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Lack of proper care & lubrication leads to premature chain and sprocket wear, and loss of drivetrain efficiency. However, an even more important consideration is safety.
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It is absolutely essential to keep the chain cleaned and lubricated to prevent catastrophic failure that at best would result in snapped chain, and at worst can lead to binding and locking of drive-train, which could lead to injury, death, and/or engine damage.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a bike (for extended travel) that relied on chain drive - and I certainly haven’t missed it - but with my recent purchase of a new Ducati Scrambler, things are a bit different.
Most modern chains are internally lubricated, but require external cleaning and lubrication as well, to keep seals fresh and reduce friction, heat generation, and prevent failure.
The primary way to keep this kind of failure from occurring is to keep the chain (and thus the seals) free of sand, dirt and other contaminants via regular cleaning, and to keep it lubricated appropriately externally as well (to minimize the friction at the seal/plate interface, and to help keep the seals in good shape).
This process is fairly simple, and I’m not going to bore you in this post by creating a tutorial that already exists (many times over) on the internet.
In fact, here is a LINK to a very good “lesson” on the subject form our friends over at canyonchasers.net.
Go hit that link, then come on back for the real focus of this post, which products I recommend for cleaning and lubrication, and how they integrate into my EXTENDED TRAVEL PACKING SYSTEM.
Cleaning products are fairly straight-forward, I recommend either kerosene or WD40. Both are water displacing and have excellent solvent capabilities - which you need to remove any old, dirt-bearing lubrication products currently in place.
For lubrication, the years have taught me to rely on “dry” type products. These attract the least dirt and grime, and will not make a mess of your rims, while providing superior long-lasting lubrication.
I’ve used many of these wax-based products over the years, but this is my all-time favorite, BOESHIELD T-9...
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T-9 was developed by global aerospace leader, The Boeing Company, to fill a need for high-performance, long-term metal protection and lubrication, according to the manufacturer...
“T-9’s unique formulation of solvent carrier and paraffin wax coating was engineered to penetrate crevices deeply, displace moisture, dissolve minor corrosion, and leave a clean, waxy coating with lasting durability—without using Teflon, silicone, fluorocarbons, MEK, or acetone.”
I can certainly vouch for it’s effectiveness, and superior performance, as over the years I have enjoyed dramatic increases in chain and sprocket life, since I started using it.
For extended trips (anything over three days in length) it is an essential addition to my travel kit.
![]()
This includes...
My process is simple:
Assembling and taking a kit like this along with you on longer trips will ensure that your “fun” is not interrupted prematurely, and also increases your chances of escaping serious injury along the way.
Originally posted on my personal blog @ www.moto-graphic.com
It is absolutely essential to keep the chain cleaned and lubricated to prevent catastrophic failure that at best would result in snapped chain, and at worst can lead to binding and locking of drive-train, which could lead to injury, death, and/or engine damage.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a bike (for extended travel) that relied on chain drive - and I certainly haven’t missed it - but with my recent purchase of a new Ducati Scrambler, things are a bit different.
Most modern chains are internally lubricated, but require external cleaning and lubrication as well, to keep seals fresh and reduce friction, heat generation, and prevent failure.
The primary way to keep this kind of failure from occurring is to keep the chain (and thus the seals) free of sand, dirt and other contaminants via regular cleaning, and to keep it lubricated appropriately externally as well (to minimize the friction at the seal/plate interface, and to help keep the seals in good shape).
This process is fairly simple, and I’m not going to bore you in this post by creating a tutorial that already exists (many times over) on the internet.
In fact, here is a LINK to a very good “lesson” on the subject form our friends over at canyonchasers.net.
Go hit that link, then come on back for the real focus of this post, which products I recommend for cleaning and lubrication, and how they integrate into my EXTENDED TRAVEL PACKING SYSTEM.
Cleaning products are fairly straight-forward, I recommend either kerosene or WD40. Both are water displacing and have excellent solvent capabilities - which you need to remove any old, dirt-bearing lubrication products currently in place.
For lubrication, the years have taught me to rely on “dry” type products. These attract the least dirt and grime, and will not make a mess of your rims, while providing superior long-lasting lubrication.
I’ve used many of these wax-based products over the years, but this is my all-time favorite, BOESHIELD T-9...
T-9 was developed by global aerospace leader, The Boeing Company, to fill a need for high-performance, long-term metal protection and lubrication, according to the manufacturer...
“T-9’s unique formulation of solvent carrier and paraffin wax coating was engineered to penetrate crevices deeply, displace moisture, dissolve minor corrosion, and leave a clean, waxy coating with lasting durability—without using Teflon, silicone, fluorocarbons, MEK, or acetone.”
I can certainly vouch for it’s effectiveness, and superior performance, as over the years I have enjoyed dramatic increases in chain and sprocket life, since I started using it.
For extended trips (anything over three days in length) it is an essential addition to my travel kit.
This includes...
- 3 ounce can of WD40 (cleaning)
- 4 ounce bottle of BOESHIELD T-9 (in non-aerosol form)
- Heavy nylon bristle brush
- SnapJack (an awesome tool for getting your rear wheel off the ground, here is a LINK to the manufacturers site for more info on this great product.)
My process is simple:
- Jack the bike using the SnapJack
- Apply WD40 liberally to all surfaces of the chain
- Wait a few minutes for it to “sink in”
- Scrub all surfaces with the nylon brush
- Wipe the chain repeatedly with towels, until all cleaning agent is removed.
- Apply T-9 to all surfaces
Assembling and taking a kit like this along with you on longer trips will ensure that your “fun” is not interrupted prematurely, and also increases your chances of escaping serious injury along the way.
Originally posted on my personal blog @ www.moto-graphic.com
