Warning - You can use engine oil on your chain.

HI Svers

Yesterday on the way home, going down the motorway, in second lane (just coming across from third) an almighty thwack, a high rev noise followed, then the realisation that my chain was no longer attached to my sprockets . Instead, it is somewhere on the motorway.

Within two minutes I am rescued by a fellow biker in a car (another biker on a bike stopped to see if he could help also - cheers guys!! ).

Anyway, to cut a long story short, the kind person who rescued me takes me to my local bike shop and proprietor asks me what lube I have been using. When I tell him I have used fresh engine oil for the life of this chain (6,000 miles so far) he said that they perish the seals causing the grease to be removed and allowing **** to get in ... yadee yadee yah. It was something along these lines (I can't be exactly certain that he didn't say they expanded first and then perished, as I was still replaying in my mind what might have happened to me just 30 minutes before!? ).

He said ALWAYS use a chain lube. So there's the advice guys. Make of it what you will, I certainly will be heeding this advice.

Tony from Burnley (Lucky to be at work this morning!)

[TSM]

Pinch of salt i think.

There are a few people on here that use engine oil on their chain. Granted i think they use used oil but still, cant see the big diffrence for the chain between the two.

although ill be flamed for saying this.. lube is lube... to a certain extent, semi synthetic will have good properties for lubbing the chain, its probably just a bit thin and will fling off quickly..

but lube is better than none...

I’ve used engine oil for a few years and never had a problem. More to the point, I know people that have been using it for 20+ years without a problem.
I wouldn’t have thought the seals on a chain would be a massively different material to some of the seals found in the engine.

He didn’t have a large rack of unsold chain lube, did he? :P

I agree with all of what has been expressed. I started using engine oil once I had read previous threads on here ... and it does seem a reasonable solution to lubing the chain. However, spoke to my colleague this morning who rides a shaft-driven BMW and he said he had heard that oil shouldn't be used on 'O'-ring chains.

To be honest, I have found the SV a complete b*st*rd for having to keep re-adjusting the chain after only a week or so. Never had same issues with an in-line bike. Guy who rescued me reckoned he had a V-twin Ducati which he said was the same in regards of the chain ... always having to adjust. Is the chain under more brute force with a V-twin than an In-line arrangement?

I am seriously thinking of swapping my bike for this reason.

Ta

Tony

i have always used engine oil on the chain in between meetings and then use a dry lube at the track and have never had a problem!.

In fact i am quite sure the chain stretch is not a common issue on the SV.

Are you sure your not tightening it too much when you adjust it as this can cause it to stretch more than normal.

[TSM]

If you are having to adjust all the time this may be a contributory reason to the chain snapping.

I am sure you're right ... but I have been deliberately keeping an eye on the tightness i.e not too tight, and also when tightening, adjusting itt on the tight-spot. Furthermore, it was only after 2000 miles that a tight sport started to develop. And I had been lubing it every week.

I don't pull wheelies, don't clunk the gears and try to ride smoothly. I only really open her up in a straight-line on the motorway.

Obviously the chain is under massive load, so even a little grit etc can have a negative effect on the links?!

[TSM]

I had a chain on my bike for at least 6000 miles before i changed it, i bought the bike with 10k i changed at 16k, there was no mention of when it was last changed though. When it was changed it, aparently it was not that bad but as i was doing a 3500 mile trip through europe i was not taking any chances and changed the chain and sprockets.


Does the drive rubbers have any issue to do with chain damage? Possably worn causing harsh snapping on the chain. All possably as i am not sure.

[dirtydog]

fit a scott oiler, i had one on my sv and hardly ever needed to adjust the chain and it lasted ages!