Converting to belt drive?

[Wonko The Sane]

BMW are often quick to highlight the advantage of their belt drive over the traditional metal chain giving reasons such as less maintenance and adjustment needed along with it not rusting.

As such, I had been wondering if it's possible to convert a bike from chain drive to belt drive to take advantage?
Surely you'd just replace sprockets with belt sprockets from BMW?

Is it worth it or are BMW justifying their decision to continue using belts on their non-shaft drive bikes?

[MarJay]

The bike has to be designed for belt drive in the first place as alignment is far far more critical than chain drive. Plus the 'belt sprockets' as you put it are bloody expensive compared to chainwheels.

They are better, but you really need to have one on a bike that is designed for them. Plus belts are a LOT wider than chains and need extra clearance. Some also need spring loaded tensioners too.
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[Wonko The Sane]

So I can't convert my ZZR in a weekend then?

However I might be able to buy an old wreck and while re building it factor in a conversion?

Makes sense.


How come more bikes aren't built belt drive?

[lihp]

Cost on most bikes

Strength on high power machines
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[Wonko The Sane]

So if your designing it then it's as easy to go shaft drive, BMW use belts to be able to say 'look, we're better technology wise, that's an extra £4000 please'

[MarkJ]

[Timmeh]

[Rogerborg]

[G]

You could have just got the 'sensible' F800S, with the belt.
But not nearly as pretentious, of course .

If that weren't so damned expensive, I'd quite fancy one myself.
But as it goes, a TRX850 seems to be pretty similar and while it may drink more petrol and oil, will be pretty immune to depreciation.

Anyway - for the op - get a decent chain oiler. Sorted.

I always kinda fancied making an enclosed drive train like some small hondas and the like had.

[MarJay]

[Wave2k]

Must be some disadvantages apart from cost, otherwise they would use it on the S1000RR.

Im guessing weight ?
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[lihp]

Chains are much stronger than belts.
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[Islander]

[Rogerborg]

[stinkwheel]

The belt drive on a GPz305 works in exactly the same way as a chain drive, just with belt and pulleys instead of chain and sprockets. It was really good. Best bit of the bike. No adjustment, no messing about with lube. Just a wee scribble with a pencil on the pulley if it started squeaking.

It's tensioned and aligned in exactly the same way as a chain using locknut adjusters on the end of the swingarm. No jockeywheels or messing about with sprung tensioners.

Doesn't have to be comlicated, it's just been made complicated by ze Germans and buell make a policy of not doing things like everyone else.

The difficulty would be in sourcing pulleys that fit and a sufficiently good quality belt. People used to use non-standard belts on the 305s and they snapped in short order. The OEM ones last for ages (I think you are supposed to change it after 20k miles).
They generally use a larger pulleys than sprockets to increase the friction and reduce bending.
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[Rogerborg]

Aside, the chap who bought my GPz305 had done his homework and asked all the right questions about the usual suspect bits.

Turns out he works for an engineering firm and can source industrial belts for tank-of-fuel money, so that was his area of least concern.

There's no particular reason why belts need to be expensive except that they're (now) used on relatively snooty bikes and there's little retail competition for the OEM parts.
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[C1REX]

[MarJay]

They are better on bikes with widely spaced power pulses like Buells and BMW singles. An S1000RR would probably snap the belt TBH.
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Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[Mr_T]

[gavbriggs]

^^ that's just a ford alloy bolted to the bike! Piece of piss to make, right lets get the wheel of the vara

[c-m]

I think chains are something like 98% efficient when in good order. Belts are probably more like 95%, but are more likely to be in good order than most peoples chains.

By the way those figures are made up.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Many years ago someone did try a belt drive bike in the 250cc GP series, but not sure they got anywhere with it (but plenty of other factors could affect that).

Down sides are bulk, cost, slightly greater power loss and tendency to fail without warning.

Plus points less maintenance, quieter and less likely to fail causing damage to the engine.

All the best

Keith
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[Ariel Badger]

My mate replaced the primary drive on his 500 Ariel and boasted that he had eliminated about 280 moving parts, unfortunately the conversion also eliminated his cush drive and this in turn eliminated his crank shaft.
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