However, there are owners who change it at every 40,000km. Well it is! But thats a trade off against the cost of how many drive chains and sprockets a motorcycle goes through in 90,000 km. Belts that have cracks should be replaced sooner but still, thats a lot of mileage! etc. With proper maintenance, drive belts on Harleys typically last about 40,000-100,000 miles. Riding without the transmission would be like riding in the same gear all the time. There are a few heavyweight Japanese cruisers that use belts, but its uncommon. These are very time-consuming tasks, even for an experienced mechanic! If you have further questions, feel free to get in touch with a Gear Geek via email ([emailprotected]) or give us a call at (877) 792-9455! Your bikes chain could very well be that noise gremlin youve been chasing for a week. Long service life. If you are changing pulley sizes, you may need a longer belt or may even need to modify your swingarm to gain additional adjustability. Hammy Moto crashes bike, went under a lorry and came out ALIVE on the other side! If you have a shaft drive, then most of the above does not apply. Are all Harley-Davidson Bikes Belt Drive? This is because different pulley/sprocket kits can affect the acceleration as well as the top speed of the bike. Difficult installation. They need to be cleaned carefully and lubricated from time to time, but do not require the same level of attention that a non-sealed chain demands. If you spray lube on your bikes chain right before a ride, be prepared for most of it to end up on your leg, wheel, and chain guard. The final drive is the component which transmits the engines power to the rear wheel. These chains are the costliest, and even if a seal breaks, the other section of the seal should theoretically keep dirt out, and lubricant in. How to Check/Inspect (Every 800-1000 miles). If your bike is equipped with a shaft drive, you have the easiest drive to maintain. This type, Motorcycles feature multi-plate clutches, meaning that you can find a set of plates inside the, How Much Does a Harley-Davidson Weigh? The same principle applies should the chain break. Whether your bike has a chain, belt, or shaft drive, its working hard while you get to enjoy the wind in your face. If you are going to use a riveted link, you will need a chain breaker and riveting link tool. The final drive is also considered to be the drivetrains last gear reduction. The small sprocket is driven by the transmission and rotates the chain, which finally drives the rear wheel. Unfortunately, they are not easy to fix or replace, so a motorcycle belt replacement is never the cheapest maintenance on any bike. It is safe, secure, and how factory links are attached. Keep in mind that in many cases the pulleys have to be replaced along the belt (or at least the rear), especially in case of high mileage. As always, consult your motorcycle owners manual (M.O.M.) From snowmobiles to jet skis, from ATVs to motorcycles, we have the powersports covered! Why? Most sport bikes come with a 525 or 530 pitch chain. How to Check/Inspect (Every 2,500-5,000 miles)Visually inspect the entire belt for road debris, small tears, dry rot, or significant wear. In this post, we wont go deeper into this topic, but you can read more about motorcycle transmissions here. The heart of each motorcycle is arguably its engine. These two sprockets are linked together with a metal chain. Its downsides are its ease of removal (or, more specifically, lack thereof) and you have to have the tool needed to rivet and break the link. This is because this machine is an adventure bike, on which a belt drive doesnt work well. (Did you buy new primary gaskets and fluid? Which Honda Motorcycles Have a Shaft Drive? Front sprockets will be made of steel, and rear sprockets can be had in either steel, aluminum, or hard-anodized aluminum. Listen carefully! Bikesrepublic.com is a Malaysian based motorcycle media and is the work of motorcycle enthusiasts with a passion for all things with an engine, wheels, good looks and a dash of speed. While the rubber rings are internally lubricated, you still need to keep them clean and externally lubricated. A different size sprocket can move you out of the vibration zone and eliminate that daily annoyance at a low cost. The drivetrain is a bunch of parts that transmit power from the engine to the wheel(s). Simply put, the transmission output and the drive shaft are connected to a special coupling. It seems there is no clear winner here. Additionally, many track sanctioning bodies specify a chain connected with a riveted link. The motorcycle drivetrain consists of three separate units, the primary drive, the transmission (gearbox), and the final drive. The pins and plates wear, and the chain gets longer due to this wear. to find out how often you should be performing these checks and services on your motorcycle. Spray on too much lubricant will cause it to be flung all over the rear end of the bike and rider. Effectively, that means everything aft of the transmission that helps to spin the rear wheel. Check the teeth on the pulleysthey should last the life of the motorcycle but a visual inspection for significant damage is never a bad idea. Sound important? Since 1999, the #1 Motorcycling Resource for Women and Those Who Ride With Us, 8 Steps to Prep Your Motorcycle for Winter Storage, How to Maintain Your Motorcycles Air Filter, Interview with Lisa Malachowsky of the Womens Coalition of Motorcyclists, New Trike Review: Can-Am Spyder RT Limited, Top 6 Tips for Riding Your Motorcycle in Hot Weather, Site Crafted By Robintek: Columbus Website Design. Installing a new belt on worn-out or damaged pulleys is never a good idea! Changing the size of your sprockets or pulleys is a good way to move your bike's power output into the range where you use it. Unobtrusive operation. On the other hand, chains are messy and require a lot of maintenance, as they often need to be adjusted, cleaned, and lubricated. Contrary popular belief, its possible to do wheelies on a shaft drive motorcycle. Therefore, wheelies are not recommended on any street-legal motorcycle. This gives each ring twice as many sealing surfaces as an O-ring chain. So if in the unlikely case of it breaking, youre stranded. On the other hand, it features a very complex design and many heavy parts. Related Articles8 Steps to Prep Your Motorcycle for Winter StorageHow to Maintain Your Motorcycles Air FilterAll Tech Articles on WRN. If your pulley teeth show significant wear, replace immediately. Hard-anodized aluminum attempts to capture the light weight of aluminum with the wear characteristics of steel. Voila! Push upward perpendicularly on the belt and visually inspect the amount of movement through the viewing window on the belt guard. Although all of their models have been manufactured with a belt drive for many years, the 2021 Pan America 1250 was released with a chain drive. We cannot clearly state that shaft drive motorcycles are better than any other bike out there. There are three different types of motorcycle final drives: chain, belt, and shaft drives. You'll need a way to elevate your rear wheel (but not by the wheel, as it needs to be removed). [Video], Scooters, cruisers, commuter bikes eBikes, Can be fixed virtually anywhere in the world (great point on long tours), Very strong and can tolerate high engine power (sportbikes, racing bikes), Offers a lot of flexibility (by varying sprocket sizes), Needs to be replaced more often than belts, Prone to braking (which can lead to dangerous situations), High maintenance needs (adjusting, cleaning, lubricating), Very clean (does not require lubrication), Low maintenance needs (only requires a tension adjustment/visual inspection), Can be damaged by a rock or if it snaps on the road, Pulleys are heavier and much larger than sprockets (so they dont fit on smaller bikes), Cant tolerate high engine performance or stunts, Low maintenance (only a periodic oil change is required), Hard and expensive to repair if its somehow broken, Different riding experience (a.k.a. A belts length corresponds to the recommended sizes of the stock pulleys. Extra weight on the bike or towing a trailer can also significantly shorten the life of a drive belt, just like stunts. Lets get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about each one in detail! knows all, so follow her specs on proper chain tension. On top of that, the chain is prone to breaking and can even wrap around the rear sprocket causing the wheel to lock. How Long Does the Drive Belt Last on a Harley-Davidson? Besides the basics, well compare the major final drive designs (chain vs. belt vs. shaft drive) head-to- head! According to RevZilla, Harleys use belt drives because this design requires far less maintenance and is much quieter compared to a chain drive. Low maintenance: This is the probably the best feature of a driveshaft. Then, the recommended drive belt maintenance interval is typically 5,000 miles, which is often the same as the oil change interval. You bet! On the other hand, dont forget that a shaft drive also has many cons like its heavy weight and hefty price tag. Belts don't stretch much at all, either.) You'll also need to know how it needs to go back together, and what style of sealing ring (if any) you want on your chain. A smaller front pulley or sprocket combined with a larger rear pulley or sprocket makes a bike accelerate more quickly at the expense of reduced terminal speed. Belt drives are pretty much utilized only by cruiser manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycles these days. Copyright BikesRepublic.com 2022 Trademarks belong to their respective owners. shaft jacking especially on older models), Causes much more power loss than belt or chain drives, Requires a lot of torque and a large-displacement engine (at least about 600cc). Ducati Diavel 1260S - First look before full test ride! Intensive maintenance: Chains need more maintenance than their belt and shaft counterparts. If you want to find out more about motorcycle drivetrains, this post is for you. Be careful, your chain will be hot immediately after a ride, but a warm chain is easier to clean and disperses wax-based lubricant the best. How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Harley-Davidson Belt? Set your motorcycle up accordingly before doing the following maintenance. On a motorcycle, the drivetrain consists of three parts: the primary drive, the transmission, and the final drive. The chain drive consists of three main parts, the chain and two sprockets of different sizes. The three most common motorcycle final drives use chains, belts or shafts. Your motorcycles final drive is what connects power from the engine to the rear wheel to make it go. However, it depends on many factors like the performance of the bike, the quality of the belt, your riding style, and the quality of maintenance. The rear wheel features a gear inside a hub to which the shaft is connected. Contrary to popular belief, drive belts are not completely maintenance-free but rather low-maintenance. Besides that, they could withstand high power and high torque. The final drive on a motorcycle delivers engine power from the transmission to the rear wheel. The best shaft-driven bikes are arguably made by Moto Guzzi, BMW, Triumph, and the Japanese big four (Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki). This is a great way to check wheel alignment before you begin your adjustment. You'll be happily motoring down the road while your riding buddies are cleaning and adjusting chains. KTM 890 Duke R And 890 Adventure Lands In Malaysia From RM75,800. Easy maintenance. Thus completes Final Drive 101! Thank to this protection, a shaft drive is extremely durable and needs very little maintenance. Wheelies are not only dangerous, but they can also damage the shaft drive in many ways, which can translate to expensive repairs. In the past shaft-driven bikes suffered from shaft jacking, but on most of the newest models this negative effect has already been eliminated. If there is road debris embedded in your bikes belt, dont try to pry it out yourself. How Much Does a Motorcycle Drive Belt Cost to Replace? Sport bike riders in search of every ounce of performance and weight savings sometimes change to a different size of chain. It is possible to bump down to a more slender chain 520 is a common conversion. Double-check chain slack to ensure a proper adjustment. The appearance of aftermarket chains, sprockets, and pulleys is often better than their stock counterparts. They are cheap, lightweight, and easy to fix and replace even at home. Quiet and not messy. Truth be told, there is lots of argument on the subject, and each material has its defenders. The motorcycles drivetrain can be divided into three main parts, the primary and final drives, plus the transmission. To maintain a motorcycle drive belt all you need to do is visually inspect the belt and keep it at the correct tension. And its important to make sure the chain has the proper amount of slack; you dont want it too tight or too loose, as riding for long in this condition will affect the bikes performance and wear the chain and sprockets out much faster. Non-sealed chains have no seal between the inner and outer plates. (Remember kids, we measure twice, and cut once!) A clip-style master link can be installed with basic hand tools. This is where the drivetrain comes into play. This type of final drive should last for upwards of 50,000 miles if properly maintained. Illegal street racing by Mat Rempit groups active again, RM450,000 prize. But since each design has its own pros and cons, it seems there is no clear winner here. Make sure to check with M.O.M. While the majority of Indian motorcycles are belt-driven, surprisingly not all of them! Pros and Cons of a Motorcycle Chain Drive. Need more acceleration at the track? All rights reserved, Motorcycle news, Motorcycle reviews from Malaysia, Asia and the world BikesRepublic.com, Husqvarna Norden 901 Now In Malaysia RM98,800, KTM 890 Duke R And 890 Adventure Lands In Malaysia , Barkbusters Introduces Handguards For Triumph Tiger Sport 660, 2023 Ducati World Premiere To Kick Off In September, 7 Episodes, 5 Things To Know About The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R Set To, Review: 2022 Harley-Davidson Sportster S A Harley powercruiser unlike any. Most manufacturers recommend checking the drive belt after the first 1,000 miles. Let's say your motorcycle's engine has an annoying vibration in top gear at the exact speed you ride to work on the highway every morning. It's the easiest to get dirty, but also the easiest to get clean and lubricated. 7. Conversely, larger in the front and smaller in the rear will make your bike a little more sluggish off the line, but you'll get a little more mojo in top gear as the reward, along with slightly improved fuel mileage. Belt drives are much cleaner than chains and require less regular maintenance, but shouldnt be ignored completely. The smaller sprocket is mounted on the output shaft, which is the shaft that protrudes from the engine. For example, Harley-Davidson recommends that the drive belt be replaced at 90,000 km (60,000 miles). Nothing makes me happier than describing all the ways you could be happier riding your bike by trashing OEM components for purpose-built, go-fast goodies! When it comes to your sprockets, watch out for hooked teeth, sometimes called shark teeth. [Video], Which Type of Clutch is Used in Motorcycle? Although almost no belt carries a warranty, 60,000 miles on a single belt is not at all a strange proposition. Regardless of what happened, if your OEM components are damaged or just plumb worn-out, you need to replace them. Which means youd need to replace the belt should you want to alter the sizes of the pulleys. Yes, its safe to say that todays shaft-driven motorcycles are really good. Review: 2022 Modenas Karisma 125S Cheap and cheerful? High speed is not an issue, but acceleration and throttle response definitely are. We have updated our Privacy Policy. It's not difficult, but it is time-consuming and requires a weekend afternoon for most folks and some pre-planning. Other riders claim that a chain drive is better as its far cheaper and easier to maintain. This is our two wheel chapter focused on bringing you the very best of the motorcycling scene from our base in Malaysia and through our contributors around the world. Malfunctions with a shaft drive are fairly infrequent, but if any issues arise, it can usually only be fixed by a professional. O-rings provide one sealing surface to keep dirt and grit out and lubricant in. Similarly, some steel sprockets have a lot of material removed to offer strength without the weight penalty. 9. Generally speaking, a motorcycle drive belt replacement takes about 2-4 hours depending on the type of bike and the other repairs/replacements that may occur. Cleaning the chain is a dirty job in itself, hence causing many riders to just ignore it. Next, the outer primary and clutch are removed, followed by the inner primary. Compared to belts and shafts. The amount of upward movement on the belt should match the first. The final drive oil, or to be more accurate, the lubricant change interval for the differential is usually unlisted by the manufacturers. In the following decade, the manufacturer slowly switched over to the new technology. To eliminate this negative effect, modern shaft-driven bikes already feature parallelogram linkages.. Expensive.Yes, a drive belt is expensive. It always depends on the performance of the engine, your riding style, environmental conditions, and the quality of the maintenance. Most motorcycles feature a wet clutch, which runs in an oil bath, but a few models still come with a dry clutch. [H-D Weight Chart]. The least commonly used final drive on motorcycles is arguably the heavy and expansive shaft drive. If there is a tight spot in the belt as you are inspecting, that is where you would base your measurement for adjustment purposes. 10 Different Types of Motorcycle Engines Explained [Video], What is the Throttle on a Motorcycle? I'm not inclined to disagree, but it does bring about a question: What moves the two-wheeled apparatus? Therefore, a belt drive is recommended for beginner riders and those who dont like dealing with technical issues. Replacing the drive belt on a Harley-Davidson requires the removable of the swingarm, outer primary cover and inner primary cover. While holding the tension (from step 6) on the rear wheel, tighten the axle to M.O.M.s specified torque. Lets see the pros and cons of shaft drives in a nutshell: Compared to chain and belt drives, a motorcycle shaft drive works in a much trickier way. Many riders say that a belt drive is better than a chain drive as its cleaner and requires much less attention. 4. Why? Easy installation and replacement. How long a chain lasts depends on many variables especially on how one cares for it. If you have a curve on one side of each sprocket tooth, its time to replace everything. Loosen or remove your exhaust/muffler if needed to access the tensioner nut or axle nut. Shaft jacking was not only uncomfortable for riders but also dangerous, as closing the throttle when cornering led to handling issues. Weve put together the most comprehensive guide for women who are ready to venture into the world of motorcycling. Therefore, belt-driven Harleys offer more comfort and convenience to their owners. This was a typical issue on older shaft-driven motorcycles. First, the price of a drive belt ranges from $100 up to $300. Review: Royal Alloy GP180 A good modern retro scoot for you? If you're a track rider, maybe you run a really tight, twisty track and never get beyond fifth gear. The job is more difficult than an oil change, but less difficult than steering head bearings or fork seal replacement. If you are riding a bike with a belt well, things are a bit more difficult. 6. Its safe to say that a motorcycle chain drive is very similar to a bicycle drivetrain. Maintaining a motorcycle drive shaft typically means periodic oil changes and an occasional visual check. 2018 Yamaha YZF-R15 now available in Malaysia RM11,988. Roller chains have since been utilized in a myriad of power transmission applications, but its most well-known for motorcycles since the chain is in plain view. Motorcycles can feature three different types of final drives. The gearbox is designed to change the gear the engine is running in, which helps feed the rear wheel with a controlled amount of power. Always replace belt and pulleys together; never replace one or the other. Ducati Hypermotard 950 and 950SP Test Ride in Spain! The transmission allows you to keep the engine in the rpm range where it works best while having a wider range of speeds. But its safe to say that you can find this unique final drive system primarily on high-end bikes. The shaft and differential are usually sealed, the latter bathed in oil/fluid. To order your chain, you'll need to have a rough idea of your length. On a Harley, you are looking at removing the bags and rear shocks, and sometimes the swingarm. Each of these systems fit different types of motorcycle categories, which are as follows: https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/why-things-are-the-way-they-are-final-drive, https://motofaction.org/motorcycles/list-of-shaft-driven-motorcycles/, https://motorbikewriter.com/chain-versus-belt-shaft/, Simply put, the different types of motorcycle engines are as follows: Single-cylinderParallel-twin (or inline-two)V-twin (long,, Simply put, the throttle on a motorcycle is actually the right handlebar grip. And unlike a chain, replacing a drive belt is hard, so it takes a lot of time. There is no need for lubrication. Aside from parts wearing out, you may want to make changes to your final drive to make your motorcycle's performance better fit your needs. Why is it so expensive? The chain drive is the most widespread method of driving the rear wheel of a motorcycle. A shaft drive is typically installed on larger touring and adventure bikes, which have to cover long distances, preferably without any failure. The larger sprocket is mounted on the rear wheel. The tradeoff is lower maintenance. It's said that four-wheeled apparatuses move the body, and two-wheeled ones move the soul. Difficult to alter gearing. For better comparison, weve compiled the most important properties of these systems into one chart. These power sources come in many shapes and layouts, but all of them do basically the same thing, they generate power to propel the machine. The least common motorcycle final drive design is arguably the shaft drive, which can be found on many touring and ADV motorcycles. A belt just needs cleaning by hosing off the road grit. If you have a sport bike, some of your fairings may need to be removed. This forces the axle forward in the swingarm and almost always auto aligns the chain tensioners and keeps them properly seated. Chain Drive vs. Belt Drive vs. Shaft Drive Comparison Chart. Gearing cannot be altered. A non-sealed chain is the most affordable and most labor-intensive of the chains. Well touch on the specifics of each system in later articles. This bevel gear can drive the wheel as it rotates the direction of spin by 90 degrees. Its safe to say that the belt can see at least 40,000 miles on most bikes, but its not unusual for them to run more than 100,000 miles. Wahid's lust for motorcycles was spurred on by his late-Dad's love for his Lambretta on which he courted, married his mother, and took baby Wahid riding on it. On the other side of that coin, maybe you have an old Shovel that you ride around with your buddies who have more modern bikes. Loosen the jam nut on the chain tensioner. A belt drive also does not fling chain lubricant all over the bike and rider. Do you want to do your clutch while you're in there?). Power is transmitted to rear wheel via a driveshaft, just like a rear-wheel-drive car. The clutch is connected to the transmission, which is often referred to as a gearbox. As you might assume, this results in a lot of labor, which makes a belt replacement a costly service. You may notice more or less "buzzing." The first belt-driven Harley was introduced in 1981. But unfortunately, drive belts can get damaged by a stone before reaching their lifespan. This looks like saw blades and the curve is noticeable. Some spin faster or slower than others. In fact, it was the method of driving early cars, after the belt drive, and is still used to drive go carts today. Count the notches in the tensioner or on the swingarm on each side to make sure they match exactly. If you want to learn more about the process, heres a great video on how to maintain the shaft drive on a motorcycle: The chain drive vs. belt drive vs. shaft drive debate is one of the best arguments in the motorcycle community.
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