2024-08-14
The Great Debate: Belt vs Chain Drive Motorcycle
The belt chain has been around since the late 1890s when the vehicles were first being invented. At the time, most motorcycles weren’t moving faster than 30 MPH, so the simply belt chain seemed to make sense – at least for a while. By 1912, engine output was soaring as manufacturers looked for ways to increase speed and horsepower, but all that extra heat and friction made the belt drive system untenable. For a time, it looked as if chain drives would win the battle even though belt drive technology continued to improve. Companies started lining their systems with fan belts and cam drives to compete with the chain drive craze, but the latter usually won out.