Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

Table of contents

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

27 pictures

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

1/27

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

2/27
Sonax, motorcycle chain cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

3/27
WD-40, Motorbike chain cleaner; MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

4/27
Karcher laboratory manager Frank Ritscher preparing the test bench, …

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

5/27
… Device at work, …

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

6/27
Cleaning results, …

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

7/27
… Preparation of material compatibility tests, …

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

8/27
… broken ABS, …

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

9/27
… attacked paint on 3 and 4.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

10/27

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

11/27

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

12/27

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

13/27
Tec Tane, chain cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

14/27
S100, Chain Cleaner Power Gel, MOTORRAD verdict: very good (MOTORRAD test winner).

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

15/27
Racing dynamics, chain cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

16/27
Caramba, motorcycle chain cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

17/27
Enuma, Metall Schnell-Cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

18/27
Liqui Moly, Motorbike Chain Cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

19/27
Castrol, Chain Cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

20/27
JMC, chain cleaner, MOTORRAD judgment: sufficient.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

21/27
Michelin, Expert Nettoyant Chaine, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

22/27
Motorex, Chain Clean Degreaser, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

23/27
Muc-off, Heavy Duty Chain Cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

24/27
Procycle, motorcycle chain cleaner, MOTORRAD verdict: very good (MOTORRAD purchase tip).

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

25/27
Motul, Chain Clean, MOTORRAD verdict: good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
mps photo studio

26/27
Nigrin, chain cleaner for motorcycles, MOTORRAD verdict: very good.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test
Herder

27/27

accesories

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

16 chain cleaners tested
“Canned gasoline”

The chain drive on the motorcycle requires care chemicals. For example chain cleaner. What is a chain cleaner, how is it misappropriated by editors and which of the 16 cleaners in the test are recommended?

Klaus Herder

04/12/2014

They should actually exist: seasoned motorcyclists who have never had anything to do with chain cleaners in their lives. And we’re not talking about BMW drivers with a cardan background. Anyone who only ever travels on asphalt when the weather is nice and prefers to leave such hellishly complicated work such as chain maintenance to the authorized dealer for a fee does not really have to worry about the best means of chasing oil, grease and all the rest of the dirt off the chain before fresh chain spray should ensure smooth running.

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Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

Test winner chain cleaner (MOTORRAD 26/2014)
Dr. Wack S100 chain cleaner power gel

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On the other hand: Even if you have no intention of bothering any chain with chain cleaner, you will find it useful now and then. Because chain cleaners belong just like brake cleaners (and most chain cleaners are nothing else – to put it a bit more simply) to the universal screwdriver tools, with which a lot of good, but also a lot of dangerous nonsense can be done – more on that later. First of all we clarify what chain cleaner is.

“Gasoline is somewhere in between”

Chemists who tend to blaspheme like to answer this question with “gasoline under pressure” and catalog it under “simple-and-cheap-chemistry”. Not without the hint that you can do a lot wrong with this too – keyword material compatibility. The matter of the “petrol in cans” hits the matter quite well, although we shouldn’t imagine commercial petrol in tin cans now. Brake cleaners mainly consist of hydrocarbons. And that, in turn, consists of molecular chains of different lengths. Very long chains of these tend to be more stable guys – tar, for example. And very short hydrocarbon molecular chains are rather volatile companions – for example, lighter gas. Gasoline is somewhere in between. With an octane number of 95 as carburetor fuel – and significantly shorter-chain and with an octane number that is well below 95 as so-called white spirit, also known colloquially as white spirit.

Petrol plus propellant – there is usually not that much more in chain cleaners: Such a small package of detergent substances, commonly known as surfactants, is also good for the job, but then it is usually already. The fact that you can do a lot wrong with a supposedly simple recipe is shown by the products, which do not look good in terms of material compatibility. Two of them were included in this test, and it gives you food for thought when, after only 60 seconds of contact with the cleaner, a pre-tensioned ABS plastic strip blesses the time. Somewhat less dramatic is the very slight swelling of rubber strips. Very easily means that they have gained between five and ten percent of their mass within 24 hours. In practice, the contact with the cleaner should not be nearly as intimate, but the fact that there are products that pass the extreme test without any problems shows that it can be a little better.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

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Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

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Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

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Chain cleaner also useful in the household

The actually most surprising result of this test is the fact that, of all things, the supposedly most expensive product is really cheap in the long run. A secret of the test winner’s success: long exposure time plus an extremely effective surfactant mix. But even those who do not intend to clean any chain can possibly use chain cleaner in the household.

A small selection of unrelated uses researched among colleagues (attention: no liability, your own risk, better not do it!): Start-up spray, assembly aid for handlebar grips, test agents for leakage tests (suction path), lawnmower cleaner, oil stain remover, bird droppings remover. People who like to experiment and who do not care much about their health also use this stuff as an extreme hand wash or as a grill lighter.

But before flamethrower attempts can go wildly wrong, chain cleaners should be used for what they are intended for. Most of the test participants ensure correct bling-bling without any problems.

Caramba motorcycle chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Caramba motorcycle chain cleaner.

Providers: Caramba Chemie, 47032 Duisburg, Tel. 02 03/77 86 01, www.caramba.eu;
Filling quantity: 300 ml;
Price: 5.99 euros (bought at Polo, Leinfelden-E.);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 19.97 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray generously on the chain, allow to drain, allow the chain to air dry;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: good, 98 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Consistently good to very good cleaning performance and completely problem-free in terms of material compatibility – that’s “very good” within reach. And it is just missed, as too many points are left behind when it comes to the price-performance ratio.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

Enuma metal quick cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Enuma metal quick cleaner.

Providers: Motorrad Schuller, 68649 Grob-Rohrheim, Tel. 0 62 45/30 77, www.enuma.de;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 15.49 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 30.98 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray well until the dirt is rinsed off or wipe with a clean cloth;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, simple application sufficient;
Material compatibility: Rubber and plastic are severely attacked; Paint is attacked extremely severely;
Fertility: very good, 51 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: A convincing cleaning performance, but the warnings on the label (including “Paint can be attacked”) should be taken very seriously. Not a good idea to use acetone in a cleaner that can come in contact with more than metal.

MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory

Liqui Moly Motorbike chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Liqui Moly Motorbike chain cleaner.

Providers: Liqui Moly; 89081 Ulm, Tel. 0 73 11/42 00, www.castrolmoto.com;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 8.55 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 17.10 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray well, collect excess liquid, treat with chain spray after a flash-off time of ten minutes;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: satisfactory, 119 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Makes it neatly clean (with a little brush use) and does not attack anything. The productivity is not that great, so the price-performance ratio is not one of the high-flyers. But even so, the diligent collecting of points pays off with “very good”.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Castrol Chain Cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Castrol Chain Cleaner.

Providers: Deutsche Castrol, 20457 Hamburg, Tel. 0 40/63 95 22 22, www.castrol.com;
Filling quantity: 400 ml;
Price: 6.85 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 17.13 euros;
Application (according to the label): only general warnings, no information on chain cleaning;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; satisfactory in the practical test, double application required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: satisfactory, 124 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Castrol cleans up. That is the good news. And it doesn’t break anything. Also very enjoyable. But to get a really nice bling-bling result, a relatively high amount of material and money is required. And unfortunately the can does not reveal how it works best.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

JMC chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

JMC chain cleaner.

Providers: Johannes J. Matthies, 20097 Hamburg, Tel. 0 40/23 72 10, www.jmproducts.eu;
Filling quantity: 300 ml;
Price: 5.95 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 19.84 euros;
Application (according to the label): only general warnings, no information on chain cleaning;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; sufficient to satisfactory in the practical test, double application required;
Material compatibility: Rubber is strongly attacked; Plastic and paint are attacked extremely strongly (ABS breaks after 60 seconds!);
Fertility: good, 105 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: A rather below average result in the (practice) cleaning performance, and the application is not overly cheap. But the material compatibility tests really spoil the result: only four out of 30 possible points! The recipe is weak.

MOTORRAD judgment: sufficient

Michelin Expert Nettoyant Chaîne


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Michelin Expert Nettoyant Chaîne.

Providers: Impex, 38490 Cimilin (France), Tel. 08 00/45 64 56 45, www.michelin.com;
Filling quantity: 400 ml;
Price: 7.50 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 18.75 euros;
Application (according to the label): Text only in French;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: very good, 46 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: There is hardly anything to complain about when it comes to cleaning performance, and the productivity is above average. In the material compatibility tests, the rubber has gained in mass after 24 hours – no drama, but it is punished with two points.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Motorex Chain Clean Degreaser


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Motorex Chain Clean Degreaser.

Providers: Bucher, 4901 Langenthal (Switzerland), Tel. 00 41/62/9 19 75 75, www.motorex.com;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 16.37 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 32.74 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on, allow to act, brush if necessary, wipe off with a cloth;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; very good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: very good, 53 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Second best cleaning performance in the test, also convincing in practical tests. However, the relatively high price ensures that a few points fall by the wayside when it comes to the price-performance ratio. Material compatibility? Slight rubber weaknesses, otherwise perfect.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Muc-Off Heavy Duty Chain Cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Muc-Off Heavy Duty Chain Cleaner.

Providers: Muc-Off, BH12 4QT Poole (Great Britain), Tel. 00 44/12 02/30 77 90, www.muc-off.com;
Filling quantity: 400 ml;
Price: 8.90 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 22.25 euros;
Application (according to the label): Apply on chain. Either wipe off excess with a dry cloth or wash off with clean water;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; satisfactory in the practical test, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: good, 96 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Quite a decent, but not exhilarating performance. In practice, there would have been even more cleaning performance, the slight weakness in material compatibility (rubber) also costs a few points. In direct comparison, the Briton is relatively expensive.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

Procycle motorcycle chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Procycle motorcycle chain cleaner.

Providers: Detlev Louis, 21035 Hamburg, Tel. 0 40/73 41 93 60, www.louis.de;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 4.99 euros (bought from Detlev Louis, Stuttgart);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 9.98 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on the chain, leave to act for about ten minutes, remove particularly stubborn residues with a brush or cloth, do not add water;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: satisfactory, 126 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Cleans really well, does not attack rubber, plastic and paint, provides perfect information on the label and is also very cheap – the verdict “very good” is the logical consequence, and on top of that there is also the “purchase tip”. Is it even better? Yes, keyword productivity.

MOTORRAD rating: very good (MOTORRAD purchase tip)

Motul Chain Clean


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Motul Chain Clean.

Providers: Motul, 93300 Aubervilliers (France), Tel. 00 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 0000 33/1 48 11 70 00, www.motul.com;
Filling quantity: 400 ml;
Price: 8.99 euros (bought from Hein Gericke, Stuttgart);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 22.48 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on, let it work for a short time, brush off with a soft brush if it is very dirty;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; satisfactory in the practical test, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: very good, 51 g per chain cleaning

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Conclusion: The “very good” is gambled away in the practical test, in a direct comparison the cleaning effect is only satisfactory. In terms of material compatibility, there is the slight, widespread rubber weakness, otherwise the productive French does a good job.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

Nigrin chain cleaner for motorcycles


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Nigrin chain cleaner for motorcycles.

Providers: Inter-Union, 76829 Landau, Tel. 0 63 41/28 40, www.nigrin.de;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 5.49 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 10.98 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on the inside of the chain, clean the chain with a brush, remove excess cleaner with cloths;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; satisfactory to good in practical tests, double use required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: satisfactory, 126 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: A decent cleaning performance, no complaints in terms of material compatibility, and the supposed “small stuff” (label) is also correct – the bottom line is a top rating. The reasonably priced cleaner is likely to be even more productive.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Racing dynamic chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Racing dynamic chain cleaner.

Providers: Polo, 41363 Juchen, Tel. 0 21 65/8 44 02 00, www.polo-motorrad.de;
Filling quantity: 300 ml;
Price: 3.99 euros (bought at Polo, Leinfelden-E.);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 13.30 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray soiled parts well, if necessary support the cleaning process with a brush;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is minimally attacked;
Fertility: satisfactory, 139 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: The Polo house brand impresses with perfect cleaning performance on the test bench and also in practical tests. The slight rubber attack almost falls under “negligible”, the label is exemplary. In terms of productivity and thus price / performance, there is more.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

S100 chain cleaner power gel


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

S100 chain cleaner power gel.

Providers: Dr. O. K. Wack Chemie, 85053 Ingolstadt, Tel. 08 41/63 50, www.wackchem.com;
Filling quantity: 300 ml;
Price: 11.99 euros (bought from Louis, Stuttgart);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 39.97 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on, leave on for up to 15 minutes, remove stubborn dirt with a brush and rinse off thoroughly with a strong jet of water;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; very good in practical trials, simple application sufficient;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint or complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: excellent, 17 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Perfect cleaning performance, minimal use of detergent – the supposedly most expensive product turns out to be a savings master. The individual application costs a fraction of many other products. Very small downer: minimal rubber attack after 24 hours.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good (MOTORRAD test winner)

Tec Tane chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Tec Tane chain cleaner.

Providers: Den Braven Aerosols, 97234 Albertshausen, Tel. 0 93 66/9 07 10, www.denbraven-aerosols.de;
Filling quantity: 500 ml;
Price: 3.22 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 6.44 euros;
Application (according to the label): Spray on at a distance of approx. 20 cm and let it run off. Air dry parts or rub with a dry cloth;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; satisfactory in the practical test, double application required;
Material compatibility: on rubber, plastic and paint without complaint;
Fertility: sufficient, 153 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Full marks for material compatibility and cleaning performance on the test bench – the basis is right. The yield is mediocre, but the low purchase price ensures a good price-performance ratio. Cleaning performance in practice? There is more.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

Sonax motorcycle chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

Sonax motorcycle chain cleaner.

Providers: Sonax, 86633 Neuburg / Donau, Tel. 0 84 31/5 30, www.sonax.com;
Filling quantity: 300 ml;
Price: 1.90 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 6.34 euros;
Application (according to the label): Text in Italian and Spanish only;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; sufficient for practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is easily attacked;
Fertility: very good, 61 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: Great on the test bench, but when it comes to practical cleaning of the long-term tester chain, it has the weakest of all cleaning performance. Except for a small mistake with the rubber, there are no problems with material compatibility and full points for the price-performance ratio.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

WD-40 Motorbike chain cleaner


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


mps photo studio

WD-40 Motorbike chain cleaner.

Providers: WD-40 Company branch office Germany, 61352 Bad Homburg, Tel. 0 61 72/67 74 50, www.wd40specialistmotorbike.de;
Filling quantity: 400 ml;
Price: 6.33 euros (bought on the Internet from Amazon);
Price per liter (arithmetical): 15.83 euros;
Application (according to the label): Apply, treat stubborn dirt deposits with a soft brush if necessary;
Cleaning performance: very good in the test bench test; good in practical tests, double application required;
Material compatibility: on plastic and paint without complaint; Rubber is minimally attacked;
Fertility: sufficient, 151 g per chain cleaning

Conclusion: The cleaning performance is convincing, and there is practically nothing to complain about when it comes to material compatibility – the minimal “rubber incompatibility” is negligible. The “very good” is thwarted by the loss of points in the “Productivity, Price / Performance” category.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

This is how MOTORRAD tests

Rubber, paint and the hard way

MOTORRAD bought the test samples at the end of October / beginning of November 2014 in accessories stores and on the Internet. The actual purchase prices are mentioned, which can fluctuate widely on the Internet within a short period of time and do not necessarily have to correspond to the recommended retail prices. Any shipping costs were not taken into account.

MOTORRAD carried out all tests together with the cleaning experts from Karcher in Winnenden. Laboratory manager and motorcyclist Frank Ritscher had prepared white painted test panels with stubborn test dirt, which then came under test sample carriers soaked with cleaning agent in the new Karcher test stand. All means performed very well here. In the practical test, which was carried out according to the respective manufacturer’s specifications on a segment of the removed, heavily soiled chain of the endurance test Yamaha MT-09, the result looked less uniform. It was also determined on the chain how much cleaner must be applied so that the chain is completely wetted (yield).

In the material compatibility tests, the cleaners had to stay in contact with pre-tensioned ABS plastic strips, painted automotive sheet metal (MB original paint) and NBR rubber strips for 24 hours and not attack the material or the surfaces. Plastic and paint were assessed visually, and the rubber strips were also weighed in order to document any swelling.

Test conclusion: the label evaluation.

Final evaluation and conclusion


Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test


MOTORCYCLE

Final rating: 16 chain cleaners in the test.

Conclusion: If half of the test field scores “very good” and six of the other eight candidates also do their job well, the consumer can be happy: the risk of being grossly wrong when buying a chain cleaner is pretty low.

The fact that, of all things, the supposedly most expensive product wins a sovereign test victory, confirms the old test finding that the pure purchase price should only be one aspect of the purchase decision. When excellent cleaning performance with just one application and very good yield come together, the price is put into perspective and the price-performance ratio is right. But even those who really want to spend little when making a purchase will surely find their favorite cleaner here.

Motorcycle chain cleaner put to the test

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