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Chain oilers

 
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sidecarken



Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 12
Location: Avondale Estates, GA

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:07 pm    Post subject: Chain oilers Reply with quote

I am new to this forum, to chain drive bikes, and to HPS (I am waiting the delivery of a new Hannigan Bandito based on a Suzuki 1200 Bandit), so please bear with me. I would like information about chain lubing for o-ring chains especially given the added stress of sidecar duty. My motorcycle manual says the chain should be lubed. Some say it isn't necessary with an o-ring. Scottoiler and others claim that constant lubrication will not only extend the life of the chain but be less messy than sprays for the wheel and surrounding parts. Does anyone have experience with these devices.
Ken
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docmike



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 630
Location: Eastern NC

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would believe your manual and lube the chain.

I'm using a Scott Oiler on my GTS solo bike and have had good results. It just took a little while to get adjusted, prior to that it pretty much coated the back half of the bike in chain lube. Rolling Eyes
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Paul



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 182
Location: Utah

PostPosted: Tue Jun 28, 2005 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With modern chains lubrication really isn't needed. One friend never used to oil his at all - and they still lasted 12K to 15K miles each, about the same as the rest of us who religiously cleaned and lubed.

I used to use some Tri-Flow spray on my chain drive bikes. It isn't meant as a real chain lube, but it keeps the exterior clean and slippery. With the O-ring chains, you can spray as much lube on the chain as you want - none of it will make it inside. But a little light weight lube between rollers and sprockets can't hurt - if you keep the chain clean!

I don't think oilers are worth it. The oil can't get inside the chain where it will work, and here in North America it doesn't rain enough to justify. Oilers were invented in England for old Brit bikes - where it rains every day, and o-ring chains weren't invented. They're expensive, too - more than the cost of a top-notch chain.
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thespis



Joined: 19 Feb 2005
Posts: 16
Location: Western Australia

PostPosted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

[quote="Paul"]With modern chains lubrication really isn't needed. One friend never used to oil his at all - and they still lasted 12K to 15K miles each, about the same as the rest of us who religiously cleaned and lubed.]

Even modern chains need lube to prevent metal-to-metal contact between the rollers and the sprockets. I have a friend who religiously cleans and correctly lubricates his chains. On his FJ1200, without a scottoiler, more than 50,000km is not uncommon from a chain. All it takes is sensible maintenance.

At work I see chains, often on smaller less demanding machine, with little more than 10000Km on them that are absolutely knackered......all due to a lack of servicing. In the last month-and-a-bit three 'world travellers' on small capacity bikes have been towed in with broken chains. One chain (on an 80's Yam 185) had lasted less than 2000km....neither lubricated or adjusted...granted, the rather small man on the tiny bike was carryiing about 500kg of luggage!!! Wink

cheers
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Western Australia
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bmcsheehy



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 991
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I figure, it can’t hurt.
I clean and oil my chain with gear oil all the time.
Just about every 300-500 miles
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Bill
High Performance Sidecaring... ...There is nothing "HACKED" about it.
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IanJ



Joined: 21 Jul 2005
Posts: 52
Location: Seattle, WA, USA

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I can't say whether chains really need oil or not (having been a shaftie for most of my motorcycling days), but I can say that if you don't carefully adjust your chain on a pretty regular basis, you're killing it quickly and setting yourself up for potentially disastrous failures. A slack chain receives much higher torque than a correctly adjusted chain on the accelerate/decelerate transition, and when a chain breaks, it imparts all its stored energy (force = mass * velocity^2, you do the math) to whatever's in its path. That is, your leg, the bike, the road, your passenger, whatever's handy. It can also lock the rear wheel, which will definitely induce adverse yaw. Mad

Particularly with the extra weight of a sidecar, whether or not you choose to oil it, it must be adjusted at least as often as the manual says. Otherwise, you're courting disaster.

On my little Ninja 250, the chain is out of adjustment spec almost every time I go to adjust it, around every 500 miles (although it probably needs to be replaced soon). I'd hate to think what a big powerful bike with a sidecar could do to a poorly adjusted chain in a few hundred miles.

Also, for what it's worth, a cleaned and oiled chain won't rust up, and cleaning the chain keeps road grit from grinding down the O-rings and reducing or negating their usefulness.
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sidecarken



Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 12
Location: Avondale Estates, GA

PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2005 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, my Bandito construction has been stalled due to lack of parts. My bike is at Hannigan's waiting for parts from Bill Ballou. It was to have been finished by July 2, but it looks now like it will be late August (or later?), so the chain needs no maintenance at all.
Ken
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