RSTech Belt Drive Kit, J Series 350 - Higher Gearing

Zero maintenance belt drives have been readily available on production motorcycles since 1981.

• Quiet
• Smooth
• No chain snatch
• No more adjustment issues
• No oily mess
• No carrying chain lube on a trip
• Lighter than the chain set
• Industry standard belt available worldwide
• Lower long term cost due to extended belt and pulley life when compared to a chain drive.

A nice smooth, quiet ride, with no mess or fuss. The most common rider comment is on the smoother ride, and effortless gear shifting. This is most noticeable in on/off throttle moments, with a lack of chain snatch in transition from being fully loaded to no load.

THE BELT MATTERS - A Lot:

There are a couple of Gates Poly Chain belts traditionally used in motorcycle drive applications, and RSTech uses a standard Gates Poly Chain Carbon GT belt, that is readily available from Gates Dealers worldwide. As the name suggests, this belt uses non-stretch, high strength, carbon fibre cords resulting in a belt that does not require constant adjustment.   

We choose not to use the 11mm pitch Poly Chain belt, as this is an OEM only product, and cannot be bought from a Gates Dealer.  Worldwide belt availability is important, and the rider should not be tied into buying a sole source belt available only from the drive manufacturer.

EFFICENCY:

Described as a positive drive system, the belt teeth engage with the pulley similar to that of a chain, resulting in a very efficient method of transmitting torque.  The old adage that a belt is less efficient than a chain is not the case with these modern positive drive belts running at 95-98% efficiency.

Properly lubricated chains running at the higher surface speeds seen on a motorcycle, tend to throw off the oil due to centrifugal forces, making it difficult to maintain proper lubrication at the load bearing. Consequently, chain drives are typically only 92-98% efficient. That performance degrades as the chain wears.

For all practical purposes, a properly maintained, oiled, quality, new chain running on new sprockets, and a properly tensioned positive drive belt, are the same efficiency.   Chains do not stay new nor oiled in real life, and an old, or dry chain, and/or worn sprockets, is a different story, with the belt showing greater efficiency.

WEIGHT MATTERS – Perhaps most of all:

“Simplify and add lightness” is often attributed to Colin Chapman of Lotus fame, and adding weight is the last thing you want in motorcycle design - more so when that weight is un-sprung, and a heavy rotating mass on the wheel, negatively affecting both performance and handling.

RSTech values the importance of a properly engineered rear pulley that “adds lightness” and is not only less than half the weight of a cast steel pulley, but results in a final drive system that is lighter than the chain set it replaces, thereby improving the handling and performance of your bike.

 Adding lightness costs more than an iron casting, and the lightweight rear pulley is a work of art that you will be proud to have on your bike. Fully CNC machined from a solid billet of 6061-T6 aluminium, and then Type III hard anodized black. Not just a simple cosmetic coating, this results in a durable wear surface with a hardness in the mid-50s Rockwell C - the same range as high tensile steel.

No heavy, iron casting on the front pulley either. The front pulley is engineered to be lightweight, and fully CNC machined from a billet of high tensile steel, and then post machining heat treated for durability on the spline drive. Rather than a cosmetic paint finish, we use a low phosphorus zinc plating for corrosion resistance, and a hardness of 58-62 Rockwell C for additional wear resistance over that provided by the hardened high tensile steel substrate.

GEARING - see sidebar for technical information

Ratio data:

(93266-HMC110)