De-greasing

[suffolk58 2,286]

I don't really miss my many years of BMW bike ownership...... except shaft drive.

I gave the NC a really good spring clean at the weekend, which included removing the awful grease and grit mixture that builds up on the swinging arm and any place within fling distance of the chain.

I used an entire can of chain cleaner, at £6.49 from my local Halfords store and lots of rags.

As a youth I remember brushing paraffin into the nooks and crannies before a hot soapy water wash, but is it environmentally friendly to use paraffin these days?

What do you guys (and girls) use?

Do you think one of those steam cleaners they advertise on TV would shift bike grease, or would the heat cause problems?

[bazza 3,629]

There are lots of threads about cleaning -which i must take notice of with my now white wheels.but I prefer a fully enclosed chain-.remember  when bikes were utilitarian things to get to work on- ie triumph twins?

it must be

• easy to take on / off so you don't forget to check tension
• light -obviously
• keep all the crap off the chain -and stop the chain oil getting out
• ideally a plastic type thing -that maybe looks like an extension of the hugger.

If there is enough demand i will ask my mould making mate to come up with some ideas.

[fj_stuart 4,759]

I did some extreme de-greasing when changing the chain on my CBF250.

 

http://fjstuart.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/chain-time.html

 

I used a compressor-powered paraffin gun filled with petrol. Please don't blame me if you blow yourself up trying this!

 

[Tex 36,817]

Paraffin will still work, just as it always did. I use 'Jizer' but there are others that work as well, or better. My son swears by 'Muck Off' (I just swear - chains have that effect on me!).

[TheEnglishman 401]

Paraffin all the way, along with an old toothbrush and an old dish brush for the bigger stuff.

[CFB 4,602]

+1 for paraffin.

While you're at it, whip the chainguard and front sprocket cover off and clean the crud off those too.

You'll probably get carried away at this point and do the back of the engine, swing arm and shock linkages too.

[Griff 1,556]

Gunk. You can get it in Halfords.

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

Muck off on sale at Aldi this Sunday. I've heard it's a bit hard and fades the plastic. Any truth in that

[Rocker66 34,466]

been using Muc Off for years with no problem. Bought a bottle with dispenser and now buy it in bulk and refill bottle

[Guest amiga-mark]

Turps or white spirit for those little hard black blobs (wheels), muck off (2 for £10 at J&S big bottlles and dispenser) and then COLD soapy water for wheels and frame.

 

I find that if i clean the chain then squirt some gear oil (5w/90 fully synth) onto a jaycloth and then hold this around the chain and spin the wheel it coats it evenly and clears off excess.

Edited April 5, 2016 by amiga-mark

[downhilldave 6]

There are lots of threads about cleaning -which i must take notice of with my now white wheels.but I prefer a fully enclosed chain-.remember  when bikes were utilitarian things to get to work on- ie triumph twins?

it must be

• easy to take on / off so you don't forget to check tension
• light -obviously
• keep all the crap off the chain -and stop the chain oil getting out
• ideally a plastic type thing -that maybe looks like an extension of the hugger.

If there is enough demand i will ask my mould making mate to come up with some ideas.

[downhilldave 6]

I'm definitely interested in the chainguard idea.

[bazza 3,629]

my thoughts are

• It should be attached only to the swinging arm ,original mounting points , be very light and quickly removable
• maybe carry a Loobman oil container (if it can be attached easily -feeding the chain as you wish)
• Unlike the old Brit iron ones we could have something in fibreglass or clear plastic (think tupperware) so seeing chain tension easy
• It should do away with the existing one and not affect any hugger fitting .

My chap can delign anything in metal but i don't have contacts in plastic or silicone -have you?

[Andy m 23,598]

MZ had it sorted. I'm on 50000 miles on an industrial, non-O-ring chain. Under 23HP helps but the chain enclosure is great.

Square box section hard yet flexible plastic and soft bellows which seal onto the back of the engine.

Andy

[Guest sykospain]

Andy - may we have a Big Close Up of your MZ's chain enclosure ?

 

And talking of niche deutsche-made bikes, ¿ did you know ( just discovered this ) that whilst Russia took BMW's entire bike plant kit as war reparations in 1945, our venerable British Small Arms combine equally took the bike design and plant tools of the historic DKW ( Deutsche Kraft Wagen ) bike manufacturer in reparations ?

 

They turned the bike into the BSA Bantam 125cc 2-stroke with hardly a single alteration in design or components, except for replacing the motor and tranny with a British-made Villiers, and supplied thousands of them painted red to the General Post Office.

 

Hoodathawtit

[bazza 3,629]

and the hinkley triumphs were a crib off the Kwacker design- nuffin new is there!

[Guest machinman]

Andy M, that is Very impressive chain milage.

[bikerbampi 542]

I love the idea of an enclosed chain casing, as was said the Eastern Europeans had it sussed.

[kayz1 2,928]

I would have one Bazza..

what about a sheet of 2mm fibre glass cut to fit the sides, it could be sticky taped to a bit of plastic water/elec cable conduit and glassed over to form the shape..

May have a go....

Lyn.

[Dave H 2,022]

Doesn't rossocromo do a chain enclosure as well as a hugger for the NC? http://www.rossocromo.fr/product.php?id_product=36&id_lang=1

[Tex 36,817]

Doesn't rossocromo do a chain enclosure as well as a hugger for the NC? http://www.rossocromo.fr/product.php?id_product=36&id_lang=1

Yes, they do. But it's a half arsed affair that is designed to protect the bike from flung chain lube not protect the chain. The most vulnerable area of chain (by the front of the rear tyre) is completely unprotected.

[Guest sykospain]

Looks to be better than nothing though Tex....have you fitted one to your bike >

[roddy 845]

Same as Rocker been using Muck Off for years with no problems. I do dilute it 70/30 with water though. The secret is to make sure you rinse it all off afterwards.Bulk buying is considerably cheaper.

[Andy m 23,598]

 

[embee 7,288]

Stuff .................

If there is enough demand i will ask my mould making mate to come up with some ideas.

The biggest issue with anything like this is the product liability aspect. That's why I don't get into making things like this for other folk. It only needs one person to have something break and lock the back wheel and ............................

It only makes sense for limited companies to do this sort of thing.

Edited May 9, 2016 by embee