For both air filter and chain, the frequency depends on the conditions.

For my air filters, I use a small amount of mineral spirits to dissolve the old oil. I put it in a container and use the filter to soak it up like a sponge. You really don't need very much either. When that is done, I wash in a bucket with Simple Green or dish washing soap. It comes out like new. Shake out the excess water and let dry overnight then re-oil. To dispose of the mineral oil, you can put it into the used oil container, or start a campfire. I've even made some oil lamps out of beer cans that work REALLY well.

Chains.
At a minimum, they should be lubed after every 500-1000 miles of dry street riding. Rain riding reduces the interval and dirt riding requires new lube every time. To remove the sticky oily dirt, WD40 and a stiff (plastic) bristle brush will make short work of it. I buy WD40 by the gallon and put it in a spray bottle. When you're done scrubbing the chain, just hose it off. It'll look new. This cleaning step is really cosmetic (and optional) though. If you don't care what it looks like, just lube it.


At this point, I will spray a little of this on. A little goes a long way. It's thin (unlike the wax) and wicks into all the little spaces of the chain. I LOVE this chain lube. You have to let it sit overnight so the solvent can evaporate but it leaves a film that will keep your chain protected and looking great for a long time.

 

500-1000 miles is a long way before you lube your chain. Rain does not only reduces the interval. You get that chain wet, you should lube it. Unless you like rust.
Cleaning is not only cosmetic and optional. If itīs dirty enough, you should clean it before lubing it. Unless you want all that crap going inside the bushings, along with the lube.

 

The key info here is that with an O-ring chain, you are only lubing the outside where the chain hits the sprockets. The real lube is sealed inside the O-rings. I like to think that the O-rings will be happier if they are hydrated so I use 90 weight on them and any extra will run off onto the other outside surfaces.

I buy 90 weight by the quart in those tall bottles with the ketchup dispenser like tip. Cut off the tip to allow about an 1/8" hole. Use this to slowly apply the lube as the chain spins. I do it after washing or when it "looks" or sounds dry.

This will make the safety police cringe but my method is to take the running bike, kickstand down, lean the bike over onto the kickstand so far that the rear time comes off the ground. Keep leaning it until it balances there. You will need to hold onto the left side handlbar end with your left hand to steady it. With your right hand bump the shifter into first, no clutch is needed, and the wheel is now spinning. With your right hand grab the 90 weight bottle and dispense it onto first the inboard and then the outboard o-rings. Don't drop the bike. Keep your hootus out of the chain.

 

This calls for a video!

 

HighBeam,can I buy an insurance policy on you with me as beneficiary? Take care with that "technique"!
+1 on the vid.

 

I've been doing it this way for decades. It not as complicated as it sounds. Only a couple of bad things can happen, the bike could tip onto you which isn't much unlike a crash or the bike could fall back onto the tire and the engine stall. More important is to keep yourself out of that chain while adding oil.

I can't take a video but the wife can shoot a photo for you. I can't imagine a better way to lube your chain.

Just to build your confidence, with the engine off try tipping the bike to its balance point on the sidestand. It's actually very stable there. Everything happens slowly and in a controlled manner.

If you think this is bad, you should see my wood splitter. It is a Bark Buster unicorn style splitter. The company that made them was sued out of business.

 

Took a look at that woodsplitter. Don't see how ANYTHING could possibily go wrong with that setup.
"We'll jist sit thet up here on dis sidehill wit de bumper jack Martha. You jist watch, we'll have all our wood split in no time 't all."
Used properly, yes, OK. BUT how many users would bring in the Darwin factor? And then the lawyers?

 

Another vote for No Toil for the air cleaner.

I will add my controversial method.
After spraying down the bike all I use is WD-40 on the chain. Once a year I clean the chain with Kerosene. I have had chains and sprockets last years and thousands of miles with this method. Lube is only good for the chain guides on an o-ring chain. I think that all lube does is collect dirt.

Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results - ADVrider

 

Following along on this one, I have not had a chain drive bike in 31 years. Book says lube around 400 miles. I do that.

A motorcycle jack from harbor freight for $65.00. All my other bikes came with center stands.

I am guessing with an O ring chain its more important to keep the crud AWAY from the O rings than lube the outside of the chain.

I remember putting the whole chain in a bucket of HOT 90 wt.

Keep posting

David

 

I know, but I'm just trying to be a realist here. For a street bike 500 miles is the correct interval. As for as the cleaning goes, for some people it is optional. If we can just get them to spray some lube on their tired rusty old chains, we will have done all we can.