Welcome to NESR! Most features of this site require registration, including replying to threads, sending private messages, starting new threads, and uploading files. Click here to register.

Results 1 to 15 of 15

Best chain lube?

  1. #1
    Lifer Tekime's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Falmouth, ME
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,323

    Best chain lube?

    What's your preference for chain lube street/dirt/track?

    I've been using the DuPont stuff from Walmart for a while and I guess it's fine. I basically clean/lube every ride on my dirt bike so I go through a lot, but thinking about getting something else for the street bikes. I like Bel Ray products and thinking about that or the Motul racing lube.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    05GSXR75005SV65090DR350

  2. #2
    Senior Member bstnsboy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    Douglas Ma
    Age
    54
    Posts
    496

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Maxima chain wax! Great stuff. Won't fling off like most and doesn't leave a mess. I usually clean the chain well then coat with the wax.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  3. #3
    Lifer golden chicken's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Attleboro, MA
    Posts
    1,787

    Re: Best chain lube?

    I like the Motul Off-road as opposed to Motul Racing. Off-road stays much better when wet than the Racing stuff does, in my experience. Same poor wet experience with Maxima. I am very lackadaisical when it comes to lubing my chain. Maybe once every 1000 miles.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Last edited by golden chicken; 09-02-18 at 10:44 AM.
    What's the difference between a bolt and a screw?
    First you screw, then you bolt.

  4. #4
    Lifer Stromper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Eastern Ct
    Posts
    3,214

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Bel-ray super clean chain lube

    Mostly I think all it needs to do is protect the sealing "o" rings

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    The calculus of hate

    It is not that I should win it is that you should lose
    It is not that I succeed it is that you fail
    It is not that I should live it is that you should die

  5. #5
    Lifer Garandman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Dorchester, MA / Mt Sunapee, NH
    Posts
    13,097

    Re: Best chain lube?

    DuPont Chain Saver - Teflon additive. Use an aerosol can at home and the plastic squeeze bottle on trips.

    Lowes used to carry it but now we buy on Amazon.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  6. #6
    Lifer Kurlon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Waterboro ME
    Age
    46
    Posts
    13,519

    Re: Best chain lube?

    WD-40 sprayed onto paper towels, used to wipe down the o-ring chain every now and then.

    On my dirty bike I do similar, occasionally hitting it with maxima chain lube for no good reason.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  7. #7
    Lifer typeone's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    central MA
    Age
    51
    Posts
    7,736

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Motorex Chain Clean + Off-Road have been my go-tos on all bikes for a while. no mess.. .


    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    Beta 200RR

  8. #8
    Short bus rider
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    North Highside
    Posts
    164

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Quote Originally Posted by bstnsboy View Post
    Maxima chain wax! Great stuff. Won't fling off like most and doesn't leave a mess. I usually clean the chain well then coat with the wax.
    I also swear by this stuff. It's not messy but it will leave a waxy film on the rim and all the parts the chain rounds. It won't come off the chain and keeps the rings sealed . I've always used this and my chains hardly stretch or at least not as much than using WD40.

    Also DO Not CLEAN AN O RING CHAIN. The rings are greased and sealed when you clean it especially with a brush you force dirt into the grease. This destroys the O ring. It's like cleaning an engine. Do you clean your engine no but you replace old dirty oil with new clean oil. It's not apples to apples but you get my understanding.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  9. #9
    Super Adventurer SRTie4k's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Dublin, NH
    Age
    39
    Posts
    5,677

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Kerosene to clean, Dupont Chain Saver to wax. My last chain went 20k miles of mixed off/on road, which I think is pretty good on a 160HP bike that sees dirt use about half of it's life.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    2023 KTM 890 Adventure R

  10. #10
    Don't run with the pack. whynot's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Arlington MA 02474
    Posts
    1,625

    Re: Best chain lube?

    This is a good thread. I've noted some of the products here, and will probably try the Dupont Chain Saver as soon as the Maxima Chain Wax runs out (pretty soon). For cleaning, I wet a rag (shop cloth) with kerosene and wipe it down.

    Re. WD-40, it's mostly kerosene from what I've read, so more of a solvent and cleaner than lubricant.

    1 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    And don't believe everything you think.

  11. #11
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Bristol County
    Age
    37
    Posts
    3,470

    Re: Best chain lube?

    I'm a fan of Dupont's Chain lube. Holds the longest. But because of that, it also looks the worst if you care about that.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    nedirtriders.com

  12. #12
    Lifer Tekime's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Falmouth, ME
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Thanks, lots to choose from here.

    The Dupont works well, dries quickly into mostly clear wax. But I tend to go through a lot washing, drying, and lubing after every trail ride. So for the dirt bike I care a bit less about longevity/spatter and more about immediate lubrication/cost. I actually carry a little bottle of my MTB lube and have used that a few times in a pinch when it seems dried out. Maybe I'm just too liberal... I tend to go through a can pretty fast.

    WD-40 really never crossed my mind, it doesn't attract a lot of dust and dirt?

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    05GSXR75005SV65090DR350

  13. #13
    Lifer Tekime's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Falmouth, ME
    Age
    44
    Posts
    1,323

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Quote Originally Posted by Teamdineen View Post
    Also DO Not CLEAN AN O RING CHAIN. The rings are greased and sealed when you clean it especially with a brush you force dirt into the grease. This destroys the O ring. It's like cleaning an engine. Do you clean your engine no but you replace old dirty oil with new clean oil. It's not apples to apples but you get my understanding.
    I am a heathen, I clean my chain often and sometimes use a soft toothbrush. Can't stand the nasty dirty film that builds up and I know it's all getting thrown on the motor/front sprocket and I'll have to scrub it all out eventually. Maybe there's a happy medium I'm missing...

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!
    05GSXR75005SV65090DR350

  14. #14
    Lifer Kurlon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Waterboro ME
    Age
    46
    Posts
    13,519

    Re: Best chain lube?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tekime View Post
    WD-40 really never crossed my mind, it doesn't attract a lot of dust and dirt?
    I just use the WD-40 as a solvent to help any dust/dirt/etc off my chain. What little film is left after wiping it down doesn't seem to be an issue as it's thinner than chain lube or waxes so it's dirt holding power isn't as strong.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

  15. #15
    Lifer
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    16,509

    Re: Best chain lube?

    I also use the dupont spray. Sometimes I use the regular "multi-use" dupont spray lube when I can't find the "chain saver" formula.
    I have a can or two of more exotic (Belray, Maxima) moto-specific lubes that were in shwag-bags at events and the like floating around that get used too.
    I clean with WD. WD is my universal solvent/cleaner of choice. I buy it by the gallon. But I want something stickier for chain lube.

    I suck at maintaining chains. Mine are usually over-lubed and filthy. .. Yet, they work. Weird.

    0 Not allowed! Not allowed!

Similar Threads

  1. Chain lube
    By stoinkythepig in forum Bike Maintenance
    Replies: 56
    Last Post: 11-08-08, 12:16 AM
  2. Chain lube?
    By zxme in forum Bike Maintenance
    Replies: 36
    Last Post: 05-08-07, 10:10 PM
  3. chain lube
    By roso in forum Bike Maintenance
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 05-04-06, 05:06 PM
  4. Chain lube
    By NHBusa in forum General Bike Related
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 05-19-04, 10:16 AM
  5. Best chain lube , and adjusting chain ?
    By Gangsta SV in forum General Bike Related
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 05-28-03, 09:17 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •