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[enaef]

Hi

I'm at 43'000 now with my SR/F. My dealer asked me if I ever had changed my drive belt.
I did not and he told me, I should. I know that Zero recommends to change it after 37'000 km.
Somewhere I read that it is not necessary to change if it looks ok - which mine does.

I should mention that 80 - 90% of the time I drive in Eco-Mode. Sports-Mode I have tried three times only for seconds in order to experience the immense torque.
I'm no technitian but I think driving in Eco-Mode would not put the belt under the same stress as it does with the other modes.

Well - I have a spare belt at home for more than a year now. I plan a next drive to Slovenia (2'000 km both ways) and am considering to change it before I go - together with a new back-tire.
If I don't change it before the journey, I certainly will take it with me.

What are your thoughts about it?

[NervEasy]

I think I would... Belt's snap without warning. Even perfect looking ones. Keep your old one as an emergency spare?

[enaef]

I think I would... Belt's snap without warning. Even perfect looking ones. Keep your old one as an emergency spare?

The old one I could try to sell at eBay. I'd write: Proved to be healthy for > 40'000 km 

[DonTom]

Hi

I'm at 43'000 now with my SR/F. My dealer asked me if I ever had changed my drive belt.
I did not and he told me, I should. I know that Zero recommends to change it after 37'000 km.
Somewhere I read that it is not necessary to change if it looks ok - which mine does.

I should mention that 80 - 90% of the time I drive in Eco-Mode. Sports-Mode I have tried three times only for seconds in order to experience the immense torque.
I'm no technitian but I think driving in Eco-Mode would not put the belt under the same stress as it does with the other modes.

Well - I have a spare belt at home for more than a year now. I plan a next drive to Slovenia (2'000 km both ways) and am considering to change it before I go - together with a new back-tire.
If I don't change it before the journey, I certainly will take it with me.

What are your thoughts about it?

I would change it at 37,000 km / 23,000 miles as was recommended just so I wouldn't have to think about it anymore.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[princec]

Don't sell the old one! Just keep it coiled up and take it with you (plus the 3 tools you need to change it... torx thingy, large wrench for wheel spindle, small spanner for adjuster locknuts).

Cas

[Specter]

Belt's don't need to be under load to wear out, weaken, just age can do it as well.
Being exposed to the sunlight and elements will take it's toll as well.
Of course hammering it will push it faster but just because you drove like grandmaw is NOT a guarantee it's like brand new.  It still flexed and went roundy roundy how many millions of times??

Electronics are the same way.
I have 2 AC's on my house,  one runs a LOT, the other, only occasionally.  I can tell you over the past 12 years, the same shit would break on them, the start cap, the control board, within 4 to 6 months of each other REPEATEDLY, irregardless of actually 'on time'.

For peace of mind Id change it, and keep the old one as an emergency spare.

Aaron

[enaef]

Thanks for all the answers.

This Saturday the belt will be changed at the same time I'll get a new back tire.
I'm at >46'000 km now - did the 'Route des Grandes Alpes' both ways with the old one.

However - I'm happy to have the new one on the bike next week.

[DonTom]

Belt's don't need to be under load to wear out, weaken, just age can do it as well.

I wonder how they age when new but unused. I have three new unused belts for my two Zeros. I keep one here and one each in both of my motorhomes in Auburn,  with all the tools to do a change on the road. Two of the belts I purchased back in 2017. The one I keep here is much newer.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[princec]

They will veeeeery slowly oxidise, but the real killer is UV light, so as long as it's kept in the dark in a nice dry bag (maybe nitrogen filled eh?) it'll see you out.

Cas

[Specter]

Don, the main killers are UV light ie the sun,  Heat, and Oxidizers in the air, ie exhaust gasses,  Nox, Sox  etc.

If you keep it in a plastic bag in a closet or cabinet or something it should be good.  If you have it hanging on a hook in the garage at 112 degrees in the summer, it's getting boogered.

Aaron

[DonTom]

Hi

I'm at 43'000 now with my SR/F. My dealer asked me if I ever had changed my drive belt.
I did not and he told me, I should. I know that Zero recommends to change it after 37'000 km.
Somewhere I read that it is not necessary to change if it looks ok - which mine does.

I should mention that 80 - 90% of the time I drive in Eco-Mode. Sports-Mode I have tried three times only for seconds in order to experience the immense torque.
I'm no technitian but I think driving in Eco-Mode would not put the belt under the same stress as it does with the other modes.

Well - I have a spare belt at home for more than a year now. I plan a next drive to Slovenia (2'000 km both ways) and am considering to change it before I go - together with a new back-tire.
If I don't change it before the journey, I certainly will take it with me.

What are your thoughts about it?

This reminds me of a 1981 Mercury Capri I once owned. It had a timing belt which was recommended to be changed at 60,000 miles. Since the 2.3 L engine was a non-interference engine, I was not too concerned about it breaking. It made it to 60,000 miles but NOT to 61,000 miles. Left me stuck on a lonely highway well before the cellphone days. I had to walk several miles to get to a pay phone to call for help.


Since then, I take the recommendations for belts a lot more seriously.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[2020_SRS_Commuter]

My SRS is at 40k miles now, bought new. I replaced the first belt at around 27k miles. At first I was skeptical, because looking at the belt on the bike closely, I didn't see any decay. This is my first motorcycle with belt, all the previous had chains or a driveshaft.
When I took it off I was shocked to see how bad it actually was. The damage was on the inside of the belt. In each valley there was a deep crack in the material. This was not visible when it was under tension, but when I could hold it in my hands and bend it back slightly... wow.

Change it!
#1 For your safety
#2 Its easy
#3 You see what tools are needed, and can pack them on your motorcycle along with the old belt to carry on rides.

This can definitely be done on the side of the road because it has a brilliant design where the wheel need not be removed.
Be sure to pack a flashlight too.

[Specter]

Back when belts were made of I guess you cold say more organic stuff.  String, rubber, twine, you could tell a long way off that it was wearing out, shredding itself, stretching.

With the new belts made of these synthetic materials, they don't show any wear really, it's VERY hard to see any and they tend to just let go with no warning.   Many people have made the mistake of, well it looks just fine, Im going to push it another 5 k miles, and got stuck over time because they don't show wear like we were used to seeing.

Aaron