Chain Tools

XLMOTO Motorcycle Chain Tools to
Keep your Chain in Perfect Pitch

If your motorcycle has a drive chain, ensuring it is adjusted and maintained is vital for the bike's performance and your safety. XLMOTO is serious about performance and safety. So, here, you will find everything you need, from a motorcycle chain tool to disposable gloves. Keeping your chain correctly tensioned, regularly cleaned and lubricated means that your drive chain is good to go whenever you hit the throttle. Forgetting even basic maintenance can mean the chain is too loose and will become dirt clogged. Both factors can lead to the chain jumping the sprocket and locking the back wheel, which should be avoided at all costs.

All the items in this section will help keep your motorcycle chain in top condition. Moreover, a correctly running chain lasts longer and can save you money. To help you navigate through this section, here's a rundown of the motorcycle chain tools available.

Cleaning tools

The first rule of motorcycle chain maintenance is to keep it clean. Before you lubricate the chain, give it a thorough clean with a chain cleaning spray. If you don't, all you're doing is sealing in old dirt and grit. Sand and grit act like grinding paste and will prematurely age the drive chain.

You can scrub your chain while still on the bike. A chain brush with a chain cleaning liquid will eliminate the crud before re-lubing. A dirt-free, correctly adjusted and lubricated drive chain ensures you get the best from your motorcycle and an extended shelf for your chain.

Chain breaker

If you prefer to run an endless chain, in other words, a chain with no master link, you will need a chain breaker tool. These sturdy steel tools fit around or on either side of the chain and are more or less a small hand-held press. One side holds the back of the link plate. Meanwhile, the pin on the front of the tool places directly over the link rivet.

The screw on the pin tightens with a spanner. It is this action that forces out the rivet, breaking the chain. Even if your chain features a master link that is removable by hand, you will still need a chain breaker at some point. A chain breaker tool is essential if a new chain is too long or the old chain stretches and needs a link removed. As motorcycle chains come in different sizes (pitch), check that the chain breaker is the correct size for your chain.

Chain Press

You can also use most chain breakers to reinstall the chain by pressing the new link plate in place. You will need a chain press if your motorcycle chain tool lacks this facility. Once the link plate presses in place, position the tool over the protruding head of the rivet and tighten it until it flares into a mushroom shape.

Motorcycle chain tensioner

Chain adjusters are available in all shapes and sizes and for most, it is possible to adjust them using conventional spanners. Some manufacturers, like Ducati and Triumph, use eccentric adjusters that require special tools. XLMOTO has C-spanner motorcycle chain tensioner tools suitable for these bikes.

Motorcycle chain accessories

This section would not be complete without a selection of accessories to make motorcycle chain maintenance easier. Motorcycle chains are grimy, so you’ll find disposable gloves for your health and safety here. Also, if you're unsure about the size of your motorcycle chain, a measuring tool is the answer. These small devices tell you the chain's pitch in seconds, giving sizes from 415 to 632.

Finally, if your chain runs a removable master link, chain lock pliers make removing or attaching the locking clip easy. If your motorcycle uses a drive chain on the street, the dirt, or the track, you need motorcycle chain tools and accessories. XLMOTO's selection of motorcycle chain tools will help keep your chain ready to rock at the twist of a throttle.