belt drive

I have noticed more manufacturers are coming out w/ belt drives. Scootworks advertises some kits for older cruisers. Has anyone converted the 6th generation vfr from chain to belt ? CIRV

 

Any real bike is chain driven.

 

Why in the world would anyone want to blow 2 or 3 perfectly good C-notes fixing something that ain't broke? Posers switch to belt-drives to make their metric cruisers look more like Harleys.
Like dlman said "Real bikes have chains".:first: :biggrin:

 

ARRGGGHHH belt drives. WHY WHY WHY????? The torque on the VFR would probably shred it to pieces in no time. Keep it real, use a real chain on a real bike and lets see how long a belt drive would last compared to a chain. I got 12,500 miles out of my last chain :biggrin:

 

Not the case at all. In most instances, belts are just as strong as chains. The trade off is they need to be wider to get the same strength. The new Victory 106 Freedom makes literally double the torque of a VFR at less than 1/2 the rpm. It's got a belt. The main reason you will never see a belt on a serious sport bike is packaging. On a sport bike, the name of the game is lowest weight possible. Belt's are wider & their pulleys weigh more.

Belts also last 2.5-3 times longer than chains. On pretty much every bike they're installed on, the replacement interval is 50K.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

I sit corrected. You're right as weight is the name of the game. Would mean a major redsign of the back wheel amongst other things. Would it look as cool? Doubt it.

 

Don't get me wrong, I think a belt on a VFR would look retarded. I think shaft drives look just as stupid. Chains just look right on a bike. Another awesome benefit of chains in the ability to instantly change your gear ratio in less than an hour.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

One of the main reasons for the belt drive is to prevent some of the Harley's vibration from reaching the rear wheel. Besides, ever try to fix a broken belt on the side of the road on a Sunday afternoon. With a few small tools and a master link you can make a pretty good temp. repair on a chain, try that with a belt.:frusty:

 

I'd be all over a belt drive, can't see why anyone that actually puts miles on their bike wouldn't want to leave that can of chain lube at home (or not have to wipe SnottOil off of the back end of their bike) and not be worried about tight links trashing their output shaft seals not to mention the drive line losses from O'ring friction. It's what got me looking at the BMW F800ST, too bad it's so inferior to the VFR in all the other areas.

If Honda put a belt on the new VFR, it might get me serious enough to stomach the VTEC crap that comes with it.

 

Dale - you need to check out the chain lube thread in the oil review section to see why some love Chains-n-Lube.

I think the big reason we'll see more belts on production bikes is noise. Belts are quieter, and governments are demanding quieter machines. The new 1125Buell V-twin is another stump puller (82 ft-lbs ) that runs a 14mm belt. it has a claimed 146hp :wink: , and I would not call the bike anything other than a sport bike.

Low maintenance, costs less to manufacture, is quieter, but adds some weight - from a manufacturing perspective a belt seems very tempting.


Maybe Belts-N-Chains magazine is next.

 

I don't have to carry chain lube with me. I've been on a couple 3000 mile rides and never needed any. I lube it up good with Bel-Ray Super Clean. It won't sling crap all over your bike, and will stay on the chain for a long time.
I should know, I won a contest!:biggrin:

 

lithium grease is the way to go that stuff sticks to the chain with no worries. Won't have to put anymore on for a long while.

 

dlman:

peanut butter is sticky too, but neither PB or Lithium grease is recommended for motorcycle chains by Honda :wink:

 

Peanut butter.......LOL. I guess you would want the smooth not crunchy?

 

If I had an Single, the crunchy nuggets would fit in the nooks and crannies. But the V-4 is so smooth, I'm thinking smooth as well. If the V-4 ran hot, it would melt the peanut butter into a warm lubricious fluid with extra juiciness.

:wink:

 

Honda still calls for SAE90 gear oil every 500 miles for crying out loud! This is one place where Honda is waaaay behind the 8 ball. I use Bel-Ray Super Clean, which contains lithium grease. It lasts a long time and never flings off all over the bike. My ACE has 12,000 miles on the original chain which has only been adjusted twice, and is still in the "New" range on the adjuster. Granted the VFR is going to eat chain in fewer miles due to the additional power.
I used peanut butter once....My friend Fat Fred kept getting his tongue caught in the rear sprocket. :biggrin: Fred likes PB

 

I lube my chain whenever I wash my bike & then ignore it un-mercifully until the next time I wash the bike. I check the tension about once a month. I use Bel-Ray or Pro Honda chain lube. The Bel-Ray works better but is more expensive for a smaller can. Since this stuff dries quickly & is tacky to the touch, I never get chain filth flinging all over the bike.

Interestingly enough, DID (OEM on 90% of chain driven Honda's) recommends cleaning the chain with a soft bristle bruch & kerosene & then lubing with a hi quality spray lubricant. The reason I find that interesting is like Eddie says, Honda STILL says 90W gear oil. One word for that, STOOOPID.

Hey Nozzle, are you feeling OK? For a minute, I thought I actually read a good word about a Buell product. I don't care how much power it has, it's still a vibrating POS with a HD lump in the middle.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

The Buell's engine was the highest torque production motor I know of using a belt. I've never ridden a Buell product, so I'll take your word on the "V-POS" :wink:

speaking of lube....Has anyone tried Jelly? It is pretty slippery.

 

I rode a Buell 1200 at the Honda Hoot a couple years ago. It was very torquey. The front wheel would point skyward easily. I was very surprised at the power, but still don't want to own one.