Chains and Sprockets

[Bodhi]

Hey,

Was just wondering what brand etc of chain and sprocket would be best for the Super Four. My chain's beginning to look pretty tatty and was just wondering what people would recommend. I'd probably be leaving it in somewhere to get it changed as I don't have any of the right tools to do it myself.

[Mansie]

Your chain looks tatty? It might just need a clean!
Are there any seized links? Is there too much slack (so you can lift the chain off the rear sprocket)? If so, then replace. Otherwise it might be just fine.
Changing a chain is simple, especially if there is a link that's fixed with a clip. Prise out the clip with screwdriver and slide out the link.
For amount of money you save doing it yourself you can buy a Haynes manual for motorcycle maintenance and a set of hand tools.

[BUGIE]

if its lose just tighten using the tensioners at the back of the swingarm

[Bodhi]

Well it looks all black and covered in crap, so I think it could just be that it's in need of a really good clean, but I reckon it's the original chain that came on the bike back in 1995 as I'm the first owner since it's been in the UK and it only had 10,000 kms when I got it. It's only up to 15,000kms now though, so what kinda distance will a chain be good for?

Any recommendations on what to use to clean the chain?

[Mansie]

Any recommendations on what to use to clean the chain?

Touthbrush and paraffin

[superfourben]

A chain that is cleaned/lubed regularly should last 25,000 Kms :)

[amorti]

A chain that is cleaned/lubed regularly should last 25,000 Kms :)

Easily!

When I sold the bike, the chain on my CB1 had nearly that, looked brand new and had hardly used any adjustment. And I never cleaned it more than a wipe with a car-shampooed sponge once in a blue moon.

Scottoilers are ace. Get one with your new chainset and it will keep it perfectly for ages. They're expensive, but it will really double your chain life, so pays for itself within about 20k miles. Ideal if you're a big rider or keeping the bike. And if not, you can transfer it to your next machine.

I have one on my Divvy, the chain on it was of indeterminate age when I fitted that but looked/looks in good nick. I have to adjust it only minimally about once every 2k miles, which is about 2 months in the life of that bike.

I recommend B+C express for their X-ring gold chain kits, they do look good and stay nice with a scottoiler, can't say what they'd be like on spray can sludge though. Top tip - forget alloy sprockets, they wear, which wears the chain, which wears the sprocket, which wears...

[Bodhi]

Good to hear the chain should be able to last another while then, as long as I start taking better care of it.

I'll get scrubbing at it with a toothbrush this weekend hopefully. Gonna give the bike a good big clean and polish. Should really take some pics of it when I'm done too as I haven't got any good ones of it.

Think it's some kinda Motul Chain Lube out of a spray can that I got from Hein Gericke that I've been using on the chain every now and again, so it's probably a massive build up of dirt and crap that's stuck to that stuff as it seems pretty sticky.

Is there any better brand of chain lube (a ScottOiler is a bit out of my price range) that you folks use and is pretty good? I think the Motul one I'm using is one that I bought about 4 years ago, so it's possibly a bit out of date, can chain lube go out of date? I don't know.

[amorti]

Try a Loobman, dead cheap... not as high tech as a scottoiler, and not so ideal for shorter journeys due to how it works, but a lot better and easier (and so more likely to get done) than spray lube.

Wurth Profi Dry Lube is ace stuff.

[Sligeach]

i installed a scottolier on a 98 blade on friday last. been buzzing about on it for the past week. i didn't really clean the chain, but the oill has naturally cleaned the chain. i,m thinking of tracking the VFR, but the next bike i get i am DEFINITELY putting on heated grips and a scottoiller

+1 for the wurth stuff, goes on like water so you need an abba to get the best out of it but brilliant stuff, very little fling