According to the Bavarian auto manufacturer, the new M Endurance chain doesn’t require any adjustment or re-tensioning
BMW Motorrad has announced the introduction of a new maintenance-free chain called ‘M Endurance’ chain (image above). The motorcycle manufacturer claims that the chain neither needs tension adjustment nor lubrication. While BMW is known for its almost no maintenance shaft-driven bikes, they have decided to turn their attention to drive chains.
The new M Endurance chain will come as a factory-fitted option in the litre-class motorcycles such as S1000RR and S1000XR. For the existing consumers, it will be offered as an accessory option in the rest of the models. This new drive chain will be offered in more BMW Motorrad models in the future.
Details of the M Endurance Chain
The new chain visually looks like any other standard X-ring chain which has a permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins. An additional industrial diamond coating has been used for the rollers and the bushes. The new material is being called ‘tetrahedrally amorphous carbon’, or ta-C by BMW. This is what adds to the longevity of the chains as per the company.
The coating is said to keep the chain strong enough so that it can function properly for a longer duration without cleaning or lubricating it. The ta-C also provides other advantages such as it helps increase performance of a motorcycle by reducing the friction coefficient and thus reduces wear and tear.
The engineers from the Bavarian auto company claim that one need not apply the traditional lubricants to it since the lubricants never wear off due to friction. BMW has employed Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) coatings as a process to reduce friction and increase hardness in parts like engine internals. The company claims that ta-C on the chains provides similar benefits and that it acts as a bridge between DLC and an actual diamond on the hardness scale.
Price
The ta-C on chains makes it easier for riders as well as on the environment since it no longer has to apply cleaning and lubrication products to this new chain. BMW UK’s online configurator for bikes has listed the price at GBP 100 as an add-on. This translates roughly to INR Rs 9,708.
Usually, regular chain maintenance is advisable to keep your drive chain in a healthy condition which helps you ensure the longevity of your bike. For many riders chain maintenance is not a very pleasant job. Therefore, for them, it will be one less thing to worry about. It is particularly useful when one has to do long-distance commutes over an extended period of time.
