fact I’m pretty sure it doesn’t.  His comparison/illustration is apples/oranges to our application.  Myself and many others have been using nothing but WD40 on street bike chains for years, with no problems and no shortened service life of any kind.  Here’s the bottom line in my opinion:

WD40 doesn’t eat O-rings, people keep saying it does but I haven’t seen even one actual bit of proof
On an O-ring chain, the lube for the most critical friction points is sealed inside (pin to bushing areas)
Based on practical experience, the WD40 does not penetrate into this area, the ring seal has to be better than that to keep the grease in (it’s pretty thin when it’s hot) and keep water out.

No, WD40 is not a very good lubricant, but a ring chain doesn’t need one.  Heavier, stickier chain lubes attract dirt, which can turn into a “grinding paste” and actually wear out your components faster
With WD40, there isn’t near as much of a need for cleaning the chain.  And you don’t end up with a pound of junk trapped up in the area around the front sprocket, plus goo all over your rear wheel, etc.

Just to back up a minute…there is an impression that chains need to be lubricated.  Do they?  Well, yes and no.  The whole idea of a ring chain is for it to be low- or no-maintenance.  Nearly all of the wear and friction on a chain is in the pin to bushing area, each pin to bushing interface must support the tensile load on the chain, and then pivot while under this load.  On a modern sport bike, the pounds per square inch is amazing!  Luckily, the grease is sealed in and we don’t need to worry about lubricating this area. So, we’re not looking for a lubricant, so much as a cleaner/protectant (to prevent rust).

No, I don’t work for WD40 or get any kickbacks.  If you are bored some time, check out yamahafz1oa.com and do a search on WD40…there’s input from hundreds of riders, not all agree of course but the majority of opinions and experience support my statements above.  Typically the chain lasts at least 15,000 miles if the owner leaves it long enough to find out.

As a side note: I have multiple bikes and do not use WD40 on my bikes that have non ring chains. Standard chains need a real lubricant.  Thanks!"

Editor's Note:  Thanks for your comments, S.C., they will surely add fuel to the WD-40 controversy!  Note that R.S. in the Motorcycle Chain Lube article (who, by the way, is who is a chief airplane crash investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board), did not claim that WD-40 dissolved the O-rings.  The claim was made that WD-40 "is largely a penetrant" and may dissolve the grease behind the O-rings, just as it has dissolved the grease behind the seal on the sealed bearing shown in the photo.  My own feeling is that this is more of a valid comparison than not...  By the way, I agree that most motorcycle chains are over-lubed and that most riders probably obsess way too much about this topic!

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From "N.F.":  "Read your article on lubing and cleaning bike chains.  The best solution I've come up with so far is to use Hondalube chain lube in the red can.  It does a better job cleaning than WD-40 and, as it is a lube, will not do anything untoward to my O-rings.

Also, one of the best (albeit messiest) lubes for any chain is chainsaw bar & sprocket oil.  It's very very tacky to resist fling, and as it is a liquid oil (not a wax or a thin film product) it is sure to maintain a good bearing surface on your rollers.  It will fling like a mother for the first few miles, though, even if you wipe off the excess."

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From "J.R.":  "Try PB Blaster penetrating oil spray from Wal-Mart, then Dri Film Lubricant spray from K-Mart, then wiping off the chain with an old rag, then Dupont Lithium Grease spray from Lowes.  It works well for me."

When I questioned the use of PB Blaster on O-rings, J.R. responded:

"The directions for PB Blaster penetrating oil says it improves damaged O-rings, with fixing a leaky toilet valve as an example on the can.  I did try it for a leaking toilet valve first, which worked fine again for a few more months, but the smell of the oil in this small bathroom was bad the first few days.  I am thinking the next 2 sprays I add get drawn into the chain by the penetrating oil, wherever the O rings have a small leak that allows the original grease to start coming out.

My stock DID O-ring chain and sprockets have 8,000 miles on them, and the chain has only been adjusted once so far, with about 5/6 of the wear length left at the axle.  I am doubting the chain will last 48,000 miles for the mostly curvy country roads that I ride on, but will find out.

A good chain to try is the Parts Unlimited X-ring chain ... according to my mechanic near Frankfort, Kentucky.  He only sells Belray Superclean and Chain Wax for lubing chains, though."

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From "G.S.":  "I have to disagree with your response to "JK".  The grease is sealed behind the O-rings.  Unless you use a pressure washer to force the EcoTech past the O-rings, the cleaner is not going to hurt the chain.  Since this 'degreaser' came packaged with my Grunge Brush, I'd expect it to be compatible with O/X-ring chains.  I simply pour some on a rag and rub the chain down the same as if I was using kerosene.  The key to keeping your chain well maintained is to keep it clean and lubed.  Letting 'grunge' build up to the point of it becoming a chore to remove, means your lagging on your chain maintenance.

As far as lube, every owner's manual I've ever had has said to use plain old motor oil. I use 90Wt gear oil. Other than a little fly-off, never an issue.

I think people who use spray-on chain lubes get a false sense of protections and have a tendency to neglect proper maintenance.  Kerosene to clean and moto oil to lube.  Works great and it's cheap!!  The perfect combination.

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From "J.K.":  "Love the info on the web-site.  I’m a bicyclist who recently purchased a motorcycle.  For my bicycle, I have found Finish Line Citrus bio-solvent degreaser works amazingly well on the chain.  I am considering trying it on my motorcycle.  The only thing I don’t know is if it would be too much of a penetrant like WD-40. 

Although I haven't tried it, their EcoTech2 degreaser is claimed to be safe for O-rings.  Bicyclists seem to have many more options when it comes to chain cleaning than motorcyclists.  Maybe because legs get direct feedback when you have to pedal harder, it’s a more natural consideration for cyclists.

Keep up the great work!"  Thanks J.K.!  I'm not sure if I'd use a product labeled as a "degreaser" on a motorcycle chain.  There is grease inside the O-rings, and diluting or removing it with a degreaser is probably not a good idea - Editor.

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From "P.B.":  "Rick, I came across your article regards a chain cleaner, which looks a bit late in the day for this response, but I would like to add my two penny's worth I suppose.

I have used WD-40 on my chains for years, mainly on my daily use (14,000 per year) XJR1300.  And although in one way I support you friend's comment (the aero-engineer), in another you have to remember bike (motorcycle) chains are not generally machined or produced to this level of spec (the bearing), so a certain amount of latitude can be allowed; after all, if it was too fine a clearance, the oil could not penetrate.

If you use WD-40 to remove oil, it is important to get rid of the WD-40.  I have always cleaned my chains in WD-40, wiped the chain clean with a lint free absorbent cloth, and then lubed my chain, NOT with a wax lube but a penetrating lube.  Run the bike around the block for a couple of miles at low speed to warm it up and get the lube to penetrate, come home and coated it again.  As I said its always worked for me, and I know a little about Tribology in my job."

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From "N.M.":  "What I've always used and seems to do no harm to the chain is regular degreaser (usually Orange Clean or Simple Green), the grunge brush, and water.

When the chain looks rather nasty, I spray the chain with degreaser at the rear sprocket while I rotate the wheel on a rear stand.  Spray both the outside and inside of the sprocket to get both sides of the chain.  Let it set for a few minutes.  Then scrub away with the grunge brush.  Been doing that for 36,000 miles and two chains, this cleaning method has never done me any harm."

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From "T.D.":  "I've been cleaning my chains with WD-40 for 20 years.  Spray it on and wipe it off with paper towels.  I also clean suspension and wheels with WD-40.  I have had no problems with WD-40 regarding the chains, however, I do use a chain oiler.  I never get less than 20,000 miles from a chain.  Who knows?"

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From "S.S.":  "I saw the latest article on chain cleaning and it got me to thinking. (Dangerous!)  I use a product called Ballistol on my firearms.  It’s used as a cleaner and lubrication.  It’s a do it all type of product as well.  I was just wondering if it might be used as a chain cleaner without the supposed bad side effects of WD-40.  I’m not sure if it would be a good chain lube as it’s a bit thin.  But I figured I would mention it in case you wanted to take a look at it."

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From "L.I.":  "I recently read your article about cleaning motorcycle chains.  I ride bicycles a lot and also a Suzuki SV 650.  For about a year I used Clean Streak by White Lightning on the motorcycle chain along with a Grunge brush.  This combination works well on my bicycles and it seemed ok on the motorcycle.

Starting about 6 months ago I switched to using Motul Chain cleaner and it seems to work pretty well.  I use it sparingly in a well ventilated area since the fumes seem really noxious.  After 3 or 4 applications I am still on my first can of the stuff.  I after cleaning the chain I let it dry for 10 or 15 minutes then spray Bel Ray chain lube on it.  I also spray some of the chain cleaner on a rag and wipe down the rear sprocket. 

I like that lube because it leaves a white film so I can see what part of the chain I have already covered.  This lubricant does not fling off and seems to hold up pretty well here in Seattle, where it rains quite a bit."