Here are the best motorcycle chain lubes we've found after thousands of test miles - From just $16

Any motorcycle that uses a drive chain will need chain lube, an essential maintenance spray. Modern X-ring or O-ring chains have built-in lubricant on the inside of the rollers but the outside of the chain needs to stay lubricated, too.

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What happens if you forget chain lube? Your chain will rust (bad), and create extra friction as you ride (worse). This friction generates heat, stretching your chain, meaning you’ll be replacing it sooner. A stretched chain also wears out sprockets sooner. Long story short, an un-lubed chain costs you money.

Jump to:

• Why you need to lubricate your chain
• Things to consider before you buy chain lube
• Best motorcycle chain lubes
• Frequently asked questions
• How we test chain lubes

Why you need to lubricate your chain

If you don’t lubricate your motorcycle chain, several things will start to happen. First of all it will corrode, leaving pitting or rust, which is unsightly but also creates extra friction as you ride. The heat created by this friction will cause your chain to stretch prematurely and need replacing sooner, costing you money – not to mention the extra wear you’ll be putting on your sprockets. Worse still a poorly maintained chain can snap or jump from the sprockets, leaving you at the side of the road unable to ride or potentially with nasty injuries.

Things to consider before you buy chain lube

There are two types of chain; an open-chain which is typically used on lower-capacity bikes or off-roaders and needs cleaning and lubricating frequently while O-Ring or X-Ring chains use sealed rollers to keep lubricant in place. However, the latter still requires lubricant where the rollers act on the sprockets, for example as well as protection from corrosion.

The job of cleaning and lubricating your motorcycle chain can be made far simpler if you have a paddock stand to life the rear wheel off the ground and allow you to spin the wheel and in turn the chain, while spraying.

Best motorcycle chain lubes as tested by MCN

Frequently asked questions

All chain types need chain lube

There are two types of chain. First, an open-chain is found on small-displacement bikes or dirt bikes and needs cleaning and lubricating frequently. The other types are O-Ring or X-Ring chains that use sealed rollers to keep lubricant in place. These still require lubricant on the rollers (which contact the sprockets), and over the chain body to keep rust at bay.

Can I just use WD-40?

Technically, WD-40 isn’t a lubricant. The WD in the name stands for “water dispersant”. Its low-viscosity allows it to get into good places—and bad. If it gets past the X- or O-rings on your chain, it will dilute the thicker, captive lubricant inside, which shortens chain life.

As a brand, WD-40 makes excellent chain care products (See Option 4 above). Just don’t use the can you probably have in your garage.

How about gear oil?

Veteran riders have used gear oil on chains for generations. But gear oil is designed for an enclosed gearbox and doesn’t have the viscosity to stick to spinning chains and sprockets. You’ll need to apply it more often, and it tends to spatter (technically called “fling”) all over your rear rim, tire, and even you, the rider.

Are all chain lubes the same?

Not at all. Different lubes do different things well. Dry lubes will generally be a fine spray, as opposed to a liquid (wet) lube. A wax-type lubricant will go on thicker and leave a white residue. The right lube depends on the time of year, bike usage and maintenance intervals, like the time between chain cleaning and reapplication. Pro tip: cleaning and lubricating your motorcycle chain is way easier with a paddock stand.

How MCN tested these chain lubes

At MCN, we want to make sure you spend your hard-earned dollars on the right products and so our team of expert journalists use their decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles to help.

We used these chain lubes exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions. That means we can deliver impartial chain lube buying advice you can rely on.

The only difference is that the team at MCN covers a colossal number of miles each week and so can try out lots of options in a short space of time. That way, we can quickly work out which lubes work, how long they last, whether they fling off onto your wheel etc so you don’t have to.

We don’t do any scientific or lab testing because it’s more important to us how a chain lube performs out on the open road where it really matters.

If you can’t see a review against a chain lube on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These items will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

Our scores explained

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given product, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision.

A product will only be included in a buying guide if it has scored at least four stars overall.

Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

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