Simple motorcycle chain maintenance at home

Why your chain deserves more attention than it usually gets

Ask any experienced rider what causes most breakdowns and you'll usually hear the same answer: a neglected chain. It's one of those components that quietly gets on with the job until it doesn't, and then it fails at the worst possible moment — usually in the rain, forty miles from home. A clean, correctly tensioned chain transmits power smoothly, protects sprockets from premature wear, and can add thousands of miles to your drivetrain's life. Let it go and you're looking at increased fuel consumption, snatchy drive, and eventually a chain that either snaps or destroys the sprockets with it.

British riding makes chain care more important, not less. Salt on winter roads is corrosive, spring grit acts like grinding paste, and rain quickly washes away lubricant. If you ride year-round, a small investment in the right kit and fifteen minutes every few hundred miles will repay you handsomely.

The kit you actually need

You don't need a workshop full of tools. You need a handful of specific items, and quality matters more than quantity.

• A rear stand. A paddock stand or a centre stand lets you spin the rear wheel freely and work safely. Trying to clean a chain on its side stand invites trapped fingers and poor results.
• A dedicated chain cleaner or paraffin. Purpose-made sprays break down old lube and road grime without attacking the O-rings or X-rings. Paraffin does a similar job cheaply if you decant it into a spray bottle.
• A chain brush. A three-sided grunge brush cleans the top, sides and bottom of the chain in one pass. Keep an old toothbrush for awkward areas around the front sprocket cover.
• Chain lubricant. Choose one appropriate for your riding — a wax for drier months, a heavier lube for winter. Make sure it states it is safe for sealed chains.
• Degreaser and rags. Microfibre cloths or old towels for wiping down, plus a small tray to catch drips and protect your driveway.

Two things to avoid: a pressure washer aimed directly at the chain, which forces water past the O-rings, and general-purpose spray oil used in place of proper chain lube. It does not have the film strength or staying power required.

Check tension and wear before you clean

Always assess the chain first. Cleaning a worn or badly adjusted chain is wasted effort.

Find the tightest point by slowly rotating the rear wheel and checking the slack at several positions. Measure at the midpoint between the two sprockets, on the lower run of the chain. Most road bikes want somewhere between 25 and 35mm of movement, but check your handbook — it varies considerably between models. If the tension differs dramatically around the run, the chain has tight spots and is likely ready for replacement.

To check wear, pull the chain away from the rear sprocket at the three o'clock position. If it lifts more than a few millimetres and reveals much of the tooth behind it, the chain is stretched. Alternatively, measure across a set number of links as specified in your manual. A chain that's past its wear limit will eat new sprockets in no time, so replace both together.

Cleaning without damaging anything

With the bike on the rear stand, spray cleaner along the length of the chain and leave it to work for a couple of minutes. Then use the brush, rotating the wheel backwards by hand so you're not working near the sprocket with the wheel spinning under power. Never clean a chain with the engine running.

Work the brush around the full circumference, then wipe the chain down with a rag, pulling the cloth along the run rather than across it to avoid snagging. If the chain is particularly filthy, repeat the process. Clean the rear sprocket and the area around the front sprocket cover too — grime accumulates there and flings straight back onto your freshly cleaned chain.

Once clean, allow the chain to dry fully. Solvent left behind will dilute your new lubricant and reduce its effectiveness.

Lubricating properly

Apply lubricant to the inside of the chain, where the rollers meet the sprockets — that's the surface doing the actual work. Spray along the inner run while turning the wheel, then rotate the wheel a few more times to help the lube penetrate. Wipe off any excess from the outer plates with a clean rag.

Here's the bit most riders skip: leave the bike for at least twenty minutes, ideally overnight, before riding. Fresh lube needs time to settle into the rollers. Ride immediately and most of it ends up on your wheel rim and tyre sidewall, which is both wasteful and slightly worrying for grip.

In summer, aim to lube every 500 miles or so. In winter, with salt and standing water around, halve that. If you've ridden through heavy rain, give the chain a wipe and a fresh application the same day. Cleaning the whole chain isn't necessary every time — a wipe and re-lube is often enough, with a full clean every few applications.

A routine that fits real life

Make it easy on yourself. Keep your cleaner, brush, lube and rag together in one box, and get into the habit of doing the job when you get home from a ride rather than the night before the next one. Ten minutes on a Sunday evening is far more pleasant than an hour of scrubbing a rust-flecked chain in February.

Check tension monthly and after any tyre change or rear wheel removal. Listen to your bike, too — a whining or clicking chain is telling you something. Look after it and it will quietly look after you, mile after mile, through every British season the weather can throw at you.