Home > Gear > My first bike, a ’68 Triumph, had a primitive chain oiler. Metered oil was drawn off the oil tank return line and a small amount was then diverted onto the chain via a drip line on the rear-wheel torque stay. It certainly oiled the chain but the errant spray also oiled my girlfriend’s snow-white jeans. My eager adolescent cure was to simply close the metering needle down and pinch off the supply, since that girlfriend was far more valuable to me at the time than any chain. I still have that original TR6R but the girl, now someone’s grandmother, is long gone. Well, times have changed and so has chain maintenance. I have four chain-drive bikes and don’t relish maintaining them the vintage Triumph way, so I looked at various systems that promise to avoid the greasy drudgery that was once the norm. Most of the available chain oiling systems promise more than they provide or are incredibly messy. I discovered Scottoilers years ago and I’m a believer. Let’s discuss some basics.

Chains don’t really need “lubrication,” per se. Modern chains are manufactured with adequate lubrication sealed inside the rollers by special O-rings of various designs. Given proper cleaning and tensioning, these chains have much longer service lives. So do they really need an oiling system? Because of their longevity, perhaps we should think of chain “oilers” more as chain “cleaners.” motorcycles for sale craigslist fresnoA light oil coating prevents corrosion, and if just enough oil is dispensed onto the chain, that oil will “fling off” the abrasive grit that eventually degrades the rubber ring seals on modern chains.motorcycle helmets shop in dubai Before the eSystem, that precise amount of oil was impossible to control. bauer motorcycle helmet

Too little failed to do the job and too much was just messy. The eSystem pumps proprietary oil from a reservoir onto the sprocket close to the chain run. The system is activated by a three-axis accelerometer that detects the bike’s motion and provides oil at a pre-determined rate only while the bike is moving. craigslist motorcycles for sale in wichita ksOil is pumped rather than gravity-fed, so there is no drooling when stationary. A multifunctional digital display provides data including oil flow rate, oil reservoir level, ambient temperature and motion sensor activity. Scottoiler offers two types of oil depending on ambient air temps. Traditional oil, the blue label, is for ambient temps of 32-90 degrees F. The high-temp red label is for hotter climes, 70-104 F. Here in the San Diego area, I routinely use the standard blue label with no problems. Hotter in your area?

Simply choose the high-temp oil, which is slightly thicker. Once the system is installed and metering is set, it’s a set-and-forget system. Metering is easy, and comprehensive directions are provided. The system will even tell you when the reservoir gets low. The rear rim stays remarkably clean and chain life is extended. New features include the addition of a capacitor to avoid losing the settings on bikes due to sudden voltage spikes on start up, as well as minor modifications to the screen and buttons to improve reliability. My 2004 Ducati has had one chain replacement and I still ride on the original sprockets. Adjust the drive chain tension as needed. This is a good product; it does exactly what it claims. Tagged with: Motorcycle Gear Reviews SV1000 (2003 - 2005) review © CMG Ltd 2016. This website is owned and published by Crash Media Group Limited.     This age-old question about oils doesn’t have an easy answer. However, your motorcycle manual will specify a particular oil and it is prudent to adhere strictly to that.

But usually the manual only provides specifications of viscosity/weight and service classifications, not the origin or the manufacturer. Synthetic oils are manmade, consistent and devoid of contaminants, while mineral oils come from the ground and, although being refined, can contain some contaminants. But does that mean you should only use synthetic oils? The mineral oil refining process is very thorough. Any contaminants will be miniscule and unlikely to do damage. Besides, some synthetic oils actually use mineral oils as part of their formula. The main advantage of mineral oils is that they are cheaper, sometimes about a quarter of the price of synthetics. Many new motorcycles are delivered with mineral oil in them. That’s not necessarily a cost-saving measure. Mineral oil actually helps the rings and pistons bed in properly during the crucial run-in stage. Synthetic oils can create a film around the bore so it doesn’t seal properly, leading to slippage and higher oil use later in the engine’s lifespan.

Mineral oils are also more suitable for older motorcycles because they are heavier or thicker and don’t leak. Owners who change to synthetic oils in older motorcycles often find they leak more. But be aware that older bikes specify the type of oil that was available at the time they were built and those oils may not be available anymore. However current generation oils will be far better than what was originally specified for older applications. Will an older bike benefit from an expensive synthetic oil as opposed to a current generation mineral oil? Probably not, as older engines (unless modified) are unlikely to be that highly stressed that they would benefit from a synthetic. Will it do any harm?  Providing viscosity ratings are appropriate – probably not, except to your wallet! As for modern motorcycles, most mechanics believe synthetic oil is best, especially after the first service. There are many advantages of synthetic oils, including the fact that they are better able to properly lubricate and tolerate the extremes the oils are subjected to in modern high-performance, high-revving engines.

especially when operating in hot climates. Synthetic oils also last longer which you will see for yourself when you drain the sump at your scheduled next service. Synthetic oil usually doesn’t form such a thick, black sludge caused by oxidation. But don’t be alarmed if the drained oil is dirty. That’s just the oil doing its job. If it comes out looking the same as it went in, you might have a problem as it’s not doing its job. The lower viscosity (resistance to breaking down) of synthetic oils reduces internal friction which means better efficiency, more performance and slightly higher fuel economy. It may cost a lot more than mineral oil, but it may yield some economic returns in fuel economy, a longer-lasting engine and longer periods between oil changes. However, extending your scheduled oil change would be a false economy in the long run. RACQ technical officer Steve Spalding advises that owners should use quality branded oil and keep to the schedule for oil and filter changes as motorcycle engines place high demands on engine oils.

Air-cooled engines, in particular, place a lot of stress on the oil in hot weather and stop-start traffic conditions. “In my experience, a good quality synthetic oil is a small price to pay for engine protection. I learnt from experience when I first started riding in the late ’70s that the wrong oil can be costly. After pulling into a service station one night I filled my 250 Yamaha with auto transmission fluid instead of two stroke oil because I wasn’t paying attention, even though the oil was the typical dark red colour. Within a day of further riding the engine seized and it cost me barrels, pistons, secondhand crank and rods plus a few very late nights rebuilding the engine.” ‘And then there’s two-stroke engines: It’s fairly basic quality because it gets burnt but it’s designed to have low smoke emissions and limited combustion chamber deposits.  It definitely isn’t the same as oil used in a four-stroke engine. Also oils for wet clutches are specific to avoid the potential for clutch slip.