Maintenance Question

[needtorque]

I am an auto mechanic.  I have seen belts burn out plenty of times on vehicles 10 years or more old with very low mileage, usually older customers.  I have seen belts fail under a multitude of circumstances.

I have never ever seen a belt fail that I replaced.  Never.  Take that for what you will with all the thoughts of shelf life and other factors not one person has ever returned to me after I replaced a belt with it broken.

[corey]

Just anecdotal - mercifully I've never ad to deal with that directly.  Of course being anecdotal evidence - there's lots of details missing.  I totally agree that over tensioned or other wise abused belts is a more likely cause for failure than simple chronological age.  There's a fellow around here I just found out is running around on a 750 with what are probably the original belts - so they are long past 2 years.  On the other end, the DMFs seen a few shred belts on S2R1000s due to over tight belts.

I don't recall exactly - but I think the engine being demo'd on in that video is a 620 which were made concurrently with the S2R800s - so in theory, yes it'll work.

There's a could ways.  IF you feel the need for a tool, there's a crank turner.  Basically a handle that goes though that little cover that's in the middle of your alternator case (left side of the engine) .

The other (cheaper) way is to put the bike in it's highest gear and turn the rear wheel. 

Right.. turning the wheel... idiot...

[the_Journeyman]

I use the wheel method with no problems.  I've used to 5mm allen key setting without problems, but my newest is a 2000 model ~

JM

[scott_araujo]

is the belt change technique (the 5mm allen key trick) sufficient for tension settings on newer bikes (s2r800) that have frequency setting specified? also, how do you turn the engine by hand?

Yes, I have an '03 Dark, same engine as the S2R 800.  I use the 5mm allen key tensioning method and have no problems.  One thing, check the tension a few times in the first few hundred miles because the belts do stretch and loosen up.

Scott

[corey]

awesome.
sounds like i should just do my own belts...