 Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55 |
I thought belts were for weapons.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 594
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 594 |
Quote:
I thought belts were for weapons.
All the good weapons, yes 
SFC, US Army (Ret)
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 174
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 174 |
Chains make for better weapons. Belts are old school.
Larry
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6
Worn Saddle
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Worn Saddle
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,060 Likes: 6 |
I dunno, I would hate to get whacked with a shaft drive! 
Fidelis et Fortis
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55 |
We were speaking of belt fed weapons.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Belts vs chains
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 594
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 594 |
Then again - maybe chain-driven IS better... 
SFC, US Army (Ret)
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,836 Likes: 5
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,836 Likes: 5 |
Chains are better on ice. Belts are best on pants. Shafts, well, shafts ... Draw your own conclusions. All I really know is I would have little use for my stock pile of spray wax with the later two.
Last edited by pipedr; 01/19/2008 1:36 AM.
2004 Triumph Speedmaster (J Lo) 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner (Adele)
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Re: Belts vs chains
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55 |
Quote:
Then again - maybe chain-driven IS better...
Man the cool toys, I'm jealous.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3 |
So, if I don't like a belt and my chain breaks, can I use suspenders (bracers) on my Triumph? 
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,968 Likes: 1
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,968 Likes: 1 |
Quote:
So, if I don't like a belt and my chain breaks, can I use suspenders (bracers) on my Triumph?
Experts say yes!!
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 37
Greenhorn
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Greenhorn
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 37 |
good techhere (newbie) to some one finger person but is your bike put on it what you want,I like chains(no wips) as long as the bike ride is safe and fun. 
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,671 Likes: 15
Loquacious
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Loquacious
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,671 Likes: 15 |
I asked my dealer about a belt conversion for my new 07 SM & he advised against it because (1) extra stress on the rear wheel bearings due to the required belt tension & (2) extra drag, effectively sapping some RWHP. That makes sense to me. The dealer told me that one customer returned to chain from belt for those reasons. All things considered, I'll stick with the chain. That said, the belt conversion looks great to my eyes.
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3 |
He's right. There is more friction as well as more tension. Sometime, try bending a belt. They are a lot stiffer than a chain and it takes engine power to constantly bend a belt around the "sprockets".
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825
"Lighten up, Francis."
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"Lighten up, Francis."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825 |
I don't know about the extra wheel bearing stress. So far so good after about 25k miles with the belt. As far as the friction goes, I'm sure that's true, but it is absolutely not noticeable to me. In fact, it seems like the take-off response is better. I don't know if that's just the lack of chain slack or lack of chain noise. But it feels better in the seat of the pants. Mostly, I just hated lubing my chain and scraping the gunk off my rear wheel, swingarm, etc. 
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 195
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 195 |
I would say it is a draw. The belts look better and keep a cleaner motorcycle. I doubt they exibit any move friction because they seem stiffer than chains which do not run on metal teeth with grease to reduce the high friction. If the bearings are not underrated, I doubt they would wear out. After all they are carrying at least 200 lbs of manly muscle from above.  The real issue is to make sure your belt is tight and replace it as recommended. All of the HDs cannot be wrong.
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55
Fe Butt
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Fe Butt
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23,179 Likes: 55 |
Well as far as HD goes, those open belt primaries do shorten bottom end life and tranny bearing life. On our bikes I would tend to think it wouldn't do much to the rear wheel since those bearings are designed to take that sort of stress but the output shaft bearings in the tranny are another story. Might not notice it right away but I bet in the long run the belt will shorten their life span.
I learned all I need to know about life by killing smart people and eating their brains.
Eat right ,Exercise ,Stay fit, Die Anyway!
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825
"Lighten up, Francis."
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"Lighten up, Francis."
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 18,825 |
Quote:
After all they are carrying at least 200 lbs of manly muscle from above.
I would kill to weigh only 200 lbs. I wouldn't, apparently, diet and exercise to weigh that little.
Quote:
All of the HDs cannot be wrong.
Oh ZOD, don't even go there.
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457
Learned Hand
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Learned Hand
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,457 |
Quote:
...Sometime, try bending a belt. They are a lot stiffer than a chain...
Also, the retro-fit kit for our bikes (QPD) has smaller sprockets than you'd normally find on a factory setup. Seems to me that would put more stress on the belt. May be operating closer to its design limit.
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 347
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 347 |
One thing though, don't forget some of the older bikes that when you broke a chain "it sometimes went through the engine block".
jerry
2005 America, Green, Thunderbike exhaust
LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET THE HE** OUT OF THE WAY!
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Re: Harleys!
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3
Old Hand
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Old Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,639 Likes: 3 |
Quote:
One thing though, don't forget some of the older bikes that when you broke a chain "it sometimes went through the engine block".
jerry
Never had that happen. In 54 years of riding, only had 2 chains break and they both just spilled out on the ground. I've known guys who have had a chain wrap around the rear hub, but I think they had the adjustment too loose or maybe had a really bad stretched spot and the chain came off the sprocket first, then broke.
When belts were first making a come-back, (they were very popular around 1910 and before) a friend picked up a rock on his new belt. It rode the belt through the sprocket, popped a hole in the belt and, in the process, shot out the headlight of the guy riding behind him.
Let's hope there's intelligent life somewhere in space 'cause it's buggar all down here. -- Monte Python
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Re: Belts v. Chains
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 347
Adjunct
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Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 347 |
If I remember correctly, the early honda 750's had a corner of the engine block in front of the front sprocket & some of those brocken chains went thru the block.
jerry
2005 America, Green, Thunderbike exhaust
LEAD, FOLLOW, OR GET THE HE** OUT OF THE WAY!
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