New Old Belt Drive

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

CanukNortonNut said:
T

That's a pretty tall set of legs with a 22T and a Maney, and for sure you will get great gas mileage. It would be a great highway burner. You won't pull any wheelies with that combo. I had to shim the back side of the sprocket some to stop a 520 x-ring from gouging into the gearbox. I run a 21T with my 850 and the Maney Primary drive. YMMV
let us know how this combo works for you.
Cheers,
Tom

Come to think of it I haven't seen a Commando ever pull a wheelie. The only exception was Kenny Dreer when he was out testing one of the VR880s.

I thought the belt drive would gear it down a little so my 22 will be more like a 20-21?

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

Stephen Hill said:
It looks like the clutch centre and the clutch chainwheel on the belt kits are often made of aluminum.
Given the tendency for the clutch plates to notch the steel centre and steel chainwheel, I am curious how the aluminum items stand up with mileage and time???

I'm using the Barnetts so the basket will be fine, I suspect.

As for the hub, the CNW item is hard anodized. We'll see how it does against the steel plates.

Hortons Norton · Feb 5, 2021

The friction plates mate with the clutch center, the steel plain plates mate with the basket.

Fast Eddie · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
Come to think of it I haven't seen a Commando ever pull a wheelie. The only exception was Kenny Dreer when he was out testing one of the VR880s.

I thought the belt drive would gear it down a little so my 22 will be more like a 20-21?

Swoosh it will gear it UP as I said in post 4. If you count the teeth on the Maney kit and then on the stock kit, you’ll get an idea of how much. I can’t remember exactly but IIRC you’re looking at around 8-10% HIGHER gearing.

Whether or not this is a good thing or a bad thing will depend a lot on your riding style and the engine performance. If you like long cruises with low engine speeds you’ll be fine. If you like acceleration you might not be. I ran a 21 with my Maney belt kit and thought it felt just right, but that’s a 920 so I can’t comment re an 850.

You rode the bike before, so just ask yourself if it felt like it would pull another tooth on the gearbox sprocket.

CanukNortonNut · Feb 5, 2021

Fast Eddie said:
Swoosh it will gear it UP as I said in post 4. If you count the teeth on the Maney kit and then on the stock kit, you’ll get an idea of how much. I can’t remember exactly but IIRC you’re looking at around 8-10% HIGHER gearing.

Whether or not this is a good thing or a bad thing will depend a lot on your riding style and the engine performance. If you like long cruises with low engine speeds you’ll be fine. If you like acceleration you might not be. I ran a 21 with my Maney belt kit and thought it felt just right, but that’s a 920 so I can’t comment re an 850.

Aye!

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

Hortons Norton said:
The friction plates mate with the clutch center, the steel plain plates mate with the basket.

You are totally right. If I'm not looking at something I tend to forget.

phippsy · Feb 5, 2021

The early rgm belt drives geared up about 10% I found 20t more then high enough for me as for clutch plates mine are surflex and solid fibre and never slip or drag

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

Fast Eddie said:
Swoosh it will gear it UP as I said in post 4. If you count the teeth on the Maney kit and then on the stock kit, you’ll get an idea of how much. I can’t remember exactly but IIRC you’re looking at around 8-10% HIGHER gearing.

Whether or not this is a good thing or a bad thing will depend a lot on your riding style and the engine performance. If you like long cruises with low engine speeds you’ll be fine. If you like acceleration you might not be. I ran a 21 with my Maney belt kit and thought it felt just right, but that’s a 920 so I can’t comment re an 850.

You rode the bike before, so just ask yourself if it felt like it would pull another tooth on the gearbox sprocket.

I'm seeing if Ella can toss a 20 tooth on my order. If not I'll try the 22. I was really surprised to find the 22 considering how well it pulls now. It does have a Comstock built head and Web cam and not a lot of miles on the engine so it's healthier than stock. Maybe not 920 healthy but still not shabby.

Time Warp · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
Come to think of it I haven't seen a Commando ever pull a wheelie. The only exception was Kenny Dreer when he was out testing one of the VR880s.

I thought the belt drive would gear it down a little so my 22 will be more like a 20-21?

Hortons Norton · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
You are totally right. If I'm not looking at something I tend to forget.

I need to find some alloy plain plates to go with the kit I'm putting together, I once saw them on e-bay but was outbid. I have seen them for an Atlas from one of the suppliers but I can't seem to find the for the Commando. Some hard anodized ones would be great, any help out there??

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

Time Warp said:

I've seen a few clips from Stone but I'm not brave enough to watch the whole thing.

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

Hortons Norton said:
I need to find some alloy plain plates to go with the kit I'm putting together, I once saw them on e-bay but was outbid. I have seen them for an Atlas from one of the suppliers but I can't seem to find the for the Commando. Some hard anodized ones would be great, any help out there??

I wonder if because of the additional surface area of the drum that the teeth don't have as much impact. Not that I haven't seen worn drums, it's just that worn hub seem more common.

cliffa · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
It from drilling the hole for the chain adjuster. I'll clean it up and relube the chain.

Well at least I’m not seeing things.

FWIW, I bought an AN clutch centre a couple of years ago, but never fitted it. Then I think FE had posted a picture of the CNW centre. Even from those pictures the machining and finish looked so much better I sold on the AN centre and ordered one from Constant at HNW.

MichaelB · Feb 5, 2021

Time Warp said:

Yes, they can wheelie..
And Yes, it doesn't always end well, mechanically speaking.
Need to respect the machine..

gortnipper · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
I'm seeing if Ella can toss a 20 tooth on my order. If not I'll try the 22. I was really surprised to find the 22 considering how well it pulls now. It does have a Comstock built head and Web cam and not a lot of miles on the engine so it's healthier than stock. Maybe not 920 healthy but still not shabby.

That would be like taking your previous setup to a 21. So, if what you like is your previous gearing, go to a 21 with the belt?

gortnipper · Feb 5, 2021

I run a 21 with a 312a and JC ported head and love t he combo (with a IWIS chain primary)

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

gortnipper said:
That would be like taking your previous setup to a 21. So, if what you like is your previous gearing, go to a 21 with the belt?

Because sometimes change is good.

swooshdave · Feb 5, 2021

swooshdave said:
I'm using the Barnetts so the basket will be fine, I suspect.

As for the hub, the CNW item is hard anodized. We'll see how it does against the steel plates.

Correction, the CNW hub is steel.

Fast Eddie · Feb 6, 2021

Hortons Norton said:
I need to find some alloy plain plates to go with the kit I'm putting together, I once saw them on e-bay but was outbid. I have seen them for an Atlas from one of the suppliers but I can't seem to find the for the Commando. Some hard anodized ones would be great, any help out there??

I would have thought that alloy plain plates would get chewed up by the friction plates?

swooshdave · Feb 6, 2021

Fast Eddie said:
I would have thought that alloy plain plates would get chewed up by the friction plates?

Maybe a hard anodizing would survive?

New Old Belt Drive

swooshdave

swooshdave

Hortons Norton

Fast Eddie

CanukNortonNut

swooshdave

phippsy

swooshdave

Time Warp

.......back to the 70's.

Hortons Norton

swooshdave

swooshdave

cliffa

MichaelB

"Sons of Arthritus"

gortnipper

gortnipper

swooshdave

swooshdave

Fast Eddie

swooshdave

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