From Belt To Chain

[1sexynucca]

Just wanted to know if there is anyone out there that has converted from belt to chain. My buell is my first bike so I've never dealt with a bike that has a chain and sprocket but I've been reading about this Chain conversion kit that Grandstand Designs offers and Im really tempted to buy. http://grandstanddesigns.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=5
are the cons of having a chain that bad compared to the no maintenance belts?

 

[Stevenc150]

cons of having a chain that bad compared to the no maintenance belts?

You said it, "No maintenance" The cons, with the chain, you have to lube it, which means you'll have the oil slung on your bike, weighs more than a belt, must be maintenanced, will gradually lose tension as it wears, etc.

 

[1sexynucca]

hmmmmm, it's sounding like the only advantage if you even wanna call it that is increased top speed with a smaller sprocket in the back. I guess I shouldnt really worry about it cosidering I dont really need to go that fast anyway huh [confused]

 

[Tork]

I ran a 530 chain on my 12R for about 6 months because I didn't want to be left stranded out somewhere with a broken belt.

Modern good-quality O-ring chains only need periodic cleaning and a very light coat of wax or lube to prevent surface corrosion since most of the lubricant is retained within the o-rings. If you over-lube your chain, you'll get messy fling. If you do it right, you might get a wee bit of undertail splatter after your first post-lube ride. I found the chain stretching and noise to be unacceptable and went back to the belt. But if I had a race bike, I would not hesitate to put a chain on it, for reliability and the ability to modify the final drive ratio to match the track configuration.