O ring chains are greased by the factory at the pivot points and rollers. The orings retain the grease and keep dirt and most solvents out of the greased area.
Oring chains eat up some horsepower from the motor to overcome the resistance in bending the chain due to the tight oring fit, and their extra weight from longer pins.
Standard chains need the lube in the rollers and pivots renewed periodically, due the centrifugal force flinging it from the chain, and the ingress of dirt, etc. into the non-sealed area.
These chains can also eat up HP if the chain is allowed to dry out, making the chain pivots stick.
Rust will destroy both chain types. Oring chains often use a chain WAX to keep them from rusting. If applied properly, fly off is minimal. But, wax provides very little lubricative properties, which it doesn't need due to the sealed in grease.
Oring chains are favored by those who do not wish to spend time maintaining the machine, or cleaning the lube fly off from the motorcycle.
A standard chain needs a penetrating lube to get into the pivots and rollers and then dry to a tacky grease-like state. Application technique/prowess determines the amount of fly-off and subsequent cleaning of the motorcycle.
I have found that PJ1 chain lube (black can) has the exact properties needed to give standard chains very good life spans.
You apply this at the end of the day's ride when the chain is hot. I place a newspaper under the bike while it is on the center stand. The spray nozzle goes on the sprocket side of the chain, but where it is not making contact with the sprocket. Rotate the rear tire while spraying the lube. One pass for the right side link pivots, another pass for the left side. The trick is to regulate the spray nozzle delivery so as not to over-apply lube, as the can will easily deliver product far faster than what is required. Still, I get a few drips on the newspaper. Clean up the paper and put both machine and lube away for the night.
The next day or evening, there will be some fly off, provided you have over-lubed, (and that is the side I err upon). Some mineral spirits and a paper towel, easily cleans off any flung lube, quite easily. I let the lube fly-off do the chain cleaning, so I seldom clean the chain, per se. Only when I notice a particular build up that hinders accessing the pivots and rollers on the chain.
Here in California, I did this weekly or bi weekly, depending on if the chain looked dry, or not. If the rollers start to "clack" when manipulated with the fingers, it was definitely lube time. Of course, rainy weather would require more frequent attention.
Don't let the detailed description put you off. Once you get used to the procedure, the chain lube routine takes 5-10 minutes, including clean up. Still, even that amount of attention steers many people toward oring chains.
If the oring chain lube you have selected in simply a rust preventive, it is unsuitable for a standard chain's longevity. It's likely better than nothing, but the rollers and pivots will certainly wear faster.
Cheers,
edit: PJ1 description
