BMW Chain never needs lube or adjustment

As I’ve read up on the Boss Hoss I can’t find anyone that I said the belt failed in regular use. For heaven sake’s the thing is 1.7 inches wide. Also with a one speed or two speed transmission (newer OD isn’t needed until the highway, no stoplight to stoplight hard shifting, per se) there’s little/no shock when changing gears which would be a weak point potentially with that much torque.

In reality a belt drive has a lot of advantages, it may be because of compact engine design and such that we don’t see more belt drives on our performance bikes. Belts need a larger minimum diameter to wrap around, which could create a packaging issue with respect to the countershaft for example.

You need to remember they are mostly poser bikes. They get ridden to the Bar, revved to make noise, and ridden home. They're really not a performance bike. A member of a M/C website I belonged to raced a couple loud-mouth Boss Hoss owners with his stock ZX-12R. He easily pulled away from them no matter what the Boss Hoss owners tried.
 
If you are destroying blower belts you might try Gates new 11mm pitch belt... its new and improved over the 8mm pitch belts...

Gates Poly Chain comes in 3 belt sizes... 14mm pitch is what HD
employs on their cruisers... 8mm is what I used on the VF500
Belt-0-Ceptor... 11mm is the little known in between belt used for
high power blowers and Buell Sportbikes...

gallery_3131_51_3294.jpg

Trust me Larry, we are using the strongest belts available. Driving that Supercharger takes A LOT more power (No, I won't give out exact specs) than any Boss Hoss puts put.
 
Trust me Larry, we are using the strongest belts available. Driving that Supercharger takes A LOT more power (No, I won't give out exact specs) than any Boss Hoss puts put.

Trust Gates 11mm pitch belt for its been the leader in blower belt innovation for the last 40 years and continues to develop solutions for today’s industry. RCD stocks the largest selection of Gates blower belts in the racing industry. With several widths, lengths, tooth profiles and constructions RCD and Gates have the belt you need to keep your blower and accessory drive spinning. All Gates belts have the part number printed on the outside of the belt for ease of reordering, example PN: 11mm (1330 RCD part number)-1595-84PS.

Gates11mmPitch1.JPG
 
Much like his out-of-date charts with ZDDP levels that haven't been seen in 15 years, he is behind the times on blower belt technology. Of course if he had been at the Big Go in the Pits with me this weekend while I showed him what we are using now, he would know that.

Just an FYI: The picture I posted earlier is from testing a few years ago.
 
Yes, that is a BFB... Big Friggin' belt! This stuff is fascinating to me, in terms of thinking about what could be or how things could be done differently.

However with Honda white graphite or Moly lube there isn't any mess other than wiping the chain down every 350 mi or so and reapplying. That's on a 150 horsepower 87 ft lb inline 4 that I get 35,000 miles out of from a 530 X Ring chain. Once it has settled in after the initial install might need a slight adjustment every 10,000 mi if that.

With that being said, am I correct it is more critical and possibly difficult to set high levels of belt tension relative to setting slack on a chain? Seems like the two are at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of ease of initial set up and use.
 
The lifetime chain is no surprise to me. I already get over 30-50K on a O or X ringed bike chain. The rings keep dirt out and also keep the manufacturers lube inside of each links bushings. Lubricating those rings to keep them slippery and sealing is the best way to long chain life. I dont use sticky spray on lubes or waxes, I just use a small amount of M1 diff lube in a large syrings and apply directly to the orings as i spin the back wheel. Very clean and rings stay really slippery. Any new chain needs to also have new sprockets. I like the X-Ring Gold chain.

The quickest and quite common way to destroy a chain is making the chain too tight or cleaning excessively and contaminating link/s. (typically this is a OC excessive handwasher type). A too tight chain squishes through the lube and galls the links internal bushings. This is the "stretch" symptom that is seen and indicates beginning of chain and subsequent sprocket interface destruction. Looseness in a chain is when the lube inside redistributes itself between the pins/bushings.

The enemy of belts is the constant angular wind and unwind as it turns around the cogs. The frictional process within the belt and heat creation eventually takes its toll and failure occurs. If belts were more efficient than chains you would see them in racing. last i checked the winners use chains.
 
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Yes, that is a BFB... Big Friggin' belt! This stuff is fascinating to me, in terms of thinking about what could be or how things could be done differently.

However with Honda white graphite or Moly lube there isn't any mess other than wiping the chain down every 350 mi or so and reapplying. That's on a 150 horsepower 87 ft lb inline 4 that I get 35,000 miles out of from a 530 X Ring chain. Once it has settled in after the initial install might need a slight adjustment every 10,000 mi if that.

With that being said, am I correct it is more critical and possibly difficult to set high levels of belt tension relative to setting slack on a chain? Seems like the two are at the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of ease of initial set up and use.

Setting belt tension on a TF/D or F/C is simple, but not forgiving of improper tension. Ie: You need to know what you're doing.

Chain slack on a motorcycle is more forgiving. I run chain slack on the loose end of the tolerance.
 
Setting belt tension on a TF/D or F/C is simple, but not forgiving of improper tension. Ie: You need to know what you're doing.

Chain slack on a motorcycle is more forgiving. I run chain slack on the loose end of the tolerance.
As well... My experience is longer chain life run on the loose end of spec.
 
I thought belts could not tolerate high travel suspensions without some kind of spring loaded tensioner. Too much length change. Isn't that why a lot of hogs have so small travel. Didn't Buell have a tensioner.

Rod
 
That is impressive of BMW regarding lifetime chain. We all know that isnt for "life' There are still sprockets and possible failures in the seal.
If no choice, without question, its a perfect solution for bikes with chains.
I never owned a bike with a chain but would not discount one, yet will admit I am a little interested (mostly for fun but one never knows) is a Yamaha Tracer, then realized it has a chain, Im bothered at what must be another maintenance item in addition to going back to the days of 6 to 7000 mile tire replacements when my current bike gets 15,000 miles on the rear and more on the front.

I dont agree the reason sports bikes have chains is because they are stronger but do agree with other reasons, design, cost and durability on bikes that may go off road. If I was a true sport touring person, seems to me a chain makes a lot of sense, massive amounts of pebbles and rocks I think very well may damage a belt, maybe a chain more durable in those cases?

I much prefer a belt, for my style of riding, which is interstate. Carefree and maintenance free, they last forever with my type of conditions.
Lets face it, they move some of the highest torque and most heavy bikes on American roads, well over 1000 LBS, they are very strong, dare if I say stronger then chains but also more expensive I think.

Just my thoughts, never had a chain bike and do not mind learning more about them since it turned me off on the Tracer. Wasnt too seriously looking anyway, yet we all know at times, how that goes. :oops:
 
I have worn out O ring chains and broken belts before. I have to say I did have a belt on a Harley last over 75k miles and was still in great shape when the bike went away. The shaft drive bikes I have owned all had that weird feeling when rolling the throttle on and off. I'd take a belt any day.
 
I have worn out O ring chains and broken belts before. I have to say I did have a belt on a Harley last over 75k miles and was still in great shape when the bike went away. The shaft drive bikes I have owned all had that weird feeling when rolling the throttle on and off. I'd take a belt any day.

Not only shafts feel weird they add over $4000 dollars to the price and add about 40 pounds of extra weight... whereas a maintenance free belt drive is about $800 dollars and it is lighter than a chain drive... once you go belt you won't go back to shaft because chains are a pain...

Honda VFR 1200 $4148.00 / 40 pound shaft system...
VFR1200C.jpg



$800 / 4 pound belt drive system
gallery_3131_51_84342.jpg
 
Not only shafts feel weird they add over $4000 dollars to the price and add about 40 pounds of extra weight... whereas a maintenance free belt drive is about $800 dollars and it is lighter than a chain drive... once you go belt you won't go back to shaft because chains are a pain...

Honda VFR 1200 $4148.00 / 40 pound shaft system...
VFR1200C.jpg



$800 / 4 pound belt drive system
gallery_3131_51_84342.jpg
Interesting cost comparison, where is the data coming from?
 
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