who does chain drive conversions?
- Thread starter jwoolf
- Start date
Chopper Dave
SIICK!!!
Sul runs a chain.......he would be the one to ask.....
jwoolf
Well-Known Member
Nah, I haven't snapped one yet but, the consensus seems to be that once you start doing a lot of perf mods, you'll start to snap them.
I've heard people say that once you get much over 100hp, you should consider a chain over a belt final drive so, If I end up bolting on all the stuff I'm thinking about, a chain will be needed before I get done. LOL
I've heard people say that once you get much over 100hp, you should consider a chain over a belt final drive so, If I end up bolting on all the stuff I'm thinking about, a chain will be needed before I get done. LOL
jwoolf
Well-Known Member
One of my brothers has snapped about 4 belts on his 1200 sporty doing wheelies though. He's got some rare motor in it that has 4 valves/cyl and, that thing is STRONG. I've pulled him home a couple of times when we were close to his house after a belt snap.
Shit, they're expensive too. They're over 200.00 ea.
Shit, they're expensive too. They're over 200.00 ea.
05chop
Well-Known Member
You put a chain on your bike because you have some monster gazillion horsepower motor and you don’t want to snap a belt when you’re racing for pinks on Friday night. Good for you. Keep fiddling with your hot rod, old-school drag bike. In the last 16 years of owning a shop, I’ve sold maybe 3 belts that snapped. One guy removed his belt guard and caught a rock that stuck in his pulley, and the other two were abusing their bikes and snapped their belts when they missed a shift while drag racing, or doing burn outs. None of these three guys had the damage that I’ve normally seen resulting from sloppy, worn-out chains, grinding on primary covers and tearing up fenders when they snap.Now this was a quote from bikers net so dont get pissy.Somebody out there surly makes a stonger belt? just my nickle 05chop
jwoolf
Well-Known Member
Guess my experience has been different. My brother has broken 3 belts in the last 4mos and is now on his 4th belt.
Does he ride the crap out of his bike... yep, sure does but, if he'd had a chain he wouldn't have been out that 600.00 on final drive belts plus downtime etc.
I guess it really depends on how you ride. I'm not saying that everyone needs a chain conversion but, once you go much over 100hp you have the potential to break em without dumping the clutch.
I've heard the general rule stated that when you build a bike, you put a belt on something with less than 100hp and a chain on something with more than that so, if that is a true rule then, as soon as we start putting hot mods on our bikes, we have the potential to break belts. ( I'm not saying that I've broken one yet on my bike but, you never know )
I don't see the immediate need to do it but, I may want to at some point. ( Like if I break even one belt )
Does he ride the crap out of his bike... yep, sure does but, if he'd had a chain he wouldn't have been out that 600.00 on final drive belts plus downtime etc.
I guess it really depends on how you ride. I'm not saying that everyone needs a chain conversion but, once you go much over 100hp you have the potential to break em without dumping the clutch.
I've heard the general rule stated that when you build a bike, you put a belt on something with less than 100hp and a chain on something with more than that so, if that is a true rule then, as soon as we start putting hot mods on our bikes, we have the potential to break belts. ( I'm not saying that I've broken one yet on my bike but, you never know )
I don't see the immediate need to do it but, I may want to at some point. ( Like if I break even one belt )
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PROFLYER
SWOLE
I don't know, I HATE chains, talk about a fuggin mess all the damn time. I think it's so nice not having to constantly clean the chain wax shit off of the wheels, fender etc etc of the dog. Plus they're smoother, much smoother. I have an 83 FXR shovel that's hopped up big time, 110hp, with a chain and it's noisy, dirty and if that thing breaks it'll take parts with it big time. I'd wait till you start having problems. And tell your bro to got get the thing aligned with the laser alignment tools that some bike shops have, he's got somethin outta spec to be breaking belts like that....
jwoolf
Well-Known Member
I suppose that's possible. It could also be all those wheelies. LOL
The guy rides really hard and, it's a good thing that he's a motorcycle mechanic because he replaces a lot of parts.
Also, that's the strongest sporty motor I've ever seen to be honest. That bike hauls ass.
The guy rides really hard and, it's a good thing that he's a motorcycle mechanic because he replaces a lot of parts.
Also, that's the strongest sporty motor I've ever seen to be honest. That bike hauls ass.
05chop
Well-Known Member
bdmridgeback
Low Down Chop Shop
There is a guy here in Florida that has done a couple chain drives on the RSD Big Dogs that work and are finished. One of the guys I ride with down here had a chain drive done by him and it works and he has never had a problem with it. He told me to come over to his house anytime and take pics and he would supply me with the guys name that does the conversions to post here.
LowDown
LowDown
I am sure that sportster belt is about as big as a rubberband. I am not aware of anyone breaking a belt on a big dog on either site in the last couple years I have been shooting the shit. If a belt has alot of miles or is not adjusted properly you can break a belt on a stock fatboy.
ezrstl
Member
I'm running and Exile Sprotor that I've been real happy with, though my bike never has broke a belt. I raced the bike at the track and lots of street racing with the original belt of 15,000 miles with no problems. During my re-paint, I welded wheelie bar tabs to the frame and felt that the belt would not hold up to hard launches with the wb. Generally, holeshots are not that hard on belts, becuase once the tire begins to spin, the load on the belt is lowered bigtime. It's the hard 1st to 2nd gear shifts when the tire is hooking really hard that seems to stress them the most. With that being said, I have had customers swear their belt broke while they were cruising down the highway just taking it easy.
I'm with ya pro... I love my belts!!
117bigdog
Bring It!
I have about 120 hp and I beat on mine big time, the occasionally burn out, hard launches, and always racing sport bikes. The only problem I had was my belt would slip. I would tighten it up and problem solved. Its funny you say that ezrstl about breaking belts when you just ride them easy. My dad has a Bourget and he had broke a few belts just taking off slow.