I am a new owner of a 2014 Spyder RT. I was inspecting the drive belt and noticed small bumps in the belt. Turns out there are small stones between the belt and sprocket. Removed a couple of them and one of them did put a very small hole through the belt. Do I need to replace the belt?
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New Spyder Owner Belt Life
- Thread starter Adolfo
- Start date
Woodaddict
Active member
get the small stones out. make sure all out. if bumps don't go to THRU holes, you'll be OK for a while. keep an eye on it from time to time. for piece of mind later, change it when your budget can do it.
edit: might want to file / sand down any projections above cogs to prevent belt wear
edit: might want to file / sand down any projections above cogs to prevent belt wear
KX5062
Active member
What they said.
I will add this: if the hole in the middle of the belt and its really small, you're okay. If the hole is on the edge, then you probably can keep an eye on it and start saving/thinking about a replacement down the road. I wouldn't worry about bumps caused by rocks that don't penetrate the belt. And, like Wood said, make sure the sprockets are smooth and don't have any damage caused by the rocks.
I will add this: if the hole in the middle of the belt and its really small, you're okay. If the hole is on the edge, then you probably can keep an eye on it and start saving/thinking about a replacement down the road. I wouldn't worry about bumps caused by rocks that don't penetrate the belt. And, like Wood said, make sure the sprockets are smooth and don't have any damage caused by the rocks.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
Re-place - I wouldn't .....Life - I think 250,000 mi. minimum .... good luck ..... Mike :thumbup:
No one really knows the answer to that yet! There are many out there with over 50,000 miles on them; some with over 100,000 miles; and I believe even a few pushing (if not already exceeding) 200,000 miles!
hyea: I think you've gotta be pretty unlucky (or get caught on new chip-seal or other reeeaaallly damaging surfaces :cus: ) to do any real damage to them, altho it does happen, as some here can well attest.
. But for most, with a liitle bit of care & a touch of luck, even if they might get a small hole or two in them, I reckon their drive belts will likely outlast their Spyder's engines - and they tend to be pretty robust & long-lived too - for most, anyway! 
Just Ride More, Worry Less! And maybe inspect your belt every oil change, while you're at it! :thumbup:
PinkRosePetal
New member
Maybe aye, maybe no....
Pic at 23k miles. At this point the belt would jump teeth under hard acceleration.
I agree though a small hole in the middle(ish) of the belt is of little concern.
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BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
If you are using that pic as your reference on this, I have to dis-agree .... on the rear sprocket, which is 46 in. +/- in circumference ... a little more than half ( 23in.) is in contact with the belt. If the sprocket has 87 (?) teeth, that's about 45 teeth in contact with the drive belt. I don't believe its possible to for that belt to slip ..... Mike :thumbup:
PinkRosePetal
New member
Yes, I thought you might. There is nothing to disagree with, it's fact.
The slipping was on the front sprocket and sounded pretty violent. The nylon lining is completely worn off the thrust side of the belt and the pattern on the teeth indicated they were bending when loaded.
Mikey
Well-known member
What dose the front sprocket look like, and what do you keep the belt tension on? I could see if you run a loose belt it could slip on the front end and take out the belt, seen a sled belt grenade that way and leave hand full's of little nubs in the belly pan, and they don't run a cogged sprocket! If I had a belt with some, or a hole in it, if it had any size to it I think I would change it out, yes there tough as nails, but the bike don't roll with out it!!!:cheers:
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
If the slipping was on the FRONT Sprocket .... Then why are you showing us the REAR Sprocket ????? .... actually never mind ..... Mike :thumbup:
Little Blue
SpyderLovers Ambassador
So this picture is the front/drive sprocket?
I have seen several Motorcycles (not Spyders) that had this problem. Unfortunately the owner/rider has not been using do diligence about inspections with the belt and sprockets.
TIP: Do not Ryde on fresh tar, or chip and seal, or graded poorly roads, or gravel roads.........
You know the drill ......someone is going to have a large repair bill........:thumbup:
PinkRosePetal
New member
Erm, no, that's a rear sprocket. The picture was given to clearly show the wear which takes place on a drive belt. There is a very obvious space between the teeth of the belt relative to the sprocket. It seems drive belt wear is variable bike to bike likely dependent on road conditions where one rides.
I absolutely go along with that advice, the only time I've seen a holed belt is after riding in new chip and seal. However, the rider was aware of a different feel to the bike and that was what alerted the investigation. Just one small tarry chip trapped in the rear sprocket made a difference to the smooth running of the bike. I guess sometimes it's unavoidable because one ends up on a newly surfaced road but it's worth a roadside belt/sprocket check if there's any change of feel in the bike.
