Okay, so here’s the deal with keeping that motorcycle chain in decent shape. Mine was looking pretty rough, I gotta admit. Making all sorts of noises it shouldn't. So, I figured it was time to actually do something about it and grabbed one of those chain cleaning kits.

Getting Started with the Mess

First thing, I hauled my bike onto the rear stand. You pretty much need one of these, makes spinning that back wheel a whole lot easier. If you don't have one, well, good luck, it's a pain. Then I laid out some old newspapers underneath because, trust me, this gets messy. Black gunk everywhere.

The kit I got had a can of chain cleaner, a can of chain lube, and this weird-looking three-sided brush. Looked complicated, but actually made sense once I started using it.

The Actual Cleaning Part

So, I grabbed the can of cleaner. Gave it a good shake. Then I started spraying it all over the chain, rotating the wheel slowly so I got every link. I let that stuff sit for a few minutes. Some folks rave about specific brands, like that Motul stuff that they say evaporates real fast. The one I had seemed to work okay, just needed to do its thing, break down all that old, caked-on grime.

Then came the scrubbing. This is where that brush came in handy. I worked it all around the chain – top, bottom, and both sides. You gotta put some elbow grease into it, especially if your chain is as filthy as mine was. Chunks of black, oily dirt started falling off. Pretty satisfying, in a gross kind of way.

I’ve heard some people just blast their chain with WD-40. Bad idea, folks. Seriously. While it might look like it’s cleaning, WD-40 is more of a solvent, and it can strip away any internal lubrication from the O-rings or X-rings in your chain. It’s not a proper lubricant for a motorcycle chain. You need the right tool for the job.

After a good scrub, I wiped the chain down with a clean rag to get off all the loose gunk and excess cleaner. Some cleaners just evaporate, but I like to give it a wipe. The chain already looked a hundred times better, but we weren't done yet.

Lube it Up!

Next up, lubrication. This is super important. You can't just clean it and forget it. I let the chain air dry for about 10-15 minutes just to make sure all the cleaner was gone.

Now, there’s always the debate: chain lube or chain wax? I’ve tried both. Personally, for my kind of riding, which is mostly dry roads, a good quality spray-on chain lube works fine. If I was constantly riding in really wet, super dusty, or muddy conditions, I’d probably lean more towards a chain wax. They say wax tends to stick around longer and offer better protection in really harsh environments.

So, I grabbed my can of chain lube. Shook it well. Then, again, slowly rotating the rear wheel, I sprayed the lube onto the inside run of the chain, making sure to get it onto the rollers and side plates where it really matters. You don't need to absolutely drench it. A nice, even coat is what you’re aiming for.

Once I'd gone all the way around a couple of times, I let it sit for a few minutes for the lube to penetrate. Then, and this is a step some people miss, I took another clean rag and gently wiped off any excess lube. Too much lube just flings off everywhere and attracts more dirt, making your cleaning job harder next time.

The Payoff

And that was basically it! Stood back and admired my work. The chain looked almost new – clean and properly lubed. The real test, of course, was the next ride. And yeah, big difference. The bike felt smoother, and that annoying gritty noise was gone. Just the sweet sound of the engine.

It’s a bit of a messy job, takes a bit of time, but totally worth it for the health of your chain and sprockets, and just for a better riding experience. It’s one of those maintenance things you just gotta do.