This is a dirty chore that gets done wrong more often than right - probably because it is a dirty chore. But, on the chance that some may not know the proper techniques, and since I was due one anyway, I decided to document it. If it is too basic, carry on.
OK, Honda. Come across with the centerstand (or mainstand as they say in some places). Honda told my dealer the stand was "FRD" which means Future Release Date. Most likely in November. Till then you have to fashion a way to get the rear wheel airborne. You can use a race stand or prop it up with a stick or whatever you've got. Just make sure it is stable. I use a maintenance lift with the front wheel strapped in a wheel chock and the rear lifted by a bottle jack.
Pick your poison for what to use. There are two separate tasks - clean and lubricate. The best I have found are DuPont Motorcycle Degreaser and Maxima Chain Wax respectively. Make sure that both products say specifically "safe for o-ring chains" on the container. There are hundreds of options with their adherents. I won't try to defend that mine is best, only that I am satisfied with it. The degreaser works quickly and well and does not require rinsing. The chain wax is much cleaner and doesn't hold dirt like the tacky lubes. You can see from the starting picture that my chain has an even red dirt coating bound up in the sticky lube that came on the bike. I am a poor boy who lives at the end of a dirt road. I find that chain wax does not attract the road gunk and the chain stays cleaner longer.
I take off the front cover every time I clean and adjust my chain because it is easier to keep it clean than to let it get out of control. Lots of junk gets thrown over the top edge as the chain turns on the sprocket and it will eventually fill up. On dirt bikes we used to just take them off, but this is a clean gentlemanly motorcycle and it deserves a proper cover. Additionally, there is a very well designed metal chain retainer within the cover that serves to feed the chain through if it were to break rather than letting it bunch up on the countershaft and crack the engine case. This is a very important little strip of metal! After the chain is clean, it is time to adjust the slack. I use a Motion Pro 08-0048 chain alignment gauge to make sure that the rear wheel is properly aligned. The little marks on the side of the swingarm are totally useless.
The easiest way that I have found to gauge chain deflection is to pull the chain down firmly with a tape measure and index the tape on some even number. Here I am using 2 inches as the lower point. Holding the tape measure in a steady position, lift the chain up with your free hand and notice the new tape reading. This gives you the full range of deflection. In this case, the correct 1-3/8". Amazing, huh? Actually, I had already taken the slack out when I shot this.
Once the proper slack is obtained and the chain is aligned it is time to cinch the adjustment bolts and tighten the axle. This motorcycle has pull type chain adjustment (with nuts) rather than push type adjustment (with jack bolts). If the adjusters are loose, you will never know whether your chain is aligned. The cool trick for making sure that the axle is bearing on the adjustment studs is to trap an old screwdriver handle between the chain and the bottom of the sprocket and push the tire forward until the screwdriver handle is jammed. This will seat the axle against the studs and you can get an accurate reading. It is also helpful to do this when you are first tightening the axle bolt to be sure the axle is cinched where you want it. Don't use your favorite screwdriver as it will scar it a bit. Also don't use anything hard as it may damage the chain.
With the axle seated in position, lightly contact the 14mm adjustment nuts on the studs and then tighten the 12mm jam nuts while holding the 14mm nuts in position. Then, also with the axle seated in position, make an initial tightening of the axle bolt nut. Use a torque wrench to set the rear axle nut torque to 98 N-m (72 ft.-lb.). Re-check that the chain is still centered and that the slack is still correct.
Now it is time to lube the chain. Most chain lubes do better applied to a warm chain. Most instructions say to ride the bike to warm it before lubing it. In my case (poor man, dirt road) I'd rather not do that. So, I dry the chain with towels and set my digital hot air gun to a low temperature like 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and spin the chain by hand holding the hot air gun in position. When the chain is warm to the touch, I am ready to apply the chain wax. Contrary to its name, the chain wax is quite liquid as applied. It hardens some over the 15 minutes or so following application. Wait at least that long before you ride.
I hope there was something useful here. If not, let me know and I will shut up.
OK, Honda. Come across with the centerstand (or mainstand as they say in some places). Honda told my dealer the stand was "FRD" which means Future Release Date. Most likely in November. Till then you have to fashion a way to get the rear wheel airborne. You can use a race stand or prop it up with a stick or whatever you've got. Just make sure it is stable. I use a maintenance lift with the front wheel strapped in a wheel chock and the rear lifted by a bottle jack.
Pick your poison for what to use. There are two separate tasks - clean and lubricate. The best I have found are DuPont Motorcycle Degreaser and Maxima Chain Wax respectively. Make sure that both products say specifically "safe for o-ring chains" on the container. There are hundreds of options with their adherents. I won't try to defend that mine is best, only that I am satisfied with it. The degreaser works quickly and well and does not require rinsing. The chain wax is much cleaner and doesn't hold dirt like the tacky lubes. You can see from the starting picture that my chain has an even red dirt coating bound up in the sticky lube that came on the bike. I am a poor boy who lives at the end of a dirt road. I find that chain wax does not attract the road gunk and the chain stays cleaner longer.
I take off the front cover every time I clean and adjust my chain because it is easier to keep it clean than to let it get out of control. Lots of junk gets thrown over the top edge as the chain turns on the sprocket and it will eventually fill up. On dirt bikes we used to just take them off, but this is a clean gentlemanly motorcycle and it deserves a proper cover. Additionally, there is a very well designed metal chain retainer within the cover that serves to feed the chain through if it were to break rather than letting it bunch up on the countershaft and crack the engine case. This is a very important little strip of metal! After the chain is clean, it is time to adjust the slack. I use a Motion Pro 08-0048 chain alignment gauge to make sure that the rear wheel is properly aligned. The little marks on the side of the swingarm are totally useless.
The easiest way that I have found to gauge chain deflection is to pull the chain down firmly with a tape measure and index the tape on some even number. Here I am using 2 inches as the lower point. Holding the tape measure in a steady position, lift the chain up with your free hand and notice the new tape reading. This gives you the full range of deflection. In this case, the correct 1-3/8". Amazing, huh? Actually, I had already taken the slack out when I shot this.
Once the proper slack is obtained and the chain is aligned it is time to cinch the adjustment bolts and tighten the axle. This motorcycle has pull type chain adjustment (with nuts) rather than push type adjustment (with jack bolts). If the adjusters are loose, you will never know whether your chain is aligned. The cool trick for making sure that the axle is bearing on the adjustment studs is to trap an old screwdriver handle between the chain and the bottom of the sprocket and push the tire forward until the screwdriver handle is jammed. This will seat the axle against the studs and you can get an accurate reading. It is also helpful to do this when you are first tightening the axle bolt to be sure the axle is cinched where you want it. Don't use your favorite screwdriver as it will scar it a bit. Also don't use anything hard as it may damage the chain.
With the axle seated in position, lightly contact the 14mm adjustment nuts on the studs and then tighten the 12mm jam nuts while holding the 14mm nuts in position. Then, also with the axle seated in position, make an initial tightening of the axle bolt nut. Use a torque wrench to set the rear axle nut torque to 98 N-m (72 ft.-lb.). Re-check that the chain is still centered and that the slack is still correct.
Now it is time to lube the chain. Most chain lubes do better applied to a warm chain. Most instructions say to ride the bike to warm it before lubing it. In my case (poor man, dirt road) I'd rather not do that. So, I dry the chain with towels and set my digital hot air gun to a low temperature like 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and spin the chain by hand holding the hot air gun in position. When the chain is warm to the touch, I am ready to apply the chain wax. Contrary to its name, the chain wax is quite liquid as applied. It hardens some over the 15 minutes or so following application. Wait at least that long before you ride.
I hope there was something useful here. If not, let me know and I will shut up.
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