Thinking about belt conversion

[the Ferret]

You know I think my chain has been adjusted twice now that wasn't when I was getting a new rear tire. Twice in a year and a half and 17,000 miles. One should easily go 30,000 miles. For most people that is about 6 years. They can be dirty, that I will admit, but maintenance is hardly an issue on modern drive chains IMO.

[redbirds_imp]

A problem area for belts is suspension travel. Because a belt must be kept at more tension than a chain, it works best on cruisers with their limited suspension travel. I recall that the belt drive Buells had tensioner pulleys because of their shorter swing arms and added travel. Belts also run on quite large sprockets which I take to mean that belts wear too fast if smaller sprockets are used. The Suzuki Savage cafe racer I built on a Ryca kit had belt sprockets that seemed large enough to mount tires on.

I see no real advantage to a belt drive given the excellence of today's O-ring sealed chains. I can't remember the last time my CB's chain needed adjustment and using a synthetic chain wax, there is never any messy fling on the rear. Changing a worn belt would require removal of the swing arm while chain and sprocket changes are easy by comparison.

[Ralph_imp]

Thanks for the replies. All the information helps in making a decision especially when re-engineering the main drive system of a $10,000 bike that other wise is almost perfect in every other way.

ralph