| Author | Message | ||
     Sinjhin |
I took my top and bottom drive belt cover off today (this is only for aesthetics) and then ended up putting the bottom one back on for fear of a rock getting between the sprocket and drive belt. However, most bikes with chains have no chain covers... so my question is (and I know this is somewhat qualitative) how much risk do you all think there is in leaving the bottom belt cover off? | ||
| Dvy_bby9 |
There is always a risk, especially if you live on a dirt road like myself. I took all the belt covers off my XB and was fine for 3000 miles I put on it before I sold it. My 1125cr belt seems to be holding up just fine. | ||
| Sinjhin |
Thanks for the tip. Good point with the dirt/gravel road. I don't plan on driving on one... but, well... you usually don't with gravel roads. | ||
| Nillaice |
also, warranty issues. keep the guards around so you can replace them before taking it to the dealer for a free belt under warranty. | ||
| Jdugger |
I'd leave the belt guards on street bikes, in particular the lower guard. The belt will occasionally rub the OEM exhaust if you don't have the lower guard as well.. | ||
| Averagejoe |
I took mine off, like the look much better, was worried about how close it would be with stock pipe, look under there comes really close, but I run a slip on so no biggie if you do. | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
I havent had one on my XB9 for 20K. It still has the OE belt. However if you want the belt to be covered under warrantee you may want to keep it around. | ||
| Averagejoe |
Yes I found out last week that if you can try and put your bike back to 100 percent stock for warranty work, tried to give me crap about my slip on and actually made me put my stock pipe on so they could diagnose it was a bad fuel pump....  | ||
| Rpm4x4 |
I wonder if they make harley owners put their stock pipe back on. | ||
| Syonyk |
Well, no, because a true Harley owner wouldn't have done something as rash as installing a pipe by *themselves* - they get that work done by the Certified Harley Technicians at the dealership who can ensure that the Real American Chrome exhaust is installed correctly and doesn't interfere with the fuel pump. Besides, at most dealerships, you get free winter storage if you buy a few hundred dollars of Official Harley Chrome for them to install over the winter. I mean, who in their right mind would ride a motorcycle below 55 degrees? That's just stupid, you might hit ice and scrape your chrome! | ||
| Ratsmc |
If you do a search, you will find pics of rear sprockets that have been pretty well chewed up by rocks and such. Leaving mine on, thank you. | ||
| Freight_dog |
I can see how foreign objects not "might" get in there but "will". At least my lower cover will stay on for the street. On the track is another story. | ||
| Gootch |
Freight dog, leave them on for the track. Rubber off the track will land on the belt making it tight which will snap your belt. This happened before the chain drive swingarms were available. | ||
| Illbuell |
I took all my covers/guards off my 2007 XB12S and I was running about 120mph when the belt came apart. A closer inspection revealed a stone marks on the sprockets. It had caught a rock(one that I never heard or seen) and destroyed the belt.. on the other hand I had a 03 1200 firebolt and never had any issues with no guards with 12k miles.. Anyway....On the belt snapping with rubber build up.. We use to go though about 150 tires a year(90% rear) burning them in stunt shows. The rubber would build up on the sprockets and the belts would get tighter yes. but we hardly ever cleaned them and with all the wheelies,snatching and jerking those bikes endured, in 5 years we never broke a belt. EVER.. Of course the high track speeds may have proved different. | ||
| Forerunner |
As mentioned here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/527116.html?1263215292#POST1698427 7,500 miles on the XB and sprocket still looks new. Just another data point. Nels |
