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[staples]

So I was out for a ride last night on my 2018 FXS and hit a small bump / manhole cover as I was accelerating and my belt snapped. It's only 3300 miles old, and I've never had to adjust it because it has always been within the limits by gauge and app.

Has anybody experienced a failure like this?

[staples]

I've seen a lot of people talking about debris, but the road was pretty clean... for Chicago.

[pacificcricket]

One guy I know broke two (!!!) belts on FXS by riding off a sidewalk.

[Doug S]

I doubt debris was the problem. I suspect the wheel was able to spin up when it was off the ground, and the jerk when it came back down caused too much stress on the belt.

[NetPro]

I doubt debris was the problem. I suspect the wheel was able to spin up when it was off the ground, and the jerk when it came back down caused too much stress on the belt.

It makes total sense.
Based on the circumstances the OP described this hypothesis is very likely to be right-on!

[staples]

This is my first belt drive bike. I'm super disappointed that a little bit of wheel slip / vertical suspension travel will cause a belt snap. I was on it hard, but not WOT.

This has me thinking of doing a chain conversion. I've never dropped a chain on the ground.

[DonTom]

This is my first belt drive bike. I'm super disappointed that a little bit of wheel slip / vertical suspension travel will cause a belt snap. I was on it hard, but not WOT.

This has me thinking of doing a chain conversion. I've never dropped a chain on the ground.

If the rear wheel spins freely up while off the ground while the throttle is open, the belt is likely to snap when the wheel is grounded again.  Our bikes have a lot of torque and something has to give.

Whenever I see a bump in the road, or anything else that doesn't look quite right ahead, I decelerate over it.

I have around 7,500 miles on each of my Zeros and the DS is often on unpaved roads (includes today). No belt problems so far.

And I do not clean my belt or do anything other than every few thousand miles check the alignment and tension.

Also, I am mostly in the eco mode as I do mostly in town riding.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Say10 15FX 16FXS]

Narrow 14mm belt on a 2018? I thought they went to the heavier belt in 2017. I've got spare belts, both sizes, on NW side. 

[DonTom]

Narrow 14mm belt on a 2018? I thought they went to the heavier belt in 2017. I've got spare belts, both sizes, on NW side.

I think it depends on the model.  The DS has a larger belt in 2017, but not the plain "S" bikes, for one example. I don't think that changed in 2018.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

Narrow 14mm belt on a 2018? I thought they went to the heavier belt in 2017. I've got spare belts, both sizes, on NW side.

I think it depends on the model.  The DS has a larger belt in 2017, but not the plain "S" bikes, for one example. I don't think that changed in 2018.

-Don-  Reno, NV

My 2018 S has the wider (17mm ?) belt. Replacement cost increased from around $85 in 2014 to $120 last year.  Likely more now.   

[DonTom]

My 2018 S has the wider (17mm ?) belt. Replacement cost increased from around $85 in 2014 to $120 last year.  Likely more now.   

Do you know if they still use the smaller belt in any 2019 models?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Curt]

My FX is just reaching 2.75 yr / 8000 mi and I'm amazed the belt hasn't snapped yet. I'm thinking of replacing it pre-emptively.

There are 3 speed bumps to attack every time I leave or return home, sometimes spinning up the wheel ("zzzzzzzoop"). But always slow on curbs and stairs.

[Richard230]

My 2018 S has the wider (17mm ?) belt. Replacement cost increased from around $85 in 2014 to $120 last year.  Likely more now.   

Do you know if they still use the smaller belt in any 2019 models?

-Don-  Reno, NV

I don't have a clue.  Maybe the belt width is mentioned on the Zero site in their specifications for the FX models?  I know they use the wider belt in the DS and S versions.

[squirreljihad]

My brand new SR/F just snapped its belt two days ago, with 205 miles on the bike.

I was riding on smooth pavement, accelerating at maybe 1/4 to 1/3 throttle (was making a left turn and needed to hit a gap in traffic), and was running about 25 MPH when it snapped. Thankfully, I was able to push the bike home.

The day before, I geeked out on the belt tension app on my phone (this is my first moto with belt drive), so I happen to know with certainty that the belt's tension was within spec, according to the iOS app.

Anyway, just wanted to add my $0.02.

[NetPro]

Strange!
Was the belt tension according to the phone app on the high end of the range?

Out of curiosity, how was the belt tracking? On my SR/F no matter how hard I try, I can't get it to track about 1 MM away from the sprocket lip, as recommended in another thread.
It either goes to the opposite side and tracks like 5MM from the "lip" or it comes back to left side where it seems to touch said lip.
I have done some very fine tuning and increased or decreased the right tensioner by very, VERY small amounts and it only tracks all the way to the right (right belt edge flush with sprocket edge) or left belt side pretty much touching the lip. No happy medium.
 
This happens with the tension set at the lower end of the range or at the high end.
I wanted to try and center the belt on the sprocket or have it slightly away from the lip but it just doesn't want to cooperate