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[NEW2elec]

I have seen the super sport and race bikes using the single sided swing arms so I thought I'd try to research them and see what the advantages would be beyond weight savings.
The biggest pro I see for Zeros is the ease of belt changes. I see the belt goes around the swing arm forcing you to remove the wheel and swing arm to change the belt.
Not the end of the world if you are doing it at you garage but not doable on the road or in the woods.
There seems to be at least some weight savings as you have to beef up the SSSA to handle the lack of support from the left side.  Which helps with unsprung weight which should help the rear wheel stay in contact with the road.
Also a side mounted suspension would be easier to get to to adjust and replace.
No need to align two tension bolts to get the wheel straight.
So what is the down side other than cost?  If any of you have used them in the real world or know others who have whats the verdict, and should Zero look into this option?

[MrDude_1]

well, a single sided swingarm is heavier.
the wheel can be misaligned, but there is no adjustment to fix it (usually).
the belt still needs the swingarm to come off unless you redesign that part of the chassis and motor mount... but the chassis has to be redesigned to hold the side shock if you want to go that route too.

the overall unsprung weight will be higher, making the only benefit faster rear wheel changes... and it looks cooler.


I think the better solution to your problem of belt changes offroad, is a open ended belt with a metal spring connector...

[EL S ONE]

I have changed out the belt on my 2015 SR. Unbolt swing arm and lower shock mount. Pull swing arm aft and mount belt. Torque swing arm , shock bolts and tension belt.

[Richard230]

Also, wheels that mount to singe-sided swing arms are more difficult to balance and the swing arm unit is sure to be more expensive and difficult to manufacture.  Finally, some of the nuts that secure the wheels on some designs are kind of weird.  Mostly they are used for styling reasons and because they are much faster to remove and reinstall under race conditions. But the additional unsprung weight might not be worth that advantage on a race bike.

[grmarks]

well, a single sided swingarm is heavier.
the wheel can be misaligned, but there is no adjustment to fix it (usually).
the belt still needs the swingarm to come off unless you redesign that part of the chassis and motor mount... but the chassis has to be redesigned to hold the side shock if you want to go that route too.

the overall unsprung weight will be higher, making the only benefit faster rear wheel changes... and it looks cooler.

+1

[NEW2elec]

Well I guess that was a bust.  The info I had from a quick search sounded like they weren't as heavy and easier to adjust tension on belts and chains.  I read a few guys on here snapping belts mostly FX's catching air spinning up the rear wheel and then coming back under full load and snapping.  I wanted a way to change the belt in the field and thought this might fix it but I guess not.  Look for something else.
Thanks

[MrDude_1]

Well I guess that was a bust.  The info I had from a quick search sounded like they weren't as heavy and easier to adjust tension on belts and chains.  I read a few guys on here snapping belts mostly FX's catching air spinning up the rear wheel and then coming back under full load and snapping.  I wanted a way to change the belt in the field and thought this might fix it but I guess not.  Look for something else.
Thanks

I love single sided swingarms for the look and it does make taking the tire off easier, but I'm just being honest. Ive had a SSS on my HawkGT, VFR, 916, 1098, and R6. Ive also helped swap them on other bikes, starting with the R6. Its pretty simple between all metric bikes, just swap the bearings so the pivot axle fits and make custom spacers, then work out the shock linkage. If you're lucky, the shock lines up.

for a real field changable belt, you need to have nothing inside the belt.
the only way I can think to do this would be a roller on the bottom half that "lifts" the bottom of the belt up. that way the belt can go straight from the wheel around the motor,  over the idler and back down.... the belt would then clear the cross of the swingarm....but it would probably have to be a spring loaded idler as the tension would now change as the wheel rotated.


seems like alot of work for something that woudl rarely happen. instead, I would just carry the tools to swap it around and a spare belt. While it sucks that you have to break open the suspension, its not nearly as hard to do as de-flooding a motor or any of the other pain in the butt fixes I have had to do when in the middle of nowhere.
Atleast with a zero FX, you will be within walking distance of civilization.

[Ranga]

Now that I think about it, ARE there any production motorcycles with a single swingarm on the opposite side of the belt? That's the only way it would help with changing the belt, and the lateral and verticle torque that would put on the bearing must be intense.

[MrDude_1]

Now that I think about it, ARE there any production motorcycles with a single swingarm on the opposite side of the belt? That's the only way it would help with changing the belt, and the lateral and verticle torque that would put on the bearing must be intense.

production motorcycles? no.
there are a couple scooters... and the Goped ESR is that way.
I have a heavily modified ESR myself with open side belt drive. it works well enough, but I wouldnt want to put huge torque through it.