Table of contents
- Product test: chain spray Eleven chain sprays in comparison
- CONCLUSION
- Care tips
- Wear test
- Test throwing off behavior
- Test of creeping ability
- Corrosion protection test
fact
accesories
Product test: eleven chain sprays in comparison
Product test: chain spray
Eleven chain sprays in comparison
Temporary tank driver Rainer F. knows what he’s doing in the car & Technik Museum Sinsheim has to put parked babies on the chain. Motorcyclists can read here what is good for the secondary drive of their two-wheeler favorites.
Klaus Herder
09/16/2010
The problem is not the product. The problem is the user. The unfortunate condition of some motorcycle chains is not due to the use of poor care products, because they have practically – with very few exceptions – no longer existed for many years. It is the negligence of many motorcyclists. The understanding and willingness to take care of the articulated final drive decreased as the chains became better and more durable. While in the days of the simple standard roller chain sloppiness could well be punished with a chain break at full speed, modern O- and X-ring chains forgive even gross disregard. At least they hardly tear anymore, because the said rings ensure that the permanent grease filling hidden behind them within the chain ensures a minimum of lubrication. The subject of creeping ability is therefore no longer as important today as it was in earlier times.
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But even with modern chains, metal still meets metal directly between the chain and the sprocket or pinion – and this is exactly where lubrication still needs to be done today. If this is not done or only insufficiently, a chain set is not ready to be replaced after 25,000 kilometers, but after half of it – or even less! However, this is only noticeable after a few years when the annual mileage of the average motorcyclist continues to decline. The MOTORRAD reader is not your average motorcyclist, he tears down significantly more kilometers, and so a chain spray test was finally due again after more than five years. For this purpose, eleven products purchased by MOTORRAD were taken to the laboratory and workshop. Of course, the market offers significantly more chain sprays, but in the interests of the simplest possible procurement method for the reader, the selection criterion was as simple as it was radical: everything that is available from Hein Gericke, Louis or Polo is tested. Not more but also not less.
fact
I understood: Lubricate three times, clean once – that is the rule of thumb.
Five test points in the laboratory dealt with points: wear protection, throw-off behavior, creep ability, corrosion protection and material compatibility. The first two test points were rated the highest by far. The sixth and final test point was the practical application, which included how well the chain spray can be dosed, how practical the spray jet is and how well the agent can be seen on the chain. To complete the data boxes (see next double page), MOTORRAD also determined the filling pressure, which is (theoretically) 2.7 or 3.5 bar and for which the composition of the propellant (propane-butane mixture) is responsible. The specified pressure values are purely factual information and do not reveal anything about the actual spray behavior.
In addition to the pressure, this is also determined by the proportion of propellant (between ten and 40 percent) and the design of the spray head and valve. A second measured value, which is also not scored, is the percentage of the remaining quantity for the evaporation behavior. To put it more simply: MOTORRAD put 40 grams of chain spray in a heating cabinet for 24 hours and increased the temperature from 35 degrees at the beginning to 150 degrees at the end. The evaporation behavior reveals something about the composition of a spray (proportion of volatile substances), but a quality statement can hardly be substantiated with it. When it comes to formulating a chain spray, chemists are faced with the task of reconciling a number of sometimes conflicting requirements.
So good creeping ability and the best possible throw-off behavior only go together to a limited extent: on the one hand, the stuff should go everywhere as quickly as possible, on the other hand it should stay where it is for as long as possible. Anyone who placed particular emphasis on good throwing behavior during development was able to achieve a good number of points in the MOTORRAD test. There were even more points for the best possible wear protection, which MOTORRAD carried out for the first time with the help of a Timken tester. This rather unspectacular device, which gets to the point in the truest sense of the word, is a proven and recognized test method in tribology (friction theory) that allows concrete statements to be made about the loading capacity of lubricants within a very short time. Particularly surprising for the testers: the devastating performance of Profi Dry Lube. The wear of a dry running test roller was only slightly higher than that of one lubricated with Profi Dry Lube.
Apart from this exception, this test also confirmed the high quality level of chain sprays today. It is also particularly gratifying that none of the test participants weakened in terms of material compatibility. So it can confidently be sprayed well and abundantly. Not necessarily on the tires, but otherwise anywhere. Ideally, of course, on a cleaned chain. The weakest link in the (care) chain is and remains the human being, good and very good care products are in any case plentiful. You just have to apply them…
mps photo studio
Caramba motorcycle chain spray
providers: Caramba, Tel. 0203/778602, www.caramba.de
price: 6.99 / 8.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 1.75 euros (based on RRP)
Alternative size: 100 ml (3.99 euros)
Furnishing: short spray tube mounted, long one glued in
Filling pressure: 3.6 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 21%
Use:
Easy to dose, high output; relatively broad, foggy spray jet; low visibility (only shines a little)
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (7th place), good throwing-off behavior (2nd place), good corrosion protection, good creeping ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: very good
MOTORCYCLE buyer’s tip
mps photo studio
Castrol Chain Spray 0-R
providers: Castrol, Tel. 040/359401, www.castrol.de
price: 12.95 / 12.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 3.24 euros
Alternative sizes: no
Furnishing: short spray tube mounted, second spray head with long spray tube clamped in place
Filling pressure: 3.5 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 28%
Use:
Can be dosed satisfactorily; very high output; relatively broad, foggy spray jet; good visibility
Conclusion:
Moderate wear protection (9th place), good throwing-off behavior (3rd place), good corrosion protection, moderate creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: good
mps photo studio
Castrol Chain Lube Racing
providers: Castrol, Tel. 040/359401, www.castrol.de
price: 14.95 / 14.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 3.74 euros
Alternative sizes: no
Furnishing: short spray tube mounted, second spray head with long spray tube clamped in place
Filling pressure: 3.6 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 25%
use:
Can be dosed satisfactorily; very high output; relatively broad, foggy spray jet; still good visibility
Conclusion:
Poor wear protection (10th place), good throwing-off behavior (4th place), good corrosion protection, very good creeping ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: Satisfactory
mps photo studio
Hein Gericke CS white chain spray
providers: Hein Gericke, Tel. 0211/98989, www.hein-gericke.de
price: 5.99 / 5.99 euros (RRP / paid at Gericke)
Capacity: 300 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 2.00 euros
Alternative size: 400 ml (7.99 euros)
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 3.6 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 44%
Use:
Easy to dose; normal output; concentrated, practical spray jet; still sufficient visibility
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (6th place), moderate throwing-off behavior (8th place), still good corrosion protection, very good creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: good
mps
Motul Chain Lube Road Plus
providers: Motul, Tel. 02203/17000, www.motul.de
price: 13.35 / 12.85 euros (RRP / paid at Gericke)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 3.34 euros (based on RRP)
A.Alternative size: 100 ml (6.60 euros)
Furnishing: short spray tube mounted, second spray head with long spray tube clamped in place
Filling pressure: 3.1 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 16%
use:
Can be dosed satisfactorily; extremely high output; practical spray jet; very good visibility
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (8th place), moderate throwing-off behavior (11th place), moderate corrosion protection, good creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: Satisfactory
mps photo studio
Polo white chain spray
providers: Polo, Tel. 02165/8440200, www.polo-motorrad.de
price: 9.95 / 9.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 2.49 euros
Alternative sizes: no
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 3.6 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 44%
use:
Easy to dose; normal output; not too wide, practical spray jet; satisfactory visibility
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (4th place), moderate throwing-off behavior (7th place), still good corrosion protection, moderate creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: good
mps photo studio
Polo Dry Lube
providers: Polo, Tel. 02165/8440200, www.polo-motorrad.de
price: 8.95 / 8.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 2.24 euros
Alternative sizes: no
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 2.8 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 12%
use:
Easy to dose; normal output; wide spray jet, scatters unnecessarily a lot; satisfactory visibility
Conclusion:
Very good wear protection (2nd place), moderate throwing-off behavior (9th place), poor corrosion protection, very good creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: good
mps photo studio
Louis Procycle white chain spray
providers: Louis, Tel. 040/73419360, www.louis.de
price: 5.95 / 5.95 euros (RRP / paid at Louis)
Capacity: 300 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 1.33 euros (based on 750 ml)
Alternative sizes: 100 ml (3.95 euros), 750 ml (9.95 euros)
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 3.6 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 44%
use:
Easy to dose; normal output; concentrated, practical spray jet; satisfactory visibility
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (5th place), good throwing-off behavior (6th place), still good corrosion protection, good creeping ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: very good
MOTORCYCLE buyer’s tip
mps photo studio
Louis Procycle Dry Lube chain spray
providers: Louis, Tel. 040/73419360, www.louis.de
price: 9.95 / 9.95 euros (RRP / paid at Louis)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 2.49 euros
Alternative sizes: no
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 3.0 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 7%
use:
Moderately dosable; normal output; concentrated, practical spray jet; satisfactory visibility
Conclusion:
Good wear protection (3rd place), very good throwing-off behavior (1st place), poor corrosion protection, very good creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: good
mps photo studio
PDL Profi Dry Lube
providers: Profi Products, Tel. 06306/70170, www.profi-products.de
price: 14.95 / 14.95 euros (RRP / paid at Louis)
Capacity: 400 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 3.74 euros
Alternative sizes: 150 ml (9.95 euros)
Furnishing: no spray lance mounted, long spray lance glued on
Filling pressure: 2.8 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 8%
use:
Hardly metered; normal output; drains immediately like water; concentrated, practical spray jet (with long spray tube); poor visibility
Conclusion:
Very poor wear protection (11th place), moderate throwing-off behavior (10th place), moderate corrosion protection, very good creep ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: poor
mps photo studio
Dr. Wack S100 white chain spray
providers: Dr. O. K. Wack, Tel. 0841/6350, www.wackchem.com
price: 11.95 / 11.95 euros (RRP / paid for Polo)
Capacity: 300 ml can
Price for 100 ml: 3.74 euros (based on 400 ml)
Alternative sizes: 75 ml (5.95 euros), 400 ml (14.95 euros)
Furnishing: short spray lance mounted
Filling pressure: 3.5 bar
Evaporation attempt: remaining amount 38%
use:
Easy to dose; normal output; concentrated, practical spray jet; good visibility
Conclusion:
Very good wear protection (1st place), good throwing-off behavior (5th place), good corrosion protection, good creeping ability.
MOTORRAD verdict: very good
MOTORCYCLE test winner
CONCLUSION
Drawing: archive
The bottom line.
The top dog has once again won a test: If you want the best, you can get the S100 from Dr. Don’t wack over. But also Caramba and the white chain spray from the Louis house brand Procycle are “very good” – and significantly cheaper. With “Good” The products assessed perform just as much or even slightly more in the two most important criteria of wear protection and throw-off behavior and are also worth buying. Castrol Racing is somewhat disappointing, Motul weakens when it comes to throwing off behavior, and Profi Dry Lube totally fails when it comes to wear protection.
Care tips
fact
As in the picture, the outside is only given one round, more important is the spraying of the inside of the chain.
Only simple-minded contemporaries come up with the idea of painting rust or wallpapering dust. On the other hand, it seems perfectly normal for even halfway clever motorcyclists to smear dirt. Which brings us to the biggest and most popular of all chain care sins: the constant piling up of a crust of dirt. The chain spray then has no chance of getting to where it is needed. In addition, it is thrown off immediately, because dirt is a very unsuitable primer. After about every third lubrication action, the chain should be cleaned. But please not with chemical clubs such as brake cleaner. This causes the O- or X-rings to swell, in some cases even to become brittle, which impairs their sealing function and allows the permanent grease to escape and water and dirt to enter. Almost every chain spray supplier also has chain cleaners in their range – an acquisition that is not an unnecessary luxury. The chain spray mainly belongs on the inside of the chain, i.e. on the part that is directly facing the pinion and sprocket. It should be two runs when spraying. At the end, the outside can be given a rather superficial spray, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Much more important: Do not drive off immediately, because the chain spray should flash off for at least 30 minutes.
Wear test
fact
A rotating metal ring tests how much the test roller wears.
In the Timken tester (also known as Reichert friction wear balance), a stationary test roller with a load of 200 N is pressed onto a rotating metal ring for three minutes. The lower third of the metal ring is immersed in the well ventilated chain spray. This creates a gap between the metal ring and the test roller “Lubricating film”, which protects more or less well against wear. The resulting cut mark is measured.
| Average wear area (cm²) |
Points (max. 40) |
Caramba | 1.69 | 33 |
| Castrol | 2.46 | 28 | Castrol Racing | 4.84 | 20th |
| Hein Gericke | 1.59 | 34 | Motul | 1.79 | 32 |
| Polo white | 1.46 | 35 | Polo Dry Lube | 0.94 | 40 |
| Louis Procycle white | 1.53 | 34 | Louis Procycle Dry Lube | 1.39 | 36 |
| Profi Dry Lube | 17.07 | 7th | Dr. Wack S100 | 0.72 | 40 |
Test throwing off behavior
fact
How much oil is thrown off is tested on a rotating aluminum disc.
The chain spray to be tested is sprayed onto an aluminum disc (Ø 12 cm) and distributed evenly and thinly with a doctor blade. After venting, the disc is clamped into an overhead stirrer with a steel shaft. The disk rotates at 1650 rpm for 15 minutes. The disc is weighed three times (cleaned; sprayed and ventilated; after “sling”). With these three values, the amount of product thrown off can be calculated as a percentage.
| Average amount thrown off (%) |
Points (max. 25) |
Caramba |
1.47 | 25th |
| Castrol |
1.51 | 25th | Castrol Racing |
3.63 | 22nd |
| Hein Gericke |
4.25 | 20th | Motul |
6.93 | 11 |
| Polo white |
4.19 | 21 | Polo Dry Lube |
4.44 | 20th |
| Louis Procycle white |
3.73 | 22nd | Louis Procycle Dry Lube |
0.38 | 25th |
| Profi Dry Lube |
4.88 | 18th | Dr. Wack S100 |
3.71 | 22nd |
Test of creeping ability
fact
Two glass plates, one on top of the other, between which the creep ability is tested.
Two glass plates are on top of each other. The lower plate is a little longer. The chain spray is sprayed on along the overlapping edge and then has 15 minutes to crawl between the plates. Then the wetted area is marked with a felt pen. Graph paper is placed flush on the top plate and the translucent marking is traced. The marked area of paper is cut out, weighed and then calculated.
| Average creeping area (cm²) |
Points (max. 5) |
Caramba |
246.43 | 4th |
| Castrol |
174.63 | 2 | Castrol Racing |
354.39 | 5 |
| Hein Gericke |
332.20 | 5 | Motul |
250.08 | 4th |
| Polo white |
179.67 | 2 | Polo Dry Lube |
443.41 | 5 |
| Louis Procycle white |
273.16 | 4th | Louis Procycle Dry Lube |
385.79 | 5 |
| Profi Dry Lube |
322.50 | 5 | Dr. Wack S100 |
278.98 | 4th |
Corrosion protection test
fact
Here are the test panels with which the corrosion protection was tested.
The chain sprays are sprayed onto test panels (sheet steel DC 04 B) and have one hour to flash off. The trays each end up in a beaker with a five percent sodium chloride solution. The jars are placed on a magnetic stirrer for 24 hours. The test panels are then removed and the corroded surfaces are assessed visually. This gives the percentage of the corroded area in relation to the total area wetted with the sodium chloride solution.
| Proportion of the corroded area (Trial 1 / Trial 2) in% |
Points (max. 10) |
Caramba |
0/1 | 10 |
| Castrol |
0/1 | 10 | Castrol Racing |
2/1 | 10 |
| Hein Gericke |
5/1 | 8th | Motul |
15/15 | 6th |
| Polo white |
3/2 | 8th | Polo Dry Lube |
50/35 | 2 |
| Louis Procycle white |
2/3 | 8th | Louis Procycle Dry Lube |
50/30 | 2 |
| Profi Dry Lube |
15/8 | 6th | Dr. Wack S100 |
0/0 | 10 |
accesories
The best motorcycle accessories
Overview of motorcycle accessory tests
read more
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