Chain lube

[Whoops]

With O-ring chains, a light lube like DuPont teflon works great. I use that and also the DuPont Silicone/Teflon lube in the orange can. Pretty much anything that doesn't have a heavy oil base will go a long way towards keeping things clean. The thick, heavy, dirt collecting lubes of the old days are for standard unsealed chains. O-rings don't need it.

Reminds me of when I used to clean the chain before lubing it on my 98 CBR600.

Used to rotate the wheel, thus slipping the chain through an old T-shirt with WD-40 on it held around the chain. One day I was in a rush to go back out, so I put the bike in first at idle and tried the same technique. What I'd created was the worlds first Honda meat grinder with a 599cc inline four!

Needless to say, the t-shirt got snagged, dragged round the sprocket and chopped the top of my thumb off! I was surprisingly calm after seeing my nice white bone poking out. I pushed the bike back down to the garage, wiped some of the blood off the tank. Then walked to hospital with my arm aloft like I was saying "please Darwin, pick me!"

Seriously? Dayum!

Thankfully Darwin ignored you. Did the docs manage to reattach your thumb?

I've had a couple Guzzi's and naturally they have shaft drive. Shaft drives have their failure modes and maintenance needs; not so different from chain (and with chain, when you replace the chain and sprockets you have completed a total overhaul of the drive system at a lot cheaper price point than a shaft: Although you will do it more often than for a shaft, assuming you keep the bike long enough).

With the newer o-ring chains I don't think the shafts really hold that much of an advantage over chain drive. But hey, we have choices!

If it weren't for the frequency and that it is such a messy job, chains would be no big deal. I do loathe the mess it makes which means either I am OCD or I am just plain doing it wrong.