I'm curious... do some of you riders never lube your chain?

[yamahazaki]

I ask only because I know there are some of you out there who let the dealers do everything mechanically for their bikes.  Are you guys also bringing it in to let them lube it for you or do you just never lube the chains ever?  Or do you actually lube your own chains but then pay for an oil change?
 

[berettatrio]

I'm getting all my stuff today so I can lube my chain. I mean if you are mechanically inclined, do you really need to take your bike to the dealer for anything?

[mjh937]

I am not sure where you are going with this question. I am not going to take my bike to the dealer every couple of weeks so they can lube my chain. With the exception of the first service (which I had done at an independent shop) I have done all the maintenance myself.

[Beemer]

I lube my own chain and change my own oil but when I first bought my bike I admit that for no good reason I did stupidly pay the dealer hundreds more than what the bike was valued at. (like most do???) That's kinda the same, isn't it? I just gave away a couple hundred for nothing. 

[yamahazaki]

I am not sure where you are going with this question. I am not going to take my bike to the dealer every couple of weeks so they can lube my chain. With the exception of the first service (which I had done at an independent shop) I have done all the maintenance myself.

I ask because there are some owners who are very insistent on having someone else do maintenance work on their bike, yet lubing the chain is necessary around every 500 miles which is extremely short intervals for anyone who rides... do these guys lube their chain themselves?  Or do they also take it in and have someone else do it every 500 miles.  Or worst case scenario- they never lube their chain.  That's what I'm wondering.
 

[berettatrio]

Dose this need to be a poll maybe?

[John]

Me and my buddy don't lube our chains until at least 1000 miles if not more. If you ride in the rain then that would be different. But YMMV.

[ddog]

Lubing your chain is something I would categorize with washing your bike. If you don't feel comfortable spraying lubricant then you probably shouldn't ride.

[mjh937]

Good point, @ddog. Washing, lubing the chain and checking/topping off oil and coolant and just routine parts of owning a bike. I can understand people not being comfortable doing the scheduled service, but it really is not difficult if you are even slightly mechanically inclined. Unfortunately there are a few guys that have been convinced that it has to be done at the dealer to keep the warranty valid (spoiler alert, at least in the US it does not...just keep receipts so you can show it was done).

[azuryn]

Lube it every 500 miles, if I see any dirt or grime, I give it a good cleaning then re-lube.

[phicurious86]

Lube it every 500 miles or so. Part of routine maintenance. Super simple to do and pretty cheap.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Maxima-70-749203-3PK-Chain-Ultimate-Aerosol/dp/B00FFZU25S/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1468014446&sr=1-1&keywords=chain+wax+kit
 
Above set will last you quite some time depending on how much you ride. Tell the dealer to skip the chain lube for major maintenance intervals. Saves a little dough.
 

[azuryn]

Also, Walmart have some decent and cheap cans of lube and cleaner, you can pick up a grunge brush and the 2 cans for just under 20 bucks.

[tanner68]

There should be a master thread and sticky on sticker removal, chain lubing, and tire pressure adjustment.
 
Ya know, us poor schlubs who don't know a torque wrench from a monkey wrench and utilize motorcycle mechanics need someplace central to stay informed.

[hippiebikerchick]

My hubs is a really handy guy. He made a rear stand that works for both our FZs so he does them at the same time. He's def a keeper!
 
 
Maybe someday I'll do a post showing how he made it and how it works on both bikes.
 
 
Here on the coast things can rust very quickly so we have to check all metal parts frequently.

[kakusaizou]

A friend of mine doesn't lube, not because he is incapable but because it is a hassle. He'll just put a new one on when it's time. He puts lots of miles on his bike touring, he doesn't want to worry about carrying a can of lube and do the meticulous job.

[rowdy]

A friend of mine doesn't lube, not because he is incapable but because it is a hassle. He'll just put a new one on when it's time. He puts lots of miles on his bike touring, he doesn't want to worry about carrying a can of lube and do the meticulous job.

Meticulous job? I don't do a meticulous job.  That's not one of the requirements to keep the chain working well.  I wonder if it would be cheaper for him to visit the local Walmart during his travels, spray some lube on the chain, and throw the can in the dumpster, than to have a dealership replace the chain when it wears out from not being lubed. 

[sorkyah]

Walmart(at least the one near me) carries the 2oz cans of Dupont chain saver
motul chain lube is also available in travel sizes online and in most cycle gears

[e30kawi]

A little Teflon spray every 800-1000 is all I ever did, and that mileage could go longer. That was basically just to clean it up. They are sealed chains, I have heard of people never lubing their chains.
 
I would usually wipe the chain and lube it at every oil change and once in between changes.

[bmwpowere36m3]

A friend of mine doesn't lube, not because he is incapable but because it is a hassle. He'll just put a new one on when it's time. He puts lots of miles on his bike touring, he doesn't want to worry about carrying a can of lube and do the meticulous job.

I know of guys like this…. Obviously there's factors involved, but their chain life is really good.  As in, not much different when compared to performing meticulously cleaning and lubing.  Their argument, less time, hassle and mess.  When its time, just replace the chain/sprockets.
 
Personally I kind of agree, because most people end up over-lubing their chains which only leads to dirt being attracted and ground into an abrasive paste.  On the other hand, if your climate is very damp or salty (near ocean) and/or you ride in the rain often… a chain will rust pretty quickly without any lube.
 
The main portion of lubrication in a sealed chain is "sealed" and for life.  My opinion, is that cleaning and lubricating is there only to keep the o-rings clean/supple (keeping that factory grease inside) and minimize surface rust.  So I clean my chain with WD-40 every so often and very lightly apply some teflon/wax based lube onto each o-ring (drip bottle).  Takes a little more time than spraying, but its way less mess and results in very minimal sling and the chain always looks spotless.
 
So if you live in an arid climate, I'd venture to say you could do just fine with almost no maintenance… however someone from Washington State or England will want to lube a little more often to keep the rust down.

[Guest Ralph]

I have a small brush and a jar of engine oil after a ride if the
chain looks a bit dry I just give it a quick brush with oil takes about
30 secs never clean it, it's done 10,000 miles over 8,000 without
needing adjustment.

[berettatrio]

Just did my chain yesterday. Kerosene, a brush and some chain wax. Good to go in about 10-15 min

[John]

I'm starting to notice the mentally of this forum compare to other bike forums. Maybe because it's a different bike different type of rider. What I'm trying to say is I don't recall any GSXR or R6/R1 guys really putting this much thought into lubing a chain. There are a lot of people out there that ride who are not on the forums. Most of them, I met quiet a few people in my years of riding, that don't take care of their bikes like people who are forum savy. Their bike runs fine for years and it doesn't make them any faster or slower than the next guy. Just ride your bike and enjoy it while you can

[bmwpowere36m3]

I'm starting to notice the mentally of this forum compare to other bike forums. Maybe because it's a different bike different type of rider. What I'm trying to say is I don't recall any GSXR or R6/R1 guys really putting this much thought into lubing a chain. There are a lot of people out there that ride who are not on the forums. Most of them, I met quiet a few people in my years of riding, that don't take care of their bikes like people who are forum savy. Their bike runs fine for years and it doesn't make them any faster or slower than the next guy. Just ride your bike and enjoy it while you can

The FZ-07 certainly attracts a lot of new and young riders… for many it's their first bike or even vehicle.  For many, its also the first time working on motorcycle or the like.' 
I'm on a few different forums… trust me, the same "basic" or over-thought questions are asked.  Probably the most asked is what oil should I use…  Your wrong as far as chain maintenance Q.  It definitely gets asked and people debate about WD-40 usage, how often to clean, how to clean, what lube to use or not use, etc…

[thomascrown]

Chain and sprockets are around 100 bucks for a 520 setup. I get 15k miles out of the chain regardless of how it was maintained. I'd still rather spend the 100 bucks on a new chain setup every year than constantly spend time and money on chain cleaning and lubing. I dab the chain with chain grease every couple of weeks. I almost never clean it.

[cruzian3]

I lube my chain everyday. After my 160 mile daily commute, I pull into the garage, put the rear stand on, grab the chain wax and apply a light coating, it only takes 30 seconds.  I noticed that if I go a few days without lubing, it'll have that metal burning smell.  Then every 2-3 weeks I clean the chain.  I have 20k miles on this 2nd chain / sprocket and only had to adjust it once, just recently.