An Easy-To-Use Chain Maintenance Tool

Want to lube the chain on your sportbike properly but don’t have a rearstand (or don’t want to risk dropping your bike doing it yourself)? Enter the SnapJack, a “compact motorcycle lift” designed by Tirox (check out its 360-degree chain brush) to be an easy-to-use chain maintenance tool. The design is ingeniously simple, using a leverage principle to the lift the rear tire off the ground so that it can be spun to lube the chain properly. This is version 2.0 and has a few design changes, most notable being the addition of pivot points at the cradle and base to help compensate for adverse angles. The fit and finish is high quality and robust and looks like it will deliver decades of trouble-free lifts.

Here’s a tip: Don’t be like most guys and try to use the SnapJack for the first time without reading the instructions. After a couple of failed attempts, we spent five seconds looking at the instructions that include clear pictographs and then found the SnapJack was a breeze to operate. The key for best results: Start on level ground, 3 to 4 inches from the rear wheel at the center of the axle (where possible) with the top arm at a 30-degree angle to the lower arm. Also, use the included Velcro strap to lock the front brake.

The height is adjustable by a range of around 1.5 inches and should allow enough adjustment to allow use on most sport and sport-touring bikes. Keep in mind this is for chain maintenance only and should not be used to remove the rear wheel. The lift, rubber pads (which help anchor the kickstand and lift), and brake stay all fit into a storage bag should you want to take it on a road trip.