Chain drive, why do we want it again?

Once you go belt drive, you never go back.

I like both:

Honestly, on long trips I generally don't ride spiritedly enough to notice a huge effect from 'shaft jacking' (the upgraded rear shocks seem to help) and the fact that the shaft is practically maintenance free is a huge bonus on a 5k mile trip with hard bags on the back. I enjoy the benefits of chain drive too, shaft is just handier sometimes.

GPz550D1 wrote: I would be so happy if I was smart enough to fit a belt drive system to my current Gpz550. Chain racket drives me nuts.

Believe it or not......have thought SEVERAL times about converting my'75 Z1-B 900 to BELT DRIVE!!!
Just havnt found anyone who has successfully ( and without taking a second mortgage on their home to pay for it!LOL) done it and likes it?? ANYONE?????

I don't know about belt drive either. The BMWs with belt drive take a special tool to set tension, and I've seen pictures of Harleys with belt drive get on a muddy road and there they sit on the side of the road trying to clean mud off the belt teeth. I guess every drive has it's good and bad points, but since cars went to shaft back in about 1929, it's been pretty well proven the drive system is the system of choice on 4 wheels. Motorcycles still get what was fitted to a 1903 Harley. I sure like my shaft drive motorcycles and would never buy another new motorcycle with chain that I intended to actually ride. I Guess that's another factor, most riders ride a thousand or two thousand miles a year. I ride that in a day when I'm in the mood.

is that you John Wayne?


and how about that wind up crank sticking out of my front bumper...i notice other cars dont have one....seems kind of risky...what if the electric starter goes...i'll stick with my cranker arm

Funny bike teams change their chain every race, 4 to 9 passes.
They buy GOOD street bike chain by the roll.
I've put 5000 miles on their take offs.
But, they would snap that shaft like a chicken bone!!!

Street bike shootout bikes now make 500 hp.
NONE are shaft.

no shaft at the GP's either..or down to the red bull rookies cup no shaft.......last shaft i saw race was the guzzi of dr john...was the britten shaft...shaft street bikes are fine...if not even great and for Rons rides perfect even......but for a ricky racer on the twisties even on the street...and overcooked corner on a shaft is bad bad news

but i really should not chime in as i dont have one...better to listen to those who got the shaft

650ed wrote:

GPz550D1 wrote: I would be so happy if I was smart enough to fit a belt drive system to my current Gpz550. Chain racket drives me nuts.

I suggest you lift the rear wheel off the ground, put the bike in neutral with the engine off, and manually spin the rear wheel. You should be able to identify the source of the chain noise. Normally drive chains make very little noise and generally can only be heard if the bike is drifting with the engine shut off, so something may be wrong with the chain, the sprockets, or the rear wheel alignment. How many miles are on the chain/sprocket set? If the chain is not running true, (i.e. the rear wheel is not adjusted so it is parallel with the centerline of the bike, or if the axle spacers are not installed correctly) the chain can make noise rubbing the sprocket sides. Also, a chain that is too tight will make noise; do you have the appropriate amount of slack in the chain? Hopefully, you will be able to sort out this problem; if not, you may experience abnormal chain/sprocket wear. Ed

Chain and sprockets are in alignment. Recently replaced both sprockets and a new RK chain. That definitely helps, but perhaps I am a bit demanding after having owned a shaft drive KZ1100. I tend to be a bit cheap instead of buying a high dollar o-ring chain, although the RK chain is decent. Can't hear the noise so much when driving, but can hear it when passing by buildings and houses. Chain drives are efficient and reliable, but I would like to have something that is more quiet. On the KZ1100 I had it was neat to just be able to hear the whine of the engine and gears. The chain on my Gpz550 drowns out the beautiful noises of the Kawasaki four cylinder engine to some extent. Love everything there is about my bike but the drive chain noise.

You really shouldn't be able to hear it when riding unless the engine is shut off. Maybe it's too tight or too loose. How much slack did you put in the chain when adjusting it, and was the bike on the center stand during adjustment? Ed

Usually shoot for about an inch of slack, checked while on the center stand. Use 90W oil for lube.

Robert

You may want to change over to using Maxima Chain Wax as it may provide a better shock barrier between the links. Ed