Howdy all...hope everyone's getting some fun and safe rides in.I am.Anyway...thought I'd post about this simple maintenance job.First off...It IS simple.Went down and bought a couple liters of KEROSINE.(like the manual suggests).Bought a couple of those sponge type paintbrushes,and a shoe polish applicator brush...the little deal with the handle and horsehair bristles.

FINALLY...I started with this deal that I've ALWAYS avoided before.Bike up on rear stand,Removed the rear belly fairing there.Went to work soaking the chain(put a plastic long pan under there).Used the sponge deals to thoroughly "wash" the chain rollers and plates.I was amazed at just how well the kerosine cuts through the grime,and leaves the chain looking new.Soaked it good,several(at least two) runs around the length and then used the horsehair brush to give er a final light scrub(with more kerosine).The job took about 20 minutes to do...very easy cleanup,and great results.Completely wiped the chain down with a clean dry cotton towel...several times.Then took a hair dryer and evaporated the remaining kerosine that might have still been in there.Held the dryer on "hot" setting at the lower rear sprocket area,where the chain rolls onto the chainwheel.(I dryed it running the wheel backwards...by hand there).The chain really cleaned up great....all the rollers were free to move smoothly,and then I applied Maxima Chain Wax to it,but not overdoing it(did this this morning before my ride).Went for a NICE ride...200 miles at least.Temps...mid 60's.Overcast.PERFECT for my big bird.

Between 5 and 90mph+,in virtually ANY gear she ran better than when she was new.Amazing how smooth my bike performs since I loosened that master link as Privateer said.Cleaning with the kerosine definitely is the way to go.There was an extremely minimal amount of fling from the Chain Wax...and probably would have been even less had I not applied it,then went for a ride.
Anyway...thought I'd share that with ya guys.Very easy and positive little job.I won't be avoiding cleaning my chain again.The only thing I would say is....make sure you dry the kerosine from the rollers and all very well before riding or applying a lube.I cleaned her LAST NIGHT,so there wasn't any issue about gooey,flowing kerosine/lube mix going all over the wheel.

I CANNOT imagine however using 90 wt.GEAR OIL as the manual recommends to do the chain lubing.Unless ya want to spend countless hours cleaning your rims!I LOVE my Kawasaki zx14!Awesome bike....way awesome!Take care all....be safe!

I DID fail myself though...I ran her up to 190 AGAIN .Gotta say...she's still got some left up there... she's so darn smooth...what a ride!

I've also eased up on my suspension settings...from the manual's settings,I'd say I'm just about tuned in for my weight(175)(she's plenty plush now,and holds a line and such sweet.Corners' just wonderful.Accelerates...instantaneously.Fast cruise...solid and smooth.Even my front discs and brakes have mellowed out...nice!(was getting a pulse pretty strong before.No longer the case).14's just ROCK.ROCK I tell ya!

Got my new Angel ST 180/55 rear scrubbed in but good today.Front's going on next week.Happy ridin all!Be safe!

Sheesh...I almost forgot...baby turned 41 today!!!WoHoo!41,200+ miles of awesome,trouble free miles!!!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 10/8/2010 @ 5:47 PM *

Excellent tips Blue, thanks

I tried your method today, works great! My smooth baby is back!
Thanks for the write-up!

Glad that worked for ya!I always wondered"how much fling will I get from applying the chain wax AFTER a ride...when the chain's warm.Well...I did that day before yesterday.Went on a sweet ride the next morning.That afternoon....looked at my rear rim.AMAZING....virtually zero fling.Heated chain application and overnight sit is definitely the way to go with Chain Wax.

I clean mine the same way but lub 10-40 engine oil, have a drip feed fitted turn it on about 50 miles from home, chain lubed for next trip out, as for cleaning the wheel with the 10-40 it just wipes away with a cloth, when I used pj1 I had to use a solvent of some kind to get the thick crap off ever wash
B-A

Hey blue did you have to take the chain off your bike to clean it? I'm just a rookie at maintenence when it comes to bikes. I want to make sure my baby last forever.

No...I just removed the rear lower fairing so I could get an open spot to the lower chain run.I had er up on the rear stand as well.
Remember...NO STIFF bristled brushes.NO scrubbing.Just apply the kerosine with the sponge "paint brush" thing,or a horsehair shoe polish applicator.The gunk will melt away.Final brushdown with the kerosine and dry.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 11/23/2010 @ 5:17 PM *

Kerosene is perfect. It cleans extremely well, wipes off easily, and dries clean.

WD40 is not good. It is an abrasive and will get between the o-rings and plates and wear out the o-rings. Maybe not the first time, but sooner than the chain will wear out on its own.

We discussed all this in the previous thread (several pages I think).

One thing--might not be the best idea to use a hair drier to dry a volitile solvent from chain. There is a red hot element in there and could ignite kero fumes that get sucked in the gun.

Kero is the way to go (solvent not corn Syrup-hehehajahah) for cleaning though. It is mostly solvent but there is a slight oil residue left after it evaporates. I take mine for a ride to fling any excess out of the chain. Yeah, you have to clean the wheels after that but oh well.

Yeah 2nd on not using a hair dryer use compressed air instead. Also, it is recommended that the chain is cleaned, dried and reoiled in less than 15 mins otherwise you could damage the o-rings on the chain.

15 minutes? No way. If you have just cleaned it with Kerosene, there is nothing there to hurt the o-rings. Take it out, heat the chain up by riding around the block 5 times, put chain wax on it. Call it good.

Never heard the 15 minute rule but I suppose it is possible.

I am highly suspicious of any kind of cleaning that is too thorough. You get too much contact, you are scrubbing the orings and I think that will break them regardless of what kind of solvent is used as a cleaner. I have started to just soak the chain with kero by spinning the rear wheel by hand while it is lifted on my stand. I put a long piece of cardboard under the bike to catch the drips. Also my oil change drain pan sits right under the section of chain I am soaking. I rinse my rag in the drain pan which is partly filled with kerosene. I wipe the chain off with dry rags as I spin the wheel in the same manner. It gets quite clean and I am able to accomplish the job in 15 minutes. The inner plates do not get perfectly clean but if my orings stay intact longer on this next chain, I won't let that bother me. I don't think it is practical to get the chain spotless. To get in the recesses of the chain requires some sort of brush and that means scrubbing on the orings.

After a chain cleaning, I do a 15 minute ride to fling out as much residual kero as possible. Then wax. <<The wax may be the reason it is hard to clean the recessed areas of the chain without meticulous scrubbing. Wax dissolves less readily than petroleum based lubes like a heavy axle grease..

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/1/2011 @ 4:39 PM *