Quote:
Originally Posted by JoshuaTree
True that the Buell and other similar belt drive systems are 'maintenance free', but only as a result of truly modern material science. Historically speaking, shaft drive bikes have been lower cost to maintain and have longer service intervals. Even BMW has moved to belt drive systems for their F800 street bikes.  Chains (and perhaps belts, but I do not have engineering data to 'prove it') are more efficient at transmitting torque, but the loss is not material to the power usage of a typical street bike.
YMMV...  |
If you're looking at power loss through the mechanics of the system, the hierarchy goes (least to most) shaft, belt, chain. Beamer prolly went to shaft because their riders don't care about weight.