Cleaning & Lubing the Motorcycle Chain with and Without stand

Lubing the motorcycle chain
Lubing the motorcycle chain

Taking proper care of the motorcycle chain is a crucial habit for a good rider. It improves the riding experience also prolongs the motorcycle chain and sprockets life. Thus, we will discuss ways to clean & lube the motorcycle chain easily and effectively without making any mess. So, let’s get started.

Things you must have before proceeding into chain lubing

  • A pair of gloves and googles
  • Chain cleaner
  • Chain Lube
  • A soft wire brush
  • Microfiber cloth / Dry cloth

Cleaning and Lubing the motorcycle chain involves these steps

  • Step 1: Get your motorcycle in position
  • Step 2: Wear Hand gloves and Googles
  • Step 3: Spray the chain cleaner
  • Step 4: Scrub the chain using a wire brush
  • Step 5: Re-spray the chain cleaner
  • Step 6: Let the chain Dry 
  • Step 7: Use a dry cloth to clean the chain
  • Step 8: Apply the chain lube
  • Step 9: Clean up the excess lube

Now, its time we will discuss each steps in brief to have a better understanding of the workings. And there after we’ll also discuss on lubing the chain without any stand.

Here are the steps to clean and lube the motorcycle chain

Step 1: Get your motorcycle in position

Cleaning and lubing the motorcycle chain becomes easy if your motorcycle chain comes with a center stand. But, if your motorcycle doesn’t come with one, you can use a paddock stand.

Center stand or paddock stand helps the motorcycle’s rear wheel to spin freely that ultimately helps and makes our job easier. Like cleaning & lubing chain, changing tires, etc.

And, if your motorcycle doesn’t have a center stand, nor you are looking to buy any market paddock stand. Then you can simply take the help of someone to pull the motorcycle and hold it on the rear stand till you spin the chain and work on other areas.

Step 2: Wear Hand gloves and googles

It’s better to take precaution before moving into cleaning the chain. Always wear the pair of hand gloves and simple googles. It will help your hand to be safe from dirty oil, spray, and lube.

And googles will save your eyes from the particles of dust, debris, chain cleaner, etc.

Thus, as you wore the handgloves and googles. It’s time to take your chain spray and move to the next step.

Step 3: Spray the Motorcycle chain cleaner

Motul motorcycle chain cleaner
Motul motorcycle chain cleaner

Now, it’s time to clean the motorcycle chain. Because cleaning the motorcycle chain before lubrication helps the lubricate to work properly. Also, a clean chain surface allows the better adhesion of the chain lube.

So, you can use either WD 40, Maxima, etc brand chain cleaner. Or you can go with the cheapest and effective chain cleaner, “Kerosene”. Kerosene helps to clean the motorcycle chain by dissolving the existing dirt, rust, debris, lubricant, etc on the chain.

Put the kerosene in the bottle spray and spray it to the whole chain by spinning the rear wheel. Spray enough kerosene or cleaner so that it can easily soak off the existing particles.

Step 4: Scrub the Motorcycle chain using wire brush

Chain cleaner Brush
Chain cleaner Brush

As the motorcycle chain is soaked with the kerosene or chain cleaner spray. It time to scrub or clean the motorcycle chain using the wire brush.

Rubbing the motorcycle chain with the wire brush helps to clean the accumulated dirt, debris, excess oil, etc.

I personally use the 3- sided bristle wire brush that cleans the chain from 3 sides deeply without us cleaning the chain from each side.

So, it’s better to invest in the 3-sided bristle wire brush. It will save you time and improves the effectiveness of the work.

Step 5: Re-spray the Motorcycle chain cleaner

Before moving into lubrication of the motorcycle chain, we need to first finish off the cleaning part. The final step of cleaning the motorcycle chain is to respray the entire chain by spinning the rear wheel with the choice of your cleaning agent.

This way we can be assured that our cleaning is completely done, there will be no remains of dirt, existing lube, etc in the links.

Step 6: Let the chain Dry 

As you resprayed the entire chain, it’s time to let the chain sit for at least 5-10 minutes and let it dry. In order for a lubricant to adhere to the chain, it needs to be completely dry.

Step 7: Use a dry cloth to clean the Motorcycle chain

Now, let the chain dry and remove the excess cleaning agent from the chain. Use a dry cloth to wipe off the excess lube from the entire chain by spinning the motorcycle chain.

It will help to remove the excess oil and make the chain surface cleaned and suitable to apply the lubricant.

Step 8: Apply the chain lube

Motorcycle chain lube
Motorcycle chain lube

We have reached our final step of lubing the motorcycle chain. To lube the motorcycle chain you can use the market lubes such as Motul, WD-40, Maxima Chain Wax. 

Now, spray the lube across the motorcycle chain by spinning the rear wheel of the motorcycle.

Never lube your motorcycle chain while running it in gear. It will less suitable and dangerous way of lubricating the chain. So, never do this.

The lubrication after cleaning the motorcycle chain is more effective and provides better protection. It also helps to smooth the ride and prolong the chain life.

Although, one thing I want to mention here, the modern motorcycle chain comes factory lubricated inside the roller. Thus the self-lubricated chain known as O-ring and X-ring.

So, some people think that these chains doesn’t need lubrication; but it is totally wrong.

These chains also need lubrication to retain the factory lube inside and forms a coat to fight the environmental elements.

For more information, read the article given below. I have covered motorcycle chain lubrication in detail.

How often should you lubricate your motorcycle chain

Step 9: Clean up the excess lube and ride

Now, you have lubricated the entire chain, make sure you remove the excess lube and spread it uniformly across the chain. You can use a dry cloth to remove the excess lube.

That’s it, your motorcycle is ready to ride. You can review your motorcycle manufacturer manual to know how often should you lubricate your motorcycle chain.

Wrapping Up

Always refer your motorcycle manual to do the lubing in right interval. Or you should just follow the situation of your motorcycle chain. If your heard some noise, or found the chain to be dry. It’s time to lube your chain.

Thus, I have covered and discussed steps briefly in this article. If you do have some queries or questions. You can ask me in the comments or through the contact page.

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