Chain Drive and
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- dontwantapickle
- Silver Member
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- Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2017 9:26 pm
- Location: Colorado
Re: Chain Drive and
from experience,.......... I can say that replacing a final drive belt is a major job.
Putting a new belt on a HD requires pulling off the inner and outer primary covers, the clutch,
the compensator, the swingarm, and of course, the rear tire.
(tip: taking off the muffler makes it easier, so do that too!)
Why? the problem is that the Belt is continuous, no master links or chain breaking.
The new belts are pretty strong, and there are some out there running with 100K on them.
the problem comes with their width. the flat belt and wide sprocket / pulley are some serious crap catchers.
if a sharp stone gets caught between the belt and sprocket, bad things happen and it gets expensive
pretty quick.
Belts are OK I guess...... for other folks, but I'm not much of a fan.
The higher costs and added effort involved (for no perceivable benefit), are not worth it to me.
Chains are cool because they are cheap and easy. They work great for dirt bikes, race bikes, etc.
However, on a touring bike, shaft drive is my choice because they are trouble free and one less thing to keep an eye on when on the road.
Putting a new belt on a HD requires pulling off the inner and outer primary covers, the clutch,
the compensator, the swingarm, and of course, the rear tire.
(tip: taking off the muffler makes it easier, so do that too!)
Why? the problem is that the Belt is continuous, no master links or chain breaking.
The new belts are pretty strong, and there are some out there running with 100K on them.
the problem comes with their width. the flat belt and wide sprocket / pulley are some serious crap catchers.
if a sharp stone gets caught between the belt and sprocket, bad things happen and it gets expensive
pretty quick.
Belts are OK I guess...... for other folks, but I'm not much of a fan.
The higher costs and added effort involved (for no perceivable benefit), are not worth it to me.
Chains are cool because they are cheap and easy. They work great for dirt bikes, race bikes, etc.
However, on a touring bike, shaft drive is my choice because they are trouble free and one less thing to keep an eye on when on the road.
- Dirty Dave
- Silver Member
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Re: Chain Drive and
Oops. You are right of course Bob. The adjusters have to be slackened off to remove the wheel.
I remember getting an O-ring kit for my Valk having 3 rings. They do last forever unless you are super anal like I tend to be
during the long winter layup.
I'm lucky enough now to be of both worlds. BTW my new chain is very shiny.
I remember getting an O-ring kit for my Valk having 3 rings. They do last forever unless you are super anal like I tend to be
during the long winter layup.
I'm lucky enough now to be of both worlds. BTW my new chain is very shiny.
1978/9 GL1000
1997 Honda Valkyrie
2018 Kawasaki Z900 RS
1997 Honda Valkyrie
2018 Kawasaki Z900 RS
- tlbranth
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Re: Chain Drive and
I back the adjusters out a specific number of turns on both sides and tighten them up the same amount when I'm done. Because of my advanced age I write that number down.
Terry
Don't own a Vanagon
Don't work at Boeing
Life is good
1999 GL1500 SE
2002 Honda VT750 "ACE"
1975 GL1000
1970 CB750
Don't own a Vanagon
Don't work at Boeing
Life is good
1999 GL1500 SE
2002 Honda VT750 "ACE"
1975 GL1000
1970 CB750
- Sidecar Bob
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Re: Chain Drive and
I'm pretty sure I tried that but it was never satisfactory because the chain always needed adjustment anyway.
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The Famous Eccles ('84 CX650EI/VeloUral) winter Never Ending Build (CX500forum)
Click: Colour schematics for all GL1000 & GL1100 and GL1200 standard models plus instructions on how to download the full size version
"A guy with two sidecars can't be all bad." - Cookie
Another guy with two sidecars..... Hmmmm... must be something to that....
- rcmatt007
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Re: Chain Drive and
When I sold my '05 the belt had 80,000 + miles
-Rodger-
all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
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all it takes for evil to prosper is the want of a few good men to do nothing-Edmund Burke
The question is not how much time do you have, it is what you do with the time that you have Gandalf
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." Fred Rodgers
"it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert" ancient saying
78 constantly modified/customized since 1978, BOTM June 2015 de-evolving this very moment viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65511
76 Ltd "cookies bike" ALMOST DONE
79 project, finished, FOR SALE
'86 1200 (Beth's)(FOR SALE) with motorvation sidecar (sidecar sold) , July 2017 BOTM
'17 HD Road king and 08 HD Heritage softail (Beth's) (FOR SALE). I guess you can say we have MBS
- BlueThunder
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Re: Chain Drive and
I can't help but think... Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I am the first one to marvel how creative one can be, the skills involved, and even the vision to see a project through. But IMHO, some things are just not worth it. Changing a GL motor to chain drive is an exercise in futility. Now, making a snow blower using a GL motor, that's an intriguing idea!
...Brian
2014 CTX1300 Deluxe - BlackThunder aka Predator
1977 GL1000 - Ox
2014 CTX1300 Deluxe - BlackThunder aka Predator
1977 GL1000 - Ox
- Whiskerfish
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Re: Chain Drive and
Always wanted to do the go-cart thing. Actually located a frame once but it was sold before I got there. So it is still on the list of things to do!BlueThunder wrote:SNIP Now, making a snow blower using a GL motor, that's an intriguing idea!
"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
- wingrider
- SUPER BIKER!!!!
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Re: Chain Drive and
I am in the early stages of building this...Whiskerfish wrote:Always wanted to do the go-cart thing. Actually located a frame once but it was sold before I got there. So it is still on the list of things to do!BlueThunder wrote:SNIP Now, making a snow blower using a GL motor, that's an intriguing idea!
2002 1800 Wing
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
- CYBORG
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Re: Chain Drive and
I see a sprocket. Is it chain drive?
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
- Whiskerfish
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Re: Chain Drive and
Nice but I think maybe it needs a roll cage
"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
"Yea I do dance awkwardly, and I am having more fun than you" Taylor Swift
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1984 GL1200 Standard
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
- FargoFour
- Billet Alum. Member
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Re: Chain Drive and
The other day I was binge watching Fantomworks, one of these car rebuilder TV shows. In season 2, episode 4, it has a KZ-750 shaft drive that they modify to chain drive and put a mono-shock swing arm on it.
I didn't see the part about how they did it but the end result was pretty cool.
Bud.
I didn't see the part about how they did it but the end result was pretty cool.
Bud.
70 CL450
84 GL1200 A
98 GL1500 SE
==============
Where there's a will, there's a relative. - Carlton Johns
84 GL1200 A
98 GL1500 SE
==============
Where there's a will, there's a relative. - Carlton Johns
- wingrider
- SUPER BIKER!!!!
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Re: Chain Drive and
That one is...I am not sure what I am going to do yet, the engine will stay a shaft drive, but it may drive something with a chain.CYBORG wrote:I see a sprocket. Is it chain drive?
I am debating making one!Whiskerfish wrote:Nice but I think maybe it needs a roll cage
2002 1800 Wing
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
- Track T 2411
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Re: Chain Drive and
If you look real close, you can see the final drive below the wheel barrow. The builder mated a sprocket to the final drive which in turn drives the rear wheels.CYBORG wrote:I see a sprocket. Is it chain drive?
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
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"He that is good with a hammer tends to think everything is a nail" - Abraham Maslow
"If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, how are you ever going to find the time to do it over?" -Unknown
Current Rides:
'Grumpy' - '81 Standard, now fully dressed.
'Layla' - '81 Standard w/dealer installed fairing and Hondaline bags.
'Scarlett' '76 'Survivor' nekkid as a j-bird!
Under Construction:
The 'Jalopy' '78-'79 Mash-up
'Quikie' '81 gl1100I back on the lift, project with the step-son!
In The Shed:
'81 gl1100I barn find aka "Josie, the farmer's daughter." (almost comatose build)
'77 gl1000, roller parts bike.
'82 gl1100I, 'Old Crusty' titled roller parts bike (free!)
'82 gl1100I, My first 'Wing, and an expensive lesson!
New2U Bike? Read Me.
- CYBORG
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Re: Chain Drive and
That seems like a reasonable solution to a somewhat complicated problem.
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
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- Zinc Member
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Re: Chain Drive and
You might want to take a look at the Motus MST (https://motusmotorcycles.com/home). They have done exactly what you are talking about. There are lots of good reasons to go with a chain vs a shaft. Lower un-sprung weight, less shaft-jacking, etc.draw wrote:Has any one converted a gl1100 to chain? I have seen a gl1500 http://steelcreations.com.pl/en/cooperation
But nothing else. Any ideas? Hopefully this hasn't been asked a hundred times.....
Thanks,
Draw
The good and the bad of owning and playing around with 35+ year-old bikes is that everything is out-of-date. Everything we touch can be improved. No matter how much we touch, we still have 35+ year-old bikes full of old tech that "needs" improvement.
Some of the comments on this thread were just depressing, especially for a "Tech Discussion". If this was a "Finance Discussion", I would opine that the conversion might not be the best use of time and resources. On the other hand, if you have the time and resources to tackle the project, I think it would be great to learn about the process and see the results.
82 GL1100 Standard 44k miles 83 wheels & forks
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