WD 40. Tried all the other stuff, all messy and expensive . Spray on, clean with dry cloth every time you ride, keeps the chain looking clean, shiny and well lubed. 4D
Paul, about 12,000miles , all the O ring chains come pre packed with grease anyway so its a case of keeping all the road dirt of the chain really,I have found that useing WD enables me to check the chain for tight spots as I spray, wipeing of any access to stop it flying off , it looks nice and shiny all the time . Regards 4D
I suppose 12,000 isnt bad really in that case. I understand the idea of the O rings, lubing the outside of the chain just stops it going rusty and lubricates the interface between the rollers and the sprockets so i guess there could be some merit in using something a little heavier than WD40!
My bike has a scottoiler fitted, used it consciensciously, and the last chain did about 12,500 miles...so not much extension in chain life and not much pay back for a system that's a real fiddle to get regulated properly and doesn't cover the side plates with oil even when everything else is correctly set up. It seems to me that what the scottoiler does best is splatter much of the left hand side of the bike with throw-off from the chain, it covers the crankcases, swingarm, hugger, rear wheel and left hand seat panel quite nicely, but still won't cover the side plates on the chain...
My chain lasted ages, with no adjustment and I really thought the scottoiler was going to do it's job and give me the double chain life that some report, but then it degraded very quickly at about 11,750 and I was adjusting it before every ride.
The only downside with the WD40 option is that you have to do it regularly, I didn't have time between last weeks rides to work and Sunday's rideout, and sideplates get surface rust on them in less than a day!
Still, it's no more regular a task, and much less of a task, than wiping all the muck from a scottoiler off your bike so no excuses really
I havent had my bike long enough to need a new chain but i do have a Scotoiler fitted and havent had to adjust the chain once in about 7000 miles of riding. I do give it a spray of WD40 or chain lube to stop the side plates rusting though but only if its wet when i put the bike away.
20-Mar-2004, 23:19 
Jools
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