Motorcycle chain maintenance

Motorcycles are exposed to everything that our weather can throw at them and that means that they need plenty of care and attention. You’ll find that a motorcycle chain cleaning kit which includes a motorcycle degreaser quickly become your best friends! 

How to clean your motorcycle chain

It’s important that you know how to clean your motorcycle chain. Keeping your chain clean and lubricated is absolutely vital. A motorcycle chain cleaning kit is easy to use following 3 simple steps.

1. A quick squirt of the chain cleaner will remove dust, grime and any excess oil.

2. Next, remove unwanted grease from the engine using the kit’s motorcycle degreaser.

3. And finally, re-oil your chain. Any soap and water you have used to clean the body of your motorcycle can get into the lubricants on your chain so it’s a good idea to re-oil your chain after you have washed the body.

How to tighten your motorcycle chain

Your motorcycle’s drive chain needs regular maintenance as it is exposed to huge pressure in all kinds of weather and road conditions. A broken chain is definitely something to be avoided as it can damage your engine casing and could lead to a fall.

1. First, consult your manufacturer’s manual to establish the recommended tension and how much slack you should have.

2. Either mount your bike on its stand or ask someone to help you as you will need to have the bike’s rear wheel off the ground.

3. Loosen the axle nut of the rear wheel and slacken off the adjusters on either side by the same amount.

4. Once the chain is slackened off tighten up the axle nut to the point at which it has a very minimal amount of resistance.  Follow the same process with the adjusters.

5. Work out how much free play you have in the chain by holding a ruler against the bottom of its loop and then pushing it up and down to measure the movement. When this tension feels right to you, you need to move on to the wheel’s alignment.

6. Measure from the centre of the axle to a fixed point on the swingarm. Check that the distance from the centre of the axle to both sides of the swingarm is the same. If so, your rear wheel should be correctly aligned.

7. Tighten the axle nut to the manufacturer’s specifications using a torque wrench. You will need to maintain some tension on the chain as you tighten the nut.

Motorcycle chain FAQs

Q: What is the best tension to aim for when I tighten my motorcycle chain?

A: You should consult your manufacturer’s manual.

Q: How easy is it to clean my motorcycle chain?

A: It’s easy! All you need is a decent quality motorcycle chain cleaning kit.

Do you need to lubricate a new motorcycle chain?

The short answer to this is yes! Your motorcycle chain is always working and it is exposed to the elements. A well lubricated chain is essential to a comfortable ride and a bike operating in good condition. 

How often should you lubricate a motorcycle chain?

This depends upon two key variables: the weather and you amount that you ride. In dry conditions, dust gets into your chain and in wet conditions the enemy is water. And of course, the more you ride your bike, the greater the need to lubricate the chain. 

As a rule of thumb, you should lubricate your chain every 300 to 600 miles. This is best done after a ride rather than before as any solvents in the spray will have evaporated prior to riding.

And remember, frequent lubrication of your chain can never harm it whereas neglect does!

Castrol motorcycle parts cleaner

Castrol Motorcycle Parts Cleaner is a specially formulated spray developed to clean motorcycle metal parts.

Castrol Motorcycle Parts Cleaner is used for degreasing and cleaning engine components, brakes, carburettors, spark plugs, electrical switches and metallic surfaces.

It also cleans motorcycle chains, improving significantly the adhesion of motorcycle chain lubricants to reduce fling without damaging O-Rings.

Discover Castrol Motorcycle Parts Cleaner.