Would anyone care to comment abut HD and shaft drive? I mean, would you prefer shaft over the belt? I am hearing that HD will go to water cooled engines in a year or so (besides the current speed bike). Maybe they will go to shaft drive as well.

 

Though shaft drive is lower maintenance, it takes power to turn the shaft that is otherwise perserved by the belt. Belt final drives are low maintenance, quiet, and smooth. One other issue, shaft drive tends to torque (turn) the bike in the direction of shaft rotation under heavy acceleration, where as the belt keeps the torque parallel with the bike.

 

Shaft drives are also more expensive to make and repair. If you were to do it and keep the overall layout we have today it means adding two sets of gears to change the direction of rotation and thecostto machine the gears, shaft, and universal alone could probably keep you in sprockets and belts for a lot longer than the bike will last.

 

I've had 3 shaft bikes, 2 BMWs and a Kawasaki. I'd rather have a belt. Its lighter, you don't have to change the shaft oil, no shaft jacking effect, and is cheap to replace. Even BMW has gone belt drive on some of their bikes and they invented shaft drive for bikes! Belt width used to limit tire width, but not anymore with the improved thinner belts.

 

I agree, I don't miss my shaft drive bikes at all.

 

I read that Buell is working on a new water-cooled motor, and that should be out next year. I'm sure the R&D will be shared and considered within the Motor Company. Shaft drives would add cost to a bike, not reduce costs. Profit is all about cost reduction and planned obsolesence.

Unless it someday becomes a real estate issue with engine/tranny/primary combos (or changes), Iwon't hold mybreath for seeing Harley going the way of the shaft. We already get our shaft in other ways! Hee hee.

 

I know a lot of purists would rather die than see a radiator on the front of their bike, but man I hope Harley goes with a liquid cooled system soon. We might actually see 100hp/100 torque bikes straight off the show room floor if that were the case. Having a radiator would allow Harley to use higher compression without sacrificing (or sacrificing as much) engine reliability due to the excess heat it produces.

I'm with everyone else though as far as shaft drives. I used to ride a VTX 1800 that was a shaft drive. At hard acceleration getting on the freeway, the "little sidewayskick" from the shaft when shifting gears was more than noticable. Belts really don't require much more maintanace than shaft drives either.

 

shaft oil? I don't have 'shaft oil' on my gold wing.....do you mean 'blinker fluid'?

Yup, shafts may be heavier (like a Harley is a light weight to begin with)...
shafts make 'side torque' or whatever you call it......I never felt it.
Only thing I have to do on my shaft drive system......is put some grease on it when i change tires.
You do know cars have drive shafts and operate just fine. (I did have a neighbor YEARS ago
with a Honda auto (maybe a 1972?) that had belt drive.
I can hear the backlash now.......when Harley makes a NEW engine to compete with others!
(Triumph has a 2300cc bike and Honda is sure to chase it.....can Harley set-back?)
So water cooled, shaft drive........heck......maybe even an AIR BAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next would be a center stand.........Hell is getting cooler (If not freezing over)

Chuck

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all chicken trucks have drive shafts and radiators

 

Yeah, we'll all jump right on that band wagon, all of us will grab our helmets, get behind our air bags and cup holders. Cause all of us want the same thing out of our Harleys, we want them to be just like you! Give me a break!

Guess what, I never grease my belt! While we're at it, I HAVE felt the torque and SQUAT that comes from shaft. I think it's rediculous to sit here and tell us why Harley should make their bikes a certain way, since most of those other manufacturers go out of their way to copy anyhow, but thank God they add all their little specials like shaft drive. Bottom line, if Harley goes shaft drive, or any of the other stupid crap that's on the generic bikes on the market, I'll be custom building my next bike, I didn't buy a Harley to keep up with a Jap bike, or to look like one. Or act like one.