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[domingo3]

Thanks for all the replies. To answer a couple of things brought up, the bike has 9500 miles.  It is parked indoors both at work and at home.  I ride almost exclusively on the highway, acceleratiing fast and riding fast.  No jumping curbs, offroading or hooning.  I haven't measured them, but the other areas look like their length is identical.

[ESokoloff]

...........I haven't measured them, but the other areas look like their length is identical.

I’m thinking that’s not a coincidence but rather a function of the belt having to go around the smallest diameter of the motor pulley & how that acts on the belt stretching the outer part while compressing the inner.

[JaimeC]

On Facebook someone had postulated that the front pulley had too small of a diameter for the belt and that was causing undue strain on the belt because of that.  It makes sense as the front pulleys on all three of my Buells were much bigger. 

I think the reason the belt on my 2016 S was due to the fact that the belt was a lot thinner so the outer casing wasn't stressed as much as the newer, thicker belts.  If that is the case, then it isn't a manufacturing defect as much as it is a design flaw.  In order to keep the gear ratio the same, any increase in the size of the front pulley would require a corresponding increase in the size of the rear pulley so maybe a different belt design would be the answer?  I don't know... I'm not an engineer.

[valnar]

I think the reason the belt on my 2016 S was due to the fact that the belt was a lot thinner so the outer casing wasn't stressed as much as the newer, thicker belts.  If that is the case, then it isn't a manufacturing defect as much as it is a design flaw.  In order to keep the gear ratio the same, any increase in the size of the front pulley would require a corresponding increase in the size of the rear pulley so maybe a different belt design would be the answer?  I don't know... I'm not an engineer.

100% agree.  I think a lot of the decisions made by Zero engineers are arbitrary.  It's clear they know what they're doing in some cases, and in others, not so much. The fault lies in this being a new kind of motorcycle and Zero being a new company without R&D history.

[JaimeC]

I would've hoped that the Gates engineers would've seen this problem though.  From what I can tell, this belt was designed specifically for Zero and no one else...

[Crissa]

If there's a pattern to it, sounds like a manufacture issue.

-Crissa

[ESokoloff]

I would've hoped that the Gates engineers would've seen this problem though.  From what I can tell, this belt was designed specifically for Zero and no one else...

I doubt the belt was designed specifically for Zero. https://www.gates.com/us/en/power-transmission/synchronous-belts.html
The exact/unique size specifications?
Certainly.

[JaimeC]

It's been awhile but, when I tried to cross-reference the part number on the Gates site, it indicated "Zero" and nothing else.

[Crissa]

I coulda swore I saw an interview where Zero's CEO said it was made for them specifically.

-Crissa

[TEV]

It's been awhile but, when I tried to cross-reference the part number on the Gates site, it indicated "Zero" and nothing else.

Zero belt is 11mm pitch, and on the Gates site, can't find anything smaller than 14mm pitch,  so obviously was made for Zero to accommodate the small sprocket,  but, maybe,  they pushed the limits a little too far ?

[TheRan]

It's been awhile but, when I tried to cross-reference the part number on the Gates site, it indicated "Zero" and nothing else.

Zero belt is 11mm pitch, and on the Gates site, can't find anything smaller than 14mm pitch,  so obviously was made for Zero to accommodate the small sprocket,  but, maybe,  they pushed the limits a little too far ?

They have at least 5, 8, and 19mm listed from what I could find (a lot of the tables are fucked up and I think put the total tooth count in place of the pitch) and they make 11mm pitch belts for bicycles. The smallest bicycle sprocket I could find is 19t and the 7.2 Zeros use 18t but the 14.4s use 20t. Of course this doesn't mean it's not custom, but it's unlikely to be something vastly different to other belts Gates have made.

[JaimeC]

I coulda swore I saw an interview where Zero's CEO said it was made for them specifically.

-Crissa

Not the CEO... Abe Askenzie the CTO.  And I remember that too.  In the interview he'd said when he first got to Zero they were using a chain drive and he really hated the way they sounded.  He was the one who pushed for a belt drive.  He had just come over from working at Buell after Harley shut them down so he was well aware of the benefits of a belt drive.

[princec]

What if... they had two belts. Hmm.

Cas

[TheRan]

Two motors, one tuned for low speed, the other tuned for higher speeds, but both can work at once for maximum zoom.

[JaimeC]

Enough speculation.  Barring a belt redesign, what are our options NOW?  The problem appears to be the rubber on the outside of the belt drying and cracking.  Would occasionally treating the OUTSIDE (NOT the inside) of the belt with Armor All prevent this drying from occurring?  You don't want to put it on the inside because the moisture would allow it to retain dirt and grit that would be ground into the rubber every time the teeth pass over the pulleys.  But on the outside of the belt?  I can't think of any harm there.  What do you all think?  Maybe once a week wet a cloth with Armor All, put the bike up on a track stand and just use that cloth to wipe over the outside of the belt.  I wouldn't recommend spraying it directly onto the belt because that would risk it splashing over on to the teeth.

Thoughts?