Chain lube is the cheapest insurance your motorcycle will ever get: a €12 can protects a €300 drivetrain kit. And yet most riders either skip it, use the wrong product or apply it so badly that it does more harm than good. In this guide we cover motorcycle chain lubrication in depth: the types of lube compared, the correct technique, how often to apply it and the products we actually use in the Aries Moto Tours fleet after hundreds of thousands of kilometres.
This is the deep-dive companion to our general guide on motorcycle chain care. If you also want to learn about cleaning, tensioning and knowing when to replace the chain, start there. Here we go all-in on the lube itself.
Why chain lubrication matters more than you think
A motorcycle chain transfers all the engine’s power through metal rollers spinning on metal pins, hundreds of times per minute, in an environment full of dust, water and heat. Without lubrication, three things happen fast:
- Friction eats power: a dry chain can waste several horsepower before it reaches the wheel. You paid for them, the chain burns them.
- The O-rings crack: modern chains carry factory grease sealed inside the rollers by rubber O-rings or X-rings. External lube keeps those rings soft. When they dry out and crack, the internal grease escapes and the chain is finished, no matter how much spray you apply afterwards.
- Wear accelerates: a well-lubricated chain lasts 30,000-40,000 km. A neglected one dies at 12,000-15,000. Same chain, double the cost.
Types of motorcycle chain lube compared
There are four families of chain lubricant, and each has a use case. This is the comparison we explain to every rider who rents a bike from us:
Standard spray grease (wet lube)
The classic. Comes out liquid, penetrates between the plates and solidifies into a sticky layer. Excellent adhesion and water resistance, which makes it the default choice for road riding and touring. The downside: it attracts dust and sand, so it needs regular cleaning. Reference products: Motul C2/C4, Bel-Ray Super Clean, Rock Oil chain spray. Price range €10-16.
PTFE / white grease
Adds Teflon (PTFE) to reduce internal friction. Slightly cleaner than standard wet lube, flings less onto the rim and swingarm, and lasts a bit longer between applications. Great for big-torque adventure bikes like the BMW R 1250 GS or Africa Twin we run on our guided motorcycle tours. Price range €12-18.
Dry lube (wax-based)
Dries into a non-sticky wax film that sand and dust cannot cling to. This is what we use on our off-road tours in Andalusia and Morocco: in dusty terrain, a sticky chain becomes a grinding paste machine. The trade-off is durability, you need to reapply every 300-400 km or after every off-road day. Price range €12-20.
Automatic chain oilers
Systems like Scottoiler or Cameleon drip a constant micro-dose of light oil onto the chain while you ride. For high-mileage tourers they are a game changer: the chain runs permanently lubricated, cleaning intervals stretch out and drivetrain life can double. We see them often on customer bikes crossing to Morocco. Installation costs €120-250 plus fitting, and you still need to check the reservoir. Worth it if you ride more than 15,000 km a year.
Quick comparison table
- Road touring: standard wet lube or PTFE. Reapply every 500-1,000 km.
- Adventure / mixed terrain: PTFE on the road, switch to dry lube for off-road stages.
- Pure off-road, dust and sand: dry wax lube, reapplied daily.
- High annual mileage: automatic oiler plus occasional cleaning.
How to lubricate a motorcycle chain correctly, step by step
Applying lube badly is almost as harmful as not applying it. The correct technique takes five minutes:
- Ride first, then lube: a warm chain (15 minutes after riding, not scalding hot) absorbs lubricant far better than a cold one.
- Clean before you lube: spraying over accumulated grit creates abrasive paste. Use an O-ring safe degreaser and a chain brush. Full process in our chain care guide.
- Put the bike on the centre or paddock stand so the rear wheel spins freely. Never lubricate with the engine running: riders have lost fingers that way, and the spray ends up on the tyre and brake disc.
- Aim at the inside run of the chain, the lower section that faces the wheel. Centrifugal force will push the lube outwards through the links as you ride. Spraying the outside is mostly decorative.
- Hit the side plates and O-rings, not just the rollers: the rings are what you are protecting.
- Rotate the wheel by hand two or three full chain revolutions while spraying in short bursts.
- Let it set 10-15 minutes before riding so the carrier solvent evaporates and the lube thickens. Riding off immediately flings half the product onto your rim.
How often should you lubricate the chain?
- Road, dry conditions: every 500-1,000 km.
- After rain or washing the bike: always, as soon as the chain is dry. Water displaces lubricant and rust appears within hours.
- Off-road: after every single ride, no exceptions.
- Touring: carry a small 100 ml can and lube every evening at the hotel. On our Grand Morocco tour the support vehicle carries lube for everyone and we do it as a group ritual at the end of each stage.
The myths: WD-40, engine oil and olive oil
Three classics we still hear on every tour:
- “WD-40 works fine”: no. WD-40 is a water displacer and solvent, not a lubricant. It actually dissolves the factory grease around the O-rings. Use it to dry a chain after rain if you want, but always apply real chain lube afterwards.
- “Engine oil is what they used in the old days”: it is, and chains lasted 10,000 km in the old days. Engine oil is too thin, flings off immediately and attracts every particle of dust on the road.
- “Any grease will do”: universal lithium grease is too thick to penetrate between the plates and too aggressive for some O-ring compounds. Chain-specific products exist for a reason.
The products we use in our fleet
After testing most of what the market offers on 11 rental bikes doing thousands of kilometres a month, our current setup:
- Road bikes and tours: Motul C4 Chain Lube Factory Line. Sticky, rain-proof, predictable.
- Off-road fleet (CFMOTO, Royal Enfield Himalayan): Motul C1 dry or Muc-Off Dry Weather. Sand simply does not stick.
- Workshop cleaning: Muc-Off chain cleaner plus a three-sided brush.
- What customers bring that also works great: Bel-Ray Super Clean, S100 White Chain Spray, Rock Oil.
None of these brands pays us anything. It is simply what has survived our maintenance cycles. Every bike in our Málaga rental fleet gets its chain inspected and lubricated before each hand-over.
Motorcycle chain lube FAQ
Can I use the same lube in summer and winter?
Yes, but in Andalusian summer heat (up to 45 °C on the tarmac) sticky wet lubes soften and fling more. If you ride in extreme heat, PTFE or dry lube stays put better.
Does a new chain need lubrication?
Yes. Factory grease covers the interior, but the exterior needs protection from km zero. First application at 300 km, then normal cycle.
How do I know if I am lubricating enough?
Look at the rollers: they should be dark and slightly glossy, never shiny bare metal. Listen too: a dry chain whines and clicks on deceleration.
Is an automatic oiler worth it for touring?
If you do long tours or more than 15,000 km a year, absolutely. If you ride 3,000 km a year, a €14 can does the job.
Five minutes that save you €300
Chain lubrication is the highest-return maintenance task on a motorcycle: five minutes every 500 km, a €14 product, and your drivetrain lasts twice as long while delivering all its power. If you would rather spend your riding holidays not thinking about any of this, our guided motorcycle tours include bikes maintained daily by our own mechanics. You ride, we lube.