Chain lube, food for thought.

[K2-K6]

In essence he doesn't cover many things that we would ordinarily consider the reasons for lubrication of a chain,  heat build up,  wear of bearings over duty cycle (elongation of chain) which is how most are judged because we have to adjust them, or any defects arising from siezed links (like trying to exceed the front sprocket diameter) which are particularly interesting for bikes in general but certainly of significant importance on these engines.

[SteveD CB500K0]

If you don't lubricate the outside of sealed link chains they seem to heat up with friction during use,  this may lead to the internal lubrication exiting the bearings. Something definitely happens as they can get stiff links that give problems.

I’ve always understood that chainlube is required in sealed link chains to keep the seals moist. If they dry out they get hot and deteriorate fast. Once the seals have gone the chain is toast pretty quickly.



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[K2-K6]

It just looks like cod-technical presentation delivered to project the presenter in a light that he knows what he's talking about.

It starts with a theoretical view and just offers "evidence" to prove that,  rather than examination to find what happens.  They are different things.

Just that loading test of spinning the bearing,  it reaches a demonstrated load of around 1 kilo (at which point it stops rotating), when if you look at a rough "back of a fag packet " approximation,  it would probably exceed 400 kilo on a 200kg bike during maximum application of torque.
That test cannot come anywhere near simulation of real life.  It's just not a valid test.

[mike the bike]

It's only meant as a rough comparison,don't read too much into it.

[K2-K6]

It's not a criticism of MarkCR750, just of the video maker and his assessment. 

After all, if it can't stand up to a bit of gentle scrutiny then it's not worth the the altered magnetic state on which it's mpeg compression is stored (not worth the paper it's written on in old money) 

It's a classic con trick scenario,  start by representing yourself with verifiable fact to establish credibility,  move on to what you want to do when you think you're believed and present something as factual under that initial cover of truthful projection.
Not suggesting he's a con man, just the method has same fingerprint to it.

There's alot of good stuff available on t'internet, also alot of pure tosh, it's reasoned discussion that has the ability to separate the two,  and perfectly valid on a forum.

What is his purpose of making and presenting something so ill researched?

In the context of the 750 motor at least, it's particularly relevant, as chain failure has the potential to take the crank cases with it.

As a one line statement and generalisation,  I'd not run any chain without exterior lubricant,  sealed or not. Preferably with a sticky/non fling consistency,  ultimately with molybdenum disulphide as component.

And if that looks like chain lube,  then I'd choose Kal-gard chain kote because I have tested on chains in real use with very good results.

Other products are available,  and it taste's awful 

[matthewmosse]

I just oil the chain with old engine oil, same on the chainsaw quite often. Not oiling an O ring chain bad move they get horribly stiff and can spit half their O rings out. Only downsides to old engine oil are the first few spins of the chain spray oil over the chain guard and floor - I like to spring the wheel under power whilst still on the stand to try to keep it off the tyres. On the plus side it's free in vast quantities. On the chainsaw I reserve proper chain oil for milling as the chains are mega bucks. I used to be all precious and use proper lube for my motorbike chains and the chainsaw but tried the engine oil option and found I was not tightening chains any more often, or indeed replacing them. Scottoil was about the cheapest proper lube, I think a scottoiler may be fitted when the 500/4 gets fixed up, but it will be getting old engine oil in it. I am pretty sure oil would creep past O or X rings on a chain. I used to commute a fair bit on the bike, especially in winter you'd notice if you neglected the chain. Sapped power and made gearchanges graunchy. I did sometimes drop links to get a bit more lifr from a chain, once the sprockets were out the whole lot was replaced. I wonder why the front sprocket despite seeing more revolutions per tooth never wore as badly as the rears, I normally got those close to no teeth and once when m&p sat on my money and didn't send the chain for ages I got the rear sprocket nearly smooth, no teeth at all, chain was by this stage needing tensioning every 100 miles - I geuss it went through the case hardening. Was glad to bin that set of chain and sprockets.

[Mr_Sheene]

That happened to me with a 550 K4 that I used as a ride to work hack. It was like Gunga Din. Despite all the abuse it never let me down and when M&P took three weeks to supply a chain and sprocket set, the rear sprocket was so worn I was in serious danger of stripping the needle like teeth. It was a valuable lesson in maintenance and the fact that if you ride a 550 K4 sensibly, it will deliver 81 mpg. I was more considerate after that. In my defence, I would like to dd that the bike was fitted with a Scottoiler.

[K2-K6]

Here's an illuminating view of X-ring chain cross section

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The protected by seal area has nothing to do with the outer roller area in respect of common lubrication,  the two are discreet.  If typical,  it shows why external lubrication is needed to function correctly.

It's the same for non sealed chains too.

That outer roller is only supplied by supplementary application of lubricant, and the most vulnerable to lack of maintenance.

[florence]

I have a Scottoiler and I love it.  Never have to worry much about the chain, needs adjusting less often and lasts longer.  Unit lives under the seat in the space where that bulky old air filter used to be.  Win win.

[MrDavo]

I have filled the house with smoke using Linklife - not for the first time, oily engine parts in the oven to change guides and liners will also work just as well. How the wife laughed when she came home....  These days I use a chain spray, the current one is Muc Off brand, it works OK. The 750 has a built in 'fling' chain oiler from the gearbox sprocket, but like most people I set it to 'off' when I rebuilt the engine, and you'd need to get the cover off to readjust it.

My Heffalump-Dumpaloon 1200 has a belt drive. The upside is it never seems to need adjusting, and doesn't fling crud everywhere. The downside was one day when I had no drive, looked down and saw the broken belt on the floor.  Then you find out how they are just a couple of teeth different in length to ordinary common industrial belts (which are relatively cheap), located on the other side of the Atlantic when you need one urgently, and cost over £220 plus VAT and carriage. 

On the other hand it had the decency to break on my driveway, it could have done it anywhere, including Malin Head or John o'Groats...

[K2-K6]

To offer a more quantitative view,  I looked after, for a a time, some industrial process machinery that wasn't chain driven.

The configuration had direct drive electric motor driving long chain that ran process line, for which timing was critical.
They were checked for each daily production cycle at specified time,  adjusted (if needed)  by analog speed control,  had an ammeter in supply to monitor motor power consumption (and hence driveline friction), along with motor temperature logging to ensure it didn't breach critical heat in service which would result in safety shut down.

The chain on these is the greatest variable in its efficiency,  making sure that was kept in the best condition key to reliable running which was generally about 12hrs per day over six days.

The best performing lubricant was sticky propellant applied chain lube with molybdenum disulphide content,  by such a significant margin that it made absolutely no sense not to use it.
General oil,  EP oils, etc would offer close to the same levels of friction WHEN they we're applied, with the resulting amps driving and set point of the speed control indicators confirming this. That data was recorded on startup records as part of running them.
But for pure long service interval operation they had no match for the chain lube.

It gave me a convincing view of the potential of each choice,  which I feel is relevant to bikes.

The original assertion in the video was that chainlube was a rip off.  It doesn't follow in logic there either, the chainlube almost totally removed wear on these machines,  taking maintenance downtime and component cost virtually out of the equation in operating them.

That's what MDS  is good for,  also why it's used in high pressure low movement metal to metal interfaces which ultimately prevents spalling and associated wear.