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[ColoPaul]

OK, riding with 19400 on the odo;  and suddenly an intermittent grindy noise and minor vibration (could only feel it in the right foot peg).  Stopped, looked, didn't see anything.  Rode 2-ish miles, still occurring, stopped again, and this time I spotted it!  The inside rail of the front drive sprocket 'separated' / 'fell off' (why?) and is flopping around between the sprocket and the motor and the motor shaft.   

Advice?  I rode it home (~20 miles) without problems.  Do I need to replace the sprocket before riding again?  The belt seems to be just fine without that inside rail.   Perhaps I can just remove the separated rail and ride it until I get it into the shop for new tires (~1000 miles from now)?   Not sure how to remove it easily however - poor access.  Any ideas?

[firepower]

Suggest you forward this to Zero. Best to remove that piece of metal, maybe side cutters, or cable tie so it, so it  not in contact with moving parts.
If you do decide to keep riding make sure you check your belt before and after every trip. As Long as there is a guide on the missing side on the back too it should be ok, I be worried about the belt drifting off the front pully.

[m0t0-ryder]

You will probably need to replace the front sprocket. (Or have it replaced at a dealership)
The motor has to be removed from the bike to do this.
You may also have to use a torch to heat up the sprocket to get it off.
Green (permanent) locktite was used on most of these and requires heat to break it loose.

It "may be" OK to ride as is but it also could cause damage to the belt, leading to belt failure.

I would recommend checking your belt very carefully to make sure it is not cut anywhere.

[firepower]

Check your belt for wear/damage on the side that broke.

[ColoPaul]

Thanks for the tips, I did check the belt very carefully, no visible damage.
I managed with some difficulty (due to access) to cut the floating rail out.
The bike seems to run fine now.  I'll get a new sprocket on order but it doesn't seem like a big rush.
Funny it would fail like that.

[KrazyEd]

Difficult to tell from photos, but, is there any wear on the belt side of the piece.
If not, no rush ( I would think ) if so, I would waif for new sprocket.

[firepower]

Did you contact Zero? would be interesting to see their response.

Also could you change post title to Front Pully Failure, so other searching for similar will find this post

[goomicoo]

That looks like a seal to me. It would be for the output shaft of the motor and have nothing to do with the front pulley.

[ColoPaul]

firepower:  I did PM aaronzero just in case; but I doubt it's of interest to zero.  Seems like a one-of type failure.

goomicoo:  Yes, at first I thought that too, but it's definitely the "inside rail" on the pulley.  Here is a link to the motor drawings, there is no seal that would match it:
http://ep.yimg.com/ty/cdn/yhst-129399866319704/ME0913.pdf

Also this picture I happened to have from several years ago shows the rail, and it's now "gone".  Plus the dimensions match the remaining rails dimensions.

[firepower]

I hope yours is the only one, just worried if metal fatigue and wear may be start of more failures. At least you have documented it for reference and others with same model can check theirs.

[KrazyEd]

I know that Terry has had to replace the wheel bearings on his stream liner.
If anyone was going to have fatigue issues, it would be him.