A Cautionary Tale

[kshansen]

Jim looks good! Now can you come up with an idea for the drive belt on my `92 Sportster?

Actually I have one solution, spare belt Zip Tied in the trunk of the sidecar along with tool box and a scissors jack. Actually have replaced it twice on the side of road. About an hours work, slowed down some due to the heat as you have to remove the rear exhaust!

 

[Rasputin]

Close call. Along these lines, I had been out on my Velo, it rained, bike was filthy. After washing it I noticed a strange clicking noise, after a lot of searching I came across this, see photo, the horseshoe clip had gone the link plate was holding on just in the grooves on the pins. Lucky, yes.
I like the lock wire idea.

 

[X77S]

I never had problems with the sportster belt but mine were 2004 and 2005 sportys. I regularly checked the belt and tension and kept a close eye on it.

 

[gggGary]

I'm in the hasn't happened to me yet camp. I've reused the master link on the (part no longer available) o-ring chain on madness, near countless times, had to re tension the clip a few times.... Really debated changing it it out before yesterday's ride but lost the argument.

 

[xjwmx]

So, you're not gettin' the mechanics behind this. Fair enough, not everyone does. Try this; safety wire a link as shown and then try and remove it. All will be revealed...

I'll extend your thought experiment. Damage the clip so it will come off, then wire it to the side plate. Then pull them both off together. I appreciate your work and your background, and you're usually spot on. Not this time.

 

[MaxPete]

Hmmmm.....given the trouble free history of toothed belts on H-Ds, I wonder what it would take to adapt a belt to an XS650........

Now THAT might be worthy project for a long distance bike.....

 

[Team Junk]

Those Harley belts are pretty wide. And the countershaft pulleys are pretty large diameter.

 

[MaxPete]

Those Harley belts are pretty wide. And the countershaft pulleys are pretty large diameter.

Actually, I’ve been surprised at how narrow the HD belts are. When they first went to belts in....1978 (??) they used much wider belts on much smaller engines and everyone confidentially predicted disaster....but it didn’t happen. As far as I am aware, the HD belts last a heck of a long time, give very little trouble and it as quiet as a shaft, but far lighter and maintenance free.

Kawasaki did a KZ440 twin back around 1980 with a belt and I think that it worked very well too.

Hmmmm.....

 

[Team Junk]

The Kawasaki belt is 1.25 inches wide. I think the Harley belts are even wider. I remember the 440's and liked the belt setup. Must not of worked out as it looks like after the mid 80's the setup disappeared. Must say the belts are still available pretty cheap.

When Ford started putting serpentine belts on the early fox bodied Mustangs I measured the alternator and harmonic balancer pulleys and concluded the alternator pulley was too big to clear the shifter shaft.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Good on ya for helpin' a brother.
A little safety wire and you'll never have to worry about losing the master.

View attachment 145779

I like the safety wire idea, Jim.
Before I take the '83 to the Catskills on Wednesday, it will be done.
Then the other three XS's.

Having spent 18 years club racing a go kart with routine top speeds in the upper 90mph's, I eventually learned to appreciate the strict regulations (and pre-race inspections) for safety wiring many bolts on the machine. On the high banks of Daytona in the 1980's, the rear axle of a kart in front of me came apart at about 110 mph. He was badly injured. They found that he had made a last-minute axle bearing change, and didn't safety-wire the bolts.
.
.

 

[Jim]

I'll extend your thought experiment. Damage the clip so it will come off, then wire it to the side plate. Then pull them both off together. I appreciate your work and your background, and you're usually spot on. Not this time.

Well... for starters, it wasn't a ''thought experiment".... it was a "try it and see suggestion." The proof's in the puddin'... as they say.
A damaged clip.... seriously? Just so everyone else is clear here.... I never claimed that this little bit of wire would protect you from a damaged bit of anything. A damaged clip would most likely fall off. Who would install a damaged clip on their chain? Interesting thought experiment there... I'll pass.

 

[Team Junk]

I'm only just one bit better off from a damaged clip by using unknown no name chain and clip. I will be safety wiring mine.

 

[Team Junk]

I read Orwell's 1984. I'm scared of the Thought Police

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

....and for those who don't routinely use safety wire, it is important to note that we are talking about stainless steel wire.

 

[650Skull]

Hmmmm.....given the trouble free history of toothed belts on H-Ds, I wonder what it would take to adapt a belt to an XS650........

Now THAT might be worthy project for a long distance bike.....

Aussie 650 site has all the details and what needs to be done...........lots of lathe and mill work

 

[gggGary]

pics from a chain fail 8,000 mile bike, when he hit second gear.

 

[Mailman]

Ouch! That looks like that coulda hurt someone!

 

[Beags64]

Newer H-D belts are only 1-1/8" (1-1/2" on older) but yeah front pulley dia. would be the issue.

 

[delagem]

I was the friend on an incident like you described in the first post, back in 1992. Ever since then, every bike toolkit I have, has a spare master link in it, even though I have riveted my chains since I started racing in 1996.

I think they're good luck charms, I haven't needed one yet!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... I wonder what it would take to adapt a belt to an XS650........

Here ya go, Pete.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/what-about-belt-drive.81/