Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Some swear by wax - others say it traps sand and forms a grinding paste.  My dirtbike recommended gearbox-oil.

Also, modern chains have O- or X-rings that lock the lube inside the links, so whatever you put on is just to prevent the outside of the chain from rusting.

Here are some definite don'ts:

1. don't use a brush on your chain.  You run the risk of damaging the o-ring seal.
2. don't use a pressure-hose on the chain - if you force water past the o-ring it will rust from inside.
3. avoid harsh solvents that might damage the o-rings or cause the internal grease to dissolve.

What I do is this:

• Spray the chain with Q20 to clean it before you wash the bike.  I do it with the bike running, in gear (rear wheel off the ground), so that I cover the entire chain and so that the gunk gets flung off.
• Wipe the major dirt off with a shop-rag.
• After washing the bike consider whether you want to lube it.  Use a good quality lube or gearbox oil.

If you add up the cost of some of the chain sprays over the life-time of your chain, you might be better off using less lube and just replacing the chain and sprockets when the time comes.  Bearing in mind also that some chain cleaners are downright toxic also.

After washing the bike, also lube things like the footpeg hinges, brake and gear-lever seals, swingarm bearings, in fact, any moving parts (but stay away from the brake disks and pads).

You also need to pay attention to your bike so that you can keep yourself safe:

• tyre condition
• brake pads
• brake and clutch fluids
• cooling fluids
• oil levels

Start slowly.  Before a big trip take the bike to a proper mechanic for a safety check, and speak to the mechanic about what they fixed/adjusted and how to do it yourself if you need to.  Learn bit by bit as you go.  I am also not mechanical but have grown bit by bit and on Saturday had my trials bike swingarm off to repair the brake lever.

Thanks a mil. Much appreciated.

As Charles said above ...

Also pay attention to visible nuts, bolts, screws - checking for tightness - they don't always check these at services, even though they should. It does of course help if you have a "feel" for these sort of things, otherwise make sure you get yourself an inexpensive torque wrench, so that you don't over-tighten. You can sometimes buy good 2nd hand tools at good prices at Milnerton Market on weekends.

I also unscrewed my mirrors and greased all the threads and sprayed silicone spray inside the rubber boot that slides over the base of the mirror stem. All though these parts are electro-galvanised, they are not lubed during assembly/fitting. If you do simple things like this, it means that when you ever need to unscrew them in future, it will be a breeze and they'll also be less prone to rust, as these things are.

You may also want to supplement your inadequate factory "tool-kit" with some extra tools, to ensure that you are self-sufficient for basic DIY tasks on your bike when you are far away from the beaten track, so that you don't get stuck. Being able to remove/fit basic things such as gear lever, brake lever, clutch lever, mirrors, foot pegs, plastic panels, battery, air filter, will all stand you in good stead. It helps if you know how to check and adjust chain tension on your bike.

Join club rides and chat to more experienced memebers to find out what and how they have done things. Thats one of the nice things about this forum and club - there is a wealth of info at your disposal here (not just covering adventure bikes). Ask and you shall receive

Being a bit pedantic, I also like to have my bikes' engine oil changed halfway between scheduled services as well. Some people opt for oil filter replacement at this point, others don't.

Keep a carefull eye on your airfilter.

As I ride mostly off road, I replaced the standard airfilter on my F800 with a high quality aftermarket, lifetime airfilter (BMC of K&N are two excellent brands). This way I can clean it every couple of rides using the recomended cleaner and then recoat it in fabric filter oil.

As I lead rides, I am usually in the front, so you would expect my airfilter to be sqeecky clean, but the little bit of oncoming traffic or riding in dust catching the group is enough to absolutely coat the filter in dust after a few rides, and this past weekend when I cleaned it I also found about 30 bees in there.

Another thing I do about twice a year is to strip down the entire rear suspension and make sure all the needle bearings in the swingarm are clean of rust and then I regrease everything. When the bikes come from the factory, there is almost no grease in there for some reason. I am also "lucky" enough to change tyres quite frequently so I know my axles and wheel bearings are clean and well greased. I have come across a few bikes that when needing to get a wheel off, found that the axle will not move because of being as dry as a bone - no grease in sight.

I also change my gearbox oil at 5000km intervals and lube all my cables around the same time.

Ok so my wife and I cleaned our bikes chain and put Spanjaart wax on.  Baby steps. Now for replacing the tyres. 

Thanks again guys