Chain maintenance

[jeepdude71]

Hi all,

I just bought a new DRZ400S, love it! But, I'm a bit confused about how often to wax the chain, or kerosene it, or oil it. My Suzuki dealer said every other tank, buddy says every day, and yet another said, when it starts to sound like an old chainsaw... any suggestions or links?

R.

[DRZ400SK4]

I clean and lube mine after every ride, but that's because I ride 95% offroad. For street use it requires a lot less attention.

Just inspect it every time you ride and make sure it's clean, free of rust, lubed, and properly adjusted for slack.

Slack spec is 1.6 to 2.0 inches.

[smokey28723]

I ride a lot of off road and clean and lube mine when I get home and wash the bike.

[MMFerris]

While a minor detail, I've always wondered if the chain slack spec is for the bike on a center stand with the wheel hanging or is it for the bike on the side stand or what?

[DRZ400SK4]

On the sidestand. Tires on the ground.

[drzrobbcanuck]

on the road I lube with light oil-wd-40-every 500km or so. Off-road I lube after every 100km with light oil and grease or chainlube or gear-tack-never with chain wax (but that is just me, there was a forum on a while back that went into this ad nausium-run a search on chain maintenance for drz's)-chain slack in manual is too tight, chain can damage output shaft and sprocket on jumps if you only give 2 inches slack. Someone came up with a convenient way to measure; after lubing, correct adjustment should allow you to stack 3 average fingers (2 1/2-3 inches total) between chain and top of swing arm at the rear end of the chain slider (black rubber thing screwed to your swing arm).