I have a 1996 FLHTCUI Harley Davidson Ultra Classic. This weekend my drive belt broke on me. One of the folks riding with me stated that they used to make emergency drive belts for Bikes. Does anyone know if they still make them or where I could find one. My search for one is not going well. Thanks tom for the rescue this weekend.
Not worth carrying one. If inspected chances of it happen are so rare it is not worth worth it.
Not long ago I changed the belt ( factory Original) on my 1996 fat boy. It was still good but had it a part and changed it anyway.
Proper adjustment and look at it from time to time ride in peace.
After replacing this currently broken one, that would be for sure Smitty901. It's unlikely to ever happen again.
Yes...BUT....."IF" it were to happen again, as unlikely as that it, then at least the current sidecar rig owner would not have to call upon the previous sidecar rig owner to come with his trailer, and haul him home.
A LOT of it has to do with the CARE of the motorcycle. This rig that Dennis Peabody now owns was indeed well cared for by Tom, the previous owner.
But as an example, there were 4 of us riding the annual Three Flags Classic ride from Mexico to Canada in 1991, and whilst 3 of us were on Electra Glides, the other person was on a BMW K bike. Around Taos, New Mexico the one gal that was on her own '86 FLHTC threw her drive belt...and it all came down to extremely poor care of her bike. She lived in Prince George, B.C., and left her bike UNCOVERED year round, including Winters, sitting next to her apartment. Fully exposed to all the elements, so after only 5 years, and only 35k miles, that drive belt on her bike was wasted away in Margaritaville, or in this case Taos, NM.
I was carrying one of the H-D temporary belts with me at the time, and whilst we installed it on her bike, it made it all of 20 miles, before the knife sharp edges of the belt rear pulley shredded that belt. We left that bike in Taos, and the 4 of us continued on to Canada on 3 bikes.
If I were Dennis, I would buy one of those 2 available H-D temporary belts for sale on e-bay, and carry one with me for the next 15 years, because as we all know from experience, if you carry your rain gear with you, it will not rain. It's when you don't have your rain gear with you, that it rains. So if he carries this temporary belt with him, the newly replaced drive belt and belt pulleys should never need replacement, or if the new belt does break after 150k miles, and he is 3,000 miles away from home, he won't have to call Tom, the previous owner, and ask him to drive out to Florida to pick him up.
Two Million Mile Rider...All 7 Continents
Exploring the World in Comfort
OK, Flying Monkeys, it would be mighty hard to argue with logic like that. A little insurance is a good thing. Insurance? Yeah, Dennis and I learned about insurance being a good thing as I was hauling his bike home last Saturday. I made a stupid mistake but I've got insurance that will make things right.
So I have decided not to get the emergency Drive belt, after discussing with several people ( including my mechanic). I am going to have a chain conversion kit put on it. It will only cost me a couple hundred dollars more then to have the drive belt installed. Thank you all for the advice that has been given and to Tom for the rescue.
Good luck to you in the coming years of adventures. One last thought on the drive belt rescue... It's not impossible to need rescued again but to have it be something quite different than the belt. It's the nature of mechanical things. But just like the weather, every trip is a good one, just that some are wetter than others. Enjoy the ride whether across town or across country!!
Quote from Dennis Peabody on May 10, 2023, 10:03 amSo I have decided not to get the emergency Drive belt, after discussing with several people ( including my mechanic). I am going to have a chain conversion kit put on it. It will only cost me a couple hundred dollars more then to have the drive belt installed. Thank you all for the advice that has been given and to Tom for the rescue.
I would not go back to a chain if they put a gun to my head. HD get some things wrong ,but the belt is something they got right.
I guess I'm lucky that my Harley came with a chain. It has over 80k on the original chain, still going strong. That being said you can't beat the belts. I see sum with over 150k on them and others putting out over 135 hp and still hanging in there.
