Could be, but the OP also happens to own a 1998 bike.

 

I'd forget it, and jsut ride.

It breaks, replace it yourself, or go to a O-ring chain. Rev-Tech 530 O-ring chains are nickel plated, and are guaranteed for 20,000 miles. I never even lubed the one I had on the bobber.

~joe

 

When my friend's broke, we were on a trip. Dealer picked up the bike and started working on it at about 10:30am. We pulled out of the dealer around 5:30pm and he was about $650. lighter

 

I would get a repair kit from harley. The belt repair kits are excellent and they are a 1/5 of the price of a replacement belt.

 

Here is what mine looked like with a rock in it:



It was discovered during a tire install. I had TWO shops tell me it was okay. They said that since it was in the middle of the belt it was nothing to worry about right away. I had one place say that it was not so bad because my older bike has the larger and wider belt which is stronger than the newer narrow belt. So I rode on for several months with the rock in the belt. Then one day I was preparing to leave on a long trip. The bike was fully loaded. As my buddy and I were pulling away from my driveway, the belt broke right at the hole. It snapped clean through. I was so lucky that I was in front of my house and not in BFE. It was towed to a dealer and was back on the road five hours later.

So, get it changed and when you do, have them change EVERY gasket and seal, and I mean EVERY one. Leave nothing to chance. I could tell you a follow up nightmare, but that is a story for another day. I was lucky. Mine broke in front of my house. You can rest assured that when yours breaks, it will not be in a convienent location.

 

ya i hear ya i drive to dc for rolling thunder bout 550 miles each way and we come back on memorial day and with my luck thats when it would snap!

 

When it breaks you will be in a remote and desolate part of the world. The break will be on a weekend when all local shops are closed, and those shops that can take you won't have the parts in stock. And the shop that does the repair will some how screw something else up but you won't find it until months later and by then it will be too late for you to pursue any corrective action.

Don't ask me how I know this.

 

I carry an emergency belt. Since, I dropped 100 bucks on it, I doubt if my belt will ever break...LOL.

 

Again, I may go to chain if mine breaks.

Not too hard to pull the chain off and replace every 3-4 years. A Nickel Plated O-ring chain will go 3-4 years without even being lubed.


Of course, new sprockets may also be required.

So......hit with the WD-40 every month and spin the tire while she is on the lift, and wipe with a red shop cloth. Sprockets never wear out, and chain will probably last 20-30,000 miles.

I do wish we had shaft drive, in all honesty.

~Joe

 

I'd be afraid the jb weld would accelerate wear, hard jb weld in a flexing belt??


you can't use belt pulleys with a chain, so definitely new sprockets are required.
As for sprockets never wearing out, if you don't check your sprockets when you replace your chain( as I recall at least every second chain replace your sprockets?), your going to go through your chains much faster (especially if your using WD-40 to lube it) !!!
WD-40 has its place, but not as a high shear water proof lube