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.....

[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.....

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

[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.