Shaft vs. Chain vs. Belt final drive

[jonnythan]

Give me a shaft drive, the maintenance is easier and their a lot cleaner.

How is it easier?

The mechanism seems more complex than a chain. I'm sure you're correct in your assessment, I just can't reconcile it in my head.

Mechanism is complex, but the only maintenance is changing the oil every year or three.

[Misguided Missle]

Service the chain every 400-600 miles or every rain storm

I dotn know what kind of chains you buy. Ive been using NON o-ringed chains for 40 years, even abusing them, Ive never had one not last two seasons. It rains here over half the year, and as long as you lube your can once a month, it will last.

I have a belt drive currently, very smooth, no noise. The next machine Im looking at will be chain driven. WHY? For one reason only. SO I can change gearing to custom suit my fat butt, and riding style.

You cant do that with my belt, nor any shaft that I know of.

[HYPERR]

My biggest beef with shaft is the pogostick effect. I have paralever on my R1150R which almost eliminates it but it still lets you know you are on a shaftie if you scrape a peg.

[storysunfolding]

Service the chain every 400-600 miles or every rain storm

I dotn know what kind of chains you buy. Ive been using NON o-ringed chains for 40 years, even abusing them, Ive never had one not last two seasons. It rains here over half the year, and as long as you lube your can once a month, it will last.

I use oring chaings and only get 30,000 miles out of them. I wish I could make them last two seasons!

[Misguided Missle]

I dont do 30k in a season any more

Im good for 18-23k

The last chian drive I had was a FJ1200, I owned it for 10 years, Never broke a chain, but had 1-2 noisy ones.

[Dystopian]

My biggest beef with shaft is the pogostick effect. I have paralever on my R1150R which almost eliminates it but it still lets you know you are on a shaftie if you scrape a peg.

Can someone explain this to me?

[caspermontana]

The type of final drive in regular everyday motorcycles is really not a point to cosider if you love everything else about the bike that you are looking at, but, here are some things to consider: shaft drive, while being the least maintenance, does rob the bike of some HP. in a 1300-1800 cc bike, this is probably not an issue, but Honda chose to go to shaft drive on their 750 shadows, and the chain drive 600cc shadows will run away from them, so in under one liter bikes it can be an issue, not to mention shaft drive hop. Belt drive is probably really the best way to go, as they have very little maintenance either, and don't lose power to the rear wheel, HOWEVER, all professional racing bikes use chain drive. My 600 shadow has one and I use the spray white lithium grease chain lube one every 500 miles, and after the first adjustment at 700 miles, I did not need to do the next one till the odo read 11,000 miles, so lubing it wasn't really an issue.Cleaning the rear of the bike was needed just after the first 50 miles, but after that not until the next lube job. And don't forget that a chain is the cheapest to replace. A belt requires that the rear wheel be removed, and shaft drive repairs will really eat up your beer money. So it really all comes down to what you think of the rest of the bike, and let the chips fall where they will when it comes to the final drive, just a personal opinion, but food for thought

[Johnj]

My biggest beef with shaft is the pogostick effect. I have paralever on my R1150R which almost eliminates it but it still lets you know you are on a shaftie if you scrape a peg.

Can someone explain this to me?

I think what Hyperr is referring to is the suspension reacting to acceleration and deceleration force against the gearset at the rear of the bike. I found it annoying on my R90/6, but hardly notice on the Connie. I haven't rode the XS750F enough to know about it yet.

[WQFTruckster]

I love the belt drive on my Uly. Never have to clean it, oil it, adjust it or rebuild it. True, it can't be repaired like a chain, but, on a long trip a spare belt doesn't take up that much space in a side case. It is just as easy to change out as a chain. A modern belt should last just as long as a chain, has no backlash and practically no power loss. The only downside I see is that it would not be easy to change gearing, but this would be the same on a shaft drive. Belt technology has come a long way in recent years.

[storysunfolding]

I love the belt drive on my Uly. Never have to clean it, oil it, adjust it or rebuild it. True, it can't be repaired like a chain, but, on a long trip a spare belt doesn't take up that much space in a side case. It is just as easy to change out as a chain. A modern belt should last just as long as a chain, has no backlash and practically no power loss. The only downside I see is that it would not be easy to change gearing, but this would be the same on a shaft drive. Belt technology has come a long way in recent years.

Do you find any issues offroading with the rocks poking through? Some Stroms were outfitted with belts aftermarket and reported this problem.