A question about using gear oil on the chain

[user_ds]

If your garage is not heated you should hook up an exhaust fan to change the air periodically--otherwise moisture and condensation will sit on the contents. I have a cheap bath exhaust fan hooked to a timer that kicks it on 3 times a day for about an hour-since I installed that many years ago I no longer have that condensation problem on my bikes, tools and motorcycles. This can be rigged up for less than $100. A bottle of the cheapest ATF will last for years as chain lube--no magical additives or cleaners are needed

Unfortunately, I rent the garage and installing such a vent is not an option for me. It is an old brick garage and it gets some ventilation through the gaps around the doors. I tried to cover all corrosion prone parts with ACF-50.

 

[dduelin]

Great, so I'm gonna leave the chain as is for now and definitely not clean it with any solvent to preserve the factory grease. I will keep an eye on it if there is any surface rust showing up, then I will wipe some gear oil.
By the way, the CB500X gets amazing fuel mileage. When ridden conservatively around 35mph it shows 103 mpg at times.

I'm sure the chain will be fine during reasonable storage.

Mpg - The only calculation that counts is distance / fuel burn. Snapshot mpg never equals average although they can be quite high.

 

[user_ds]

I'm sure the chain will be fine during reasonable storage.

Mpg - The only calculation that counts is distance / fuel burn. Snapshot mpg never equals average although they can be quite high.

Yes, the number that counts is the average mpg. I saw your videos on how you practiced in the parking lot with your NC700 DCT and how you lube the chain with the toothbrush dipped once and I liked both

 

[the Ferret]

If the garage has gaps in the door I suggest putting a mouse trap by each wheel. Mice love motorcycle wiring and air boxes for nests

 

[salishmoto]

I tried gear oil and didn't like the mess. I now only use Honda Pro Chain lube with Moly. No mess at all, no build up in the area of the front sprocket, and no smells. I'll second it has nothing to do with chain link lubing, and is really about corrosion protection. I ride here in the rainforest year round. Constant wet. Never any rust or corrosion with the Honda Pro.

 

[dduelin]

I tried gear oil and didn't like the mess. I now only use Honda Pro Chain lube with Moly. No mess at all, no build up in the area of the front sprocket, and no smells. I'll second it has nothing to do with chain link lubing, and is really about corrosion protection. I ride here in the rainforest year round. Constant wet. Never any rust or corrosion with the Honda Pro.

I think you probably applied too much if you had any mess whatsoever. The rear wheel of my NC700X stays as clean as my shaft drive bikes and I'm going on 25,000 miles on the current chain.

I used to use the same product (Honda #8732-CLM00) and when it flicked a dirty grease booger up onto the back of my brand new Aerostich I quit using it and any waxy or sticky chain lubes.

 

[salishmoto]

That's easy to think but I didn't. It's oil so it stays oily and sticky and soaks up dirt and flings off in small ways. Just a dirty oily mess for me. I've never had any issues with the Honda Pro Moly flinging anything anywhere! I've tried about everything. I've tried the Motul product that gets overall great reviews and found it too much like oil in how it accumulated goop and dirt.

 

[skills4lou]

Wait, some people don’t like the smell of gear oil? It smells like fun to me
I’ve drastically over oiled mine a few times and clean up was as simple as a quick wipe with the rag.
Cleanup of commercial chain lubes has always taken a LOT longer for me.

 

[Jeepster09]

If the garage has gaps in the door I suggest putting a mouse trap by each wheel. Mice love motorcycle wiring and air boxes for nests

Or keep a CAT in the garage....

 

[user_ds]

Ordered this instead and hopefully it is gonna keep mice away. I have not noticed any mice droppings in the garage yet.

 

[ljurgens]

Strangely enough, I scatter about 6-8 cheap walmart dryer sheets in my pool shed each winter and it seems to keep the mice out of there!

 

[Possummanj]

Strangely enough, I scatter about 6-8 cheap walmart dryer sheets in my pool shed each winter and it seems to keep the mice out of there!

But the mice that stay are much softer and smell better too.