www.boxertrix.com

Perhaps, but I've still been more happy with longevity of the finish and the reliability of the two BMWs that I have had (R850R and R1100s) than with my previous Yamahas

I've just taken delivery of a new GSXR, ,and I have to say that I am very pleasantly surprised. Virtually all the bits that have rotted on my S - disc bolts, disc 'bobbins' mudguard bolts etc - are in stainless on the GSXR, unless I'm very much mistaken.

OK it's got a chain but that's the only downside - I even get 170 miles to the fuel light. I'm not sure that BMW has been a premium product for a while.......

....(wait for the hail of stones)

Gromit wrote:

adamski49 wrote:

Belt's the way to go though - smooth, zero maintenance, long-lasting, quiet, clean (no lube needed) and lighter than a chain. In fact my perfect bike would be...

.

Joking aside , have they sorted the problems with stones etc punching holes in the belts and how awkward are the belts to fit ?
Nigel B

nab 301 wrote:

Gromit wrote:

adamski49 wrote:

Belt's the way to go though - smooth, zero maintenance, long-lasting, quiet, clean (no lube needed) and lighter than a chain. In fact my perfect bike would be...

.

Joking aside , have they sorted the problems with stones etc punching holes in the belts and how awkward are the belts to fit ?
Nigel B

It'll never fly .......racing sells (the majority of) bikes and belts can't be easily changed for altering the gearing for different racetracks.

boxerpan wrote:

nab 301 wrote:

Gromit wrote:

Never thought of that

boxerpan wrote:[and belts can't be easily changed for altering the gearing for different racetracks.

Shouldn't be different to a chain - do you not just remove the swingarm? Or have I missed something?

nab 301 wrote:
Joking aside , have they sorted the problems with stones etc punching holes in the belts and how awkward are the belts to fit ?
Nigel B

Nigel - During its development, they had the Ulysses belt drive system on a test rig and continually fired pebbles at it to try and break it but no damage was done. The newer belt system's designed to eject stones before they can harm the belt, apparently. Biggest problem from belts snapping on the earlier XB's stemmed from tyre fitters allowing the belt to twist whilst removing the rear wheel. This causes the belt to de-laminate, seriously weakening it.

I've seen someone (who knows what they're doing admittedly) change a belt on a Firebolt in under half an hour. Sprockets never wear.

Lloyd - you're right. Racing sells bikes, but as usual it doesn't always bring about a more relevant product for the road.

Archie wrote:
Shouldn't be different to a chain - do you not just remove the swingarm? Or have I missed something?

I believe the main problem is that no one makes enough different size pulleys to give differing final drive ratios. Similarly to what Lloyd said, no one races with a belt drive bike, so no one makes the stuff to supply them.

Adrenalin Moto's Buell XB racer runs a chain conversion.

The chain is a lot narrower - but being a sceptic I guess a chain & sprockets must cost less than a belt & pulleys.

Archie wrote:The chain is a lot narrower - but being a sceptic I guess a chain & sprockets must cost less than a belt & pulleys.

A Firebolt belt's itro of 180 quid, although because they don't wear, the pulleys don't need changing.

I can confirm that tyre fitters caused the early XB belt problems allthough it was the fitter in a H/D dealers workshop(?) that caused mine to fail, That was the final straw in my Buell ownership and return to BMW.

Regards Peter.

Gromit wrote:
Lloyd - you're right. Racing sells bikes, but as usual it doesn't always bring about a more relevant product for the road.

You are correct, but I guess we're here cos the S is different so haven't been snared by the roadracer logic therefore can look at things more objectively
It was the manufacture and supply of different pulley sizes that I was referring to in previous post.

herrman wrote:I can confirm that tyre fitters caused the early XB belt problems allthough it was the fitter in a H/D dealers workshop(?) that caused mine to fail.

It doesn't surprise me - I have it on good authority that a certain HD dealer not a million miles from me had several XB belts go ping before they realised what was causing the problem.

Thing is, belt breakages are now virtually unheard of but reputations stick unfortunately.

boxerpan wrote:
I guess we're here cos the S is different so haven't been snared by the roadracer logic therefore can look at things more objectively

Of course!!

Are belts able to withstand 200bhp and still be efficent?
Chains are still the best deal both cost wise and efficent wise.However fliud transmission systems may be the future.
gus