Spring Clean

I'm grounded for the weekend between 10:00 and 18:00 due to the high fire danger. So I reckon its time to clean the chain and clean out the built up gunk on top of the swing arm near the nylon block.

I'm tempted to squirt degreaser in there but worried what that may do to the X rings in the chain. The alternative is to get a long handled "artists" paint brush and wipe away with kero for a while. That’s what I clean the chain with anyway.

The gunk is 15000k worth of chain lube (I don’t put a heap on) and fine gravel and other particles.

Seeing as I'll be paid to stay home I may as well do the spring clean. What are the thoughts on degreaser around a chain?

i,m no expert but i,d be going with the kero and brush i dont know about the degreaser with the chain least you know the kero is safe.

I personally wouldnt use anything to clean a chain (or around a chain) other than Kero.

we used to have a citric based degreaser/grease remover at work a few years back.

it was apparently nice to rubber products.

can't remember the name of it tho.

maybe ahve a look around for something like than also

Cleaned the CHERRY1 a couple of days ago and used Kero, brush and rag. Taking off the chainguard helped a lot, and was surprised at the gunk under there.
Wash away the Kero! remember it will slowly deteriorate (swell / soften) rubber. X rings are Nitrile and impervious?
Incidently I used "ooo" grade steelwool, soap and water to "wash?" the header pipes and no scratches!

Can someone explain this concept of washing a bike?

Only joking, the Bandit gets washed at least twice a year, whether it needs it or not. Isn't it funny though, when I first got it I would wash it every week, then every fortnight, then monthly. Now it gets washed when my knees/legs get dirt on them from the tank.

All jokes aside, the chain gets cleaned with kero every couple of thousand K's, that's just about the time it goes from being gold to black.

I use a 'degreaser' tool I got with my air compressor. Its like a paint spray pot with a long spray tube. I fill it with kero and take all the crap off the chain, then refill with degreaser and get the kero/grease off the swing arm, wheel and anywhere else it has ended up. BUT am careful not to get the degreaser on the chain as I believe it will destroy the 'O' or 'X' rings. This is the best method I have come up with yet, and a lot less messy than kero and a paint brush.

Cheers