Scottoiler have been the go-to for riders wanting to extend their chain life for ages, but until now, actually fitting one was a little tricky if you weren’t of the hands-on persuasion.
With the new xSystem, you no longer need to be clued up on vacuum hoses or electronic wizardry to install it, with Scottoiler claiming the xSystem is the company’s “easiest to install and simplest system to use to date.”
With that in mind, and not always being the most hands-on riders out there (but always willing to give something a go!), we managed to grab one from distributor, Eurobike Wholesale to see just how idiot proof it is.
With the delivery system activated by the movement from the bike being lifted off the stand and the engine started, the only connecting you need to do is power direct from the battery and the pipe that delivers oil to the chain.
In the past, Scottoilers have required a bit of mechanical knowhow or a visit to the dealer. But now there’s the Scottoiler xSystem, which takes all the mechanical knowhow out of the equation and makes it much simpler to fit. The trick is that the Scottoiler is now controlled by a micro-processor and triple axis accelerometer which activates the chain lubing system by detecting movement. Lift the bike off the stand and start the engine and the Scottoiler knows to start dispensing oil. Turn the engine off and park up and the Scottoiler automatically shuts off. Brilliant!
This takes a whole heap of the work out of fitting, with power to the xSystem simply provided by a direct connection to the battery (the system shuts off automatically when the bike stops so there’s minimal drain), and the dispenser unit then just needs to be located somewhere using supplied 3M tape. The xSystem has five flow-rate settings allowing for adjustment in all riding conditions and the new dispenser system will work with all chain systems – left, right or singlesided – thanks to the new design.
With plenty of room on the V-Strom, finding somewhere to locate the new Scottoiler xSystem wasn’t especially hard, and it only took a short while to work out the best path to locate the pipe and set the dispenser to perfectly lube the chain. With a relatively low power output being produced by the V-Strom compared to others in the adventure class, it still gives the chain a hard time especially when riding in wet or dusty conditions on gravel, so I was really pleased to get the Scottoiler fitted to the Suzuki to take all the stress out of keeping the chain in tiptop condition. Imagine the punishment a chain gets one some of the adventure bikes out there which are pumping out another 50+ horsepower!
So far, the system seems to be performing faultlessly, with the chain having a nice spread of oil through the links at all times. If I find it is delivering more oil than required, which can result in oil getting flicked onto the wheel, it’s easy to change the settings makes sure only the right amount of lube makes it to the chain.
We’ll keep an eye on how the system goes, but if you’ve often thought about getting an automatic lube system but couldn’t get your head around the hassle of trying to fit it, then the xSystem is the answer you’ve been waiting for.
Tester: Paul | Distributed by: Eurobike Wholesale| Price: $599 | Check it: www.eurobike.co.nz
