[AJ Nin]

I have been finding a drop of thick dark oil under my 2012 Street Triple r every morning. I've started putting a newspaper down. It is almost like grease and quite dark, so if it is oil, it has been mixed with road grime to make it dark cause the oil is new. It looks and feels like black grease. There is also some oil along the bottom of the engine, also very dark but not as thick as the stuff on the floor. Anyway, I have been oiling my chain after every ride and I suppose it is possible the oil is spinning off of the front sprocket and running down. Could that be it? I've stopped oiling the chain for now until I figure out what's going on. Engine oil level is fine. Thanks.

 

[Moogs]

Is it really necessary to oil the chain after every ride? Seems excessive. I would maintain it every 500 to 1000 miles. Are you wiping the chain down each time? What are you using for lube?

Excessive oil on the chain or front sprocket is likely to pick up dirt and crap getting goopy I would think.

 

[JCP]

When you say "oiling" your chain what are you actually doing? If you are using oil it has to go somewhere.
Give the bike a good clean and look for any leaks-but I suspect you may be creating the mess.

 

[AJ Nin]

Well I cleaned everything up and took a hard ride for 3 miles. When I got home there was a glob of dark sticky stuff on the bottom of the radiator hose. The clamp was a little loose so I tightened it and rode again...no leak. I don't know why there would be sticky black stuff coming out of the radiator though. Anyway, What I have done for years is oil my chain after every ride. It is not expensive cause I use the cheap stuff at $5 a can. What I do is spray the chain and then wipe it down with a microfiber cloth after each ride. There is no oil dripping. It's cleaner than a Scott oiler, I think.

Anyone know why I would have tar like stuff on the bottom of my radiator hose?

 

[Moogs]

Can you go ride it again and take a pic?

 

[ANZAC78]

Too much chain lube dripping off of the front sprocket. Wipe the excess lube off of your chain. Remove cover and clean front sprocket.

 

[AJ Nin]

I searched for oil leaks on this forum and found a couple that mentioned loose oil pan bolts. Sure enough, mine were a little loose, so I tightened all of them except the one that is impossible to get to. I also tightened the radiator hose clamp like I said and I took some paper towels and wiped down the chain and any place I could find oil or grime. Then I went for a hard ride...up to 10,000 rpms once which is way harder than I usually ride. I figured that would get whatever was leaking to flow. When I got home everything was dry. It appears whatever it was is taken care of, but I still don't know what it was. If I had to guess, I would say it was engine oil from loose oil pan bolts. Wherever it was coming from is up high where you couldn't see directly, so the possiblity remains it was chain oil too with accumulated road grime. If I never know what it was that would be just fine so long as it the leak or whatever it was is stopped for good.

 

[AJ Nin]

Thanks ANZAC78. I can get to the front sprocket? It looks like there is a bunch of stuff in the way. Can you direct me to a photo of the cover I need to remove. Thanks. I'm sure it is all grimey.

 

[AJ Nin]

If I stick my head under the tail, I can look along the top of the chain and see the teeth of the front sprocket. It looks clean. There was some oil around and I shoved a microfiber cloth in there and soaked up some of it. It's not clear how I would remove the cover. Looks like it has 4 bolts holding it in place, but I can only see 2, so think I'll just wait and see if my leak returns and not oil the chain for a while. Thanks for all the help and ideas.

 

[ANZAC78]

AJ

I checked my bike and it looks like there are three fasteners that hold on the cover. One above and two below. My sprocket was lubed but not dripping.

Yours is a 2012. Have you changed the oil lately? Maybe the filter is loose or drain plug. You should not have loose sump pan bolts

Perhaps now is a good time to go over every fastener and check for tightness. I had a radiator shroud bolt fall out and the clutch cable lock nut/adjuster were loose down by the transmission.

 

[AJ Nin]

Filter and oil plug are fine. Like I said the oil was coming from up high where it could not be directly seen like the sprocket cover. I mean if chain oil which afterall is kind of waxy got flung up in there then with engine heat it could liquify and mixed with grime flow down over the area behind the kickstand which is where it was coming from. Never much. Anyway, I did check all the bolts and screws which Triumph said they had done at the 500 mile. I think I'm good now. I have 1300 miles on it and bought it 3 months ago, so I'll take it back to the dealer now if I spot any more oil. I'll lay off the chain oil too for a while. Thanks.