Belt Replacement

Greetings all,
New to the forum. Am planning to buy an SW around the end of summer to use during warmer weather. Upon purchase should I replace the drive belt, especially if it is an older model with low miles? Does the Drive belt deteriorate with age?

Probably. Get OEM belt and you will be happy----with over 400,000 rubber band drive scooter miles since 1990---OEM is only way to go and change at Honda recommended intervals.

Welcome aboard themorn 2112 Johns thoughts here too, depending on the age and miles without any sort of service records you may just want to start from scratch in the maintenance area. There is a lot of information in the search box and answers as you can see are here.

My favorite rule if it's not broke don't fix it.
I haven't heard if the belt breaks down over time yet on low milage 20 year old scoots.
I'd order a new belt just in case the old one starts slipping.
My thoughts are if you are shopping for a older scoot later this year and worried about an old belt, make sure to have a spare just in case.

One good indication you may need a new belt is the V-lite.


My V-lite came on at 16,000 miles and again around 34,000.
I replaced it with a malossi belt back in 2016.

I switched over to malossi performance parts years ago after tuning my 50cc malaguti to hit 80mph.
When you see a turbo T-max do 148 kph in a 1/4 mile it makes you want a tuner scoot.

I ordered my new malossi belt for $99 a couple weeks ago and it came in last week.
I'm at nearly 38,000 miles and the old malossi belt is still doing it's job after 20,000 miles with no sign of slip.

Slip ain't the problem. Ride a lot---breaking is. Walking is not fun for me. I enjoyed over 90,000 SilverWing miles, enjoying it as scooter, not trying to make it something it is not.

If you plan on using the scooter for overnight trips or tours then replace the belt. Cheap insurance and dealers rarely stock them so if it breaks far from home you are grounded. Either that or take an extra belt with you. Personally I choose to ride on a good belt, my scoot gets OEM as I am worried about reliability rather than blazing performance. Each to their own. If you buy from a dealer make THEM change the belt and give you the old belt for a spare. They can do it cheaper than you can. LOL

So on one hand you say OEM is the way to go and then you say they break.
How many belts have ya broke?

I haven't broke any yet with WAT I got.

One broken/ground up Helix in VA at near end of belt service life. Carried spare. Helix belt could be changed by sqeezing rear clutch I believe in correct OEM drive line---maybe chance to get repair in long trip---my scooters have been as far as AK, Nova Scotia in Canada and BC---2014 rode to 49 states---Burgman 400 and some miles Suzuki TU 250.----Also look at the difference in miles ridden!

This is click bait, the guy hasn't even bought a Silver Wing yet, he's only planning to purchase one. So until he selects and buys one, has a record of it's mileage and service history, he has no idea if it needs a new belt.

Here John,


Pack this in ur OEM pipe and smoke it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhhL09POhdc

I had new TMAX---one with chain final drive---so have some real experience---nice scooter, maybe the best handling---sold it as the miles piled up as I did not want to monkey with the complicated drive line.

For what it's worth, I used to change all the belts on any car I bought in the past, regardless of age or mileage. Especially OHC engines which have belt driven camshafts.

Same goes for the SW. Change it and record the mileage. Why take the risk?

Fortunately there's been an increasing trend of most car makers to use timing chains in lieu of belts in the last 10-15 years or so, I only buy/own vehicles with timing chains. The death chain rattle is more warning than a snapped belt in a car, fortunately never had either.
On the SW, being that I usually drive my scooters fairly agressive and have stronger conta spring, etc. 
8 -10k miles is my limit, cheap insurance against breakdowns. 

Belt VS chain both have their advantages. Belts can snap chains can jump but chain will give you some warning in most cases. Rattling at start up the most common bad tensioner or worn parts. Chain will last if proper oil changes and good oil used. Chain engines mostly drive the water pump from chain and that's another factor to consider if it fails coolant can be in found it engine oil. Doesn't take much coolant in oil to cause rod -crank bearing damage engine is done . Replaced a whole lot of timing belts on many cars-trucks not many chains. Chains are much harder to replace. Lets not get into variable valve timing issues.

Does anybody remember the early Honda 200 and 250/360cc twin engines from the mid 70's?

I had a 250G5 which would eat timing chains due to the fact the chain 'guide' and 'tensioner' would disintegrate in no time.

Thank goodness those days are gone

I remember I traded my Mosin for a Honda 360cc back in the 80's without a title.
Never knew what it needed to get it running so I got rid of it.
Now I wished I had that Mosin back. I paid like $40 bucks for it.

Loosemarbles wrote:

Does anybody remember the early Honda 200 and 250/360cc twin engines from the mid 70's?

I had a 250G5 which would eat timing chains due to the fact the chain 'guide' and 'tensioner' would disintegrate in no time.

Thank goodness those days are gone

Thank goodness indeed, I'm familiar with the Honda twins of that era, Benly, Dream, Super Dream, I didn't have a 4-stroke back then, I went down the 2- stroke route with a couple of Suzuki GT twins which I used mostly to ride to work.

It didn't help that work was on the Irish Sea coast and the bikes were parked in a open shed subject to damp salty sea air. Then there was the alloy than furred up after one winter on salty roads. Rusting and peeling chrome, rubbish Bridgestone tyres, rubbish disc brakes, and thin peeling frame paint.

Rusting wheel spokes, self- mangling cross head screws, boiling chains in chain lube in a tin on the kitchen stove.

The helmets and riding gear back then we’re rubbish too.

At least there was some decent music to listen too.

Without going too far off-piste, I was given a Suzuki GT125 2 stroke twin in 1988 which needed work but was a runner....I gave it away when I moved house. This bike was capable of 100mph and would be quite a classic now.

Helmets?...how did they ever save a life? The music?...I still listen to it now. 70's that is...