Safety first
- Work with the engine off and the bike stable on a paddock stand or centre stand.
- Keep fingers away from the chain and the sprockets, and never run the engine with your hands near them.
- Keep lubricant and cleaner off the tyre and the brake disc.
Clean it
Dirt and old grease turn into a grinding paste. Clean the chain with a cleaner made for motorcycle chains and a soft brush, because some solvents damage the rubber seals of O-ring and X-ring chains. Wipe it dry, then lubricate.
Lubricate it
- Apply chain lubricant to the inside run of the chain, where it can reach the rollers, preferably after a ride when the chain is warm.
- Let it settle for a few minutes and wipe off the excess so it does not fling onto the wheel.
- Many riders lubricate every few hundred kilometres and after riding in the rain. Follow the interval in the owner’s manual.
Check the tension
A chain that is too loose can jump off, and one that is too tight wears the sprockets and bearings. Measure the free play at the middle of the lower run, with the bike on its stand if the manual says so, and turn the wheel to check at several points, since chains wear unevenly. Adjust to the value in the owner’s manual.
Look for wear
- Stiff or kinked links, rust, or missing O-rings.
- A chain that stretches so much that you cannot reach the correct tension any more.
- Sprocket teeth that look like hooks or sharks’ fins.
Replace the chain and both sprockets together, because a new chain on worn sprockets wears out quickly.
Chain types, intervals and tension values differ between bikes. The owner’s manual and your mechanic are the final word for your model.