Hi Guys I figured some of you may have some answers to my proposed swap. I have a 1984 FXRT Evo 5-speed with the PITA enclosed chain drive. I found a 1985 FLH Evo 5-speed with a belt drive on it for cheap, so my idea is the swap out the inner primary, front pulley, rear wheel with sprocket and not sure if I would need to swap out the rear swingarm too. Have any of you guys done this before or know if it can be done? My other option is a place called Karata makes a conversion kit for about $850.00. http://www.karata.com/final.htm
My thinking is I could do the swap and sell the FLH for what I paid for it which is about $3300.00. Any info would be helpful.

 

FXR is a short primary bike, FLH is long. FXR transmission mounts to the back of the motor and the swingarm mounts to the trans. Mid controls on the FXRT would have to be moved........ Bad idea, IMO.

It would certainly be cheaper and less trouble to properly service and maintain a PITA enclosed chain drive than to hack up a couple of classic bikes. Well, one anyway.....

 

plus one to that comment

converted my 86 FLHT from belt to chain

would never have another belt after one shredded itself and left me stranded on the side of the road

 

Thanks for the info Owtlaw, I looked closer and noticed how the shifter mounts at the front of the inner primary. I was thinking since both bikes shared the same repair manual they would mostly be the same. I like your FXRP, cool bike, it seems like FXRT's are becoming popular, I have been hearing about people putting FXRT farings on Dynas now.

 

When I had my 84 FXR, I had great performance and reliability running HD sprockets front and rear and a Tsubaki O-ring chain rated at 10000 TSI (Tensile strength).

I replaced all at one time so they could wear as a set. Once that chain had it's initial break-in, I adjusted it once and then ran it hard without worry. It would only be looked at when it came time to replace the rear tire. I went through a lot of tires over the years I owned that bike, but did not have to replace that chain and sprocket set. If I ever go back to a bike with a chain setup , that would be the route I'd take.

http://www.tsubaki-rider.com/en/

 

Didn't make an FLH in 85...they made an FLHT...which has basically the same drive-train as an FXR. Putting the FLHT primary on the FXR would be no problem...if you changed to forward controls...putting the FXR primary on the FLHT would not work...no where to mount the shifter. I believe you would also need to swap the trans...the chain drive trans has a shorter main-shaft than a belt drive trans. I think you would wind up with more money in the "swap" than the Karata conversion.

 

Thanks for the advice guys, I think the Karata conversion is the way to go. I have to take the inner primary off to fix a leak so I think that would be the best time to do it. I have concedered just running it open without the boots and sprocket enclosure but someone mentioned if you run an 0-ring chain it might be too wide to fit the inner primary without grinding some clearance in it.