Mess Reducer for Motorcycle Chain Cleaning

My previous motorcycles had a chain with a break link, so for cleaning I removed the chain and washed it in a plastic container.

Much easier to clean the chain on the SV650 while fitted to the bike, but I wanted less kero(the method I use) going all over the floor/ground.

I wanted a container held close to the chain that would catch most of the dirty washing fluid.

Thought there was potential in a used 1ltr milk bottle, so set to with a marker pen, craft knife & scissors.

If you have an insight about was I was aiming for you will realise my first marking(above) of what to cut off the bottle was going to achieve failure.

I was a hot day and the brain seemed clagged up. Decided to try that cheap beer to see if it was worth buying some more.

This seemed to free up the thinking processes and a working model was marked and cut as shown. (scissors were mainly used -probably safer that way)

worked OK, but it was floppy around the bottle-top end.

Also it hung from the chain too close to the back wheel & interfered with free turning of the wheel.

I have put comments on many of the photos that may help explain the reason changes have been made.

That was my only 1ltr milk bottle, so with improvements to be made I moved on to 2ltr milk bottles.

Version 2; Tried using the pouring hole for the front chain slot -wrong place. When I extended the slot there was not enough firm plastic left -too floppy.

And a wider rear slot for more easily fitting the kerocatcher onto the chain meant too much dirty kero could slosh out onto the ground.

Version 3; overcame above faults. Also tried to make a smoother cut-out edge for the kerocatcher to hang from and slide along the chain. Did this having tags folded up into slots. I really don't think there was a noticeable difference in performance.

The chain was becoming fairly clean by version 3.

Brushing with one hand & turning wheel with other is easier than brushing/turning with one hand while holding camera with other!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a mess REDUCER. NOT a mess ELIMINATOR.

Area below the chain will still need protection if you want to keep it clean.

And now confession time from a stingy(frugal / tight-arse) member:

when I removed chains and washed them in a bucket I used a good amount of kerosene. I realised that, if left to sit, the black particles precipitated out. So I started pouring the first wash into food cans(baked bean cans), leaving to sit a few days and decanting off the clean kero. A couple of decantings and the kero was at least good enough for the next first wash.

I don't seem to use as much with this method, so not worth it. (but will I still do it?)