Belt tensioner wheels

[Grappa]

I'll be doing my first belt change (first for me, not the bike) next week when I get the new belts.  I was poking around on my bike today and wondering how freely the fixed wheel and the tensioner wheel should move.  I can move them with my finger, but they aren't so loose that I could spin them.  In other words, they turn as long as my finger is on the wheel, but do not continue to turn on their own.  Should they be loose enough to spin on their own, as if spinning a  suspended bicycle wheel and watching it come to a stop?  Obviously not THAT loose, but along those lines.  How many miles are average before having to replace the wheels?  It's difficult to find the correct wording for this question, I hope somebody understands what I am asking. 

Thanks!

2001 M900

[ducpainter]

I'll be doing my first belt change (first for me, not the bike) next week when I get the new belts.  I was poking around on my bike today and wondering how freely the fixed wheel and the tensioner wheel should move.  I can move them with my finger, but they aren't so loose that I could spin them.  In other words, they turn as long as my finger is on the wheel, but do not continue to turn on their own.  Should they be loose enough to spin on their own, as if spinning a  suspended bicycle wheel and watching it come to a stop?  Obviously not THAT loose, but along those lines.  How many miles are average before having to replace the wheels?  It's difficult to find the correct wording for this question, I hope somebody understands what I am asking. 

Thanks!

2001 M900

On my 96 900 the pulleys turn freely with no roughness. The idler pulley feels 'tighter' than the tensioner pulley. They don't continue to spin like a wheel on bearings.

I asked my tech about it and he said that was fine.

I have just shy of 30K on mine.

I'm told that over taught belts will kill them.

[bigiain]

On my 96 900 the pulleys turn freely with no roughness. The idler pulley feels 'tighter' than the tensioner pulley. They don't continue to spin like a wheel on bearings.

I asked my tech about it and he said that was fine.

+1

They're "2RS" bearings, with rubber lip seals on both sides keeping the lubricant inside - they're easy to turn, but not "free spinning".

I have just shy of 30K on mine.

I'm told that over taught belts will kill them.

I _seriously_ checked mine last at ~100K miles, they're up to around 125K miles now and still felt fine at the cursory check last belt change.

big

[Grappa]

Thanks for the info guys!