Sohoz Tools

Chain cleaning, lubrication and slack

With the engine off, clean the chain, lubricate it and compare the slack with the manual.

This guidance is general — not checked for any one model. Your bike's exact figures and procedures are in its owner's manual or at an authorised service centre.

Basic owner maintenanceDifficulty: Easy20–30 minutesNot for scooters

When to do it

  • At the distance your manual gives
  • After rain, mud or washing
  • When the chain looks dry or is noisy

What you need

  • Chain cleaner or a suitable degreaser
  • A soft brush and cloths
  • Chain lube made for motorcycle chains
  • A centre stand helps

Step by step

  1. 1

    Work on flat, firm ground away from traffic, with the engine off and the key out.

  2. 2

    Put it on the centre stand if it has one, in neutral.

    A motorcycle on its centre stand
    On the centre stand the rear wheel lifts clear and can be turned by hand. Not every bike has a centre stand.Photo: Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. 3

    Clean a section with the brush and cleaner, then turn the wheel by hand to the next section.

    Never run the engine in gear to turn the chain — it can take fingers off. Turn the wheel by hand only, fingers clear of the chain and sprockets.

  4. 4

    Wipe dry and let it dry.

  5. 5

    Apply a thin coat of lube to the inside run (the sprocket side); wipe off the excess.

    Spraying lube onto a chain
    A bicycle chain is shown; on a motorcycle, with the engine off and the wheel turned by hand, spray the inner run lightly in the same way.Photo: Alextredz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Keep lube off the tyre and brake disc.

  6. 6

    Move the lower run up and down at its midpoint to see the slack; the right figure is in the manual or on a chain-guard sticker.

    Slack (figure in the manual)Front sprocketRear sprocketEngine off, in neutral; measure at the middle of the lower run
    General drawing — not of any particular model
  7. 7

    If the slack is out of range, have a mechanic adjust it — it means loosening the rear axle and keeping both sides even.

Warnings

  • Do not clean the chain with petrol — it is a fire risk and harms the O-rings.
  • Avoid stiff wire brushes and high-pressure water on O-ring chains.

Stop and see a mechanic if

  • The chain jumps, a link is stiff, or the sprocket teeth are hooked

Sources

  • The owner's manual and service booklet: the only reliable source for your bike's figures and procedures.
  • The chain lube maker's instructions.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-25