| Author | Message | ||
     Duck |
I lost my drive belt yesterday at 51,000 miles. This made curious as to what other folks are getting out of theirs. How many above 50,000?? This is not a rant or me bitching. I'm just curious. Thanks in advance | ||
| Dynarider |
On my 96 Dyna I have over 52,000 miles & it still looks like new. And this is with holeshots & burnouts, etc. Also a lot of 2 up riding as well. | ||
| Spiderman |
Your lucky, Mine only lasted 18k, but there was a hole in it from a rock. I noticed it at about 11k and it lasted another 7k so I can't complain. And it broke while doing a wheelie  | ||
| Bomber |
I wonder how many folks change to chain drive, simply to avoid the monkey motion of belt installs on non-X1s | ||
| Spiderman |
LOL I was going too but my shop had the belt vs having to order the chain stuff. But... I have a champion drag racer from the area getting me the sprokets and chain for the next time she breaks. | ||
| Bomber |
yeah, I'm thinking about making the change this winter . . . . . though, I gotta admit, I LIKE not having to clean chain lube off everything ;-} | ||
| Crazymike |
20k plus a few. Hasn't needed any adjustments either. Never got more than 10k out of a chain on other bikes. I'll never go back. | ||
| V2win |
Duck, I changed mine at 50,000. My front sprocket was toast (inner splines about to let go) and I had it all apart to replace the swing arm bearings so I changed both sprockets and the belt. The rear sprocket and belt looked to have quite a few more miles in them. | ||
| Crusty |
Between my old FLHS and my S3, I figured out that I average roughly 40,000 miles per belt. I converted my Dresser to a chain drive, and plan to do the same to my M2 before it hits 30,000. I don't beat on my bike; hell, I average 12,000 miles on a set of 205s. But belts don't last for me like they do for some people. I don't like them. A nice, low maintenance 530 O-ring chain works fine and lasts long enough for me. | ||
| Anonymous |
Mine lasted 40 some thousand, then shed a tooth. The front pulley was worn but not shot. Jmartz (Message edited by blake on May 16, 2003) | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Duck and other BUELLers "i" have the orignal BELT on my 97S3T with 53194.1 mile as of my last ride wednesday 20Nov02. Do "i" hold the record for THE LONGEST LASTING BELT"???????????????????????????????????????????? The reason thses belts do not last longer is they come from the "FACTORY" adjused wrong(TOO TIGHT). The Harley-Davidson "TECHNICIAN" does not correct this on the "SET-UP" that we all pay for. ie: BELT TOOOOOOOO THIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When "i" took mine home "i" adusted it correctly(forget about the belt guage as all it is good for is to take up room in your tool box)..... In buelling LaFayette,Harley-Davidaon University Class of 1959 | ||
| Mikej |
The biggest problem I have with belt drive is installation, chain drive wins hands-down in that regard. But unless you need to make regular gear ratio changes a belt drive seems to win in every other way as long as you don't frequent gravel roads. Funny how the achilles tendon of belt drive seems to be a tiny little pebble. | ||
| Duck |
My "Old Man" has 100,000 on his 92 Custom Softail with the original belt. My brother was telling him that I lost my belt at 51,000 and the OM says "Well, his bike has a little more torque and he does ride a little differently than I do". lol..........yep | ||
| Bomber |
Mikej . .. .absolutley, but, living where we do, even "hard roads" have a great deal of gravel on em . .. .. though I really like the cleanliness and longevity of the belt system, the ability to change a chain easily when necessary, and, to me, the ability to affect field repairs (used to have master links woven into the laces of my boots . . . said links also make dandy zipper pulls) is pushing me slowly toward a chain conversion . . .. . another factor is the lack of good, repeatable, HARD data on the proper setting of the belt, see LaFayette's posting above . . . . . many folks seem to know what NOT to do, but have difficulty expressing WHAT to do, yes? | ||
| Buellistic |
ATT: Bomber and BUELLers The BUELLschitt on how to adjust the "BELT" has been discusted on previous posts in somewhat nonrelated type posts. If anyone wants the Harley-Davidson University Class of 1959 easy way doing it. "i" will be glad to post it by the "MECHANIC's" easy to understand "BY THE NUMBERS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In buelling LaFayette,Harley-Davidson University Class of 1959 | ||
| Edv |
I left my belt laying in the road at 35,000 miles and changed to chain and sprockets at that time to eliminate the chance of it happening again | ||
| Ray_Maines |
Last July my son had 20,000 and I had about 18,000 miles on our Buell M2's, he was on his third belt and I still had the original. They are a real bugger to replace and we swore to convert to a chain next time a belt broke. We both crashed our bikes and didn't have the chance to make good on that particular promise. We replaced our M2's with chain drive bikes and we don't have enough miles (about 5,000 each) to know how long the chain or sprockets are going to last or how much damage will be caused when/if the chain breaks. So far though, we have been pleasantly surprised by how little bother oiling the chain is (30 min. to clean and lube everything every 750 miles) and the lack of oil mess. A friend of ours with a similar bike has 20,000 hard miles on his original sprockets & chain and everything looks like it should last quite a while longer. It always kind of bothered me that changing the gearing would have been so difficult and expensive on the Buell. Although I don't have any intention of changing the gearing on the new bike it's nice to know I could.  | ||
| Nevco1 |
Ray... I assume you have checked this out already, but if not, a Scottoiler is the perfect addition to a chain driven street bike in your neck of the woods. | ||
| Ccryder |
My 00' X-3 has 32k on it's original belt. I do keep it on the loose side. Maybe at 50k, next year, I'll change it. Ride More, Lean More, Grin More. Neil S. | ||
| Tez |
I beat you all 1999 x1 Lightning 5000km and 4 broken belts and 1 with a stone through it , all the belts being set by the local Buell agents .Im now running a chain and a Scottoiler and have done 54000km. And in that time 2 front mounts (help) Tez (Kiwi) | ||
| Torqd |
Well 3 of my friends...all making 95+hp...all broke their belts from 15000-16500 miles. I know that Court said that power doesn't wear on the belts (way back in the day)... but...it is odd that they were all so close to one another in time. | ||
| Court |
That is odd and gives rise to the "what do these bikes have in common?" sort of questioning. "Power", alone, will not break a belt, at least unless you are talking about a 350hp Buell. Power WILL exacerbate seemingly meaningless conditions, such as mentioned in the recent "bending" discussion where a "learned scholar on the subject" pointed out that testing had revealed that doing some sort of a 90o twist on a belt did LOTS of damage, none visible to the naked eye. You guys got any theory? I'd ask, first, about any obivous and simple, like "we all have 1/2 mile long gravel drives" (like Aaron's) and thenn explore other factors. Did the same person do the engine work, perhaps using the same "twist the belt off technique?". Curious..... Court | ||
| Torqd |
Well actually only one of the 4(I forgot one) has gravel close to their house. They all do their own work. And only one of them has had to take off their belt (to take out the cases and have them bored) but he is a certified HD mechanic and probably already knows not to do the Dreaded TWISTing of the belt:-)...3 96 s1's and 1 95 s2...just funny thats all...not doubting you... just answering someones ?'s For me and myself... I am not worried about it...I just go one mile at a time with 131 hp and 107 ft/lbs and hope that mine doesn't break, and when it does, I will convert to chain for gearing reasons. | ||
| Firemanjim |
I have over 70,000 miles on my belt and it still looks good.I replaced in last year when I had the bike apart for LSR stuff.Kept the old one as a spare.Did have a front sprocket wear out the inner splines,and it was not from loose nut.Had about 1/8" left holding. | ||
| Buellistic |
BUELLERS: Original owner of a 97S3T with 60,579.9 miles as of the last ride... Original "BELT" and the "TOP-END" has not been yet... In buelling LaFayette | ||
| Newfie_buell |
20240km which is about 12650miles, Looks like the strands were broke on one side then sheared the rest off. I can't see any rock holes or any other types of damage. OK, Now what do I do? 1. Put a new belt on? (Someone please tell me an easier way than in the service manual) 2. Convert to chain drive? (Someone also tell me what parts are necessary including part numbers, etc, etc and where do I get the stuff.) My local retailer has to order all the parts so I will be making special air freight delivery so I can get the parts this week. E-mail me if anyone has any ideas. I need to get back on the road fast. | ||
| Buellistic |
Newfie_buell Your complete "BELT INFORMATION KIT" has been "PINGED" to you... LaFayette,Harley-Davidson Univerisity Class of 59 | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Thanks, Bill Don't want to fly up here and put it on do ya, I'll throw in free room and board. | ||
| Buellistic |
Newfie_buell: Check your E-MAIL... In buelling LaFayette | ||
| Piggos |
My Electra Glide has 52000 miles, and the belt and sprockets still look fine. I have always run the belt at or beyond the loose side of the adjustment. Same for my 2000 X1; 5500 miles, no problems at all. A loose belt is a happy belt. |
