The Practical Biker
Is there a company that offers conversions from chain to belt drive? It seems to me that if one is available it would pay for itself very quickly and do away with the drawbacks of chains. A friend has a harley with 48,000 k's and no belt maintenance. Lots of harley owners have more than 100,000 k and still using the same belt!
Deus ex ukulele
Converting from a narrow chain to a belt that's at least three times the width, not to mention the addition of the belt equivalents of sprockets at both ends seems to me to more of an exercise in futile over-engineering than a mere "conversion".
Belts aren't all they're cracked up to be either. If they were, more bike manufacturers would use them.
"Standing on your mother's corpse you told me that you'd wait forever." [Bryan Adams: Summer of 69]
Que?
I'm not so sure a belt drive system could cope with the torque of a GN250.
Recovered workaholic.
I second that sentiment. Ask oldguy about his love of belts...
If it wasn't for a concise set of rules, we might have to resort to common sense!
parting of the sensory
I know a guy in Mrka that's converted a few VFRs to belt drive. His latest project is frustrating for him, as he can't get the belt he needs. The problem is firstly obtaining sprockets with the right number of teeth to give the gearing you want, and then finding a belt that's the right width and of a length that fits within the available range of placements for your rear axle.
He can get a belt made, but will have to pay for the tooling required - a fairly expensive exercise for just one bike, but OK if you intend to build say 4000 Buells.
Then there's the issue of the width of the drive sprockets: ordinary chain sprockets are only a few milimetres wide, but to get the necessary strength in a drivebelt, you need sprockets 20-40mm wide. So that entails a whole lot of design issues to accomodate the wide belt and wide sprockets.
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
The 2nd-most bad arse KBer.
with the cheapness of changing the chain to belt drive the savings on chains will be astronomical!
Then I could get a Kb Tshirt, move to Timaru and become a full time crossdressing faggot
parting of the sensory
What?!?Originally Posted by renegade master
In any case, belt drive and shaft drive are bad, as they take away the chance for the rider to bond with his machine by getting down'n'dirty with the chain.
... and that's what I think.
Or summat.
Or maybe not...
Dunno really....
Guest
Mmmmm belts. No noise, no clunking, no mess, no maintenance.
The Practical Biker
ROFLMAO! I'm still laughing!I'm not so sure a belt drive system could cope with the torque of a GN250.
I wasn't refering to the GN250......lotsa nice bikes out there that would benefit....When I read over the shop and repair manuals the 'weak link' in most bikes is chain maintenance and replacement costs.....makes shaft drive and belt drives cheaper to own in the long-haul. ...... and refering to the earlier comments, I don't consider 300 to $500 for sprockets and chain as 'cheap'. Why should a BMW K series or Harley cost less to maintain than a Suzuki Bandit?!
Hardcore Buell Biker
I second the love for belt drive... but now i have a Buell... it came with its very own belt drive no need for conversion...
I was getting sick of changing the chain every 3 months... and that was the expensive ones... too much streaching and oiling and noise and crap...
So instead of replacing the chain i replaced the bike with the Buell... hehehehehe i figuered it would be cheaper in the long run instead of buying chains every 3 months.
C'mon lets ride....
On the other hand some have done fewer ks and have broken belts. The record here is 8 belts in one day. Horse has done two in 3 months too. Witnessed the first breakage with eye own eyes "crack!" OOPS!
The Practical Biker
'The chance for the rider to bond?' If that is the goal then you might as well walk barefoot! I think the rider bonds more with a bike without the worry of what's happening with the 'weakest link'.What?!?
In any case, belt drive and shaft drive are bad, as they take away the chance for the rider to bond with his machine by getting down'n'dirty with the chain.
It's bad enough as it is that bike parts cost more than car parts.
Que?
Something about that is wrong, very wrong.
The TV collector.
Ya beat me too it, yeah chains maybe dirty and a little noisy but at least you don't cringe in fear every time you go over some road works..
C'mon lets ride....
I was thinking the same thing. I use relatively cheap chains and get at a minimum 1-2 years riding even if neglected a bit. The GBs last chain lasted 30,000kms A well looked after decent chain and sprocket set last at least 40-50,000kms plus in my experience.
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