Belt Drive Conversion?

[SMF_12]

hi all, i did a search but nothing came up. I was looking into the belt drive conversion, I saw one before but cant fidn it now.

Can you tell me if its a difficult job?

What else would need to be changed? ie- the wheel hub?

also would you reccomend changing to a belt drive?

Thanks

[timax]

:ummm: I saw a vmax somewhere on the net, the guy did the mod himself..

now where the heck did i see it:bang head:

[one2dmax]

I haven't seen it yet. I supposed our external chain drive could also be used to make a belt drive setup. I don't think the belt drive will fit well into the small area available to have it sit inside the case like a typical chain drive conversion.

Feel free to check out the pics I have in my Morleys Muscle facebook pages. Lots of various pics including a couple of different chain drive setups.

Sean

[KJShover]

Paul still does belt drives. Gen I and Gen II
http://www.madmax.com

[one2dmax]

Never seen one of the belt drives and don't see any pics on his website. He sells a lot of stuff he hasn't made yet too.

Sean

[davidon]

Go to vmaxoutlaw site and look for Charley Bernardi's belt driven bike

[4gasem]

Go to vmaxoutlaw site and look for Charley Bernardi's belt driven bike

Agreed! Been around for a while.

IMO it's the best of both worlds... Only problem I'd see with a high HP bike is it snapping the belts.

Chris

[one2dmax]

I do remember seeing that a few years back but they really had to hack the block up it looks like. The entire outer section of the case is gone and they had to do some serious fab work on the frame and mount plate. I wonder if this bike is still in action??

Sean

[SMF_12]

I haven't seen it yet. I supposed our external chain drive could also be used to make a belt drive setup. I don't think the belt drive will fit well into the small area available to have it sit inside the case like a typical chain drive conversion.

Feel free to check out the pics I have in my Morleys Muscle facebook pages. Lots of various pics including a couple of different chain drive setups.

Sean

Could i not get spacers to make the casing wider? Isit like a front sprocket case? ive not looked at the vmax closely :bang head:

[SMF_12]

Agreed! Been around for a while.

IMO it's the best of both worlds... Only problem I'd see with a high HP bike is it snapping the belts.

Chris

Thats another thing i was wondering, what sort of power can a belt drive handle? I know Xb12 buell's are belt drive too but dont think they put out more power then the vmax but i maybe wrong?

[one2dmax]

If you look at his belt it's not much wider then maybe an 1.5" which isn't much. The big power Harley's (approaching our power level) usually use wider then that I think. Some still get away with that small belt. Depends on traction and load.

The case is one solid casting so nothing to space out. Take a look at the pics on my facebook pages (link in my sig). There will be some engine case pictures showing the block opened up so you can see what's in there as well as some pics of the chain drive conversions (all but one type we have more pics to come).

Sean

[KJShover]

Never seen one of the belt drives and don't see any pics on his website. He sells a lot of stuff he hasn't made yet too.

Sean
He used to have several pictures of his belt drives. I still have a video he sent me of some of his builds and a few of them were belt driven.

[KJShover]

Thats another thing i was wondering, what sort of power can a belt drive handle? I know Xb12 buell's are belt drive too but dont think they put out more power then the vmax but i maybe wrong?

It would handle more than you think. My 127" motor made 140hp and 140tq to the ground. It was belt driven. 3" primary to the trans and about 1.75" drive belt. It took all the abuse I threw at it.

[SMF_12]

i wont need a primary to trans on a vmax engine will i? i just want the one like on yer rear wheel!!

[KJShover]

i wont need a primary to trans on a vmax engine will i? i just want the one like on yer rear wheel!!

No thats a V-twin thang. The engine and trans are separate units connected by the primary drive belt.

[Thevmaxrider]

Interesting idea going to a belt. Can't wait to see what my chain conversion looks like!!

[4gasem]

I have a chain bike and the one thing I hate about it, is the chain... lol Cleaning and lubing it every 300 miles sucks!

The Buells with the Belt REALLY peaked my interest... Of course we know what happened with them. ugh...

Chris

[SMF_12]

I have a chain bike and the one thing I hate about it, is the chain... lol Cleaning and lubing it every 300 miles sucks!

The Buells with the Belt REALLY peaked my interest... Of course we know what happened with them. ugh...

Chris

my mate had a buell when i had a hornet and i much preferd the look and maintainance of the belt drive :biglaugh:

good times...http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/Python/Bike%20Pics/Hornet%20600/DSC00711-1.jpg

[jedi-]

It's actually possible to do this, belt or chain without hacking into the engine.
I've done it on one of my projects previously.
There's a bit of engineering involved but it would be a plug and play operation and does make allowance for much wider wheels etc. with ease

If I was keen to do it to my Vmax I probably would have by now. I like the shaft drive, it's quiet, trouble free and not messy and feel no desire to change it.

[joelyons50023]

I am A harley tech. and belts are supposed to for holding up your pants not for propeling your bike. It is not so much the ammount of power that you put out it is the holeshots and first to second gear shifts that are the problem. they will hold up to those times better if they are ran a little tighter but then they stretch out faster. but mabie a spring loaded tensioner would work good.