I really think the pressure washer and compressed air is a bit much, especially when a solvent was just used. You're just increasing the chances of washing away the factory grease that 's down below the o-rings/x-rings. Also, a bit of cardboard will help keep the lubricant from splattering all over your wheels and even worse, the edge of the tire where traction is the most critical.
The technician said he wasn't getting too aggressive. I have a feeling these perspectives are probably like the engine break-in theories and arguments. I personally think that the 200 mile interval is the key, as stated. Additionally, he answered the cardboard thing. How long do you think it takes to burn anything off your tires anyway? A little overspray on the tire = instant disaster...nope! Rain training.
Agreed. The chain may look clean after pressure washing but what happened to the lubricants sealed by the "O" or "X" rings? Pressure washing a sealed chain is discouraged by many manufacturers.
Use a pressure washer to clean mold off the side of a house. Now back off a inch back and tell me if it can still remove the mold. Pressure washers aren't as dangerous as people pretend like they are. If you don't use common sense yes you will damage things. You are the one in control not the pressure washer.
If u lube your chain, you lube it from the inside. If you lube it from the outside, the lube will fly off more easily. If u love your bike, don't use a powerwasher on it. Garden hose will do. To be honest, this was definitely not professional.
For many years I have hosed my chains with engine degreaser, brushed them, and power washed on a center stand or rear stand. I fire up the bike and put it in first and let it spin for a couple minutes, then I apply the lube. I have used many different lubes including 90W gear oil, but my favorite for the last couple of years is Amsoil chain lube. Been running the last 7 years on my FZ09 with the original chain and sprocket and they both look new.
Read and follow the instructions in the owners manual or after market chain manual. Some cleaners will damage the seals, some lubes are worse than running the chain dry because they turn into liquid sand paper. I still use the same technique my dad taught me. Dawn dish soap to clean, dry it, put a small dab of gear oil on a rag and hand wipe the chain down. The dish soap, dawn specifically because other brands are not the same, is an environmental friendly degreaser and will not harm seals. It’s regularly used to clean up oil spills in environmentally sensitive locations. The gear oil is thick enough not to sling off, will stay on in the rain, thin enough to do it’s job in all weather conditions, and doesn’t turn into liquid sand paper because it’s not made to hold onto dirt. All you need is a very thin coat. One wipe with a rag wet with oil is all you need. On my off road bikes I like to use paraffin wax applied as a liquid on a clean and dry chain. It repels mud and water. I have a custom chopper show bike, original chain with about 10k on it, the chrome still shines. Yes, it’s a chrome plated chain. 😂
Got 25,000 miles out of my last VStrom chain by only spray lubing it every other tankful of gas. This is overkill IMHO. Today's o-ring chains don't need this extreme level of cleaning.
Exactly.. I used to clean and brush and do all kinds of stuff to keep my chain as clean as possible, result? the rubber seals usually broke down really fast usually within 10.000km. Stopped cleaning and just lube every 500-1000km, the chain doesnt look 'clean' but its in a good condition and lasts 5x longer. And the money I save on cleaners is better spend elsewhere..
I'd also be careful with overspraying the lube onto the rear brake disc. Especially for those SuMo riders that pop an occasional wheelie outside of traffic. This can really take you by surprise. I always use brake cleaner after lubing up the chain.
Cleaning the chain every other tank of fuel seems a bit excessive, depending on fuel economy. My Sv would go about 250 miles at that rate when my Cbr500r would go 500. I stick to the 500 mile clean and lube schedule. Every 500 miles clean the chain, give the bike a wash, full once over while waiting on the chain to dry, then lube. Wait for the lube to dry (I’ve been using spray waxes), put all my washing things away, then pack it away.
I have 1984 MZ that I bought new. I never cleaned the non O ring chain that it came with. I replaced the chain once at around 130'000km. It was still in pretty good condition. I never used chain lube but applied grease every few thousand km as per the manual. I guess the full chain enclosure makes the difference.
A piece of cardboard cut to fit, and placed behind the chain (in front of wheel) stops any overspray on to wheel/tyre. You can also use paraffin (kerosene in US) to clean the chain. As for lubrication, I can recommend the Scottoiler (other makes are available) or just buy a shaft drive 😉 A quick way to find the tight spot on your chain, draw on a piece of paper/card parallel lines approximately 1cm apart, tape it to swinging arm (behind chain) as you rotate the back wheel, watch the chain move up/down slightly (in front of the paper/card) , highest point is the tightest part of chain. Then check alignment, and tension for correct free play.
Just get some automatic oiler and forget the chain cleaning completely... the bearings in your wheel, central shock levers and rear arm will thank you for avoiding all that unnecessary pressurized water.
This. The new type chains don't need to be cleaned. In fact you risk damaging the sealings with those hard nylon brushes pushing dirt in. I don't use an automatic oiler as it uses thinner oil and making it messy and I don't ride that much so I do it manually every 500km or so
why everyone spray chain spray without something to protect that the spray cover all the tire. then after that tire will spin a lot more and possibly cause accident
I think even brushing is overkill. Don’t want to damage the O rings. I clean my chain with a solvent, or even Simple Green and gently rinse it off with a garden hose shower and wipe it down with an old towel. Dirt driveway gets a chain dusty but not necessary to clean and lube more than once a month. And it’s easy to cover the areas you don’t want lube!
I'm just using chaincleaner with a rag and my chain looks brand new everytime even though it's 4 years old 😉👌 Then I use motul c2+ chainwax as lube, it sticks perfectly ( I got white rims )
That’s funny how many don’t agree with pressure washing the chain but fail to state wether that has caused “verified by personal experience” a chain failure while riding. It’s hard to prove whether that may cause some serious infrastructure deficiencies to the linkages because to find out you would have to pull it apart rendering it unusable. And for that reason I agree with MotoJitsu’s statement... “then don’t doit!”
I don't have access to a hose or compressed air. But, i bought a manual pump waterspraying bottle and i use a rag or high quality paper to dry the chain. No problem, it just takes a little bit longer. 💖💖💖👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I believe this is a compilation of things you should avoid when servicing your chain. It doesn't have to sparkle like jewelry, which is clearly the guy's goal. It must be free from dirt and properly lubricated. BTW, several off-road bikes can be seen in the back. Maybe this approach makes sense when your chain is stuck with mud and sand after every ride. But not for a normal riding on asphalt.
Definitely wouldn’t recommend high pressure water or compressed air over chains. Is two ways of forcing water in to the rollers and eventually getting tight spots
Don't see anything wrong with using high pressure water as long as you don't move the nozzle close to mechanical parts such as the chain. Now the air compressor, that gave me anxiety.
I like to use Motul chain cleaner which is a O ring conditioner so they're getting that attention right from the start. Always be EXTREMELY careful with a pressure washer or even a garden house on blast and same with compressed air. You really really don't want to force any moisture or air past the o rings. For lube it's highly climate dependent for me. In hot dry weather I like a light chain lube or Teflon spray, or something like SC-1, in wet season for street riding I choose Motul Factory chain lube and use a grease ninja to apply it. For off road machines, I do the same clean but only use SC-1 after. Off road is so dirty that any lube is a dirty magnet. That's also why using ao ring conditioner cleaner is so important in the start for me. After even the muddiest rides the chain rinse off easy.
Love your channel but this is wayyyy too much action for an O-ring chain. I don’t even use a chain brush on my chains as it can force solvent beyond the o-rings which will soften and degrade the internally sealed grease. The pressure washer made me cringe. That is a big no anywhere where rubber is acting as a grease barrier, including wheel bearings, brake caliper pistons, etc. the compressed air exacerbated that effect by forcing what was left of the internal grease solvent and water out of the tubes. Best maintenance for chain life is to wipe it by hand with a rag soaked in kerosene, remove any heavy built up this way, and apply a chain lube that uses PTFE like Teflon chain lube. This stuff works best at metal on metal protection and also has a solvent in the spray to remove grime and deliver new grease inside the tubes of the chain. While this video shows a thorough cleaning, it surely shortened the service life of that chain.
Exactly! This video applies well to old vintage bikes running bog standard steel on steel roller chain... O and X ring chains will die a quick life with a pressure washer...
If you don’t have cardboards to protect the tire and the brake disc (for one sided swingarm), then spray the lube near the front sprocket. Easy to do if the spray comes with a straw.
My friend and shop owner or Suspension Matters does it this way ... dudes been racing and fixing bikes all his life .. he does it this way , does a great job , just the upkeep after is important because the power washer knocks all existing dirt so you have to lube it thoroughly
Dude must be trying to increase chain sales. Those harsh solvents dry the O-rings and the pressure washer blasts out the grease from between the O-rings that we want to preserve. The pressure also pushes dirt into the O-rings that he just loosened up from scrubbing it. Something like Ivory soap and water and an old T-shirt is all that's needed to clean it. Gear oil is the best lube , just use the same T-shirt to wipe it on to keep the O-rings happy.
I couldn't agree more. I cringed at this video, honestly. Not only does the pressure washer blast out the grease and damage the orings, it also blasts dirt in to crevices that you can't get out. In my opinion, this is not the way to maintain your very precious, and very important chain.
Kerosine. Watched Ryan F9 do a comparison of chain cleaners about six months ago and guess what performed best? I would NEVER pressure wash an oring chain.
Let's also consider the pressure method is flushing grease and solvent into a public drain...hence the superior T-shirt method of wiping and disposing.
You just had a bucketload of water pressurized under rubber seals with that washer and halved that chain's lifespan. Good luck with it. This should be labelled "how not to clean your chain".
Strangely enough, the best advice I've seen is to not clean your chain with anything other than a rag and to use a light oil that flings off and takes dirt with it. Chain oilers with light oils do a great job of slinging off crud. Waxes and heavy oils attract dirty that just grinds chain plates and Orings to trash. Excessive cleaning with harsh solvents just erases the stock lube inside the Orings and makes the chains die much faster. I saw a guy who simply sprayed a light silicone-based lube on his chain about every two hundred miles or so (pretty much every other gas fill up max) and he got ridiculous chain mileages because the synthetic lube he used cleaned the chain and nourished the oil ring seals keeping the stock lube inside the chain. He said he never cleaned the chain unless there was a day, he rode on a dirt road, or something like that and even then, he just sprayed the synthetic lube and wiped the chain off. Never used anything like a pressure washer. That would likely just push water and grit inside the chain. But I do have to admit, after your guy was done, that chain looked like brand damn new. Pretty impressive.
I use everything Motul (starting with the Spray & finish with the Paste) on my 2019 CB1000-R. Without the brush & power wash ! I spray then Rinse well with a hard cloth then spread the Paste on it. MOTUL is all in 1 and both the Spray & Paste do wonders for the Chain/sprocket 😎
If you’ve ever owned a power washer, the distance he was holding it at I could put my hand in front of it and it wouldn’t even sting. If you hold it point blank, yes. Use common sense.
wd40 -> let it soak -> little brushy brush -> clean it with rag, a brand new already -> lube it, and good to go -> clean excess oil if needed pressure washer isnt good, can damage rubber in chain, + all dose water and shit is messy
How to wash away all grease from your wheel bearings lol. I use water too but a low-pressure normal hose can do the job. Dry it with a rag, wait a bit for evaporation, apply lube, and use freaking cardboard. I use gear oil as per Fortnine's recommendation, not sprayable, thus no need for cardboard.
I'm always so lazy to clean my chain. I always thought what's the point, it's just going to get dirty again after a few kilometres. Until I did it 2 days ago. Makes it look like new. Now I'm pumped for the next cleaning 😄
@@RagingTortoise I wonder what's more expensive - new chain or all those stuff to clean it given you need to do it so often. And your time is money too. I do it every 800km and takes me 15 mintues.
I like the idea of chain cleaning tips but this "dirty" chain was more clean than my chain is when I call it clean since i'm an all weather / terrain rider 😏. I d like to see you try with mine 😅. after soaking grease starts clogging in the front sprocket and rear bridge, spilling on the tire and rim,... 😌
I just use diesel or gasoline with a old paint brush. Then wrens with with more gas or diesel. Plus to gasoline, it evaporates so the chain will be dry to lubricate. Then I lubricate with 90 weight rear end oil. Good heavy weight and sticky to stay put.
To anyone watching: Also make sure that the runoff water does not go into a public drain. That could end up in the ocean and do a lot of damage to wildlife! Good video! Domo arigato, Mr MotoJitsu!
@@raymadani270 if you have an oil separator, sure. the problem is if the dirty water goes into nature, taking solvents and dirty grease with it. doesn't matter if that's your private land it goes into. might not be unlawful in the US, but does it really feel right to pour strong chemicals mixed with oil and grease into what goes straight back into nature? I'd do this at a car wash if you don't have the amenities at home.
If you drive any kind of automobile a you're contaminating the ocean anyway anything that leaks out of your automobile or motorcycle goes into the ocean. So thanks
Nothin I use gets the rust off but I've seen kerosene take all that off. I've had rust on my chain since the first 500 miles because of the rain. Think I'ma look into kerosene this next clean. Cause nothing else works.
Thats exactly how i ruind my rear wheel bearings TWICE , with a pressure washer. When a bearing goes, it sounds like a hammer hitting your wheel. Then the 3rd time i installed a new bearing , even tho its a sealed bearing, i packed grease between the bearing and the O ring and never washed my bike with more than a hose, i never had that problem again. Also dont wash your bike from the top of the gas tank because i learned another leason the hard way. Water was collecting inside the sparkplug coils and it rusted away the springs that make contact with the spar plugs. One coil is 150€ x 4 cylinders, yeah 600 bucks for a stupid mistake. But i got second hand ones for a fraction of that. 1st hand experience on my own bike here. Oh yeah, also be carefull around tripple tree bearing. A big job to do that aswell.
I recently got a brand new Z400, I come from a chinese bike, so it feels like riding a plane, but i have just one single complain, the passenger seat is loose. I realized after a few km, so i got back to de dealership, and checked another z400, it was the same, now i'd like to know if that happens to all the z line.
Let's clarify some things because some people try act smart when they ain't know shit. The power washer is far enough to not damage the chain. The water depressurizes literally the moment it leaves the nozzle. He uses air after because if you try to lube the chain wirh the water you will spill all that shit on your tire. By no means you don't damage the chain or the o rings. You can use any kind of high grade oil product like gas oil kerosene diesel or any penetrate product like wd 40 since it acts as a solvent for grease products. They do this in every professional bike washer shop. A mechanical engineer.
40-something years riding motorcycles I never use a pressure washer on a motorcycle for any cleaning... unless you want to end up with the electrical problems,rusted axles,and bearings
I remember before I had Paddock Stands that I had to push my 500 pound adventure bike about 10 times so the chain could rotate and I could keep cleaning it. Then I had to repeat when I was lubing the chain. Lol
Orings suffer from the pressure, the high-pressure spray penetrates past the Oring into wHere the permanent grease is, so no it is best not to use a high-pressure spray on an oring chain.
I often go to the car wash to clean my chain and several times random ppl (not on a motorcycle) have told me it's very bad to use a pressure washer on the chain... my typical response as i look around is "where's your bike?" ... or I rub the bike and say "she seems to like it" ... the moment I hear any chain noise, or the chain gets wet during a ride... I clean and lube. 😁 great vid.
here mechanics are so dumb whenever i tell them to fix my chain its sound increases and they tell me its fine. There is one good mechanic but he is so far from my home
Diesel is not recommended at all, it is to agressive to the O-rings and they loose flexibility and their intention. At the end it shortens the chain life.
Nice and sound as always! Just a question: I know it doesn’t matter to warm the chain before to clean it, but, does it matter to warm it up a bit before lubing it? or this is just another motorcycle legend? For example: if I go to the washing station, I clean the chain and then the whole motorcycle and then I go home very slow (about 2 miles away) to lube the chain so the chain would be warmed up absorb better the lube. Does those 2 miles drive without any lubricant on the chain ruin the chain?
I know but the chain cover (guard ) is maintained 2 screws and a pin, one of the screws is on the exhaust side, which make it difficult to access for a hallen key(at least on a side stand)
A couple of weeks ago a mechanic from KTM told me, during a beginners class (how to maintain and work on your bike yourself) to never use chaincleaner, because it's very bad for your chain (O-X rings). He used the chain of another participant as an example; she had used a chaincleaner on her bike and the chain was practically wrecked and on the verge of breaking. He advised her to replace the chain as fast as possible. On my XJR1300 I use Waxy chainlube from Tsubaki (every 300-400 km's) and my chain is still in perfect shape after 12.000 km and there's no dirt on it.
That's strange, my KTM manual says the following: Main work -Clean the chain regularly. -Rinse off loose dirt with a soft jet of water. -Remove old grease remains with chain cleaner (Motorex Chain Clean recommended) -After drying, apply chain spray (Motorex Chainlube Road recommended)
Gasoline and any petroleum derived product are corrosive (melt, damage, stretch, etc) toward natural rubber and plastic in long-long-term of usage. Chain cleaner ( and WD40 for example) that contain petroleum can deteriorate the ring much faster. But Before the ring is completely broken down by chaincleaner, maybe the chain (structural) has already wear out first naturally due to usage and need replacement .
I am surprised at the negativity in the comments section I am not saying that we have to agree with everything someone has to say, but put your different opinion constructively and with a positive attitude and it will be taken well as well as be responded to. Different people have different approach. For example opposite views from experts regarding engine break in. So that is this guy's opinion and he has been a mechanic for years. So give him credit. After all he gets 20k miles for the chain and sprockets using his technique!!! He also used moderate pressure I think. Bottom line, we all reserve our right of opinions.
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I really think the pressure washer and compressed air is a bit much, especially when a solvent was just used. You're just increasing the chances of washing away the factory grease that 's down below the o-rings/x-rings. Also, a bit of cardboard will help keep the lubricant from splattering all over your wheels and even worse, the edge of the tire where traction is the most critical.
The technician said he wasn't getting too aggressive. I have a feeling these perspectives are probably like the engine break-in theories and arguments. I personally think that the 200 mile interval is the key, as stated. Additionally, he answered the cardboard thing. How long do you think it takes to burn anything off your tires anyway? A little overspray on the tire = instant disaster...nope! Rain training.
Or the wheel bearing tried that ended up front and rear wheel bearings using power washer on bike
Agreed. The chain may look clean after pressure washing but what happened to the lubricants sealed by the "O" or "X" rings? Pressure washing a sealed chain is discouraged by many manufacturers.
Agree...
Use a pressure washer to clean mold off the side of a house. Now back off a inch back and tell me if it can still remove the mold. Pressure washers aren't as dangerous as people pretend like they are. If you don't use common sense yes you will damage things. You are the one in control not the pressure washer.
If u lube your chain, you lube it from the inside. If you lube it from the outside, the lube will fly off more easily. If u love your bike, don't use a powerwasher on it. Garden hose will do. To be honest, this was definitely not professional.
I agree, powerwasher has too high pressure. Its also useful to cover wheel by a piece of cartoon when cleaning/lubing spray applied.
Chains don't need water ever.
@@XtreeM_FaiL so don't ride in drizzle or after rain?
Well, it's definitely clean, but it looks like a good way to fuck up the o-rings in the chain.
For many years I have hosed my chains with engine degreaser, brushed them, and power washed on a center stand or rear stand. I fire up the bike and put it in first and let it spin for a couple minutes, then I apply the lube. I have used many different lubes including 90W gear oil, but my favorite for the last couple of years is Amsoil chain lube. Been running the last 7 years on my FZ09 with the original chain and sprocket and they both look new.
:)
Read and follow the instructions in the owners manual or after market chain manual. Some cleaners will damage the seals, some lubes are worse than running the chain dry because they turn into liquid sand paper.
I still use the same technique my dad taught me. Dawn dish soap to clean, dry it, put a small dab of gear oil on a rag and hand wipe the chain down.
The dish soap, dawn specifically because other brands are not the same, is an environmental friendly degreaser and will not harm seals. It’s regularly used to clean up oil spills in environmentally sensitive locations.
The gear oil is thick enough not to sling off, will stay on in the rain, thin enough to do it’s job in all weather conditions, and doesn’t turn into liquid sand paper because it’s not made to hold onto dirt. All you need is a very thin coat. One wipe with a rag wet with oil is all you need.
On my off road bikes I like to use paraffin wax applied as a liquid on a clean and dry chain. It repels mud and water.
I have a custom chopper show bike, original chain with about 10k on it, the chrome still shines. Yes, it’s a chrome plated chain. 😂
Dawn dish soap… it won’t harm literal seals in the ocean😄
@@angrydinosaur8plus9 that’s what I heard seals in the ocean. I went back to read it and he’s talking about the damn chain. Lol.
Got 25,000 miles out of my last VStrom chain by only spray lubing it every other tankful of gas. This is overkill IMHO. Today's o-ring chains don't need this extreme level of cleaning.
Exactly.. I used to clean and brush and do all kinds of stuff to keep my chain as clean as possible, result? the rubber seals usually broke down really fast usually within 10.000km. Stopped cleaning and just lube every 500-1000km, the chain doesnt look 'clean' but its in a good condition and lasts 5x longer. And the money I save on cleaners is better spend elsewhere..
@@Kevin97587 what cleaners did you use? Share with us so we know what to avoid.
@@smoke05s Muc off chain cleaner
Absolutely agree, some people like to make science out of simple 2min job🤦♂️
@@smoke05s DuPont “Chainsaver” from Amazon for @10 bucks a can.
I'd also be careful with overspraying the lube onto the rear brake disc. Especially for those SuMo riders that pop an occasional wheelie outside of traffic. This can really take you by surprise. I always use brake cleaner after lubing up the chain.
Cleaning the chain every other tank of fuel seems a bit excessive, depending on fuel economy. My Sv would go about 250 miles at that rate when my Cbr500r would go 500. I stick to the 500 mile clean and lube schedule. Every 500 miles clean the chain, give the bike a wash, full once over while waiting on the chain to dry, then lube. Wait for the lube to dry (I’ve been using spray waxes), put all my washing things away, then pack it away.
I have 1984 MZ that I bought new. I never cleaned the non O ring chain that it came with. I replaced the chain once at around 130'000km. It was still in pretty good condition. I never used chain lube but applied grease every few thousand km as per the manual. I guess the full chain enclosure makes the difference.
You followed your manuals instructions, I think that’s the most important thing regardless of what bike /chain type you have
A piece of cardboard cut to fit, and placed behind the chain (in front of wheel) stops any overspray on to wheel/tyre.
You can also use paraffin (kerosene in US) to clean the chain. As for lubrication, I can recommend the Scottoiler (other makes are available) or just buy a shaft drive 😉
A quick way to find the tight spot on your chain, draw on a piece of paper/card parallel lines approximately 1cm apart, tape it to swinging arm (behind chain) as you rotate the back wheel, watch the chain move up/down slightly (in front of the paper/card) , highest point is the tightest part of chain.
Then check alignment, and tension for correct free play.
1:15 that little brush we all bought from CycleGear 😂
Super cool to see Mike's pretty detailed perspective as a mechanic on something that seems as simple as chain maintenance. Thanks!
Just get some automatic oiler and forget the chain cleaning completely... the bearings in your wheel, central shock levers and rear arm will thank you for avoiding all that unnecessary pressurized water.
This. The new type chains don't need to be cleaned. In fact you risk damaging the sealings with those hard nylon brushes pushing dirt in. I don't use an automatic oiler as it uses thinner oil and making it messy and I don't ride that much so I do it manually every 500km or so
It's too expensive!
why everyone spray chain spray without something to protect that the spray cover all the tire. then after that tire will spin a lot more and possibly cause accident
"Take Care of your bike and it will take care of YOU" That should be on a T-Shirt
I think even brushing is overkill. Don’t want to damage the O rings. I clean my chain with a solvent, or even Simple Green and gently rinse it off with a garden hose shower and wipe it down with an old towel. Dirt driveway gets a chain dusty but not necessary to clean and lube more than once a month. And it’s easy to cover the areas you don’t want lube!
I'm just using chaincleaner with a rag and my chain looks brand new everytime even though it's 4 years old 😉👌
Then I use motul c2+ chainwax as lube, it sticks perfectly ( I got white rims )
That’s funny how many don’t agree with pressure washing the chain but fail to state wether that has caused “verified by personal experience” a chain failure while riding. It’s hard to prove whether that may cause some serious infrastructure deficiencies to the linkages because to find out you would have to pull it apart rendering it unusable. And for that reason I agree with MotoJitsu’s statement... “then don’t doit!”
I don't have access to a hose or compressed air. But, i bought a manual pump waterspraying bottle and i use a rag or high quality paper to dry the chain. No problem, it just takes a little bit longer. 💖💖💖👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Hi. I use my small-mini leaf blower - that I also use for drying the bike after washing. Works great for getting water out of everywhere. $20-30.
Great tip!
I use dry lube for my chain, that way dirt and dust don't tend to cling to it. Learned that from my mountain biking days.
I believe this is a compilation of things you should avoid when servicing your chain. It doesn't have to sparkle like jewelry, which is clearly the guy's goal. It must be free from dirt and properly lubricated.
BTW, several off-road bikes can be seen in the back. Maybe this approach makes sense when your chain is stuck with mud and sand after every ride. But not for a normal riding on asphalt.
Definitely wouldn’t recommend high pressure water or compressed air over chains.
Is two ways of forcing water in to the rollers and eventually getting tight spots
Don't see anything wrong with using high pressure water as long as you don't move the nozzle close to mechanical parts such as the chain. Now the air compressor, that gave me anxiety.
@@lau5067 Everything is good as long as you don't screw up.
Pressure washer is the easiest way to destroy your chains.
My first thought too. Good way to contaminate O/X rings. No thanks.
Kiss those o-rings (and any other seal he's hitting with that pressure washer) goodbye. Makes sense if he's a mechanic though. Job security
I like to use Motul chain cleaner which is a O ring conditioner so they're getting that attention right from the start. Always be EXTREMELY careful with a pressure washer or even a garden house on blast and same with compressed air. You really really don't want to force any moisture or air past the o rings.
For lube it's highly climate dependent for me. In hot dry weather I like a light chain lube or Teflon spray, or something like SC-1, in wet season for street riding I choose Motul Factory chain lube and use a grease ninja to apply it.
For off road machines, I do the same clean but only use SC-1 after. Off road is so dirty that any lube is a dirty magnet. That's also why using ao ring conditioner cleaner is so important in the start for me. After even the muddiest rides the chain rinse off easy.
Love your channel but this is wayyyy too much action for an O-ring chain. I don’t even use a chain brush on my chains as it can force solvent beyond the o-rings which will soften and degrade the internally sealed grease. The pressure washer made me cringe. That is a big no anywhere where rubber is acting as a grease barrier, including wheel bearings, brake caliper pistons, etc. the compressed air exacerbated that effect by forcing what was left of the internal grease solvent and water out of the tubes. Best maintenance for chain life is to wipe it by hand with a rag soaked in kerosene, remove any heavy built up this way, and apply a chain lube that uses PTFE like Teflon chain lube. This stuff works best at metal on metal protection and also has a solvent in the spray to remove grime and deliver new grease inside the tubes of the chain. While this video shows a thorough cleaning, it surely shortened the service life of that chain.
Exactly! This video applies well to old vintage bikes running bog standard steel on steel roller chain...
O and X ring chains will die a quick life with a pressure washer...
If you don’t have cardboards to protect the tire and the brake disc (for one sided swingarm), then spray the lube near the front sprocket. Easy to do if the spray comes with a straw.
My friend and shop owner or Suspension Matters does it this way ... dudes been racing and fixing bikes all his life .. he does it this way , does a great job , just the upkeep after is important because the power washer knocks all existing dirt so you have to lube it thoroughly
Michael Neeves from MCN likes to wipe off the chain with wd40 and a rag after every long ride or so, so that's what i'm trying
SAE 90 Gearbox oil it will tell you in the owners manual, a bottle will last you along time apply every 2-3 hundred miles like he said
Dude must be trying to increase chain sales. Those harsh solvents dry the O-rings and the pressure washer blasts out the grease from between the O-rings that we want to preserve. The pressure also pushes dirt into the O-rings that he just loosened up from scrubbing it. Something like Ivory soap and water and an old T-shirt is all that's needed to clean it. Gear oil is the best lube , just use the same T-shirt to wipe it on to keep the O-rings happy.
I couldn't agree more. I cringed at this video, honestly. Not only does the pressure washer blast out the grease and damage the orings, it also blasts dirt in to crevices that you can't get out.
In my opinion, this is not the way to maintain your very precious, and very important chain.
Kerosine. Watched Ryan F9 do a comparison of chain cleaners about six months ago and guess what performed best? I would NEVER pressure wash an oring chain.
Let's also consider the pressure method is flushing grease and solvent into a public drain...hence the superior T-shirt method of wiping and disposing.
Should use the compressed air on the bottom chain section. You're doubling your work by spraying moisture from top chain section onto the bottom.
You just had a bucketload of water pressurized under rubber seals with that washer and halved that chain's lifespan. Good luck with it. This should be labelled "how not to clean your chain".
Strangely enough, the best advice I've seen is to not clean your chain with anything other than a rag and to use a light oil that flings off and takes dirt with it. Chain oilers with light oils do a great job of slinging off crud. Waxes and heavy oils attract dirty that just grinds chain plates and Orings to trash. Excessive cleaning with harsh solvents just erases the stock lube inside the Orings and makes the chains die much faster.
I saw a guy who simply sprayed a light silicone-based lube on his chain about every two hundred miles or so (pretty much every other gas fill up max) and he got ridiculous chain mileages because the synthetic lube he used cleaned the chain and nourished the oil ring seals keeping the stock lube inside the chain. He said he never cleaned the chain unless there was a day, he rode on a dirt road, or something like that and even then, he just sprayed the synthetic lube and wiped the chain off. Never used anything like a pressure washer. That would likely just push water and grit inside the chain.
But I do have to admit, after your guy was done, that chain looked like brand damn new. Pretty impressive.
I use everything Motul (starting with the Spray & finish with the Paste) on my 2019 CB1000-R. Without the brush & power wash ! I spray then Rinse well with a hard cloth then spread the Paste on it. MOTUL is all in 1 and both the Spray & Paste do wonders for the Chain/sprocket 😎
I don’t recommend using a power hose directly on the chain it can damage your o rings
then don't do it.
@@MotoJitsu.. and you promote this proven bullshit?
If you’ve ever owned a power washer, the distance he was holding it at I could put my hand in front of it and it wouldn’t even sting. If you hold it point blank, yes. Use common sense.
@@MotoJitsu obviously I don’t I’m telling you and anyone that’s going to do this from experience
Water does not even rinse the oil or grease off very well.
Get your hands dirty and use a rag and some light oil to wipe them clean.
Thanks!
No problem!
wd40 -> let it soak -> little brushy brush -> clean it with rag, a brand new already -> lube it, and good to go -> clean excess oil if needed
pressure washer isnt good, can damage rubber in chain, + all dose water and shit is messy
How on else you get water inside the seal if not with pressure washer?
does it really work with WD40?
@@mickstick2830 WD40 and similar things work great against grease. Bit expensive tho.
Good Day All : Spray wash your chains if you want , it's your bike . If you choose to do so , you will have a nice clean chain . Have a nice day .
Kerosene is the cleaner to use. Don't get why folks use these other products to clean chains when chain companies recommend kerosene for cleaning.
Yeah I did. Exactly the same thing. The bike won’t start after that. Thanks for this.
Glad it helped
How to wash away all grease from your wheel bearings lol.
I use water too but a low-pressure normal hose can do the job. Dry it with a rag, wait a bit for evaporation, apply lube, and use freaking cardboard. I use gear oil as per Fortnine's recommendation, not sprayable, thus no need for cardboard.
If you don't hit the sealed area of the bearing directly you won't hurt anything at all.
I'm always so lazy to clean my chain. I always thought what's the point, it's just going to get dirty again after a few kilometres. Until I did it 2 days ago. Makes it look like new. Now I'm pumped for the next cleaning 😄
The point is to make your chain last as long as possible. Not cleaning and lubing will cause excessive wear and tear.
@@RagingTortoise I wonder what's more expensive - new chain or all those stuff to clean it given you need to do it so often. And your time is money too. I do it every 800km and takes me 15 mintues.
@@prostynick 4 litres of paraffin is less than a tenner, what are you on about?
@@RagingTortoise and a chain is $60
@@prostynick I understand your point
I like the idea of chain cleaning tips but this "dirty" chain was more clean than my chain is when I call it clean since i'm an all weather / terrain rider 😏. I d like to see you try with mine 😅. after soaking grease starts clogging in the front sprocket and rear bridge, spilling on the tire and rim,... 😌
I just use diesel or gasoline with a old paint brush. Then wrens with with more gas or diesel. Plus to gasoline, it evaporates so the chain will be dry to lubricate. Then I lubricate with 90 weight rear end oil. Good heavy weight and sticky to stay put.
bro stop using gasoline you will swell your o-rings. use kerosene
I watched your previous video and found it quite easy cleaning snd lubing the chain. Thanks heaps.
To anyone watching: Also make sure that the runoff water does not go into a public drain. That could end up in the ocean and do a lot of damage to wildlife! Good video! Domo arigato, Mr MotoJitsu!
private drain?
@@raymadani270 if you have an oil separator, sure. the problem is if the dirty water goes into nature, taking solvents and dirty grease with it. doesn't matter if that's your private land it goes into. might not be unlawful in the US, but does it really feel right to pour strong chemicals mixed with oil and grease into what goes straight back into nature? I'd do this at a car wash if you don't have the amenities at home.
So I shouldn’t be dumping my old car oil in the public drains at the road
@@jordanpoor8006 no haha, in europe you even have to pay tax to give your used oil to depollution
If you drive any kind of automobile a you're contaminating the ocean anyway anything that leaks out of your automobile or motorcycle goes into the ocean. So thanks
I do my chain while washing the bike, dry it all with a leaf blower. Let the chain dry well, then hit it with Dupont chain wax. Little to no fling.
Dude is the Bob Ross of chain cleaning. "Let's paint some happy links right here."
1:07 and just beat the devil out of it
Nice
@@zioalecpov1815 😅
Power washer on an o-ring / x-ring chain?! Bye-bye any internal lubrication that might have been inside the ring. :(
Was the chain guard removed for this video? Certainly makes the chain more accessible.
Nothin I use gets the rust off but I've seen kerosene take all that off. I've had rust on my chain since the first 500 miles because of the rain. Think I'ma look into kerosene this next clean. Cause nothing else works.
Thats exactly how i ruind my rear wheel bearings TWICE , with a pressure washer. When a bearing goes, it sounds like a hammer hitting your wheel. Then the 3rd time i installed a new bearing , even tho its a sealed bearing, i packed grease between the bearing and the O ring and never washed my bike with more than a hose, i never had that problem again. Also dont wash your bike from the top of the gas tank because i learned another leason the hard way. Water was collecting inside the sparkplug coils and it rusted away the springs that make contact with the spar plugs. One coil is 150€ x 4 cylinders, yeah 600 bucks for a stupid mistake. But i got second hand ones for a fraction of that. 1st hand experience on my own bike here. Oh yeah, also be carefull around tripple tree bearing. A big job to do that aswell.
Nice video, I usually use kerosene but this looks like a cleaner option. Also your mechanic seems like a really nice guy! Ride safe.
I recently got a brand new Z400, I come from a chinese bike, so it feels like riding a plane, but i have just one single complain, the passenger seat is loose. I realized after a few km, so i got back to de dealership, and checked another z400, it was the same, now i'd like to know if that happens to all the z line.
Let's clarify some things because some people try act smart when they ain't know shit. The power washer is far enough to not damage the chain. The water depressurizes literally the moment it leaves the nozzle. He uses air after because if you try to lube the chain wirh the water you will spill all that shit on your tire. By no means you don't damage the chain or the o rings. You can use any kind of high grade oil product like gas oil kerosene diesel or any penetrate product like wd 40 since it acts as a solvent for grease products. They do this in every professional bike washer shop.
A mechanical engineer.
How do I service and maintain my scooter?
What windscreen does the bike have on it? Looking for something similar for my z400 🙂
You supposed to measure the chain slack on the kick stand and does your wheel look bend?
40-something years riding motorcycles I never use a pressure washer on a motorcycle for any cleaning... unless you want to end up with the electrical problems,rusted axles,and bearings
I remember before I had Paddock Stands that I had to push my 500 pound adventure bike about 10 times so the chain could rotate and I could keep cleaning it. Then I had to repeat when I was lubing the chain. Lol
thankx for filming mike, always want to know more mechanical side
I use simple green. Chain looks clean and smells minty fresh afterwards. 👍
Thanks. I never realized that I need to clean my chain that often.
Was the chain guard removed for the chain cleaning only or was it removed permanently?
Orings suffer from the pressure, the high-pressure spray penetrates past the Oring into wHere the permanent grease is, so no it is best not to use a high-pressure spray on an oring chain.
I use shell sol d60 mineral spirits from my job lol it cleans all types of aerospace grade metals and keeps the metal lubricant on point..
Please note how he uses the compressed air from the top, to spray the water right down on the chain again. That's proven to be the best technique...
Where can I order the wheel chock and rear tire lift? Thanks
MotoJitsu.com/gear has a link to Revzilla
Good video. What kind of bristles are on the brush, plastic or metal?
I often go to the car wash to clean my chain and several times random ppl (not on a motorcycle) have told me it's very bad to use a pressure washer on the chain... my typical response as i look around is "where's your bike?" ... or I rub the bike and say "she seems to like it" ... the moment I hear any chain noise, or the chain gets wet during a ride... I clean and lube. 😁 great vid.
Car washes are great... but the first part of the ride out is where the real fun is.
here mechanics are so dumb whenever i tell them to fix my chain its sound increases and they tell me its fine. There is one good mechanic but he is so far from my home
A brush with diesel is better,high pressure for the the orings🤔
Diesel is not recommended at all, it is to agressive to the O-rings and they loose flexibility and their intention. At the end it shortens the chain life.
what do you call that stand in the front? wheel what? im not american
Nice and sound as always!
Just a question: I know it doesn’t matter to warm the chain before to clean it, but, does it matter to warm it up a bit before lubing it? or this is just another motorcycle legend?
For example: if I go to the washing station, I clean the chain and then the whole motorcycle and then I go home very slow (about 2 miles away) to lube the chain so the chain would be warmed up absorb better the lube. Does those 2 miles drive without any lubricant on the chain ruin the chain?
I wondered, do you keep your spools on your bike all the time?
I leave mine on all the time.
Hey man. My question might sound stupid, but can you wash your bike while it's still hot (engine)? Thanks.
If it starts raining while you’re riding…is that ok?
Just read any motorcycle chain maintenance manual and you'll see what's wrong with this video. You don't need a pro.
thanks for the instruction. it's good to see different methods in order to find your own way of cleaning the chain.
Very helpful! And thanks for the additional information from the pro!
Nice and clean. Is there a nail? Something flashy is there on inside of tire
I was in full agreement with him until he started using the pressure washer on the chain.
Very smart that he’s wearing gloves. Chain lube and other grease aren’t supposed to get on you hands.
In fortnine, just lube it with a gear oil and ur done.
Kerosene and that 3-sided brush works for me.
How did you remove the chain cover without removing the exhaust?
They’re not connected
I know but the chain cover (guard ) is maintained 2 screws and a pin, one of the screws is on the exhaust side, which make it difficult to access for a hallen key(at least on a side stand)
The power washer/compressed air combo seems like a Mortal Kombat fatality on the drive chain.
Well damn. Even without having a rear stand yet , this still seems like more work than I do.
Good video...could you make one about adjusting the tension or slag of the chain? Thanks!!
had a mechanic tell me dont bother cleaning just add lube
how to chain your clean like a bro
How many miles between cleaning chains if it's mostly city riding?
what tire dimensions do you use?
Stock
@@MotoJitsu
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
A couple of weeks ago a mechanic from KTM told me, during a beginners class (how to maintain and work on your bike yourself) to never use chaincleaner, because it's very bad for your chain (O-X rings). He used the chain of another participant as an example; she had used a chaincleaner on her bike and the chain was practically wrecked and on the verge of breaking. He advised her to replace the chain as fast as possible.
On my XJR1300 I use Waxy chainlube from Tsubaki (every 300-400 km's) and my chain is still in perfect shape after 12.000 km and there's no dirt on it.
That's strange, my KTM manual says the following:
Main work
-Clean the chain regularly.
-Rinse off loose dirt with a soft jet of water.
-Remove old grease remains with chain cleaner (Motorex Chain Clean recommended)
-After drying, apply chain spray (Motorex Chainlube Road recommended)
Gasoline and any petroleum derived product are corrosive (melt, damage, stretch, etc) toward natural rubber and plastic in long-long-term of usage.
Chain cleaner ( and WD40 for example) that contain petroleum can deteriorate the ring much faster. But Before the ring is completely broken down by chaincleaner, maybe the chain (structural) has already wear out first naturally due to usage and need replacement .
When i put my new chain on i painted a link red,it helps.
Very good job , Mate ......... except for the card board to protect lub on the tyre while spraying .
Clean and lube the chain every other gas tank? I bought my bike to ride it and not to clean it. Or maybe your bikes have 100 liter tanks.
I am surprised at the negativity in the comments section
I am not saying that we have to agree with everything someone has to say, but put your different opinion constructively and with a positive attitude and it will be taken well as well as be responded to.
Different people have different approach. For example opposite views from experts regarding engine break in.
So that is this guy's opinion and he has been a mechanic for years. So give him credit. After all he gets 20k miles for the chain and sprockets using his technique!!! He also used moderate pressure I think.
Bottom line, we all reserve our right of opinions.
MotoJItsu has lot of great videos, but showing something that you can easily "screw up your self" is worth all the negativity.
Thanks for the tips. So much faster to spray off the much with water after as opposed to paper towels.
You are so welcome!
are chain covers any good? why my bike has chain covers.
Yes, it will keep all the gunk from flying all over your bike and your clothes.
I like it off