Chain rusting frequently?

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Hopefully this attaches properly from my phone. Here's what my chain looks like today, after a brief 1km ride to pick up lunch. Was cleaner looking before.

63f55513-8be3-9906.jpg
 
Where do you get your Wurth Sabesto?
Ever since Pannon closed in Streetsville, I don't know where else to buy it.

Twisted Wrister said:
I use Wurth Saebesto every 2-3 tanks of gas. I never clean my chain. I ride regardless of bad weather and park outdoors.
I had some light surface rust on the exposed sections once after I parked it outside for a few weeks this winter. Sprayed it, drove to work and back, sprayed again. Except for that one morning, it looks clean, shiny, and like new all the time.
I've adjusted the tension one notch once in the past 11000km (bike's got 21k and never been adjusted - bought it at 10) but I probably only had to do that because sometimes I, like everybody with a 1000cc I-4, like to drive like a total dildo for a couple minutes occasionally.
You sound like you're giving it a lot of diligent care and attention, way more than me, so either there is something strange and wrong with your chain or there is something wrong with what you're using and how you're taking care of it. My chain should look like a nightmare compared to yours.
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Emerald94 said:
Where do you get your Wurth Sabesto?
Ever since Pannon closed in Streetsville, I don't know where else to buy it.
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Ted Rose from Rosey Toes. He trains all of his customers to keep their chain diligently lubed. If you just want to buy a can simply visit his shop and bring 10 bucks.
 
Your chain IS worn out....get a better quality chain (eg. D I D GOLD)
stop cleaning it...(1 or 2 times a year at most)......lube after 600 to 700 klms or if dry looking......ride ON
 
TekNinja81 said:
Hopefully this attaches properly from my phone. Here's what my chain looks like today, after a brief 1km ride to pick up lunch. Was cleaner looking before.

63f55513-8be3-9906.jpg
Click to expand...


Based on this picture I suggest simply lubing it and making sure lube gets onto each individual O-Ring located between the side plates. Take your time and good luck. Also, the rollers appear to be dry and need some lube.

My chain that turned rusty was 100 times worse. The side and inner plates where dry dusty red and even the rollers were. So I assumed the tensile stength of the steel had been compromised and that is why I replaced it ASAP. Mine had been overheated.

I suggest yours is not at that point yet. So lube it well. Let it idle in gear on a rear stand for a few minutes once lubed. Shut it off and visually inspect it again to ensure all of the chain has some lube on it. On some bikes it can a bit of a pain or mess to get lube on the right side plate (as determined by the throttle side being the right side).
 
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I'll bet that there are a lot of "Kinks" in your Chain Links. That's not safe to be riding on. Change it ASAP.
 
GSXMAER said:
Your chain IS worn out....get a better quality chain (eg. D I D GOLD)
Click to expand...

Any opinion on DID vs EK?


matthew said:
Is this the chain that came from GP Bikes?
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It is.


Ikan said:
Based on this picture I suggest simply lubing it and making sure lube gets onto each individual O-Ring located between the side plates. Take your time and good luck. Also, the rollers appear to be dry and need some lube.
Click to expand...

I've been wondering about the rollers; I've made sure to get the chain lube onto them, but it's hard to tell with the Maxima stuff sometimes. Have to switch fully to Belray, at least that white crap will be easy to see. :P Also, the chain/rollers were considerably more covered in the red powder/"rust" when I'd noticed it Sunday morning... this chain has since been cleaned, so it looks a lot better than it did then.


apextech said:
I'll bet that there are a lot of "Kinks" in your Chain Links. That's not safe to be riding on. Change it ASAP.
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Indeed, there are some rough spots on the chain. Hoping to have my new one installed by Friday; gotta at least *try* to make it to Dover for once...
 
I'm sure you're already aware, but GP Bikes should not have sold you a bike with a chain in that condition.
 
matthew said:
I'm sure you're already aware, but GP Bikes should not have sold you a bike with a chain in that condition.
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Indeed. Problem now is, it's been 4 months, and 7,000km. Can I really prove that it WAS in that condition anymore, given the time & mileage? I wish I'd been smarter about it and immediately brought the bike back when I spotted how filthy the chain was, but instead I let it slide. Did not expect to wind up with the number of problems/expenses that have now mounted...
 
TekNinja81 said:
Indeed. Problem now is, it's been 4 months, and 7,000km. Can I really prove that it WAS in that condition anymore, given the time & mileage? I wish I'd been smarter about it and immediately brought the bike back when I spotted how filthy the chain was, but instead I let it slide. Did not expect to wind up with the number of problems/expenses that have now mounted...
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It's a used vehicle, now seven years old. These things happen. The cost of chain and sprockets isn't that bad, and with your present diligence the next chain will easily last for as long as you continue to own the bike.
 
Thanks again for the responses everyone.

Got the new chain and sprockets installed this afternoon. JT steel sprockets (+1 on the rear for a little extra torque) and an EK chain. The bike feels like a whole new beast!

It occurs to me that my chain must have been wrecked from the day I bought the bike, as it has *never* felt as smooth and responsive as it does now -- my GF even noticed riding 2up this evening. I had always assumed that the torquier engine in the bike explained why it had a general "rough" or jerky feeling to it at times.. It's much smoother now and I definitely have a significant boost in power.

I seem to be doing faster speeds while actually revving lower; this seems backwards to me since I should be revving higher, so the old equipment must have really been beyond the point of needing replacement, or perhaps the extra torque of the bigger sprocket helps sustain it? (I have no idea.)

Either way, it seems like the Wee only gets better with time!
 
Did you put a speedohealer on as well? If not your speedo will be reading fast, and your engine will be revving higher, which makes your brain THINK you are going faster, but really you're going slower :D

If that makes sense!

lol.

-Jamie M.
 
I had considered (and expected) that, but I was also doublechecking against my GPS; amazingly enough, the bike is indeed both pulling harder/faster, and moving at a higher speed with lower RPM's. Makes no sense to me whatsoever, other than that the worn chain & sprockets must have been causing serious performance problems that I didn't even know were happening from day 1.
 
TekNinja81 said:
The chain on my '05 V-Strom is getting coated with what looks like rust, or a rust-coloured substance on a frequent basis lately. This happens despite the fact I haven't been riding through any wet/poor conditions, dirt or etc, and I've only really been having the issue over the past couple of weeks.
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I don't think you would of been able to log 7,000 KM's if the chain was wrecked from the get go.
You mentioned that it started to rust in the last couple of weeks, not since you bought the bike.
As previously mentioned, it's a used vehicle and if everything is in proper working order, it's hard to tell what's going to happen down the road.
Just my opinion, glad you like the +1 set up, I can't imagine what my 750 will be like with a -1/+2. :)
 
J
toysareforboys said:
Did you put a speedohealer on as well? If not your speedo will be reading fast, and your engine will be revving higher, which makes your brain THINK you are going faster, but really you're going slower :D

If that makes sense!

lol.

-Jamie M.
Click to expand...

Not on a Pre-2012 V-Strom DL650 as the speedo drive is from the front wheel.

..Tom
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