Africa twin Chain Life
 

How long does the average chain last on an AT? My original has just been changed at 34000 miles. Pretty good I would say. Also changed the sprockets too although these were still in reasonable order.

Had the misfortune of discovering that I had been supplied with the long length spare chain and have had to buy another o-ring free type chain from a mysterious source in Peru. How much life can I expect from the new chain? Guy in the shop reckons 12000kms. Sounds like bad value for $75.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Cheers. Matt

PS Fuel pump still working!

The OE chain on mine lasted to 26,000 so you've beaten me hands down! Just as well you replaced the sprockets at the same time - even slightly worn sprockets massively reduce chain life. If you get another chain after the non-O-ring one (I suppose you'll have to if you want to go anywhere....) get new sprockets as well. I've used HD non O-ring chains often and, even with a Scotoiler, none lasted longer than 10,000 miles. And that's including after removing links! Still, the O-ring Iris chain I had on a Transalp only made it to 7,000 or so, and then became dangerous. You could be lucky, but it sounds like you may have paid a lot for something not so tough. On the other hand, at least it got you out of a spot, so that's the way to look at it.

Stig

Hi Guys

My chain is still going with 65,000mile onthe clock! Bought the bike new Feb 2000 and had a Scottoiler on it from day one,as with all my bikes ive had.
Ireckon im just about ready for a new chain as my wife and i are about to set off from Australia back to the U.K. ont he bike soon and we've already ridden it from the U.K. two up.

65000! That sounds exceptional - has it stretched much? I have fitted an o-ring free chain and it seems to be stretching like a rubber band - in just 2000kms have adjusted it 6 notches!

Wonder what the shortest ever chain life was..........

The chain looks in great condition with the obvious help of the Scottoiler.
It is only 1/3 of the way through the green zone on the chain indicator and seems to have along way to go to the red zone.
I sometimes wonder how good these chain indicators are and so will still change the chain before we head off again and regret not changing it while we had the chance.
Even if the next one lasts 65,000 mile (100,000km + ) i'll have had my moneys worth again! Even my sprockets look in to good a condition to change but in case they rapidly start to wearthey will be changed to.
If ihad the time id like to see how long icould get out of the chain and sprockets but how far do you push it.
One things for sure get yourself a Scottoiler its the best piece of equipment i bought 10 years ago for a bike!

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Peter Bowden

Geez, 65,000 miles on one chain, that's gotta be some kind of record. Its hard to believe that even the Scottoiler works that well.

I am thinking about fitting a Scottoiler to my TA. My current chain is almost out of adjustment after about 12k miles of two-up riding. I'll have to admit I have not done a great job of keeping it oiled...

-Dave

How do you keep your chain and sprocket for so long?????
I,ve never been able to do more then about 25 to 30 thousand KM with a set. Mostly the chain starts to strech and the front sprocket looses it,s teeth.
And... I got a scott-oiler, never make burnouts or wheely,s.
I drive about 60 % road, 30 % dirt, 10 % hell.

So how come?

Maarten

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- www.maartensworld.com -
- Some photo's -

I try to keep the chain on the slightly slacker side rather than to tight as it gives better movement to the swing arm and suspention.
Over the 65,500 mile i had to adjust the chain very little and 90% of the chains life was 2 up.Ive just replaced the DID chain with an RK one as it was the more highly recomended chian but if i only get the same life again i`ll be well pleased.Wet lube like Scottoil or Engine oil through the Scottoil (when you cant buy Scottoil in middle of nowhere) is far more benefit to the chain than any chain lube ,which just grinds grit up into a paste and wears the chain and sprockets away

Peter Bowden is dead right. Although nowhere near his mileage yet, I fitted a Scotoiler to my Thunderace from new and at 50,000 km I have only had to adjust the chain once and that was by just one one flat of the hexagonal nuts. Chains never "stretch". What happens is that they wear in both of two ways: first, if the rubber "o" rings dry out and perish, water and grit get in and very quickly the little axles in each link corrode and either seize up or wear. This results in a slacker and hence longer chain and/or ultimately leads to a broken chain (a major disaster). The other area of wear from lack of lube and abrasion is between the outer rollers and the sprockets. This too effectively makes the chain longer and slacker and wrecks the sprockets.

As PB says, you don't need to use expensive Scotoiler oil. I mainly use chainsaw oil because it sticks on well (also good for RTW because chainsaws are in even very remote places). Alternatively 90 weight gear oil is good.

It is a bit of a fiddle to get the Scotoiler properly set up and adjusted but once it is right it is no trouble. For my planned KLR650 I'm thinking of trying one of the cheaper alternatives or making up something myself.
Neil.

Ask Martin & Katjia they are doing their RTW on 2 ATwins.
www.twintraveller.com


MoroCycler

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Life is the process of making known the unknown. MOROcycler

As Neil said the trick is to setting up the Scottoiler to get it flowing just right.There is no point having it piss out every where and waste the oil as the Scottoil is not cheap.Also if you need to remove the rear wheel for a puncture or just work on the back of the bike it makes things twice as messey with oil thickly coating everything.
When i removed my chain and sprockets the front one was the worst worn but the back one was great with a very close look needed to seethe wear.The chain was incredable with no step marks in the centre pin which normally shows the wear.As Scottoil says the oil really does travel to the other side of the links from centrefugle force.The inside of the links and pins were well coated with a good amount of oil showing the most minimal wear imaginable when i drifted out a pin for a closer look.The only time i had a problem with the Scottoiler was when it developed an air leak through the filler plug.Once i new about this its been easy to correct in future.Altitude can also affect flow but also easly adjusted.For many years, when back in the U.K. we`d ride liverpool to the south of France and back and not have to worry about the chain it just took care of itself.

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Peter Bowden

So I will have to buy a Scottoiler when I get home then (plus a new bike to put it on).

Does it still work well when in a dusty/sandy environment? Managed 33000 miles from my original chain with spray lubes but with more than 95% of this distance on asphalted roads. Subsequent chains have been much cheaper (and much nastier) but have been useless after 5000 of hard work in sandy/gritty riding environments.

We`ve lived and worked in central Australia for the last 2 years at the Ayers Rock resort (Yulara) and places dont come much dustier and sandy than that.
Our chain went through various conditions on our overland trip,the majority of which was dry and dusty and turning the Scottoiler up a fraction was all that was needed.Continuously using chain lube would have shortened the chains life by thousands of miles.
When i removed the chain and put it up against the new one to cut the new one to lentgh the old matched the new link for link,rivet for rivet so most of problem lay with the worn front sprocket which is always going to take the greatest strain.
The only thing is its false economy to change the worn sprocket with a chain that has 65,000 miles on it as the are never going to work/ware well together.
The new chain and sprockets cost me $420.00 (Aust) and that was with discount! but after such mileage no one can complain changing all three as a set.
I feel my chain would have been good for 100,00 miles though if i`d been in a postion to push it (or should i say risk it)but thats all well and good if your staying in a developed place and not about to ride off across the world.


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Peter Bowden

Mine 60.000 km with Scottoiler.

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Ya verás como quieren en Chile al amigo cuando es forastero (traditional song)

Jose Pedro Espinosa
Curico, Chile

Google Fortnine
 

A Canadian store did an in scientific test and it is interesting. YouTube the following:
Never Buy Chain Lube Again? Comparison Test