Drive Belt Problem

[Garf]

Well, as luck would have it (and after only 1700 miles) I have managed to kick up a sharp pebble and puncture a hole in my 2017 RT-L drive belt.
I was able to remove the pebble and the remaining hole is about a 16th of an inch and just about dead center on the belt.
So the question remains: Can I live with it, as is, for the rest of this riding season and replace it during the winter? I'm quite conservative in my riding style and don't
push it, but do like to travel on longer rides, to out of the way places, so a failure of the belt would not be fun.

Also, is there something aftermarket, to better protect the belt, so this doesn't happen again. I live on a gravel road so I can't avoid them completely.

What do you think, Folks?

 

[JayBros]

Spyderpops Missing Belt Guard; worth the small investment.
http://spyderpops.com/rt-rts-rt-limited/belt-guards/

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

ANSWER TO ACTUAL QUESRION !!!!!

:yikes: Since you didn't post a Pic I'll just take your word on the damage ..... and I wouldn't, those belts are very, strong, if the damage isn't on the edge , it could last 200,000 more miles ............ That being said ...I would get the re-placement belt and carry it ...... It's not difficult to change and if you have to take the Spyder to a Dealer - you have the belt .... 99% of the time the Dealers DON'T ..............Mike :thumbup:

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

:agree::agree:

:yikes: Since you didn't post a Pic I'll just take your word on the damage ..... and I wouldn't, those belts are very, strong, if the damage isn't on the edge , it could last 200,000 more miles ............ That being said ...I would get the re-placement belt and carry it ...... It's not difficult to change and if you have to take the Spyder to a Dealer - you have the belt .... 99% of the time the Dealers DON'T ..............Mike :thumbup:

 

[Garf]

Looks like "the missing belt guard" and a spare belt are in my future.

Thanks for the help!

 

[oldgoat]

Looks like "the missing belt guard" and a spare belt are in my future.

Thanks for the help!

I had a hole punched in mine and I already had the missing belt guard fitted. I monitored the small hole during and after every ride. The hole size never changed.I did change it before a week of vacation riding, though. I keep the holed one as a spare.
I'm sure you will do what you think is best for you...to change or not to change, that is the....