How long does a drive belt last?

[MikeO]

Regular changes as per the Book here.

It can't be cheap getting a bike shipped across the States if it's broken down but if it were to happen to me while I was back in the UK, the cost of getting it across the Channel is astronomical and yes, it could be repaired there but that takes time and hotels cost money.

Incidentally, the cam belt on my truck had to be changed every 56K miles and was, even if it looked as if it didn't need changing.

[RickV]

I'm currently at 13,000 miles with the original belt on my Aprilia Scarabeo 500 GT and looking to lay in a replacement.

Pulled the cover twice last season and the belt width measured out almost at new specs per the manual and there was minimal dust build up in the cover. However, the side of the belt was showing some signs of wear and age - since the belt is not on hand locally need to be prepared.

Rick V

[IronRanger]

MikeO, totally different issue, but since you brought it up, and because there are other car owners out there, if your cam belt goes, you obviously are dead in the water, like a scooter drive belt.

On cars and small trucks, though, if it has a cam belt, it has one of two types of engines: Clearance, and Non-Clearance. If you have a "Clearance" engine, as most are, it means that when the valves stop opening and closing and you have a few stuck open, the top of the pistons still flying up and down will clear the open valve heads. You're dead in the water on the side of the road, get it towed in, belt replaced for a few hundred, and you going again.

If you have a Non-Clearance engine, when your belt fails (it will eventually), and your camshaft stops spinning, and your valves stop opening and closing, the tops of the pistons don't clear the valves that are stuck open, they smash into them destroying the the everliving insides of your expensive engine. If Joe Smiley, your neighborhood mechanic says he see's you're due a cam belt and he can change that for you if you drop it off on thursday, don't even consider putting it off unless you are absolutely sure you have a "Clearance" type engine.

As for changing an aging scooter belt, who wants to push a scooter home, or sit at the Iron Man Statue for a couple hours waiting for a lift....