From: boardman@cancer.unm.edu (Bob Boardman)
Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles
Subject: Re: chain vs belt vs shaft drive
Date: 7 Apr 92 17:56:16 GMT
Article-I.D.: lynx.1_qjarl
Reply-To: boardman@cancer.unm.edu
Distribution: world,local
Organization: UNM Cancer Center

In article <1992Apr7.115725.12808@inmos.co.uk>,
       nicks@grandad.inmos.co.uk (Nick Sturge) writes:
>
>And shaft drive, what a brilliant piece of engineering! No
>maintanance (bar an oil change once in a blue moon), and no
>grime covering the whjole back-end of your bike (so less cleaning).
>You get a little bit of snatch (only the belt gets rid of this)
>but good riding avoids this. Unfortunately, there aren't many nice 
>bikes with shaft drive (unless your into BMWs).
>
	Well, I have to agree with this opinion of shaft drives - I
  rode chain-drive bikes until I bought a Yamaha XV750H Virago in 1981 -
  I haven't missed jacking around with chains in the slightest. They
  did things right with the shaft drive on the XV750H - very little
  flywheel effect, and shifts *ALMOST* as well as a chain (yeah, your
  shift timing has to change a bit with any shaft). 
                        <flame-suit on>
	I had many friends back in the 70's who thought BMW's were the
  *ONLY* motorcycle, and I got to ride quite a variety, but they all had
  such clunky shifting that I couldn't STAND them (of course, I was riding
  a modified CB450 Honda and could leave them in the dust off the line.)
  I still remember how the R75's would kind of shake their tail sideways
  before moving forward when you dropped the clutch off the line, from the
  flywheel momentum.  JHMO  ;^)
	The XV750H doesn't seem to have any of these shortcomings, other than
  the shaft adding to the weight.  I've been very happy with mine (both of
  them)  After my original 1981 was totalled by a cager in an Audi Fox (1987),
  I managed to find a NEW 1982 just like my 1981 - still had the monoshock rear
  suspension - the move back to dual sping/shocks (in 1985?) for harleyesque
  appearance was a GIANT step backwards.  I won't give any of you sporty-bike
  FGZXPRRRR611##RRRRRRRers any competition in the 1/4 mile, but it has enough
  power to get around on, GOBS of low-end torque, nice wide power-band, and
  still gets 60 m.p.g. on the highway (~45 mpg in spirited start/stop driving).
  With a Dunlop K591 on the front and a Metzeler ME55A on the rear, it does
  pretty well in the twistys (love that monoshock rear-air&damping adjustable).
	I've done 50,000 miles or so an chain-drives in the past, and another
  50,000 or so on the Viragos - The shaft drive is verrrrrry verrrrry nice.
	Of course, I've always had that repressed urge to get a Harley - back
  in Michigan, I had some friends in some of the Harley gangs (this was back
  when the Highwaymen and the Forbidden Wheels would dynamite each other's
  clubhouse on a monthly basis), although my friends were in sone of the less
  extreme gangs.  (Did you ever see Hogs with bolts sticking out of the rear
  tires for spikes, dirt racing on a 1/4 mile oval???).  I hear that you can
  even ride some of the new Harleys for more than 50 miles without having
  something fall off or break.  Back then, we referred to them as "Hardly
  AbleToRuns".  I'm sure I'll probably hear from some of you Harley riders
  out there - just keep the flames moderate and include some real information
  and we'll get along just fine! Oh yeah, this was supposed to be chain vs.
  shaft vs. belt.
  I vote for shaft.

  -Bob

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|      Bob Boardman, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico        |
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| Bob Boardman,Albuquerque,New Mexico - NRA LIFE, NMSSA, Zia Rifle&Pistol Club|
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