Comments on: Custom motorcycle display

By: daler

daler — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:52:02 +0000

There’s a reason they still use chain drives on motoGP bikes. For their width, chains are still stronger than belts. A thinner chain means more room for a fatter tire, and with a chain, adjusting gear ratios is a little bit easier. Also, a chain is easy to fix if it snaps: just pop a master link on the break.

The trade off is that a chain requires more maintenance: oiling and tensioning (they stretch).
Drive shafts require almost no maintenance, but waste more power than a chain or a belt.

Belt technology is getting better, though, and I won’t be surprise when chain drives become obsolete. Until then, I’ll be breaking out the can of chain wax every so often.

By: nocent

nocent — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:08:51 +0000

“just another example of the superiority of belts over chains”

chain driven bikes are much more common in European countries. not neccessarily on European made bikes though. a nice mod for bikes whether they be sports, tourers or whatever is a vacuum fed oiler. do a google search for scott oiler.

@djrussell: no need to be condescending. each have their own application

By: Raf

Raf — Mon, 18 May 2009 19:38:41 +0000

Nice job aesthetic but how you didth plastic parts ?

By: djrussell

djrussell — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:31:34 +0000

thank you, hiatus, for bringing some sense to the thread.

tmd82, you’re an idiot.

By: hiatus138

hiatus138 — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:18:29 +0000

@jay,

The Buell 1125r makes 145 hp, with a belt drive. zero maintenance, ever, and no replacement period (it’s designed to last the lifetime of the bike, 100,000 miles)

Top fuel motorcycle drag racers use belt primary drive(connect engine to transmission) for 1000+ hp. The belt is 5″ wide though.

as for friction, a chain “consumes” more power just turning it than the belt, due to its having hundreds of moving parts.

The belt, pulleys and idler weigh less than a chain and sprockets, and have no backlash, aka “chain snatch”. hence a belt doesn’t require a cush drive to absorb shock loads. It also don’t require a tensioner assembly in the swingarm, reducing complexity and weight further.

the reason more manufacturers don’t use belt drive is that it as much harder to change drive ratio. you’d have to have a new pulley set for each ratio desired.

By: SOOPERGOOMAN187

SOOPERGOOMAN187 — Sun, 17 May 2009 16:12:20 +0000

Just wow, it is so smooth looking and natural in it’s placement. Good job on this mod. I know quite the few people who will really like this, Myself included.

By: Pouncer

Pouncer — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:53:49 +0000

I agree with grovenstien. My first thought was nice smooth lines, followed by why the hell did he use those screws, and the aluminum bottom of the box for a face. seems to cheapen the whole look of a job well done.

By: grovenstien

grovenstien — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:15:14 +0000

I think it needs hex head counter sunk machine screws to finish it off. Not the posi drive they just dont sit right with me.

By: Kay

Kay — Sun, 17 May 2009 08:36:35 +0000

@anon
There are not just chains and belts.
There are also cardan joints (which have to be greased as well anyway).

By: jay

jay — Sun, 17 May 2009 07:16:30 +0000

@anon
I’d like to see you pull 100+ HP on a belt on a bike. That is the reason for chains. Superior friction and strength.

That is a great addition to a bike, most need chains to be waxed/lubed every 500 mi or so. Which is a pretty short distance. It prevents rust and keeps the heat down on the chain.. this helps prevent dry cracking and breaking during riding.

I love the way it is integrated as well. Beautiful job.

By: Joe

Joe — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:49:20 +0000

Agree, nice work smoothing the project box into the frame, but the screen would be great if it was >20% of the faceplate area.

Any other more pertinent information for display like angular momentum relative to the earth, local magnetic field strength, instantaneous acceleration?

By: anon

anon — Sun, 17 May 2009 04:30:38 +0000

just another example of the superiority of belts over chains

By: Addictronics

Addictronics — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:40:31 +0000

oh wow. I thought it was a Radio Shack project box from the (non BW) hackaday pic. Very nice and clean build.

By: bill rowe

bill rowe — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:33:49 +0000

Most chains need periodic cleaning and oiling. Automatic oilers are common but usually vacuum-activated.

This hack posting is all about the case build – gorgeous work.

By: otomoton

otomoton — Sun, 17 May 2009 01:48:10 +0000

Some Harleys (not sure if it’s just the older ones or newer ones too) have a chain oiler that slower drips oil onto the chain. If i had to guess i would image that’s what this is for.