Broken Drive Belt
Stage I
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: title town
I just crapped my belt yesterday. I drove 60 miles w no incident, parked at a gas station for 5 min, came back out, manually rolled my 2005 Road King backwards down the incline and then fwd into a pump area. I filled the tank, started, pressed down to first, release the clutch lever, and nothing. Looked down and my belt was on the ground.
$165 to get the bike towed, & $825 to fix it...
($410 was labor).... ouch.
I have only 19000 miles on the bike. The service dept at Sauk Prairie was excellent, but still hurts my "Wally Wallet"... I am a pretty smooth driver, and take great care in being mindful of parts/maintenance. (I don't ever hammer on my touring bike, so I therefore believe there was either a fault in the belt, or a stone magically jumped up in there while I was parked at KwikTrip in Baraboo???)
$165 to get the bike towed, & $825 to fix it...
($410 was labor).... ouch.
I have only 19000 miles on the bike. The service dept at Sauk Prairie was excellent, but still hurts my "Wally Wallet"... I am a pretty smooth driver, and take great care in being mindful of parts/maintenance. (I don't ever hammer on my touring bike, so I therefore believe there was either a fault in the belt, or a stone magically jumped up in there while I was parked at KwikTrip in Baraboo???)
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 110
Likes: 61
From: Co
Most belt failures are caused by the wrong tension or measuring the tension incorrectly. (Too tight is the most common issue) Belts are FAR superior to chains If you have ever done any work to your bike that involved the rear axle (Tire change, changing brake pads, etc, you have to measure the belt tension as per the SM when done: MANY shade tress AND HD mechanics take shortcuts and just use an eyeball. The tool for measuring tension is cheap, available and easy to use (Takes about 30 seconds: I got an HD tool off ebay, $30
And yep, labor is extensive to change one out" The whole inner/outer primary and clutch has to come off
And yep, labor is extensive to change one out" The whole inner/outer primary and clutch has to come off
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
Likes: 6,170
From: SE Michigan
Most belt failures are caused by the wrong tension or measuring the tension incorrectly. (Too tight is the most common issue) Belts are FAR superior to chains If you have ever done any work to your bike that involved the rear axle (Tire change, changing brake pads, etc, you have to measure the belt tension as per the SM when done: MANY shade tress AND HD mechanics take shortcuts and just use an eyeball. The tool for measuring tension is cheap, available and easy to use (Takes about 30 seconds: I got an HD tool off ebay, $30
And yep, labor is extensive to change one out" The whole inner/outer primary and clutch has to come off
And yep, labor is extensive to change one out" The whole inner/outer primary and clutch has to come off
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