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[valnar]

New'ish bike with less than 500 miles.  Accelerating up a slight hill to maybe 50Mph in a custom mode that is somewhere between ECO and Sport (71% torque setting).  90 degrees hot day in Ohio. No rain, no rocks, no slippage. Snapped right off.  I pushed it a mile to somewhere safe.

I called a friend to get it towed to my house.  Does anyone know if this is a warranty part when less than a year old?

-Robert

[Crissa]

Sometimes you can get them to warrantee it, but usually it's considered a consumable.

Sounds like a perfect traction day

-Crissa

[Say10 15FX 16FXS]

You snapped the wide belt? I think that’s the first 17mm that I’ve heard of snapping on any model.

[DonTom]

New'ish bike with less than 500 miles.  Accelerating up a slight hill to maybe 50Mph in a custom mode that is somewhere between ECO and Sport (71% torque setting).  90 degrees hot day in Ohio. No rain, no rocks, no slippage. Snapped right off.  I pushed it a mile to somewhere safe.

I called a friend to get it towed to my house.  Does anyone know if this is a warranty part when less than a year old?

-Robert

I don't think the belt is covered under warranty.

I think the reason most belts snap on bikes with few miles is because the belt is too tight. I hear the belt can get even tighter with a few miles on it (even though most would expect it to get looser) and my guess is that is what causes it to snap. I hear more about belts snapping on low mile bikes that those with many miles, unless a reason is discovered  (such as a rock between belt and sprocket, etc.).

I  check my belts simply by hand fairly often.  That's just to make sure it feels around normal and not extra tight.  I have  more than 10K miles on my DS and just under 10K miles on my SR. No belt problems so far.

Once in a great while, I will use my belt gauge, or perhaps the Zero Belt app, but I am so used to simply knowing what it should feel like, I use no tools and  just go for the quick hand check.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[valnar]

I did buy a spare belt for just such an occasion, but was hoping I didn't have to use it just yet. Looks like I'll learn how to replace my first motorcycle belt. Any tips? I see there is a YT video on it.
https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Gen2/Drive_Belt_Replacement_Procedure

[staples]

It took me about a year and 3500 miles to snap the belt on my '18 FXS. In my case it was clearly a traction issue. Hit a slick manhole cover under power.  That coupled with a good scare on a wet metal plate, I pay even more attention to the surfaces I ride on.

The torque is nice on dry surfaces, but a dangerous in other places.

[DonTom]

You snapped the wide belt? I think that’s the first 17mm that I’ve heard of snapping on any model.

I have heard of it snapping on a brand new SR/F with the even wider belt. A NEW one.

Now

from r/motorcycles

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[NoMoreIdeas]

Really got to wonder if these belts are not correctly tensioned by the dealer upon delivery. There are reports of people going 10's of thousands of miles on the factory belt, and some snap before 1000 miles. One of the first things I did when I got my '18 FX was to adjust the belt tension. It has seen 5000 miles of aggressive riding from 30F to over 100F with FXS wheels / tires on pavement and I recently put D606 knobbies on the FX rims, and have ~ 600 miles of gravel and single track on them. 7300 miles total on the factory belt. I did buy an extra one just in case but luckily it's still in storage.

[DonTom]

Really got to wonder if these belts are not correctly tensioned by the dealer upon delivery. There are reports of people going 10's of thousands of miles on the factory belt, and some snap before 1000 miles. One of the first things I did when I got my '18 FX was to adjust the belt tension. It has seen 5000 miles of aggressive riding from 30F to over 100F with FXS wheels / tires on pavement and I recently put D606 knobbies on the FX rims, and have ~ 600 miles of gravel and single track on them. 7300 miles total on the factory belt. I did buy an extra one just in case but luckily it's still in storage.

No doubt that is a big part of it. Don't assume dealers know what they are doing.

I would advise anybody who buys a new belt driven bike to check the belt as soon as they get the bike home and then check it again every few hundred miles for a while. Check both alignment and tension.

It could be they put the belt on at the tight end of spec and then it became  tighter. I don't remember where I got the info about the new belts getting tighter instead of looser in a few hundred miles. Perhaps I read it here. But too tight is a lot worse than too loose, so if in doubt go more towards the loose.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Curt]

My 2016 came with a loud whine and the belt tension off the scale.

But in case it was a rock, maybe also check the sprocket teeth for damage.

A belt expert might be able to tell what happened by looking at the belt damage.

[valnar]

I wish I found the belt then.  It's on the side of the road somewhere.  I'd be curious as well.

[valnar]

Hopefully I'll put it on in the next couple days, or a week at the latest.  I bought the Gates 91107 Belt Tension Tester from Amazon and downloaded the Carbon Drive app for my iPhone.  What should the app say is correct when all is done?  Any special settings I should configure in the app?

[Richard230]

The belt on my 2018 S was very tight as it came from the factory. Right at the upper range of tension. But it has not caused me any problems and I have not adjusted it since I bought the bike. Since then the tension has lessened a little and it is now in the middle of the range on my cheap mechanical gauge. My motto is if things are working right, leave them alone. 

[DonTom]

Hopefully I'll put it on in the next couple days, or a week at the latest.  I bought the Gates 91107 Belt Tension Tester from Amazon and downloaded the Carbon Drive app for my iPhone.  What should the app say is correct when all is done?  Any special settings I should configure in the app?

11 mm 42.5 Hz to 73.6 Hz is spec. Go for around 60 hz.

The info is in your owner's manual.  Page 6-18 and 6-19.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[valnar]

I bought my spare belt in April when AF1 had five in stock.  I just bought a spare to replace my 'spare' Lol.  Now they have one.  I wonder if COVID is affecting supply, in case anyone else wanted to hop on that last one.