South West Rides

Welcome to the Official Blog from South West Rides. The motorcycle site for Rides - Gear - Community. See coverage of Motorcycle Rides, Bike Nights and other adventures to be found on two-wheels. This blog is from some of the most prolific riders in the South West and the opinions expressed are those of the authors only. They do not represent the views of the owners of South West Rides or of the other members of the South West Rides community.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Dupont Teflon Chain Lube

When I changed my chain for the second time at 23000 miles I made the decision to try Dupont Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant (DTL), I had read several positive posts and articles and wanted to give it a try. Using regular motorcycle chain lube on the stock chain got me 10K, I had the shop put on a new D.I.D. Professional 525 chain and got 13K out of that. 

I have always taken good care of our chains, cleaning, adjusting and lubricating them regularly. I felt that 10K out of the stock chain was acceptable but expected more out of the D.I.D. chain. 

So I put another D.I.D. chain on and switched to DTL, 17000 miles later and the chain is still in great condition, when cleaned looks like new and appears to have plenty of miles left in it.

If you are presently using one of the standard sticky chain lubes and want to change to DTL, I recommend using WD-40 and a brush to clean your chain of all the old lube. I also recommend removing your front sprocket cover and clean the heavy build up of old chain lube mixed with dirt, sand and other road grime. Rinse everything well with water and let dry, then spray on a good amount of DTL.  While the bike is on a rear stand, run the bike in gear at idle for a few minutes to work the DTL into the o-rings. Shut the bike off, take it out of gear and use an old rag to lightly wipe off the excess and any over spray. After that apply DTL in the usual 300 - 400 mile intervals. This is the process I did when I started using DTL on my wife's bike and it has worked well.

Pros of Dupont Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant (from my personal experience)
  • Only cost $4.95 per 11 oz spray can at Lowe's
  • Lasts a long time
  • Is not sticky and does not attract dirt and road grime
  • Does not create a heavy build up on the chain or around the front sprocket
  • Reduced mess on the rear wheel and easy to clean off
  • Increased chain life
  • Eliminated sticking or hard to bend links that seems to be the norm as chains get miles on them
  • Tight spots in the chain seem to be reduced
Cons of Dupont Teflon Multi-Use Lubricant (from my personal experience)
  • The only place I have found it is Lowe's, I've checked Home Depot and Ace Hardware
  • Can't find it cheaper on the internet