Endurance Chain - it does need maintainance

[Steve.20]

Hi
Here's an interesting one.
My s1000xr M sport spec with endurance chain is about 6 months old and i recently noticed the chain was starting to go rusty. I love the bike so no issues there, but when i bought it i was told at my dealership, (who are excellent and i get on with them very well, they were just going on what bmw told them), and confirmed in the BMW site , link attached , and in all the press notices that no maintenance whatsoever by myself was required, basically almost as good as having shaft drive. I understood that no lubricant or adjustment other than at service intervals was needed.
Anyway when i showed the dealership and they contacted BMW , apparently minor maintenance by owners is required , namely lubrication every so often. Not quite the endurance chain experience i was led to believe as part of the selling description. BMW are changing the chain , but i will have to maintain it in the future.

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/article/detail/T0314749EN/bmw-motorrad-presents-the-m-endurance-chain?language=en

i just wondered what others have experienced with the chain

[Rotaxracer]

I'll be watching this as i have just picked up my M-sport last weekend.

[Gazk]

I did say nothing lasts forever some time back the last time the M-sport chain came up on the site!
The word entropy springs to mind

Anyway the BM dealer where I got my M-sport from did say the M-sport chain is as maintenance free as it can be, the dealer did hint at you may need to clean the chain and lets face it we are adults well sort of and we've been around bikes for long enough to know a chain needs a little TLC now and again, I guess just not as much as the old chains we go back in the pre millennial days.

[Bayman]

After 2.5 k miles my M-sport chain still looks to be in good condition etc, I haven't lubricated it, but regularly clean it, to keep it nice and shiney.   

[SMXR]

Hi, I've had my M Sport spec since beginning of Sept and I've done 7k miles on it now.
I notice the "maintenance-free" chain showing rust discolouration during the winter months, so I rubbed an oil-soaked rag along it after every other (or so) bike wash.
It had first annual service at end of May (done on mileage not time) and chain looks like new - I wonder if they changed it??

Anyway, I still thing it's way better than a normal chain - I've not had to adjust it once as it has not stretched outside of tolerance. New tyres fitted at 6k miles, and unless the local shop were some sort of gynaecologists, I guess the chain was adjusted as the rear wheel was refitted 

[peterwbaker1100]

Originally Posted by SMXR

It had first annual service at end of May (done on mileage not time) and chain looks like new - I wonder if they changed it??

Oddly one thing I like about the Endurance Chain is its gold colour, when you clean it - looks like new:-).  Peter

[Steve.20]

Yeah, I like the gold colour too, but not rusty like mines turning. I think cleaning is the order of the day once I have the new one fitted. A non maintenance chain probably was too good to be true, lol

[Antares]

That is very odd as the M-endurance chain is supposed to be made of materials that don't rust. Carbon coated rollers and bushings and Nickel plated side plates, there is no comment on the pins themselves and they seem to be regular stainless/regular steel. If there is rust on the pins that's really the only concern, if it's somehow on the plates or the rollers, that's quite simply not an M-endurance chain, or at least not what they market it to be, in which case I'd be after my money. Some pics would be nice as i'm quite curious on the longevity of this chain.

[MelbXR]

I'm about 6000kms down, has been out in all conditions, haven't cleaned or lubed it yet and so far no notable signs of rust or wear.

[Steve.20]

It's strange because mine has only done 1700 miles, mainly dry conditions, apart from the odd showers whilst out. From the replies it seems mine is a bit of a turkey chain. Maybe as I get older I expect too much from things, lol.