Best Motorcycle Chain Cleaner and Kits to Keep You Rolling Along

If you’re out riding and your drive chain lets go through lack of maintenance, it’s not only inconvenient but also dangerous. Thankfully, it’s never been easier to keep your chain in A1 condition. These best motorcycle chain cleaner and kits will keep you rolling along.

Here, we uncover a host of great chain cleaning accessories. Out of this list, our top pick for most situations is the Motul 109767 Chain Care Kit since it has everything you’ll need to clean your motorcycle’s chain in one kit.

Find out why these chain cleaners and kits made it into our top picks.

Related Post: Best Degreaser for Motorcycle

Our Top Picks for Best Motorcycle Chain Cleaner and Other Kits

Best Overall – Motul 109767 Chain Care Kit  

Motul makes some of the best motorcycle chain cleaner and lubes.  The quality of both sprays in the kit is excellent. It’s the added extras like the chain brush and gloves though that pushes it to the top of this ‘Best Of’ review.

The Motul 109767 Chain Care Kit comes with a 9.8 ounce can of chain cleaner that features a chlorine-free formula. Fitted with a long reach straw, the cleaner eats away even the gnarliest of gunge.

Any dirt or debris that puts up a fight can be scrubbed out with the brush supplied. Once your motorcycle chain is back in good shape, it’s time to put the 9.3 ounce can of lube to good use. Both cleaner and lube are good for O, X, and Y ring chains and the kit includes a decent pair of nitrile gloves to keep those digits grease-free.

In our opinion, it’s the best motorcycle chain cleaner and lube out there.

Best Premium Option – Motorex Offroad Chain Care Kit

Not only do the Swiss make great cuckoo clocks, but they also know their way around chain lube too. This chain maintenance kit is another class act that has you covered. Although slightly more expensive than the Motul, this kit has the type of thoughtful additions that make it a dead cert for our Best Premium choice.

Both the cleaner and lube in the Motorex Offroad Chain Care Kit are large cans (500 milliliters/16.9 fl. ounces), which explains the price point. The cleaner is one of the best chain degreasers out there, has good penetration, dries quickly, and won’t leave any greasy residue behind.

Once clean, the Motorex kit comes with a cotton cloth to wipe the chain preparing it for the lube. The opaque white chain grease clings well, and the refillable can of lube is small enough to live under your seat or tool roll. The refillable can is a great idea and a neat touch making sure you keep your chain rolling out on the road.

Best Budget Option – Simple Solutions AGB888 Aluminum Grunge Brush

Although the Grunge Brush heads up our best budget option, there are a number of less expensive options out there. But, and it’s a huge ‘but’, you do get a lot of bang for your buck.

A plastic motorcycle chain cleaner brush may be a cheaper option, but when your fifth replacement snaps, again, the Simple Solutions AGB888 Aluminum Grunge Brush will take everything you can throw at it and then some.

The three main head brushes offer some adjustment to cope with different size chains, while the tail brush features long stiff bristles for jabbing away the crud.

Replacement brushes are available as a kit, so this is one motorcycle chain cleaner brush that’s going to last longer than your chain. If you favor a particular brand of chain cleaner and lube, then the Aluminum Grunge Brush is the ideal addition to your toolbox.

Best Wild Card Option – Grand PitStop Motorcycle Wheel Cleaning Stand with Brush

Why did this kit get the wild card vote? Easy, because some bright spark realized that if you don’t have a main stand, cleaning a motorcycle chain is a real pain. Push the rear wheel on to the rollers, spray with your favorite cleaner, and go to it with the supplied brush.

The Grand PitStop Motorcycle Wheel Cleaning Stand wheel roller is available in two weight limits, up to 485 pounds (180 tire width) and up to 600 pounds (240 tire width). There is also a rubber mat underneath the roller to prevent it from slipping, making it safer to roll your bike onto.

Yes, the brush is plastic and may not last long, but you can use the roller on both wheels for maintenance and cleaning, which makes up for the shortfall. This system works well even if you have a main stand. A heads up, though, don’t treat it like a budget rolling road and always keep the ignition turned off.

What to Consider When Buying a Chain Cleaning Kit or Accessories

If you’ve ever cleaned a chain, you’ll know what a dirty job it can be. It’s all too easy to keep putting it off, so when you’re looking for a motorcycle chain cleaning kit, you’ll want a product to make life easier.

While some people like to buy their chain maintenance products as a kit, others prefer to pick and choose, but regardless, here are a few pointers to look out for:

Chain Cleaner – Make sure it’s fast-drying, doesn’t leave any greasy residue behind, and won’t attack the chain’s rubber seals

Chain Lubricant – Consider the performance of your bike and the conditions in which you ride. Buy the best you can afford and aim for a balance of protection and the least amount of fling

Accessories – Chain cleaning is a tough gig. When buying items such as cleaning brushes, opt for tough tools that are up to the job or be prepared to replace them frequently

Frequently Asked Questions

Cleaning and lubing my chain is messy; why should I bother?

Neglect your chain for long enough, and it will fail. A snapped chain can tear a chunk from your leg, smash a crankcase, or hit whoever is behind you. Maintaining a motorcycle chain is not an option.

Do I really need to clean my chain before lubing?

Yes. Spraying more lubricant on a dirty chain only seals the dirt and grit in, and it’s the grit that grinds away at the chain’s components, ultimately wearing them out.

Should I wipe the chain after cleaning?

Absolutely! If you don’t dry your chain after using cleaning fluid, your fresh chain lube will either melt off or fling all over your tire.

Should I keep the engine running to rotate the rear wheel while I lube?

That’s a no. Otherwise, you run the risk of crushing your fingers between the chain and the sprocket. Keep the engine switched off and better still, remove the key from the ignition.

What is the best way to clean a motorcycle chain?

Ride your bike around the block to warm the chain up. Have everything you need to hand. Place old newspapers under the chain to catch the drips and clean rags to wipe everything down afterward.