Pro-oiler vs Scottoiler

[Stef]

After the november weather we had all summer, I finally give up : I'm going to install an automatic chain oiler system.

I've read here several times how good the scottoiler is, but a friend of mine pointed me to the pro-oiler system, which is more expensive but "better". Another friend of mine uses a scottoiler and i hate the fact that the rear of his SVS is always covered in oil (and sticky dirt). When he parks a long time, there are even oil stains under his bike on the floor ! The pro-oiler is supposed to be better regarding the amount of oil being released on the chain.

Now my question : is the pro-oiler worth the extra £££ over the scottoiler ?

link :
www.pro-oiler.com

[Sid Squid]

The Pro Oiler is a quality piece of kit no question, but I don't consider it worth the extra expense over a Scottoiler, and I'd suggest that your friend who has Scottoiler adjust it correctly, it won't chuck oil everywhere if it's adjusted and fitted correctly, and it most certainly won't pass any oil when parked up if the adjustment is something near right.

[meanbikes]

i had a scootoiler on my honda shadow and it never let me down it seem to go on for ever and ever i used to check if it needed filling again but a fivers worth of the oil goes like 4000 miles how cool is that. i will be getting one for my sv soon just saving up tho

[tigersaw]

Not being a fan of scottoilers ( I've had 2 in my time ) this looks a better solution, but they have really gone to town on the spin, its a very simple pulse divider linked to a solenoid pump. I'm not sure I'd be keen on that ugly controller lurking on my handlebars either.
In the real world its staggeringly expensive for what it is, in the fantasy pricing world of bike acessories we live in it does not seem too bad.

[muddycoffee]

I intend to get a scottoiler for My SV in due course.

I have had several on my previous bikes over a decade ago, and they are absolutely fine and don't drip at all. Your mate should turn the flow rate right down.

They were great 12 or so years ago, an extra decade of development tweaks will probably have made them even better.

[embee]

The Scottoiler certainly works. It's "just" a device for delivering drops of oil, how often and where they end up depends on you, not Scottoiler.

As said, properly installed and adjusted the wheel needn't get plastered. You won't avoid a few spots but that's about it.

Probably as good a reaason as any is their excellent customer service, there have been numerous examples of replacement bits and pieces sent out FOC absolutely no questions. :lol:

I've no experience of the Pro Oiler.

[Cloggsy]

I like Scottoilers TBH :!: Just fitted mine to my KTM 8)

[SVeeedy Gonzales]

all the automatic systems will only dump as much as you let them, so used properly/carefully none of them should dump loads of muck on the back wheel.

Had a scottoiler on my 2nd bike, a loobman on my 3rd (an sv) and they were fine, but for now I'll stick with the paddock stand and tins of lube I have laying about...

[biketeacherdave]

for the simple reason a mate who runs a motor bike recovery business picks up lots of bikes with split oiler pipes which have sprayed oil all over the rear tyre causing a crash, also people tend to neglect chain maintanace ie adjustments and the like

[lynw]

for the simple reason a mate who runs a motor bike recovery business picks up lots of bikes with split oiler pipes which have sprayed oil all over the rear tyre causing a crash, also people tend to neglect chain maintanace ie adjustments and the like

Id have thought if your mate is right and that were the case then Scottoilers would be recalled if theres a major safety issue with them and they are causing crashes. :?

What number does he call a lot of bikes? :?

[Sid Squid]

for the simple reason a mate who runs a motor bike recovery business picks up lots of bikes with split oiler pipes which have sprayed oil all over the rear tyre causing a crash, also people tend to neglect chain maintanace ie adjustments and the like

Good question Lyn: What's lots?

Sorry to disagree but I've NEVER heard of this, I'm certainly aware that many people can't get their head round how a Scotty should be adjusted, which is hard to understand as the instructions are quite clear and comprehensive. As for owners neglecting maintenance this happens with or without chain oilers as so many modern owners are damn lazy.
A properly fitted and adjusted chain oiler will greatly extend the periods between the necessary maintenance of the chain, this in no way reduces the responsibilty to ensure that all is well with your bike, (in all respects, not just the chain), and I'm quite sure that no chain oiler maker has suggested that your should ignore maintenance. Add to all this that when adjustment is correct there is less 'fling' than with aerosol chain lube.

[Banus]

Friend of mine has a Scottoiler fitted to his Duke 748S. Just returned from 1300 mile trip through France - he had a nicely lubricated chain and not a single spot of oil / rubbish on his rear wheel. As everyone has already stated - its worth taking a bit of time to set it up properly - I'm just about to fit one to my K1 '650S'

[Red ones]

I adjust the Scottoiler according to how the chain looks. Rarely get it wrong so rarely get oil over the back wheel - if anything it should fling off the front sprocket first.

Check the chain for how it looks after every ride, you are then compensating for weather etc on a really regular basis. If only take a few seconds to turn the adjuster up of down a notch!

[biketeacherdave]

There is no case to answer for, the biggest problem is incorrectly adjusting the oil flow or badly fitted systems or split oil feeder pipes some other people on here have mention loosing all the oil.

The maintance issue is a false sense of security thinking the scott oiler is looking after your chain, yes they extend the life of the chain but so does manul lubing, yes in principle they seem good i just commented on what my mate had said when talking about the pros and cons of them.

If you manually lube your chain and look after it it will last just as long if not longer, my current bandit 600 has over 36k miles on it and its just had its third c and s fitted.

[northwind]

Sorry, but the risk of split tubing has to be tiny- and whatever risk there is will apply equally to the Pro-Oiler. It's not a pressurised tube, so if it's splitting it's either been damaged or allowed to touch something it shouldn't. And the chance of it splitting somewhere where it'll release oil on the wheel are vanishingly small, since the tubing runs out of line from the wheel. At no point is mine in front of the tyre, for example, so the only time there's ever any chance at all of spilt scottoiler oil getting on the wheel from the tubing would be when turning right. And then, you're talking about it releasing a small drop at a time, a coiuple of times per minute. It certainly won't be "spraying oil", since there's not enough pressure in the system to spray anything anywhere.

[Sid Squid]

To give an idea of the sort of chain life possible with a chain oiler fitted, I replaced the original C&S on my ZX6-R at 53,000 miles, when I sold my SV650 it had 24,000 miles on it and the chain was approximately half way through it's life.

Chain oilers work. They don't relieve you of the need to look after your bike - but then I don't think anyone ever said they do - but there's no doubt in my mind they work just fine, when fitted and adjusted right of course.

[biketeacherdave]

I HOPE IT DOESNT HAPPEN TO YOU and your not one of the many bikers he picks up after a crash due to a scott oiler or any other type of oiler.
Ride safe and manual lube :D

[Sid Squid]

Well thank you, I hope it don't either, and as I've been using Scottoilers, (and others), for more than fifteen years I think I'll consider it a slim possibilty.

[northwind]

Or dismiss it as being just one of those things you heard on the internet, and use your common sense. That's what I'm going to do, and I think practically everyone else on here with a functioning brain will do the same.

If your mate says he's seen oil spraying out of a scottoiler tube, he's lying, it's that simple. They don't do that, can't do that, will not do that. Ever. Anyone who's ever used a Scottoiler, seen one in operation, or who understands how it works knows this too. Terribly sorry and all, but it's total rubbish.

It's possible to get oil on your tyre that'll cause a crash, but that can happen with manual lube too- and in both cases it's operator error, not the system of oiling.