Best way to clean/lube a chain.
If you chain a motorcycle owners chain just like this, he (or she) will love you forever.
Motorcycle chains need to be cleaned every 500-750 miles.
NOT JOKING
(i have 8,000 miles on my chain **about half of normal lifem but i race my bike, so my chain gets a BIG BEATING** and my chain still looks BRAND NEW b/c i do these steps EXACTLY)
chains range from 70-300 bucks depending on many things, so its worth it to keep it clean and lubed. and if the chain goes bad, theres a very good chance your sprockets are toast too, there another 100 bucks. i work at a motorcycle shop and see it all the time. i have people always telling me that they LOVE the way i clean chains. i have papers with all the info below that i hand out to people. and we sell the brushes, cleaner, and wax at the shop!!
Let them know that and he (or she) will like you more!!!
Print out this post and give it to them and tell them to do this everytime they clean there chain then you wont have to worry about it anymore.
ITS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THEY SHOULD BE DOING IT ANYWAYS....
1. Let the owner take the bike for a 5-10 min ride to warm up the chain.
2. Spray Chain Degreaser (pic below) on the chain, works better than WD40, Kerosene, etc...
3. Use a grunge brush (pic below) is you have one, or a toothe brush
4. Wipe off with towel, old t-shirts work best!!
5. Degrease and clean again if bad.
6. Spray WD-40 on chain and wipe off excess.
7. Let owner take it for a ride again.
8. wipe off chain for last time
9. Spray (no-fling & o-ring safe) chain lube/wax (pic below) onto chain
DONT WORRY ABOUT THE CLEANER IN THE PICTURE, JUST THE BRUSH...
Notice how it has 3 sides of brushes, makes cleaning the chain very simple and gets a lot more than using a rag.
Here is the chain cleaner i use
here is the wax i use