Motocycle Maintenance - Look After Your Chain

Taking care of a motocycle's chain is one of the most important kinds of motocycle maintenance, however being one that is frequently ignored by most riders. Many motorbike riders, whether they are professionals or just new with bikes should always ensure that their motocycle's chain is regularly well maintained and in great shape. This doesn't necessarily mean just giving it a good clean, but also requiring you to adjusting the chain, as well as making sure both front and rear sprockets are in top condition at all times. Although this may sound simple enough, many riders still tend to ignore manufacturer guidelines and simply cut corners when doing their routine motorcycle maintenance.

Neglecting motocycle maintenance, in particular your bike's chain can have disastrous effects on your bike and your wallet.

A few words of advice:

- Make sure your chain is kept clean to the best of your ability every single time you ride. Removing your chain from your bike is the easiest way to make sure that you are cleaning your chain effectively. Many motoring outlets will supply specialist brushes which are just the thing for getting into the hard to reach areas, ensuring that the chain maintenance process is competed correctly.
- There are hundreds of specialist cleaners that can be used, but ensure that once clean, your chain is never left to dry out on its own. Use a clean cloth followed by a de-watering spray such as WD40 to ensure that all water particles are removed from your chain. If left to dry on its own, your chain will simply rust and will become rubish and also hazardous.
- Not adjusting your chain correctly will result in inconsistent power delivery, excessive wear of the chain and of course excessive wear of both front and rear sprockets.
- Not adjusting and cleaning your chain correctly is important just like every other form of Motorcycle Maintenance. If it is not conducted on a regular basis, your chain will either disintegrate, or simply snap!

Now, lets get back to the basics!

Maintenance of your motorcycle's chain is important and there are three fundamental components that ensure your chain is in tip top shape; cleaning, lubricating and adjusting.

Cleaning - As recommended, remove the chain from your bike first and get stuck in, ensure all dirt and dust particles are removed before drying off with cloths and de-watering agents such as WD40. WD40 and similar products are essential for motocross maintenance, they ensure that metal parts are free from water particles and therefore, rust!

Lubricating - Once clean and dry, ensure that your chain is correctly lubricated, using professional motocross maintenance lubricating agents.

Adjusting - Perhaps one of the most crucial parts of the process is ensuring that your chain is properly lubricated. In general, most manufacturers suggest that there is a 'play' of 15-20mm when the swing arm is sitting directly horizontal to the floor. Remember that this measurement is when the bike is standing freely rather than on a stand.