What is your cost per mile. - Page 10

 
I (and my racing/riding partner) have had a completely opposite
experience.   Rode my Road Glide just under 40,000 miles and the belt
was like new when I traded it in.  Have 22k on the Street Glide and
the belt is indistinguishable from new.  He has over 50k on his Ultra
and the belt shows no signs of wear.

The Dunlop (K491? I think.)  tires they are putting on the touring
bikes last a long time, but they stick very well, and quite frankly, I
am riding my Street Glide in ways that Harley never intended the thing
to be ridden.  The tires are definitely NOT the limiting factor in the
bike's handling envelope, even after upgrading the suspension, engine,
and brakes.   I will say that the handling degrades noticeably during
the last 2,000 miles of the rear tire's life, simply due to squaring
off.

Of course, with the front lasting 20,000 miles and the rear lasting
10,000 miles, if someone were to only ride 2,000 miles to 2,500 miles
per year, I presume the tires would age harden and become less sticky
before they were worn out.   I don't have to worry about that.

 I (and my racing/riding partner) have had a completely opposite
experience.   Rode my Road Glide just under 40,000 miles and the belt
was like new when I traded it in.  Have 22k on the Street Glide and
the belt is indistinguishable from new.  He has over 50k on his Ultra
and the belt shows no signs of wear.

I changed the belt and sprockets on my 1990 FLHTC at about 135,000 as a
precaution because after 14 years the rubber was showing checks like a tire
sidewall, but there was very little wear.  Had it been my only bike and got
ridden more it would have lasted twice as many miles.  I've only seen two
bad belts. one punchered by a sharp rock and one worn on one side from
misalignment.

 My original belt got changed out around 18K as it glazed and began to chirp
like mad.  Must be some combination of heat, too many washes, time, and
maybe alignment of either swingarm shifting or sprocket alignment.  I want
to try one of the TWR stabilizers for the frame/swingarm and see how it
fairs.

My Dunlops on the Bagger are pretty darn hard and I've often slid on them on
slow turns (damn sand!) after two years and about 12,000 miles since
changed.  My fingernail won't even dent them like when new.  Maybe need new
ones before season takes off.

Mack.

 M. MacDonald wrote:

Might be an older one.  I recall reading that Buell was going to
warranty their new belts for the life of the bike or some such thing.
Apparently, their new ones are virtually indestructible.  I can't
imagine Harley isn't using the same thing.

 See http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/oak/mcy/690172431.html
170 miles per gallon (Canadian), bet that cuts the cost down.

Ian Singer

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