08-31-2020, 02:04 AM
(08-30-2020, 10:36 PM)Hovmod_imp Wrote: Uh...
Don't interpret this to imply that I don't appreciate a good pun, I am a dad, after all, but can we talk more about these maintenance free chains? Do we trust them? I know about all the pros of chains vs shaft drives, but darn, that detail was always one of my favorite things about my BMW back in the day. I would happily sacrifice a couple HP for the bliss of never having to (over-)lube my chain.
Are we laughing at it, or are we ordering them?
Aside from the minor HP loss, there is also added sprung weight, expense and complexity.
I'm not a fan of all shaft drive systems. Some are more complex and tend to require more maintenance, like those made in Bavaria. In addition to the normal lubing of the axle shaft splines, you have potential driveshaft housing and final drive leaks, torn boots, and lubing input shaft spline lubes. Just for reference, a Gold Wing driveshaft is $348, a BMW one is $1212.
I haven't found drive chain maintenance to be an issue with good quality (Japanese made) o-ring or x-ring chains. I may need to adjust once, lube it 2-3 times, before the tire gets replaced. But this is in the relatively dry Southwest, and none of my bikes exceeds 100hp. I'm sure wetter climates will require more maintenance.
The greatest harm may come from pressure washing or scrubbing chains.