[Husqy]

Just wondering if anyone has fitted a chain oiler 
all my bikes for the last 40 years have been shaft drive  Bm, and Honda 's ------Frank-----

[gizzo]

Funny you mention it, Frank. I just fitted a Loobman chain oiler to my wife's Monster yesterday. I've been using one for a couple of years on my classic Ducati and my CGT is getting one shortly.

They're easy to fit, cost effective and work excellently.  Would recommend. 

[twocoolgliders]

WARNING....Sorry...but brutal honesty coming now....

Sounds like a messy, fussy, costly, unnecessary pain in the Arse to me.

Where does all that oil end up?  and who cleans the chain when it gets dirty?  Don't you need to buy special oil?  Can we think up yet another piece of crap to mount on a bike?  Don't we have o-ring chains...where they are perma-lubed on the inside any way....it's more important to keep an o-ring chain clean than to lube it...but a quick spray, lubes the outer links and prevents rust etc.

Cleaning and lubing a chain gives a person time to "become one" with their bike...relax in the garage....just you and your bike....check things over...clean up stuff...maybe a bit of wax and shine....check the air pressure....tighten a nut or two...check the oil.....sit back and admire the beauty of the machine....

If you put an oiler on your bike...your bike will hate you!     It will think you are a lazy, uncaring bast'rd


Is is so hard as to buy a $2.99 can of spray lube and Psssst...?

Have a nice day! 

Cookie

Funny you mention it, Frank. I just fitted a Loobman chain oiler to my wife's Monster yesterday. I've been using one for a couple of years on my classic Ducati and my CGT is getting one shortly.

They're easy to fit, cost effective and work excellently.  Would recommend.

[gizzo]

WARNING....Sorry...but brutal honesty coming now....

Sounds like a messy, fussy, costly, unnecessary pain in the Arse to me.

Where does all that oil end up?  and who cleans the chain when it gets dirty?  Don't you need to buy special oil?  Can we think up yet another piece of crap to mount on a bike?  Don't we have o-ring chains...where they are perma-lubed on the inside any way....it's more important to keep an o-ring chain clean than to lube it...but a quick spray, lubes the outer links and prevents rust etc.

Cleaning and lubing a chain gives a person time to "become one" with their bike...relax in the garage....just you and your bike....check things over...clean up stuff...maybe a bit of wax and shine....check the air pressure....tighten a nut or two...check the oil.....sit back and admire the beauty of the machine....

If you put an oiler on your bike...your bike will hate you!     It will think you are a lazy, uncaring bast'rd


Is is so hard as to buy a $2.99 can of spray lube and Psssst...?

Have a nice day! 

Cookie

Yeah, I don't think so, but to each their own.  Despite being lubricated and sealed, o ring chains still need care.  I neglected one on a 5000km trip last year and ruined it.

Considering all the other farkles people put on their bikes (clocks,  tank grips, checkerd flag stripes,  phone mounts,  USB ports et al) a chain oiler is a most useful accessory. I'm not a fan of geegaws and farkles but I'm a chain oiler convert.

Cleaning and lubing a chain is a zen time I can do without. Especially on bikes without centre stands or swingarm bobbins (hello Monster). I don't enjoy chain cleaning. I'd rather fit tyres,  TBH.

If you set up and use the oiler properly, it puts the right amount of lube exactly where it's needed. The oil keeps the chain clean and vanishes slowly, taking the dirt with it. Contrast this with chain lube aerosols: half of it goes not on the chain, the rest flings off into the rim and tyre. If it doesn't fling, it also doesn't lube the chain very well. And makes a filthy gummy caked on mess that takes forever to clean off.


The exception for me is my track bike. I won't use an oiler on that. A crash spilling the oil isn't worth it. And I don't care about chain life on that one.

Like you, I was sceptical about the benefits of the oiler but bought the cheap Loobman as an experiment to satisfy my curiosity. It was $50,  so not much to lose there.  Look at the picture of the clean wheel and chain on my Ducati. This chain hasn't been touched in 10,000km. That's not to say the rest of the bike is neglected. It's very well cared for.

Spraying the chain might only take moments, but really takes longer if you're doing it properly. Using my chain oiler takes a 20 sec push off a button every time I fill the tank.  That's it,  done. The oil's basically free for the tiny amount that's used. No special oil, I'm just using 85-140 gear oil. It tends to stay where it's needed and goes away in microscopic droplets. No mess.

I could go in and on but you get the picture. I don't have a dog in this fight  but maybe don't knock it until you've tried it.  Like I said, to each their own and if you love chain maintenance good luck to you. There something for everyone.

[jimku]

I'm not listening to anybody who can't even spell "tire".   

[beagle]

I'm not listening to anybody who can't even spell "tire".   

Only in America is tyre spelt as tire...so before you start heaping sh*t on other people, how about getting your facts right and displaying a bit of tolerance to others.

[Bilgemaster]

In less ecologically enlightened times they often used to poise the far outlet end of the crankcase breather hose over the drive chain so that the occasional mayonnaise-like drop of motor oil condensate might fall into the chain. Other bikes had a hose branching off the oil return line do much the same thing. Some Norton Commandos had this arrangement, though it could be so "over eager" and make such a mess once the little felt bits and/or hose clamps meant to regulate the flow got a little too "incontinent" that many owners simply blocked the whole messy business off. In the end, while it may arguably be "better than nothing", such well-used motor oil isn't exactly an ideal chain lubricant. It's probably better than your mutt cocking his leg over it, sure, but not much. By the time it's slurped around the engine a bit and then crawled down the length of a gassy breather hose, that old motor oil's gotta be pretty well knackered, thin and aciditic with lots of swell little grindy bits that'll give your Renolds' links and rollers little comfort. Far better is nice clean gear oil. If you loaded up one of those Loobman doodads with some 90 weight or similar, and used it every ride, I'd wager you might well get a couple-few thousand extra miles out of a chain and sprockets compared to little or no lube at all or maybe just occasional shots of spray-on chain spew.

As for me, I just keep a clear plastic widemouthed jar of SAE 90 GL-5 gear oil goop with a little chip brush in it that I use to liberally slop a bit onto the lower easy-to-reach run of the chain after each ride, with an old cookie sheet underneath to catch the drippage, which also tends to rinse off any cruds. In this manner the whole chain tends to get lubed every 4 or 5 rides or so...maybe every 100 to 150 miles, depending. The sprocket teeth front and rear get a nice slippery sheen pretty much every ride. Fortunately, I've managed to acquire several free jugs of GL-5 gear oil over the years that I'm never gonna use IN the Enfield (it gets only GL-4 in its separate 5-speed gearbox), so I'm pretty well stocked with ideal chain lube for my old style chain. From time to time I'll also give it a shot of some Liquid Wrench Chain Lube I picked up at Harbor Freight. My OEM chain's got 14,000+ miles on it now, and is still only about a third of the way through the stepped notches of its snail-shaped tension adjuster. The glisteny teeth of my rear sprocket with their light oily sheen would also seem to bode well for reduced wear.

[axman88]

Mr. Gizzo makes a good case for a chain oiler, I've never used one, but out of all the things folks add, that item does seem more practical than most. 

Some thoughts I had while reading through this thread:
    1)  I SURE LOVE having a center stand on my machine!
    2)  I'm surprised "that guy" is still on the forum, but, to his credit, he is much more restrained and respectful than previous, so kudos.
     3)  Bilgemaster makes me feel positively laconic sometimes, but what a joy to read his articles.
     4)  Has anybody besides me tried using chain saw bar oil on their motorcycle chain?

[Bilgemaster]

Thanks for the kudos, axmann88. As for Jimku, those smileys concluding his post tell me he was just kidding around, or "taking the mickey", as it were. Fun Fact: "taking the mickey" over here in the Land of the Plastic Spork could be understood as imbibing a knockout drug surreptitiously administered by one who may bear you ill will, especially by older speakers raised on black & white movies.

[jimku]

Only in America is tyre spelt as tire...so before you start heaping sh*t on other people, how about getting your facts right and displaying a bit of tolerance to others.

If you can't appreciate a little humor, please politely stuff it in your boot (excuse me ... trunk ... just so you don't get it all wadded up in your socks). 
And is "spelt" even a word?

[beagle]

If you can't appreciate a little humor, please politely stuff it in your boot (excuse me ... trunk ... just so you don't get it all wadded up in your socks). 
And is "spelt" even a word?

In an effort to continue in good faith, I shall refrain from further cynicism, but I suggest you might accept other languages and meanings before voicing a negative opinion. Spelt and spelled mean the same over here, so yes it is a word.  Previous comments like " if there's no link it doesn't exist" reflect a demeaning attitude to others, that really does reinforce your personality in a bad light to some, but personally, I don't give a f*ck.

[gizzo]

You're far too forgiving,  bilgemaster.  Not to mention erudite, witty, informed and cultivated. 

Getting back to chain oilers: Cookie's comment has me interested in seeing how long it takes for the chain on the monster to clean itself. I started with a clean(ish) chain when I fitted my oiler. Hers is covered in sticky grimy muck from an aerosol. It might mean I have to put some kilometers on her bike (she doesn't ride all that much) but that's a burden I'm willing to bear for the greater good. 

[Cat3625]

Spelt is a species of wheat cultivated since approximately 5000 BC 😉
Just saying!😂😂😂

[Haggisman]

Way too much energy and aggravation expended over contributors spelling and grammar.  Life is way too short. Predictive text doesn't help, neither does not actually reading what you think you typed in. Come on people, isn't this forum about enjoying our bikes and riding, not assessing a contributors ability to spell. Be nice to each other or go find an English language forum to vent your annoyances about people's inability to correctly use the written language.

[twocoolgliders]

Hey..there's more than one way to skin a cat.

I just put my opinion out there.  I respect your opinion (even though you are way off)...just kidding!!!!

Actually, If I had any money....I would get a chain oiler....

it would be "my man" down in the garage....I would just ring him up, and say....hey..."make sure my chain is cleaned and oiled for my ride tomorrow"...

Every watch Jay Leno's garage on youtube....?   he's got a lot of "my man's" all around his shop!


Cookie

Yeah, I don't think so, but to each their own.  Despite being lubricated and sealed, o ring chains still need care.  I neglected one on a 5000km trip last year and ruined it.

Considering all the other farkles people put on their bikes (clocks,  tank grips, checkerd flag stripes,  phone mounts,  USB ports et al) a chain oiler is a most useful accessory. I'm not a fan of geegaws and farkles but I'm a chain oiler convert.

Cleaning and lubing a chain is a zen time I can do without. Especially on bikes without centre stands or swingarm bobbins (hello Monster). I don't enjoy chain cleaning. I'd rather fit tyres,  TBH.

If you set up and use the oiler properly, it puts the right amount of lube exactly where it's needed. The oil keeps the chain clean and vanishes slowly, taking the dirt with it. Contrast this with chain lube aerosols: half of it goes not on the chain, the rest flings off into the rim and tyre. If it doesn't fling, it also doesn't lube the chain very well. And makes a filthy gummy caked on mess that takes forever to clean off.


The exception for me is my track bike. I won't use an oiler on that. A crash spilling the oil isn't worth it. And I don't care about chain life on that one.

Like you, I was sceptical about the benefits of the oiler but bought the cheap Loobman as an experiment to satisfy my curiosity. It was $50,  so not much to lose there.  Look at the picture of the clean wheel and chain on my Ducati. This chain hasn't been touched in 10,000km. That's not to say the rest of the bike is neglected. It's very well cared for.

Spraying the chain might only take moments, but really takes longer if you're doing it properly. Using my chain oiler takes a 20 sec push off a button every time I fill the tank.  That's it,  done. The oil's basically free for the tiny amount that's used. No special oil, I'm just using 85-140 gear oil. It tends to stay where it's needed and goes away in microscopic droplets. No mess.

I could go in and on but you get the picture. I don't have a dog in this fight  but maybe don't knock it until you've tried it.  Like I said, to each their own and if you love chain maintenance good luck to you. There something for everyone.