Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hi guys,

Just this morning, I noticed my bike's drive chain and it looked like this (see picture below). Is this rust? If yes, why is the drive chain rusting already? The bike is like a week old and I've only done about 300 kms.

The bike has been subject to an occasional shower in the rain but thats how Melbourne is. I cannot hope to have the bike under a shade all the time esp at work and all.

Question to people : Is this normal? Should I be worried? If this is a problem, how do I remedy it? Can I ride the bike in the mean time??

It will happen over time, unless you get lube onto it often.
But after 300klms from a new bike! I'd be thinking there's still be the chain wax new chains come with (white paste)
I'd be going back to te dealer and having a winge

Lube it, it will be fine..

yeah lube it, it will be fine.

But as said, the dealer should have put lube on it pre-delivery that would last for 300km.

Your manual says clean/lube chain every 600km, however if your exposed to more harsh conditions you may need to do it more frequently.

1. Clean it down with kero, I found using the" grundge brush" pretty helpful.
2. Lube it with chain oil, I found the motorex brand to be more water resistant.

blackster wrote:Your manual says clean/lube chain every 600km, however if your exposed to more harsh conditions you may need to do it more frequently.

1. Clean it down with kero, I found using the" grundge brush" pretty helpful.
2. Lube it with chain oil, I found the motorex brand to be more water resistant.

^^ This. When i found the grunge brush, it works so freakin well!

blackster wrote:Your manual says clean/lube chain every 600km, however if your exposed to more harsh conditions you may need to do it more frequently.

1. Clean it down with kero, I found using the" grundge brush" pretty helpful.
2. Lube it with chain oil, I found the motorex brand to be more water resistant.

thanks! picked up chain lube at a bike dealership city today. Going to go home and lube it!
Odometer reads 430 kms.

Lube Lube Lube, and there's a small mammal on your bike

So karosene is ok to use on the chain? What this 'grunge brush' you guys speak of?

mikeman wrote:So karosene is ok to use on the chain? .......)

Kero to CLEAN the crap off the chain..... Then run the bike to fling/heat the kero off, and apply new lube to the ROLLERS that contact the sprockets, not the outside of the chain.

Sweet, thanks Tim.

Damn, just as I read that it started raining outside.

My poor babeh!

tim wrote:Kero to CLEAN the crap off the chain..... Then run the bike to fling/heat the kero off, and apply new lube to the ROLLERS that contact the sprockets, not the outside of the chain.

APPLY LUBE WITHOUT THE BIKE RUNNING! unless you don't value your digits

robracer wrote:

tim wrote:Kero to CLEAN the crap off the chain..... Then run the bike to fling/heat the kero off, and apply new lube to the ROLLERS that contact the sprockets, not the outside of the chain.

APPLY LUBE WITHOUT THE BIKE RUNNING! unless you don't value your digits

And it goes without saying to not CLEAN the chain with the bike running Buuuuut if you're inclined to, make sure it's with a big old rag and make sure the rag gets caught in the chain

Hehe, thanks for the advice guys. I figured that much.

I was planning on just rolling the bike forward to get to every bit of chain that I need, then backwards when it comes to lube time.

Won't karosene burn or catch on fire if you run the chain after cleaning it? Sorry, silly question perhaps but am just wondering.

Also can I use metho instead? Since that stuff just evaporates away pretty quickly, leaving almost no trace.

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