Caring For Your Motorcycle Chain

For some of your motorcycle maintenance issues, you’re going to have to turn to a good mechanic, but there are plenty of things you can take care of yourself to save time and money. As long as you know the right way to approach the problem, you might be able to save yourself a trip to the mechanic. 

One of the easiest maintenance checks to perform in your garage or driveway is your bike chain. We at Interstate Cycles have provided some tips for helping you accomplish this efficiently and thoroughly. If you’re looking for motorcycle service and repair in Lake City, Florida, contact us and one of your expert technicians will gladly assist you! We’re here for all the motorcycle needs of our patrons from Jacksonville and Gainesville.

What is the Bike Chain for?

In a nutshell, your chain helps transfer power from the engine to the tires. It isn’t the only way to accomplish this on a bike, but it is one of the most efficient and definitely the lightest way to do so. This is especially important given that most of your driving power goes to your back wheel, but there’s a lot of space between it and the engine. This design can get the job done in a couple of different ways, but all of them are powered by a motorcycle chain. 

Perform an Inspection

You should inspect your motorcycle chain at least twice a month (or every 500-700 miles).  Begin by gently tugging the chain one inch up and down. This will let you see if the chain is too tight or has a lot of slack. Check your owner’s manual for more information about what this means for your particular model. To inspect the entire length of the chain, you can roll your bike forward and check if it’s just one individual link that needs fixing or the entire thing. 

After that, inspect the sprockets. You want to make sure that the teeth are moving smoothly with the chain. Otherwise, there’ll be excessive wear and tear or damage to the parts. If the teeth are a bit worn or seem to be wearing down in an odd manner, there might be a problem with the connection or you might have to replace the parts altogether. 

Clean Thoroughly

A clean chain will give you better performance so it’s good to take some time out of your day and perform a cleaning when required. First, gather all the supplies you’ll need so you don’t have to keep getting up and looking for things. There are four main things you need: a chain cleaner, a brush, a chain lubricant and a towel. 

Before you begin the cleaning process, consult your owner’s manual to see if there are any recommendations or suggested products for your particular model. Also, make sure that your products are compatible with your motorcycle. Though a toothbrush can help you clean, you’ll probably want to get a brush designed for this specific task as it might make your life easier. 

When you have to clean the chain, begin by soaking the chain in the product. Then scrub the chain until it’s free of all dirt and grime.  It will require diligence to make sure you get into every little crevice. Once everything is clean, you’ll need your chains to be dry before the next step. You can either let it air-dry or use a towel.

Lubricate the Chain

Once your motorcycle chain is completely dry, you should use some lubricant on it while rotating the tire to make sure that the entire thing is covered. When each of the four sides is covered, wipe away any excess product. You might need to wait a few minutes for some products to set, so check the directions. This can be a great opportunity to adjust tension if you need to.

We hope these tips help you perform bike chain maintenance tasks! When you need professional motorcycle repairs in Lake City, FL, get in touch with Interstate Cycles and our trained technicians will gladly help you out. We welcome all our patrons from Jacksonville and Gainesville.