Tips For Motorcycle Chain Maintenance

There are some Harley-Davidson® motorcycle maintenance issues that you can address on your own. A little proactivity can save you much hassle and expense down the road. You just need to know how to perform maintenance steps properly so you don’t end up having to turn to a professional to fix any mistakes. One of the simpler mechanical tasks is to take care of your bike chain. To help you do that well, we have put together this brief guide.

Inspection

You should ideally inspect your motorcycle chain twice a month or every 500-700 miles. Start by gently tugging on the chain about one inch upward and downward. This lets you know if the chain is too tight or too loose. You’ll have to check your owner’s manual for more information about what this means for your particular model. You’ll want to roll the bike forward so you can inspect the entire chain, just in case, it’s not the entire thing that needs fixing, but rather one individual link.

You have to inspect the sprockets next. You have to make sure that the teeth are running smoothly with the chain, otherwise, it’ll cause excessive wear and tear or damage. If you see that the teeth are worn or are wearing down at a strange rate, you might have a problem with the connection or you might need new parts altogether.

Cleaning

To make sure the chain of your Harley-Davidson motorcycle continues to function as it should, you have to ensure it’s clean. A clean chain performs better and lasts longer so it is worth investing some time for this.

Use a brush that’s made specifically for cleaning chains if possible but if you don’t have one, you can even use a toothbrush! You might just find that a specialized brush makes it easier, though. For the next step, you basically have to soak the chain in the product. This helps you to completely scrub the chain free of all dirt and grime. This will require diligence to make sure you get into every little crevice. Once everything is clean, you’ll need your chains to be dry before the next step.

Lubrication

Once you’ve completely dried the chain, you should spray lubricant onto it while rotating the tire to ensure you lubricate every part of it. Cover each of the four sides and then wipe away any excess. Wait a few minutes for some products to set, so read the directions. This can be a good opportunity to adjust tension if you need to.

We hope this information helps you take better care of your bike chain! For additional help or to check out Harley-Davidson motorcycles for sale in Oconomowoc, WI, get in touch with us and one of our expert staff will gladly help you out. Wisconsin Harley-Davidson proudly serves all those in Milwaukee and Madison.