4 replies to this topic

[Kraig]

I was wondering if anyone has tried a cogged belt drive for thier final drive? It would seem to be cleaner, longer lasting and easier on the tranny gears than a chain....

[arnie_14]

would be alot of strain on the belt
not quite shaw how you could get it to work

Edited by arnie_14, 21 September 2008 - 08:15 PM.

[Adamsm]

I was also looking into this. Belts are very strong, cleaner and require less maintenance.

[Kraig]

I figured a belt would absorb some of the drive line shock and help increase tranny life also...

[rdchaplin]

I've also been thinking about that lately. Many Harleys use belt drive, their bigger engines put out alot of torque. I don't know how small of a sprocket you can run on your MC engine output shaft; what the minimum bend radius is for the belt. Most of the rear sprockets that I have seen on the bikes are fairly large diameter; that is a problem for me due to the rear frame that my car already has. My max diameter for a chain or belt sprocket is about 9.5 inches. We used belt drive in the SCCA class F500; open wheel formula car with rotax power and snow mobile clutches. The belts are very durable. One challenge with the F500s is that they are required to have a live rear axle, so the rear sprocket is moving up and down which changes belt tension. Too loose and the belt would ratchet, too tight and the sprockets would get hot. We used aluminum sprockets and they will expand as they get hot which tends to tighten up the belt. I notice on the bikes the sprockets tend to be of some composite material, less expansion I guess.
Cheers