Chain vs. Belt Drive

Here's an idea I've been toying with since even before I got my bike; now
that it's been in my possession for 53 weeks (but who's counting?), the idea
seems to be gaining some impetus in my mind.

I've been thinking about getting a belt-drive conversion kit for my Vulcan,
from ScootWorks;
http://209.15.36.61/swcart/shop.cgi/page=parts.htm/SID=1124970390.1502
(http://tinyurl.com/bkxay)

Anyone here care to lend any input on the pros/cons of belt drive compared
to chain drive?

The reasons I'm considering it are;
- lack of maintenance,
- lack of "slop" (grease/oil-inspired grime), and
- lack of chain 'whine."

- Bob.

 

Pros;

Belts last longer.

They're cleaner.

They're lighter.

They rarely if ever need adjustment.

Cons;

Ummm...mmm...pfff...nnn...nup.

 

article in the latets 2 wheels about that

for a belt drive to be suitbale for say an r1 it would have to be at least 2
inches wide

belt drives dont like to be revved high - they get holt and delaminate which
sounds a bad thing

so they are ideally sorted to low revving v-twins, like harley and buell and
the jap cruiserrs

 

Very few cons (as other have pointed out) except perhaps for the size
problems in high horsepower applications. I suspect it would work
_really_ nicely on your Vulcan.

These two are probably pretty good reasons, but whether they're actually
worth the grand or more it'll cost you to get one of the conversions is
questionable - for a thousand bucks you could pay a workshop to have the
apprentice clean and adjust your chain for you every month for a _long_
time...

I'd suggest if you're getting enough "chain whine" to bother you then
either your chain and sprockets are in need of replacement or, your
chain is _badly_ out of alignment - my chain runs pretty much silently
when its freshly lubed and properly aligned. Use one of the various
methods describe on the web to check your chain and rear wheel
alignment. (I like measuring swingarm pivot to axle distances on either
side for wheel alignment and a straight edge for checking lateral chain
alignment, tho I'm always tempted to buy one of the laser chain
alignment tools just because lasers are _cool!_)

cheers,

big

 

Errmmm, remember the chain/belt drive is _after_ the gearbox - screaming
inline fours and slow reving v-twins spin the rear wheel and hence the
chain at the same sort of rpms at similar road speeds... I think most
Harleys (which are I suspect the cannonical "bike with belt drive") run
smaller than sportsbike-norm rear wheels anyway don't they? So at the
same road speed they may even end up spinning the belt _faster_ than a
17 inch wheeled sportsbike...

big

 

well, I'd consider the $700US pricetag on a conversion to be a "con"...

big

 

Ermm two issues Big. Not many HDs see over 160K very often (and yes I
know some can before the HD supporters wade in), whereas an R1 rider is
more likely to be zotting up to the that and backing off regularly. 2nd
issue is that just because the rim is smaller (15") doesn't make the
entire tyre smaller (high profile skinny tyres), I'd suspect the rolling
diameter is probably about the same or a bit larger (but I don't know
that to be true)

JL

 

Spot on JL

Rolling diameter of Big Bob's tyre (140/90 HB 16) is 649 mm

Rolling diameter of 190/50 zr 17 is 623 mm

on one brand

658 vs 622 on another

ck

 

How would the belt know what revs you were doing for any given speed?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R

 

Belt drives can't mono.

 

ooooo beats me i only read the article

there was someabout belts dont like to bend around a small cog as well ie
your usual 16-17 tooth sportsbike front cog coz they get hot
and delaminate which still sounds bad

so you would have to use a biggger front cog which in turns means a bigger
rear cog which means your sports bike would start to puit on weight and look
as ugly as a harley which we all know is a bad bad thing

peeese orrrfff - go read the article yourself instead of picking on me

 

Smartbelt?

Theo

 

my chain runs pretty much silently

chain lube? Wazzat?

 

X-No-archive: yes

Maintenance and slop won't be a problem but it'd be hard to stop me whining
about chains!

 

Some sort of kinky B&D thing?

Moike

 

What are you talking about its driving the back wheel ,unless your doing
500mph hows it reviving any higher .What about timing belts what do they rev
to ?????
What happens if a chain comes off when under load I know which I'd prefer .
Body hell wheres this info come from ?
If a belt drive can drive the weight of a Harly and some of the big stunt
bikes mmmmmm.

 

Yeah. I sometimes wonder what that "Kash" bloke knows about the editors
to keep his spot on the magazine *and* get a spot up near the front.

While there might have been some basis for some of what he said, it had
to be one of the worst written 'technical' articles I've read in a long
while. I wouldn't make any life-changing decisions based on his opinion.

Moike

 

The size of the front pulley is not an issue. Belts don't get hot unless
they're primary belts in a fully enclosed cover.

I'd ridden mine at sustained speeds of 150ks for hundreds of kilometres
at a stretch without any probs.

Got 130,000ks out of my first belt, was still on the second when I sold
the bike at 180,000ks

There's a lot of blokes drag racing with them too so I figure they can
hold up all right...

 

yes but at what engine revs and more to the point whats revs of yourdrive
sprocket

never said anything about the longevity of belts and again what was the
general speed/rpm you were doing in all those kays

again what rpm are those engine doing and how damn wide are those belts they
use ????

 

jeezus ****

dont shoot the messanger , go read the fucking article

and flame kash

hell you borrow my copy of the mag