No more chain lubing or re-tensioning. At least if you pay extra for the optional M Endurance maintenance-free drive chain from BMW. This new product, sold as an optional extra for the new S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR, does not have to be lubricated or maintained. BMW says it’s designed to offer comparable characteristics to a regular chain, minus the maintenance.
Like previous X-ring chains, the M Endurance chain comes with a permanent lubricant filling between the rollers and pins, enclosed by X-rings. However, the new lubricant used no longer needs to be maintained or added to.
This was made possible by using a new coating material for the rollers: tetrahedrally amorphous carbon (ta-C), also known as industrial diamond. This coating has extreme hardness and resistance and is placed between the DLC (Diamond Like Carbon) coating and pure diamond. Unlike the standard coating, the ta-C industrial diamond does not wear off. At the same time, it also offers better lubrication.
Thanks to this dry lubrication innovation, the M Endurance chain is as durable as a shaft drive. Finally, BMW also made sure that the new lubricant material is environmentally friendly.
The M Endurance chain is now available for the S 1000 RR and S 1000 XR as an optional extra. It can be fitted upon purchase or attached to current ones that have not had it fitted yet.
BMW also plans to expand the availability and compatibility of this chain to more models in the future.
