Fitting a new rear tyre so I thought I would check the belt over as I could get a good look at the thing.......






Now that is a close shave!!!

Guess who just ordered a new carbon fibre belt :-)

 

Good eye. I had a belt break ( clean through, not chewed up) on my bike last year 250 miles from home. Pain in the azz. I have been pondering switching to a chain. Spare chain in the saddlebag and the trip continues.

 

Plus you don't have to tear the whole Primary system apart.
My belt just broke at 114,000 miles, and with the cost of the belt($145) and time spent on changing it (3 days) I can see the advantages of a chain.

My wife's '85 FXEF has a chain, even though I change them about every 20,000 miles( I buy the cheap $35 ones) it is only a 5 min job with no lost road time.

So it is about a wash, because I don't take care of the chains. Put them on and 20,000 miles later take them off, adjust as needed in between.

 

Also a good idea to inspect the belt once in a while, anyway. Every time I wash the bike, I put it on a lift, turn the wheel, and scrub the belt teeth with an old toothbrush. It may be a bit "over the top," but it lets me take a good look at the belt every month or so.

 

3 days to change a belt????? On a Dyna it should take 3-4 hours at the most!

I have pulled my tranny apart as it had a whine at 60mph so am changing the ball bearings and seals......not a lot of wear in there for a 70,000 mile box :-)

 

I always check my belt before any "serious" journey. Last week I changed rear tyre, looked at the belt, too. Seems to be fine. Just washed with hot, soapy water.

 

What planet do you get a cheap chain to run 20,000 miles on ? Inquiring minds need to know I never got that out of the big buck O-ring chains and the cheapies lasted 4 or 5 K tops . I'd go through a couple a summer easy .

 

Ouch.. As a retired charter boat captain,I always said better to break down at the dock..

 

Hell yeah!!! I have Harley Assist as a freebie on my insurance but sitting by the side of the road always sucks....I reckon it had about 5 miles (or one enthusiastic take off) left in it....

 

Don't know man I punched a thumbnail sized hole in a belt on a road trip once and didn't find it till months later those things are tough .