If you have a lift , air tools , the tranny nut socket and some common sense it's not that bad but there are some things you have to measure and maybe space out for alignment . On a softtail you'll drop the swingarm & to get the belt off and this can be a pain with those little bike lifts . Whole primary comes off of course .

There's kits availible I guess I haven't used one , I always did some measuring and bought the parts . Lots cheaper if you shop a bit this way . Do a little goggling I've seen this all layed with pictures on-line before .

 

Don't need to bother dropping the swingarm. Just cut the belt, feels kinda good to do that anyway.

 

Had chains, now have belts. I like chains, but I like belts more.

 

I like the ride belts give ( ive had chains and really don't understand some comments here .....the upkeep isn't much) I don't like the labor involved putting on a new belt , and REALLY don't like the fact that belts give you no warning....they can go at 3000 miles or 100,000 miles.....no warning ....just nothing but revs

 

Duhhhhhhhh looks like the belt wins.

 

Chains don't need much upkeep , ? Most sprockets are gone by 10,000 mi. running high end chains and adjusted regular , get 15,000 out of a set you've done real good .

Look at this from a professional point in industrial power transmission applications . Chain drives are used either on small high speed / high wear apps or large slow heavy constant speed apps . Lots of tech speak for why . Anything involving variable speed & high horsepower is belt driven .Where do you think HD adapted the belt concept from in the first place ?

You will pull routine maint. on a chain dr. system many times more than a belt drive. You look at a chain drive weekly , a belt gets it once every 3 months .

Sorry man that one doesn't hold water .

 

i spoke to an indie custom bike builder , he said belts were fine , costs about the same as a good chain and sproket set to replace and are designed to last the life of the bike , so all good , ive never had a belt drive before , but ive done 2800 miles so far and no adjustment needed , id have adjusted a chain a couple of times by now and oiled it alot , im with belts nice quite ride no slap on take up and no stretch ........whats not to like .

 

This discussion is about 30 years too late. When I got my '84 FLH new, I almost immediately switched the belt final drive for a chain. I was a dyed in the wool iron barrel guy. "Hear no EVO, see no EVO, want no EVO" etc. Wasn't interested in new technology at all. Seems to me I wrote the words and music to the songs some of you are singing. When I sold that bike a few years back it still had a chain on it, but i had long since re-installed the electronic ignition.

Now-a-days, I have chains on the old stuff, but love belts on the bikes that came with them. The endurance of the belt has been proven over decades. Want to reduce the likelihood of it breaking? Leave the stock guards in place.

If there had been an internet back in the '50s the same talk would have been had over switching to hydraulic lifters. Everyone knows you're a poser if you don't have to adjust your own push-rods.

 

TwiZted Biker, I've got 10,000+ miles on my current chain and sprockets. They are showing minimal signs of wear. I am using heavy 530 chain which lasts a lot longer than 520. HD switched to belt to meet noise pollution standards. If belts are better than chain, Why don't they come stock on sport bikes? I switched to chain because belts weren't lasting. I destroyed 4 in 4 years. The cost of replacing the belt and pulley ($580 Cdn) is very expensive, when compared to a chain system.

 

That's an easy one. Sport bikes are designed strictly for absolute performance. A chain and sprockets offer a much easier change of gear ratios and overall reduction in mass, plus greater swingarm to tire clearance. All important features in sport machines that are less so in a cruise or tour bike.

Also, there may be some facet of EPA compliance in Harley's decision to go with belts, but clearly they were looking for alternatives to the standard exposed chain before noise emission standards were even a consideration for motorcycles.