It claims it's "nearly maintenance free" so yeah you still need to clean it.
It's similar to DLC coatings which don't last even on a mountain bike chain and I know we tried using them at my previous employer and it was more hassle than its worth.
They claim it's harder but I don't believe it's hardness that you necessarily want in that application. It's like using carbon brake pads, they last longer but at the detriment of the disc. Therefore, the chain may last longer at the detriment of the sprocket.
The chain is still only as good as its seals which don't appear to be any different to ordinary X ring chains.
I suppose that chain makes sense from a marketing perspective as BMW know their market. Middle aged, middle classed men. Probably all iPhone owners too.
Seeing as a GS owner will typically put 20-30k on in the first couple of years I understand why those people might spec it but I do see it as a bit of a con.
In MTB, a DLC chain costs approximately 3-4 times more than a regular chain. From what I hear they don't last significantly longer.
Cav wrote:I suppose that chain makes sense from a marketing perspective as BMW know their market. Middle aged, middle classed men. Probably all iPhone owners too.
Seeing as a GS owner will typically put 20-30k on in the first couple of years I understand why those people might spec it but I do see it as a bit of a con.
In MTB, a DLC chain costs approximately 3-4 times more than a regular chain. From what I hear they don't last significantly longer.
I must confess i have never seen the point in keeping a chain meticulously clean unless the bike is used to commute through winter.
The biggest wear will be where the chain roller contacts the sprockets. It keeps itself clean by friction and these days all the rollers are sealed units. If the seal breaks then the chain needs replacing anyway.
I have only ever replaced a chain once in all the bikes i have had. I do lube them regularly. One Multi did 13k miles and the other 11k and neither needed the chain replacing when i sold them.
A quick wipe with a cloth soaked in chain cleaner is all the cleaning i do.
I give mine a thorough clean after a handful of trackdays or a euro trip then relube it. It's only a few hundred miles but it catches a lot of brake dust and oil/fumes.
In the short time I had the VFR and about 10k miles I never cleaned or lubed the chain once, and that included a winter. The scottoiler did a great job of keeping it cleaned and lubed.
The electric scottoiler on the BMW isn't as good though, and the OEM chains are crap.
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