Clean, lube & adjust your chain?

Steps

1. 1
   1

   Get the rear wheel up on a paddock stand

   Put the bike on a paddock stand (or centre stand) so the rear wheel spins freely — you can't clean or adjust the chain properly with it on the ground. Make sure the bike is stable before you start turning the wheel.

   

   Warning
2. 2
   2

   Clean the chain

   Spray on a dedicated O-ring-safe chain cleaner, then work the chain through a chain brush while rotating the wheel by hand, turning it forward so the run feeds away from your fingers. Wipe off the grime with a rag and let it dry.

   

   Danger
3. 3
   3

   Inspect for wear

   With the chain clean, check it over: try lifting a link off the rear of the sprocket — if it pulls away noticeably, the chain is worn. Look for tight/kinked links, rust, and hooked or pointed sprocket teeth. A worn chain and sprockets should be replaced together.◆3·1

   

4. 4
   4

   Lube the chain

   Apply chain lube to the inner faces of the rollers — aim where the chain meets the rear sprocket — while slowly turning the wheel by hand for a full couple of rotations. Let it soak in for a few minutes, then wipe off any excess so it doesn't fling onto the wheel and tyre.

   

5. 5
   5

   Check & set the slack to spec

   Measure the chain's vertical free play at the midpoint of the lower run against the figure in your manual (commonly somewhere around 25–35 mm, but always use your model's spec). To adjust, loosen the axle nut and turn each adjuster equally to keep wheel alignment, using the swingarm reference marks, then re-measure.

   

6. 6
   6

   Torque the axle nut & fit a fresh cotter pin

   With slack and alignment set, tighten the axle nut to the manufacturer's torque spec with a torque wrench. Then fit a new cotter pin through the castle nut and bend its legs over to lock it — never re-use an old pin. Spin the wheel once more to confirm everything runs true.

   

Fits these bikes

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