New tech chain

[Blapper]

Hi guys, I've been reading about these new tech chains that BMW seem to be saying are only available on their crutch rocket. I found that Timken seem to be offering the same or similar.

My question is - are they widely available yet and does anybody have any knowledge/experience of them to share?

I hate chains with a passion and it is the only thing I hate about my SV so I will be all over a chain that I don't have to squirt crap on just to have it fling off onto my bike!

[gadget]

I saw this thread elsewhere recently and had to comment about the claims of 'zero maintenance', tbh... I'm not convinced of the claim, a chain goes through an extremely hard time with repeated power/pulse surges, heat, water, road grime and so on, the coating that they put on it may reduce initial wear but unless the sprockets are similarly treated I doubt very much it would resist the same ware as a standard chain for very long. Also ... unless they have found a way of elimination chain stretch with some kind of magical metal I doubt also it will be a success.
Which doesn't really fall into the 'zero maintenance' category if you have to adjust the chain!
A good buddy of mine races a 350 and 500 single BSA and his experience of chains and their maintenance is second to none, nothing bashes the s##t out of a chain better than a big single due to the pulses. After several chain swaps over many years he was told about a manufacturer called 'IWIS', their chains were supposed to be THE chain of choice amongst classic single cylinder racers. He bought one, fitted it and for four seasons all he had to do was lube it, next to zero adjustment needed and roughly half the price of anything else out there. If I hadn't witnessed it I probably wouldnt have believed it.
That's the direction I'll be going in come chain shopping time.

[glang]

Im no expert but I think the main problem with chains is keeping the lubrication in the links. If you can do this then the moving internal parts wear more slowly so the chain 'stretches' less which then reduces the wear on the sprocket.
Unfortunately it turns into a vicious circle because as wear takes place the link seals can no longer keep the lube in so, unless it is continuously replaced, the moving parts run dry and wear much more rapidly....

[Blapper]

IWIS are good chains, but you still have to worry about stopping them rusting.

Modern X or O ring chains don't have lubrication issues, they only have corrosion issues.

The Timken chains have a new super hard coating to help with wear and also protects against corrosion so that it is unnecessary to squirt oil or whatever on them to stop them rusting which in turn means that (providing the sprockets are cleaned when the chain is changed), grit doesn't stick to the chain which means greatly reduced sprocket wear.