Y u no belt drive?

[GregoXB]

The belt literally requires almost no maintenance and works great for many, many miles. Why don't more motorcycles have belt drive?

[Cosworth]

Ease of gear changes?

[fishxb12]

Cost also. You can pretty much do a chain conversion for the price of the belt.

[Cosworth]

Thats true, but as long as there is no suspension issues a belt will last a heck of a long time, werent they marketed as a lifetime item?. (my old s-1 would eat belts because of a messed up shock)

[djs2k2]

Plus most people don't ride their bikes the way we do dry rot is a bitch!

[go cytocis]

I really enjoyed owning a belt drive bike, but there are some challenges motorcycle designers face incorporating a belt:
- there's a limit to how much horsepower you can reliably feed through a belt
- removable bits of the frame/swingarm are required to facilitate belt installation
- expense
Why go to the extra trouble of resolving these issues if the general market place would rather have chains anyhow?

[adjwoolley]

I know some of the guys on Dyna's and Sportsters start snapping belts after big bore kits and they can run a little bit wider tire once they do chain conversion.

[bwylie_99]

Chain conversion for under $200? I find that so hard to believe

[jetlee]

I priced out a 520 o-ring chain conversion for myself just last week. Total with shipping came to $188. Then I found a belt for $145. I'm starting to buy the o-ring chain conversion piece by piece now. Chains are a lot easier to repair when broken, just make sure to use a sturdy chain guard to prevent other issues during the break.

[Cosworth]

The XB series is pretty easy to swap the belts out on, now the tube frame buells are not so easy, requires taking off the swingarm not a fun job.