How Often to Clean Motorcycle Chain?

When we talk about motorcycle chain maintenance, the process and frequency of it become a vital topic. Knowing when to clean your chain can prolong its life, as well as save you money in the long run. 

Here are 5 tips on how often to clean your motorcycle’s chain–

Tip 1

The lifespan of a chain will be greatly reduced if a little dirt and grime are consistently thrown against it. This situation is problematic, especially during rainy days, where the chain will be prone to rusting quickly. Water corrodes metal on contact, which causes your chain to wear out sooner than usual.

Tip 2

If you’ve been using your bike for a long time, it is recommended that you replace your old chain with a new one. The reason behind this is metal fatigue. This happens when the metals in your bike are stressed continuously until they become brittle and weak. In such a case, cleaning will not do any good to your motorcycle’s chain anymore.

Tip 3

Using the right cleaning solution for your chain is very important. You can use a mild soap and water mixture to clean your chain, or you can opt for cleaners like WD-40. If you choose the latter option, make sure to wipe excess product off of your chain immediately after spraying it on.

Tip 4

Regular cleaning, whether you opt for soap and water or chemicals like WD-40, should be done every 500 km or after each ride.

Tip 5

If you have prone to rusting chain, it is recommended that you lube it as soon as possible. You can do this by spraying some lubricant on the chain after every few rides.

Summing Up

Professionals know that cleaning the bike properly is a big part of maintaining it. It does not take that much time to clean the chain. If you try doing it between your other duties, you won’t even notice that time has passed.