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belts: kevlar or not kevlar

Started by ducatiz, August 20, 2011, 11:33:08 AM

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ducatiz

August 20, 2011, 11:33:08 AM
I keep seeing the comment that Ducati belts have kevlar

I have a new pair of belts (for 800cc) marked Ducati, and Gates Powergrip HTD.

Gates says they are fibreglass reinforced.

?
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

Curmudgeon

#1
August 21, 2011, 07:37:34 AM

Greetings ducatiz!

Before I bought my 796, had a long chat one quiet afternoon with Donnie just before closing time. As part of the pitch and general discussion, he mentioned both Kevlar belts and harder valve shims as reasons for the longer service intervals on the newer bikes. Possibly he got that at a dealer meeting, so no idea either whether it's true or whether these belts fit older bikes.

As a matter of interest, my owners manual still lists belt renewal at 2 years, but now 15,000 miles. Why they couldn't extend the interval to three years is beyond me if they really were Kevlar. Back in the day, I always changed mine at about three years anyway when black "powder" started to collect under the covers; (600 SL, 750 Paso Limited, 851). Go figure!

Regards,

William
2011 796 ABS "Pantah" - Rizoma Bar, 14T, Tech Spec, Ohlins DU-737, Evaps removed, Sargent Seat, Pantah skins

Curmudgeon

#2
August 21, 2011, 10:56:19 AM

Donnie just happened to be working on a race bike today for next weekend and called me back on another matter..., so I posed your question.

He says, "The new bikes have the Kevlar belts and are called Red Letter belts because they have red lettering", so that's the way you can tell.
2011 796 ABS "Pantah" - Rizoma Bar, 14T, Tech Spec, Ohlins DU-737, Evaps removed, Sargent Seat, Pantah skins

ducatiz

#3
August 21, 2011, 11:41:06 AM
Quote from: Curmudgeon on August 21, 2011, 10:56:19 AM
Donnie just happened to be working on a race bike today for next weekend and called me back on another matter..., so I posed your question.

He says, "The new bikes have the Kevlar belts and are called Red Letter belts because they have red lettering", so that's the way you can tell.

Hmmm.. red letters you say?




"Gates Powergrip HTD"

http://www.catalogds.com/db/service?domain=gates.pt&command=locate&category=htd_pg

QuoteCore Material   Chloroprene
Tensile Cord   Fiberglass
Fabric Cover   Nylon
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

avizpls

#4
August 21, 2011, 01:01:27 PM
lol so there!
#11

Curmudgeon

#5
August 21, 2011, 01:03:33 PM

Go figure! Is your 800 belt the same part number as the newer bikes? Is yours there a Ducati factory-supplied belt?

If not, maybe plug the new bike part number into the search and see what comes up? I see Gates DO make SOME Kevlar belts!  ;)

Regards
2011 796 ABS "Pantah" - Rizoma Bar, 14T, Tech Spec, Ohlins DU-737, Evaps removed, Sargent Seat, Pantah skins

thought

#6
August 21, 2011, 02:05:01 PM
the 796 abs's belt part number is 737.4.024.2A

no idea where to look to find out the construction though.

'10 SFS 1098
'11 M796 ABS - Sold
'05 SV650N - Sold

ducatiz

#7
August 21, 2011, 03:04:39 PM
Do they have a manufacturers name on them?
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

thought

#8
August 21, 2011, 03:18:31 PM
sorry, didnt pull the belt covers off, just pulled the parts numbers out of the parts manual.
'10 SFS 1098
'11 M796 ABS - Sold
'05 SV650N - Sold

He Man

#9
August 21, 2011, 06:39:27 PM
ive heard the same thing with kevlar. Red lettering are the newer models. you should ask chris kelly he would defintely know.

Speeddog

#10
August 21, 2011, 07:09:36 PM
Quote from: ducatiz on August 21, 2011, 11:41:06 AM
Hmmm.. red letters you say?

~~~SNIP~~~

"Gates Powergrip HTD"

http://www.catalogds.com/db/service?domain=gates.pt&command=locate&category=htd_pg


You're comparing regular over-the-counter Gates HTD belts with Made-for-Ducati-ONLY belts.

No reason to assume much of anything is the same.
- - - - - Valley Desmo Service - - - - -
Reseda, CA
(951) 640-8908

~~~ "We've rearranged the deck chairs, refilled the champagne glasses, and the band sounds great. This is fine." - Alberto Puig ~~~

ducatiz

#11
August 22, 2011, 04:03:06 AM
I disagree.  Gates does have similar spec kevlar belts.  Why would they put the Powergrip HTD logo on them?
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

northerncalguy

#12
August 22, 2011, 02:43:13 PM
This is OT (weird) but these belts are the same kind that go into sewing machines. I am guessing Gates has the timing belt market cornered in the EU.

ducatiz

#13
August 22, 2011, 03:36:02 PM
Quote from: northerncalguy on August 22, 2011, 02:43:13 PM
This is OT (weird) but these belts are the same kind that go into sewing machines. I am guessing Gates has the timing belt market cornered in the EU.

Gates is only one of a half dozen companies that make these belts.

Goodyear Veyance also makes similar belts.  They are used on a variety of machines.
Check out my oil filter forensics thread!                     Offended? Click here
"Yelling out of cars, turning your speakers out the window to blast your music onto the street, setting off M-80 firecrackers, firing automatic weapons into the airâ€"these are all well and good. But none of them create a merry atmosphere of insouciance and bonhomie quite like a revving motorcycle.

Speeddog

#14
August 22, 2011, 04:05:55 PM
Quote from: ducatiz on August 22, 2011, 04:03:06 AM
I disagree.  Gates does have similar spec kevlar belts.  Why would they put the Powergrip HTD logo on them?

Powergrip and HTD are trademarks owned by Gates:

http://manufacturing.zibb.com/trademark/powergrip/29238685
http://manufacturing.zibb.com/trademark/powergrip+htd/29436631
http://manufacturing.zibb.com/trademark/htd/29282376

Why would they *not* put the Powergrip HTD logo on the belts?

You're saying the equivalent of "Every box that has 'Band-Aid' on it has the exact same contents".

I've dealt directly with Gates on belts and pulleys, they strictly control who is legally allowed to manufacture them.
They are protective of their trademarks.

I've dissected an OEM Ducati Gates belt, IMO the fibers are Kevlar or the like, not fiberglass.
- - - - - Valley Desmo Service - - - - -
Reseda, CA
(951) 640-8908

~~~ "We've rearranged the deck chairs, refilled the champagne glasses, and the band sounds great. This is fine." - Alberto Puig ~~~
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