08-07-2014, 12:10 AM
From my understanding, based on 20 year old info from my Kawasaki manual.
You are actually just trying to spray the pivot points on the chain, to get the "O" rings, keep them supple so the embedded grease stays in place, when the grease is gone, the chain is gone. Having lube on where the chain roller contacts the sprocket last about 10 miles.
In my opinion, wiping a chain with an oily rag would do nothing for the chain life, it only makes it shiny and wet so it make you feel better.
And from my bicycle past, wiping a chain can actually force the dirt into parts of the chain you can not get out...best to flush or soak a chain out to remove grit.
Just my opinion, knowing this may cause some debate.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/chain-lube-101
And every 500 miles I use "Maxima Chain Wax" , recommended when I bought my CB http://www.revzilla.com/product/maxima-chain-wax
Found this on another forum, where someone wrote to company that makes WD40, the one sentence I notice is that WD40 can remove some lubricants.
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Dear Loco Cabron,
Thank you for contacting WD-40 Company with regards to using WD-40 on o-rings. WD-40 is a multi-purpose light lubricating oil, which will displace water and moisture from the chain. The "WD" stands for water displacement and acts as a rust preventative on any metal surface. WD-40 will not dry out the rubber o-rings. We have found no visible effects on the surface of rubber and o-rings. Certain types of rubber will swell under prolonged immersion in WD-40 (this refers to long soaking and not just a spray).
WD-40 is also a cleaner, which will remove grime, dirt, tape, bumper stickers and oil. It is possible that if there is a special lubricant in the o-rings, WD-40 could act as a cleaner and remove that oil. The special lubricant would be replaced with WD-40. We are sure there are superior heavy-duty chain lubes on the market. There are several people who recommend using WD-40 on their chains. Perhaps some experimenting with WD-40, as a water remover and rust preventative followed by a heavier chain lube would fit your needs. The bottom line is WD-40 will not harm your o-rings, but it could remove a lubricant that was previously applied to the chain.
We recommend you only spray the area near the wheels, moving parts and other areas you want to clean off. We do not recommend spraying on the manifold or exhaust pipes. Please never spray WD-40 on a hot bike.
Thank you again for contacting WD-40 Company. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.
Best regards,
Eva Zabowski
WD-40 Customer Service
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You are actually just trying to spray the pivot points on the chain, to get the "O" rings, keep them supple so the embedded grease stays in place, when the grease is gone, the chain is gone. Having lube on where the chain roller contacts the sprocket last about 10 miles.
In my opinion, wiping a chain with an oily rag would do nothing for the chain life, it only makes it shiny and wet so it make you feel better.
And from my bicycle past, wiping a chain can actually force the dirt into parts of the chain you can not get out...best to flush or soak a chain out to remove grit.
Just my opinion, knowing this may cause some debate.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/chain-lube-101
And every 500 miles I use "Maxima Chain Wax" , recommended when I bought my CB http://www.revzilla.com/product/maxima-chain-wax
Found this on another forum, where someone wrote to company that makes WD40, the one sentence I notice is that WD40 can remove some lubricants.
----------
Dear Loco Cabron,
Thank you for contacting WD-40 Company with regards to using WD-40 on o-rings. WD-40 is a multi-purpose light lubricating oil, which will displace water and moisture from the chain. The "WD" stands for water displacement and acts as a rust preventative on any metal surface. WD-40 will not dry out the rubber o-rings. We have found no visible effects on the surface of rubber and o-rings. Certain types of rubber will swell under prolonged immersion in WD-40 (this refers to long soaking and not just a spray).
WD-40 is also a cleaner, which will remove grime, dirt, tape, bumper stickers and oil. It is possible that if there is a special lubricant in the o-rings, WD-40 could act as a cleaner and remove that oil. The special lubricant would be replaced with WD-40. We are sure there are superior heavy-duty chain lubes on the market. There are several people who recommend using WD-40 on their chains. Perhaps some experimenting with WD-40, as a water remover and rust preventative followed by a heavier chain lube would fit your needs. The bottom line is WD-40 will not harm your o-rings, but it could remove a lubricant that was previously applied to the chain.
We recommend you only spray the area near the wheels, moving parts and other areas you want to clean off. We do not recommend spraying on the manifold or exhaust pipes. Please never spray WD-40 on a hot bike.
Thank you again for contacting WD-40 Company. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance.
Best regards,
Eva Zabowski
WD-40 Customer Service
----