Chain Care by Dr. Wack "S100"

S100 chain spray for clean, well-lubed motorcycle chains

What is S100 chain care by Dr. Wack? A motorcycle line built from a chain cleaner, four adhesive sprays and the matching tools. From the 125er through Dry Lube transparent and High End to the white version, it covers every chain type and riding style. Made in Germany, out of Ingolstadt.

Chain spray is an adhesive lubricant that protects a motorcycle's drive chain against wear, friction and corrosion. S100 chain care by Dr. Wack ties this step together with the cleaning that comes before it into one system: first break down the old lube film with the cleaner, then lay on fresh grease. Dr. O.K. Wack Chemie develops the S100 line in Ingolstadt and is seen as the pioneer of the first complete care line for the motorcycle.

• Four sprays for four riding profiles. The line runs the 125er, Dry Lube transparent, High End and the white version. From the weekend runabout to the touring enduro clocking 800 km in one go, every chain type gets the right lube instead of a compromise all-rounder.
• Cleaning and lubing as one closed routine. The S100 chain cleaner breaks down old grease and grime before the fresh lube can grab. We'd run it every 500 to 1,000 km — lube a crusted-up chain and you lock the dirt in, cutting chain life by thousands of kilometres.
• Tools from one source. The line includes the S100 chain brush with three bristle sides and the Kettenmax system with its own cleaner. With it you get around every chain link in under 5 minutes, without pulling the wheel.

Detailing1's tip from the shop: We often see chains dripping black again after just 200 km — and the reason is almost always too much lube on a hot chain instead of a hand-warm one. Lay the chain spray onto the slightly warm chain from the inside, onto the lower run of the chain, turn the wheel two or three revolutions and let it flash off for 10 minutes before you set off. That way the propellant gasses off and only the tacky lube stays where it belongs. Wipe the excess overspray off the rim and swingarm straight away with a microfibre cloth — once it dries on, it's a lot more stubborn.

What sets S100 chain care by Dr. Wack apart

The S100 line is Dr. Wack's answer for motorcycles, and it treats chain care as a system of cleaner, lube and tools rather than a single product.

A bit of background: Dr. O.K. Wack Chemie from Ingolstadt is regarded as the maker of the first complete care line for the motorcycle, and that still shapes how chain care works today. A drive chain isn't a single part but an assembly of metal rollers, rubber O-rings or X-rings and a film of lube in between. A good lubricant has to lube the metal without attacking the seals — otherwise the grease inside the links dries out and the chain stretches.

That's exactly where the line comes in. The sprays are matched to O-ring and X-ring chains, and so is the cleaner that goes with them. So you're not mixing products from different worlds — you stay inside one routine that's tuned to work together. For you that means less guessing which cleaner suits which lube, and no risk of an overly aggressive cleaner swelling the seals.

The second pillar is breadth. Instead of one universal product that does everything half well, you get four specialised versions plus the tools to apply them. At first that looks like more choice than you need, but it pays off in the detail: a chain that sees 300 km of motorway in the rain needs a different lube than a café racer that only gets moved over a sunny weekend. The line doesn't force that distinction on you, but it makes it possible.

The four chain lubes in the line

Four versions cover the whole spectrum, from the budget-friendly entry to the heavy-duty option for long stints.

The S100 125er is the classic and the way into the line. It's a tacky, white-transparent universal lube for everyday use that works well on most chains and suits regular care on a 500 to 1,000 km interval. If you want something for a normal season and don't ride under extreme load, this is your pick. The name goes back to the original 125cc class it was once meant for — today it's a universal all-rounder.

The S100 Dry Lube transparent takes a different route. After you lay it on it sets into a dry, transparent film that pulls in less dust and sand than a classic grease spray. It's the pick for gravel, dry summer roads and anyone who cares more about clean rims than maximum grip in constant rain. It needs a bit more flash-off time to set fully — but the swingarm stays noticeably cleaner for it.

The S100 High End is the heavy-duty option. It's built for high speeds and long distances, holds up better against centrifugal fling-off at 200 km/h and is the pick for sport tourers and touring enduros doing day stints over 500 km. The white-transparent film stays on the chain longer even in the wet and noticeably stretches out the re-lube interval. If you ride a lot and ride fast, this version gives you the biggest reserve.

The S100 in white rounds out the quartet. The opaque white film shows straight away where lube already sits and where it doesn't — handy for laying it on evenly. Looks are a matter of taste; on the function side it lubes like a full-blown adhesive spray and suits beginners who still want reassurance while applying. If you like to check the chain after lubing, the white film shows any gaps at a glance.

Cleaner, brush and Kettenmax at a glance

Every fresh application starts with cleaning — and the line keeps three tools ready for that.

The S100 chain cleaner is the heart of the cleaning step. It loosens old chain grease, road grime and brake dust without attacking O-rings and X-rings. Spray it on, let it dwell briefly, work it through with the brush and rinse off. Only on a chain degreased like this does fresh lube grab properly — and this is exactly the step most people skip day-to-day. Lube straight onto dirty metal and you seal the grime in, grinding it into the rollers with every revolution.

The S100 chain brush has three bristle sides that grab both flanks and the running surface of the chain at once. Instead of scrubbing each spot, you push the brush onto the lower run of the chain and turn the wheel — the chain basically pulls itself through the bristles. That saves time and reaches the inner faces of the links a flat brush never gets to.

For high-mileage riders there's also the Kettenmax system with the dedicated chain cleaner for Kettenmax and the Premium Kettenmax. The tool wraps around the chain with rotating brushes on three sides and cleans it especially thoroughly in one pass. Who's it worth it for? Anyone who rides often and wants to cut chain cleaning from minutes to seconds. At two or three cleans a month it quickly pays for itself. You clamp the tool on once, turn the wheel through several revolutions and the chain is cleaned all the way round — without contorting yourself at the rear wheel or reworking single links by hand.

Which product for which riding style

Picking the right version comes down to three questions: how fast, how far and in what weather do you ride?

If you mostly ride town and back roads, weekend tours under 300 km and rarely over 130 km/h, the 125er is plenty. It's the no-fuss all-rounder whose grip is more than enough for that load. Spending more here brings no real day-to-day benefit — you're better off putting the money into a decent cleaner and a brush.

If you ride sporty or go touring, with stints over 500 km and speeds past 160 km/h, the High End is the right call. At high revs more centrifugal force pulls at the lube film — and that's exactly where the High End plays out its better grip. On a touring enduro with luggage and long days you notice the difference in fewer re-lube intervals and a chain that still runs clean on the third day out.

If dirt on the rim and swingarm bugs you, or you ride a lot of gravel and dry tracks, reach for the Dry Lube transparent. The dry film attracts less dust and your rims stay clean longer. The trade-off: in days of constant rain a classic grease spray like the High End can last longer. And if you like to see what you're doing while applying, the white version is the most relaxed to work with, because every gap shows up right away.

S100 chain care compared with other brands

In the market S100 chain care goes up against specialists like Motul, Liqui Moly and Würth — and holds its own through the breadth of the system and its predictability.

Plenty of people treat Motul as the benchmark for lube, and the white C2 version in particular has a loyal following. Liqui Moly scores on wide availability and a dense range, and Würth is deeply rooted in the trade. What sets S100 apart from these is the joined-up line: cleaner, brush, Kettenmax and four sprays are tuned to each other and come from one source in Ingolstadt. You don't have to mix between brands and you don't risk any interaction between one brand's cleaner and another's lube.

On pure lubing performance the established players sit close together — differences show up more in fling-off behaviour and in cleanliness. Where S100 honestly has no edge: it's no insider-tip price-breaker and no exotic race chemistry for track use. The brand's strength is the stable recipe that's been predictable since 1975 and the fact that the matching cleaning system comes right along with it. If you're after uncompromising paint correction or multi-year coatings you're better served by other specialists anyway — but for the chain the line stays a safe bet.

If you already look after your motorcycle with S100 anyway — motorcycle cleaner, quick cleaner, helmet care — then staying with the same system for the chain is the consistent move. For everyone else the deciding question is less about any single product test than about whether you want a matched system or individual products. If you value the system, you're in the right place here.

Your way into S100 chain care

The simplest start is the pair of chain cleaner and a lube that suits your riding style — you don't need more than that to begin with.

For most riders the combination of S100 chain cleaner, S100 chain brush and the 125er is the most sensible start. That covers the whole routine: loosen, brush through, rinse off, re-lube. These three products see you through a whole season, and one can lasts for many care intervals depending on how much you ride. You repeat the routine every 500 to 1,000 km — more often on rainy rides and after every pressure wash, because water pushes the lube film out of the links.

If you ride sporty or cover a lot of distance, swap the 125er for the High End — the cleaner and the brush stay the same. If you ride extremely often and want to speed up cleaning, add the Kettenmax system with its matching cleaner. Beyond this range you'll find the chain as part of the whole S100 motorcycle care and in the overview of all Dr. Wack lines. That way you build your chain care step by step into a complete care set for the bike.

One last tip from day-to-day work: look after your chain regularly in small steps rather than rarely and thoroughly. A chain that gets a quick clean-and-lube pass every 500 km often lasts twice as long as a neglected one — and those ten minutes are well spent. With S100 chain care you've got it all from one source, from the cleaner to the right chain spray for your riding style.