Harley belt

[awayatc]

Took the old girl for a 19 day trip down South....
Never missed a beat.
Danseys pass , no worries.
But Christchurch road"works" took their toll, belt snapped just out of town in Marshlands on a friday.
Was a brandnew belt to. Installed just before the trip, coz the old one had a hole in it for years.....

Anyhow, call rolling thunder: No belt in stock....earliest they could get one is next thursday!
no other Harley dealer in NZ had one in stock either.....
Unf*****inbelievable!
If there is one thing that is prone to be in need of quick replacement on a Harley its the belt!

Rang Radical choppers in Kaiapoi....
They had a belt in stock, in fact they sold another 2 belts over the counter when i got there at about 2 pm on the back of a towtruck.
Belt got replaced, and ready to go on monday morning 10 am.
very friendly and professional service.
got 2 phonecalls to ask if they should replace a couple of other things that needed attention while they were up there.....
High praise for Radical Choppers.
High praise for AA... ( i had AA plus) got towtruck and rental car over the weekend, so stayed in Hanmer springs till bike was ready...
Very unimpressed with Harley dealerships. ...
could have been end of my trip.....plus hassle of dealing with bike in different island stranded.....

just so you know.....

[JimO]

this will be why harley riders tow a ute behind them everywhere they go

[awayatc]

Not only funny...
original to:tugger:.....

[Crasherfromwayback]

But Christchurch road"works" took their toll, belt snapped just out of town in Marshlands on a friday.
Was a brandnew belt to. Installed just before the trip, coz the old one had a hole in it for years.....
.

Annoying for sure, and not cheap. You can often *feel* when your belt has picked up a stone though mate. If you detect a vibration that feels like the output shaft bearing is about to shit its self or something, it's a stone trapped into the surface of the belt going around the front pulley. Stop asap and flick that puppy out before it cuts the belt (it'll often just *bruise* the belt first). Hope you get a better run out of this belt, and don't ever be tempted (talked into) putting a chain on it.

[JimO]

Not only funny...
original to:tugger:.....
your the one with the problem me hearty

[Crasherfromwayback]

your the one with the problem me hearty

*You're*. My pleasure.

[JimO]

*You're*. My pleasure.
...............

[awayatc]

Annoying for sure, and not cheap. You can often *feel* when your belt has picked up a stone though mate. If you detect a vibration that feels like the output shaft bearing is about to shit its self or something, it's a stone trapped into the surface of the belt going around the front pulley. Stop asap and flick that puppy out before it cuts the belt (it'll often just *bruise* the belt first). Hope you get a better run out of this belt, and don't ever be tempted (talked into) putting a chain on it.

Not even tempted by chains.....

shaft drive maybe....

was merely pointing out that not one Hardley dealer stocked my belt....
that is ridiculous.
Praise the lord for radical choppers......
And how lucky tp break down a couple of kms from only place that stocked my belt....

cost was about 1 k.
6 hours labour (took me longer last time)
Plus $340 for belt and couple hundies more for various other parts.....
am not complaining.
was very pleased to be able to continue trip.
weekend hanmer in v6 rental car hardly a hardship...

was just glad it didn't happen in Dunedin.....

[Crasherfromwayback]

Not even tempted by chains.....


was merely pointing out that not one Hardley dealer stocked my belt....
that is ridiculous.
Praise the lord for radical choppers......

cost was about 1 k.
6 hours labour (took me longer last time)
Plus $340 for belt and couple hundies more for various other parts.....
am not complaining.

was just glad it didn't happen in Dunedin.....

6 hours sounds of the heavy side, but good on them for having the correct belt, and yeah, poor the HD dealerships didn't!

[awayatc]

I wonder why Harley are still fitting belts to bikes if they are not as durable and cheap as a chain.

Against better judgement I answer.....
Nz roadrepairs not up to any sort of standard..
Belt drive very quiet , low maintenance clean solution.
Belt can last well over 100.k clicks outside of bad luck and bad road repairs...
Belt doesn't do any damage when it breaks....
Unlike chain.
How long does your chain and sprocket Last?
How much does that cost?
My belt a bit over $300 ex USA.
Only 2 belts so far.
Only 1 belt that broke .
6 hours Labour good time to check a few other things as well....
No problem

[awayatc]

6 hours sounds of the heavy side, but good on them for having the correct belt, and yeah, poor the HD dealerships didn't!

Thought 6 hours not to bad myself....
Replaced various seals and also brakepads etc.
Bike got a very thorough job done....
Can very highly recommend Radical Choppers.
Great very roomy and clean workshop,
Very friendly competent service.
And hourly rate far less then dealership......

[Crasherfromwayback]

I wonder why Harley are still fitting belts to bikes if they are not as durable and cheap as a chain.


Against better judgement I answer.....
Nz roadrepairs not up to any sort of standard..
Belt drive very quiet , low maintenance clean solution.
Belt can last well over 100.k clicks outside of bad luck and bad road repairs...
Belt doesn't do any damage when it breaks....
Unlike chain.
How long does your chain and sprocket Last?
How much does that cost?
My belt a bit over $300 ex USA.
Only 2 belts so far.
Only 1 belt that broke .
6 hours Labour good time to check a few other things as well....
No problem

Wot he says + much smoother than a chain.


Thought 6 hours not to bad myself....
Replaced various seals and also brakepads etc.
Bike got a very thorough job done....
Can very highly recommend Radical Choppers.
Great very roomy and clean workshop,
Very friendly competent service.
And hourly rate far less then dealership......

Ah yup. Sounds sweet as with the other jobs mate. And as you say, thank fuck you weren't in the middle of nowhere!

[Tazz]

Sounds like you might want to keep the one you replaced first around as a spare if it's not already at the tip!

Considering service is something that the blinded fan boys wank on about that's a bit of a laugh. Always nice to find a good business, marque/brand associated or not and be looked after.

And bonus on AA Plus. I've been trailered home via that once too when my stator died on the Molesworth. Wallet saving service for sure :D

[HenryDorsetCase]

Technically the belt drive is a great idea. I would love a Gates belt drive pushbike too.

Glad to see you got going again.

[Flip]

It took me 8 hours to do my first belt. The second will be faster. No2 has done 80,000 and is still going strong. I suspect a tight belt is easly damaged by stones than a looser one.

[nzspokes]

I had no idea how long it would to change a belt. Mind blown.

[jim.cox]

$340 for a rubber band seems bloody steep to me

[boman]

I had no idea how long it would to change a belt. Mind blown.

You have to take a lot of parts off a Harley to change a belt. DAMHIK.

[Grubber]

Possible that the parts guys were still up in North cleaning up Pie wrappers and Yoghurt pottles from the big VIP dinner they had up there.

[awayatc]

It took me 8 hours to do my first belt. The second will be faster. No2 has done 80,000 and is still going strong. I suspect a tight belt is easly damaged by stones than a looser one.

Done one on somebody else's dyna once, and one on mine...softtail harder to do.

I agree with the loser belt theorie, and had mine not to tight, but the amount of grit and soft tar on the roads was horrendous.
mind you mechanic installed new belt way tighter then i did mine.....
So not sure anymore

[AllanB]

I think what most are forgetting is that a drive belt is endless - no join at all. With a chain you break the old one - thread on the new then join it back up. If you think what needs to be removed to do the same job with a endless loop (swingarm removal for example) it will eat up the hours.

Cost is fine - you will easily drop the same (more) on quality sprockets and chain.


How many different belts do HD run? I'd think most of there bike would be setup to run the same belt? May be completely wrong. Anyway - sucky the local dealer did not have multiple ones in stock. Have they had that big NZ HD run yet? If so maybe they killed a few belts - if not maybe they should bloody order some!

How did you like our earthquake road repairs? I have noticed a lot more adventure bikes on the roads in the past five years.....

[nzspokes]

I think what most are forgetting is that a drive belt is endless - no join at all. With a chain you break the old one - thread on the new then join it back up. If you think what needs to be removed to do the same job with a endless loop (swingarm removal for example) it will eat up the hours.

Cost is fine - you will easily drop the same (more) on quality sprockets and chain.


How many different belts do HD run? I'd think most of there bike would be setup to run the same belt? May be completely wrong. Anyway - sucky the local dealer did not have multiple ones in stock. Have they had that big NZ HD run yet? If so maybe they killed a few belts - if not maybe they should bloody order some!

How did you like our earthquake road repairs? I have noticed a lot more adventure bikes on the roads in the past five years.....

Yerp get the belts are endless. Just didnt know how much needs to come off to get to it.

Adventure bikes, meh. SUVs of motorcycles.

[awayatc]

I think what most are forgetting is that a drive belt is endless - no join at all. With a chain you break the old one - thread on the new then join it back up. If you think what needs to be removed to do the same job with a endless loop (swingarm removal for example) it will eat up the hours.

Cost is fine - you will easily drop the same (more) on quality sprockets and chain.


How many different belts do HD run? I'd think most of there bike would be setup to run the same belt? May be completely wrong. Anyway - sucky the local dealer did not have multiple ones in stock. Have they had that big NZ HD run yet? If so maybe they killed a few belts - if not maybe they should bloody order some!

How did you like our earthquake road repairs? I have noticed a lot more adventure bikes on the roads in the past five years.....


Used to live near and in Chch, moved a year before quakes.....
spend 3 days near latimer square on trip and had a good look around....
fuck you me, the damage is mind boggling enormously huge....
some realy nice new buildings going up, but it will be years and years of hard work to heal some of thise scars...
Roads are very spoiler low rider unfriendly...
i went over some very new still wet patches of roadworks with a few truckloads of chip strewn on top....

not that many different belts for harley,
maybe 2? Different widths, and a few different tooth set lengths...
mine however is not a brandnew bike, but common as muck beltwise.

Radical choppers stock way more mechanical parts then rolling thunder do...
rolling thundef cater more for all the sort of things most people make fun of.....
i e near new and new showroom condition bikes,
And every imaginable bit of kit with a HD logo on.....

my bike is 16 years old, and it's ridden like a bike should be ridden....
it has been places no showroom Harleys venture....

and yes i can pick it up by myself. ..
don't ask how i found out.....

[Maha]

It's not unusual for bike shops to be out of stock of the things that crap out regularly. It because they crap out regularly but logic would suggest that parts which need replacing more often than not, would be in abundance if the parts department are doing their job.

I once needed a Stepper Motor and Housing for my Triumph Sprint, Mechanic said ''that's a normal fault of these bikes'' and he had to order the part in from England. Not a one to be found in NZ anywhere.

[admenk]

and yes i can pick it up by myself. ..
don't ask how i found out.....

...so, how did you found out? :innocent:

[awayatc]

The hard way......

[admenk]

I managed to pick up mine off the road outside the dairy in Patea, the day I bought it......and then I cried :crybaby:

[RGVforme]

8 hours and getting close to $400....That's worse than cambelts on most cars paying someone else to do it.:crazy:

Never had a chain break wear is pretty easy to spot before hand....Yeah Nah you can keep belt drives.

[scumdog]

You have to take a lot of parts off a Harley to change a belt. DAMHIK.


Ah, one of the delights of a Sportster - fitting a new belt is 'do at home' job with minimal tools.:banana:

[RGVforme]

I think what most are forgetting is that a drive belt is endless - no join at all. With a chain you break the old one - thread on the new then join it back up. If you think what needs to be removed to do the same job with a endless loop (swingarm removal for example) it will eat up the hours.

Cost is fine - you will easily drop the same (more) on quality sprockets and chain.


How many different belts do HD run? I'd think most of there bike would be setup to run the same belt? May be completely wrong. Anyway - sucky the local dealer did not have multiple ones in stock. Have they had that big NZ HD run yet? If so maybe they killed a few belts - if not maybe they should bloody order some!

How did you like our earthquake road repairs? I have noticed a lot more adventure bikes on the roads in the past five years.....

So belt and chain drive HDs still require the same removal of parts to access the drive line itself when fitting an endless belt or chain?.Or are the drivelines different between the two?.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Just as an aside is it a complete pig to change a rear tyre on a Harley? On the big twins it looks like it would be.


The pushbikes with belt drives have some sort of split or bolted join in the rear chainstay usually so the belt can be replaced .. you could do that with a Harley swingarm -WCGW?

http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/Products/OVERVIEW

[AllanB]

So belt and chain drive HDs still require the same removal of parts to access the drive line itself when fitting an endless belt or chain?.Or are the drivelines different between the two?.

The endless chain your bike comes with is actually joined but the link pins are rounded over the same as the rest of the chain to make it endless (Google motorcycle chain breaker/joiner tool). Easy to grind off the pin ends - punch them through to remove a chain and thread a new one through then complete the join to make it 'endless' .

Belts are formed truly endless so you can't treat them the same and need to remove shit loads to replace. But they are quiet, last very well, clean and require bugger all maintenance. And don't have messy oil.

I know of one tyre guy who is not a fan of changing HD rear tyres. Starts with muffler removal, tasseled saddle bags ;) rear guard .....

Even spooning a fat tyre onto a small rim is a arse I am told.

On the positive side their tyres usually last well.


Still - look at all the plastic that needs removing off a modern sport bike to check the valves.

How come a set of cam belts on a Ducati need changing at 24,000 (30k on latest models) when a car will go for 60,80,100 without a change? (no doubt relative to belt width I suspect)

Swings and roundabouts.

Enjoy what you ride.

[Laava]

Just as an aside is it a complete pig to change a rear tyre on a Harley? On the big twins it looks like it would be.


The pushbikes with belt drives have some sort of split or bolted join in the rear chainstay usually so the belt can be replaced .. you could do that with a Harley swingarm -WCGW?

http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/Products/OVERVIEW

The Buell I had had a clever little bolt through spacer in the swingarm to allow belt replacement easily. Which it was, if you had a spare belt, a couple of sockets and the gear to pull the rear axle.

[awayatc]

Just as an aside is it a complete pig to change a rear tyre on a Harley? On the big twins it looks like it would be.


The pushbikes with belt drives have some sort of split or bolted join in the rear chainstay usually so the belt can be replaced .. you could do that with a Harley swingarm -WCGW?

http://www.gatescarbondrive.com/Products/OVERVIEW

Removing of rear wheel no big deal....
I have o e of those motorcycle/atv jacks,
that way wheel comes out easy. Some mufflers may be in the way, mine arent.

Harley sportsters and buell allow for quick belt replacements.....
victory as well....

big block harley have belt pully on clutch side, you have to remove primary, clutch basket etc to get to pully ( also remove seat to remove battery to remove oiltank to remove starter to remove primary cover....)
Get my drift.
removing wheel /swingarm bits not that hard.....

if a shaft would go through block to other side and have drive pully/ belt there then it would be easy... (sporty)

[Flip]

Removing of rear wheel no big deal....
I have o e of those motorcycle/atv jacks,
that way wheel comes out easy. Some mufflers may be in the way, mine arent.

Harley sportsters and buell allow for quick belt replacements.....
victory as well....

big block harley have belt pully on clutch side, you have to remove primary, clutch basket etc to get to pully ( also remove seat to remove battery to remove oiltank to remove starter to remove primary cover....)
Get my drift.
removing wheel /swingarm bits not that hard.....

if a shaft would go through block to other side and have drive pully/ belt there then it would be easy... (sporty)

Its that big bolt on the end of the crankshaft that is done up to 250 odd Ft/lbs thats the bummer.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Its that big bolt on the end of the crankshaft that is done up to 250 odd Ft/lbs thats the bummer.

No. Crank vs belt replacement is a diff kettle of fish to toast. ;-)

[Flip]

No. Crank vs belt replacement is a diff kettle of fish to toast. ;-)

Not if you have to take the inner primary cover off to get at the new belt in its not.

[AllanB]

Following a HOg the other day - does that left side primary cover really need to stick out that far? Surely they could slim that down now days?

[Crasherfromwayback]

Not if you have to take the inner primary cover off to get at the new belt in its not.

Very true. Read that wrong. Cunt of a thing.

[awayatc]

You need proper 3/4 breaker bat and it think its a 2 1/4 socket?.....

I found that locking primary chain and sprockets with a thick rag helps....

locks it up nicely...

[awayatc]

[QUOTE=Crasherfromwayback;1130957823]Very true.

What is your opinion about tight vs lose belt ?

lose belt supposed to be able to have shite going between belt and pulleys without snapping it.....

[Crasherfromwayback]

[QUOTE=Crasherfromwayback;1130957823]Very true.

What is your opinion about tight vs lose belt ?

lose belt supposed to be able to have shite going between belt and pulleys without snapping it.....

Gotta be tight matey. Can cause slippage damage if loose.

[Old Steve]

Don't the local industrial Gates belt have the right belt for Harleys? If I had a Harley I'd buy the appropriate Gates toothed belt and keep it in the shed, that way the belt on my bike would never break!