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I don't see the advantages of each of these...Except shaft drive dosen't have to be adjusted and changed...

Shaft drive:
-Quieter
-MUCH less maintenance
-Smoother, not nearly as much lash

Chain drive:
-Easily replaceable
-Adjustable gear ratios
-Less power loss

Wrider

Before I had any knowledge of the bikes that are out today - all I wanted was a shaft driven bike. I equate shaft with cars and reliability and chains with my old bicycles and them falling off....

Then I found that the only bikes with shafts tend to be larger or higher level bikes. None of the starter bikes come with a shaft that I can tell.

RhadamYgg

RhadamYgg wrote:Before I had any knowledge of the bikes that are out today - all I wanted was a shaft driven bike. I equate shaft with cars and reliability and chains with my old bicycles and them falling off....

Then I found that the only bikes with shafts tend to be larger or higher level bikes. None of the starter bikes come with a shaft that I can tell.

RhadamYgg

If you're talking about *new* bikes, yes.

The Yamaha Virago bikes (predecessor to the V-Star) are shaft drive, though.

The Virago XV750, XV700, XV535, and XV250 are all quality shaft-drive bikes perfectly suitable for beginners.

jonnythan wrote:

RhadamYgg wrote:Before I had any knowledge of the bikes that are out today - all I wanted was a shaft driven bike. I equate shaft with cars and reliability and chains with my old bicycles and them falling off....

Then I found that the only bikes with shafts tend to be larger or higher level bikes. None of the starter bikes come with a shaft that I can tell.

RhadamYgg

If you're talking about *new* bikes, yes.

The Yamaha Virago bikes (predecessor to the V-Star) are shaft drive, though.

The Virago XV750, XV700, XV535, and XV250 are all quality shaft-drive bikes perfectly suitable for beginners.

Now that is sweet.

RhadamYgg

I just learned that the 650cc and 1100cc V-Stars are shaft drive too, actually.

The 07 and newer Honda Shadow line has shaft drive, though I'm not sure I would refer to the Shadow as a high end bike. I have to admit, I had similar, and maybe, misconceptions about chain drive and was interested to learn the Shadow had the shaft drive.

RevBrian wrote:The 07 and newer Honda Shadow line has shaft drive, though I'm not sure I would refer to the Shadow as a high end bike. I have to admit, I had similar, and maybe, misconceptions about chain drive and was interested to learn the Shadow had the shaft drive.

Well, maybe not higher-end, but not beginner bikes. I think the shafts start in Honda in the 750cc and up. While I suppose I could start at that in a cruiser since it isn't a supped up power machine, I don't think I want to start on a bike that costs over 5K.

RhadamYgg

I have one of each, shaft and chain. I can ride the chain bike much more aggressively, and it is far more forgiving in aggresive downshifts, whereas the shaft bike requires very careful rpm matching or it locks up the rear and skids.

Some of the older shaft bikes also have the annoying quality of "jacking up" when throttle is applied, momentarily unloading the suspension, again not something you want to do casually if you are riding aggressively.

These qualities are why all sport bikes have chains.

Funderbird wrote:I don't see the advantages of each of these...Except shaft drive dosen't have to be adjusted and changed...

Might wanna consider belt drive as well. 883 Sportster, Buell Blast, BMW F650CS are some of the entry-level bikes that have belt drive. Almost as low-maintenance as a shaft drive bike.