Motorcycle Chain vs Belt vs Shaft Which one is Better?

[@flechette3782]

One item overlooked: chains can be repaired on a trip. This can be important off road. Carry a couple of links and a pin pusher; they are small. A ripped belt means you are in trouble.

[@larrydlam]

That's true but I've had more chain problems than I've ever had with a shaft.

[@flechette3782]

@@larrydlam Yeah, I don't really know why more Adv bikes aren't made with shafts. I have had only one bike where I changed the sprocket size. most people are fine with the factory ratios.

[@larrydlam]

@@flechette3782 And my off road has always been chain but my street bikes I like the shaft drive.

[@shadow105720]

@@flechette3782 shock load.

[@George-wf9ff]

@@flechette3782 I imagine the extra weight from a shaft drive system would be a factor.

[@Lozo16]

I absolutely love seeing Craig in videos. He always brings a wealth of mechanical knowledge. Thank you for the lesson on the difference between the three types of power delivery. Could he do more videos like this or maybe some tutorial videos?

[@deathtomorons9388]

Hey he is not what he looks like. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZCvpJ6fjbZqacU

[@raptorgamer8878]

@@deathtomorons9388 what

[@noahboorman]

lol

[@FlannelGorilla]

Same here, Craig is the coolest, I need a whole series of this.

[@hulkhatepunybanner]

*Let's petition to get Craig to explain everything motorcycles in the interwebs for all time. Always.*

[@guitarskooter]

I've owned all 3. Shaft is probably my favorite by a small margin over belt. The only thing that sucks is if you do have a shaft issue, it's going to be a pricey fix. I currently own a belt drive and love the low maintenance of it. My previous bike was chain driven, and man I hated always having to clean and oil the chain, and even then it would still wear out. For tinkerer's it makes the most sense, but for me, I just want to ride.

[@japprivera3129]

So am I. For me, shaft rules. For my kind of riding, that's the way to go.

[@freedomthief8499]

Feel you.... Going for a open beld Drive on the engine and to the Weel...on my 1978 FLH!!

[@josephwatson2711]

Me to I like shaft drive myself

[@josephwatson2711]

@Jin Sakai do u ride

[@dot3969]

@Jin Sakai 😅😅😅🌚

[@Steve-ec6ed]

Craig is a natural! Good job brother

[@mitchellschaff6520]

IVE BEEN DRIVING A SHAFT DRIVE FOR A DOZEN YEARS, I CHANGE THE GEAR OIL AT THE SCHEDULED TIME AND THAT IS THE ONLY MAINTENENCE, I LOVE IT BECAUSE I NEVER HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. IT JUST WORKS.

[@lechprotean]

that's what she said

[@johnthonig1692]

I Drive a shaft, 2008 Ram I RIDE a belt Harley 🤔😏

[@kaptein1247]

@@johnthonig1692 I RIDE your mom

[@normansilver905]

I had 2 shaft drive motorcycles. In both cases the shaft drive was smoother, easier to maintain and also more dependable. I put 56,000 miles on one of them.

[@peterburke5174]

Always prefered chain drive myself. But after watching this I can see the merits of all three now. Thanks for the lesson, Craig.

[@Master-ls2op]

its like most things it depends on what you want.

[@Ponysoldier12]

Belt

[@AncientApparatus]

I owned a shaft drive bike that was given to me, a Suzuki GS1100, that I never would have bought because, for the size bike it was, it just felt very slooooow. I see the versatility of a chain but I think, by far, belts are the best way to go.

[@fortnightplayer85]

Next person will have the number 69 thumbs up 👍 motorbikes rule.

[@gumbilitous2804]

​@@fortnightplayer85 thats me 😎

[@donnelly524]

Personally, I had a Honda shaft drive and it was absolutely awesome (not a sport bike or off road, but a cruiser). Ran like a champ and still had good acceleration. It was super smooth for longer rides and LOW maintenance. With the Honda engine reliability and a shaft drive, it was the perfect motorcycle for someone who wants to ride and not spend a lot of time on repair and maintenance. Would highly recommend to anyone who wants a smooth ride and low maintenance.

[@dennismundt7378]

My favorite drive is shaft drive. Then comes the belt and chain. The East German motorcycle brand "MZ" had a closed chain case to protect the chain from dirt and dust. These chains also had a longer service life due to the protection.

[@georgiabrigand6793]

I had 2 MZ 250s, the second one was bought brand new. Thanks to the clever chain enclosure, the chains performed marvelously for more miles than I'm getting today with my Kawasakis and Hondas. The MZ ETS 250 was a slightly goofy-looking bike, (German MC magazine in the 1970s: "Yes, we have no bananas") but remarkably reliable. The second one, which wasn't abused by a previous owner like my first, took me all the way from Germany to the Cevennes Mountains of France and back. Some friendly gestures by the factory -- the bike came with a really good toolkit, including a spare set of bulbs. I wish I still had it here in the USA. But being a 2-stroker, it's not a favorite with the authorities here.

[@dennismundt7378]

@@georgiabrigand6793 Maybe an MZ 500 R with a four-stroke Rotax engine from 1991/1992? The design was completely taken over from the MZ ETZ 251/301 and also has the closed chain case. There's even an MZ club in Miami Florida. I found youtube videos. ;-)

[@georgiabrigand6793]

@@dennismundt7378 Wasn't aware of that one ! I'm putting the MZ500R on my "look out for" list, along with the latest BSA and Royal Enfield models. Thanks for the heads-up, Dennis ! Ride safe !

[@DetroitMicroSound]

Lots of German bikes had this. the older Kreidler Florett's had it too. Can't remember which bike, but one old bike I saw, had an oil bath the chain runs through. At the end of the day though, nothing stops chain stretch.

[@dennismundt7378]

@@DetroitMicroSound I don't currently know of any motorcycle manufacturers who still install a closed chain case. Starting with the "Skorpion" series, MZ no longer had a chain case installed. In the end, the star of MZ sank despite a beautiful and powerful model range (MZ 1000 S/ SF/ ST). In 2012 MZ was insolvent and a restructuring failed. The second manufacturer "Simson", who installed a closed chain box, went under in 2003.

[@jimweed7269]

Up until a year ago I would have agreed with chain drive being the best. Then last year I bought a 2016 Moto Guzzi. I quickly enjoyed not having to mess with lubrication and worrying about the chain wearing out. I might think differently if I was out racing or needed to quickly and easily change gearing, but for just riding on the street I really enjoy the shaft drive. But to each their own. Also I enjoyed the video.

[@johndavis-tn3il]

The Moto Guzzi engine orientation dictates shaft drive, it was not adapted to shaft drive. Take it easy on the clutch, lest you learn about a major design tradeoff.

[@Demonbfg]

@@johndavis-tn3il Yes,i remember the torque roll,had a 72 Eldorado 850.

[@electrobob1]

Same for me. I own a Griso and am highly amused by the absence of rattling chain noise and no more greasing/tensioning chains ever again. Funny thing is driving side by side one can hear the chain noise all too well from the "others". Best choice ever!

[@DJEyeBee]

I really like the idea of Craig doing motorcycle tech content. It will give the channel a whole new avenue for making videos, and I enjoy the maintenance side of motorcycling almost as much as riding. Also, whoever did the editing on this nailed it with the captions.

[@AncientApparatus]

Yeah Craig, it's time to take the lead & stop being a Richard Karn to Sean Kerr's Time Allen 🤣Of course I'm just being facetious, remember her, 😅 but really you could do a channel of your own on motorcycle repairs, upgrades, & mods.

[@nixonkutz3018]

Suggested item #4 for the "power delivery" category - only shaft drives impart a torque to the vehicle in the "roll" axis (like when you lean left and right). They all, of course, impart torque in the "pitch" axis (wheelie!). One could also argue there's a potential for an abrupt change in power delivery to result in a coupled force in the "yaw" axis (flat track/speedway cornering technique). My last shaftie had an uncomfortable amount of roll torque ... I suggest this is the #1 reason sportbikes use chains.

[@johncasteel1780]

Not quite that simple. That torque reaction can be minimized. The late model BMWs and the Kawasaki C-14 do it by adding an articulated joint to the driveshaft. The Yamaha FJR1300 does it with steering geometry. I have never noticed any roll torque on my FJR.

[@AncientApparatus]

Ding, ding, ding...BINGO That's exactly what I say & I can't believe Craig didn't bring it up. That's the #1 reason NOT to own a shaft drive bike! I had a Suzuki GS1100 with a shaft drive that I had gotten from my brother, & to be honest, if it wasn't given to me I never would have bought that bike. It just felt very slow for the size bike it was & as you said was very "torquey" with poor throttle response. I can't believe that anyone who is a true "rider" who wants to get the most out their bike would choose a shaft drive over chain or a belt???

[@rfrmobile4314]

Great video. Very informative. I'm 78 yrs and hve been on two wheelers a long time. I have owned all shaft drives except for one, it was chain. As far as heavy bikes go shaft is best by far. My son has a belt dive on a Vulcan 900 Custom. It is not without problems.....adjusting among others. If you have time do a video on tires and applications. Always...ride safe.

[@muskrat4852]

I’m new to motorcycles. I love this kind of content!!

[@coachman0069]

Craig is a naturalist at making these types of videos. We want more!! 👍👍👍

[@jameshealy4594]

I'm not sure that word means what you think it means.

[@darrenh20102]

Just glad Craig's not a naturist... Although that'd make a fantastic road trip vid😉😂😂

[@alanrobinson2901]

@@jameshealy4594 LOL!!! Inconceivable!!!

[@oldplace2844]

I've had all 3. Hands down shaft. I ride a lot though. Usually 100 miles a day for work. But nothing compares to a shaft drive.

[@FarRightRider]

My Honda vtx 1300 is so nice!!

[@stopstalkingyouspookybastard]

i agree with you but why dont you live closer to work man? its a waste of time to spend so much time on the traffic.

[@oldplace2844]

@@stopstalkingyouspookybastard My day job is just my day job. I have no desire to live where I work. My family, friends, farm and interests are where I live. Jobs come and go. I used to chase jobs, constantly moving from one place to the next. Just isn't worth the hassle. So I chose to live where I want to live and then work where I can. Wish I had made that decision earlier, instead of wasting so much time in places I hated living.

[@sixpotshot]

Completely agree: 100% on shaft. I wish I could say I do less mileage than you do but sadly it is not the case. I keep promising myself it will be just for a another few months...some comments seem oblivious that we all have different circumstances and if we do it then we do it for some reason or reasons...and that nothing stays the same forever regardless how long lasting it may be!

[@justinkang6135]

@@oldplace2844 Plus you spend more time riding when you live that far from work. That in itself is always a plus.

[@sixpotshot]

Excellent - If I may I would add an extra variable in addition to Weight (see Jaslath comment): Cost and how it reflects on the bikes's price both on acquisition time and then long term (where maintenance / repairs will play a significant role). BMW has used drive shafts mainly on its boxer engines and these offer an incredible benefit rarely mentioned: side impact (T shunt) protection: the very much reason why I still have two legs to stand on...

[@JaySmith-ly6gr]

You just reminded me why I love shaft drives & will stick with them as long as I can...zero maintenance except an occasional fluid change, zero mess or adjustment, and they last forever.

[@jordanjoestar8839]

Shaft is great. My 1979 XS1100 had a shaft drive with 66,000 miles and its was 100% on point. The entire bike for that matter. Reverse rotation motor limited the rear end lift under its brutal 11 second 1/4 miles.

[@jamesvzfighter]

This channel is the reason why I even got a bike. I took the advice and got a low maintenance Honda Fury as my first bike. I hope these helpful videos help someone else also.

[@congaronbo]

Morning. Binge watching you guys. Retirement life.

[@mymatemartin]

"Moving parts on motorcycles require maintenance". Such a succinct way to state a fundamental truth. Great job on this video. It helped me a lot.

[@sethmolenaar1801]

Great video! Good explanations. My bike is a shaft driven bike, which was a huge selling point for me. I was in the market for a new bike last year and had my eye on three bikes. What ultimately sealed the deal for my current bike was the low maintenance with the drive shaft. Thanks for the video!

[@a.r.t.4611]

My last six bikes have been Shaft. Smooth, quiet, little maintenance needed. Very reluctant to go back to a chain drive bike.

[@thinkingoutloud6741]

The key: “it’s about the application.” I’ve raced and can’t imagine anything but a chain. I’ve toured extensively and used each of these at different times… shaft, hands down. If the belt was encased for protection, it would be perfect for the smaller to mid-sized road bikes. And a good enclosure might even make the belt a good choice for adventure bikes. And the older I get, the more I like the shaft drive. Imagine that.

[@mr.gutwrench]

An enclosed chain running in oil would be great, but so far I haven't seen it work.

[@Ponysoldier12]

Belts on Harley’s last between 60,000 and 120,000 miles bud

[@kaptein1247]

@@Ponysoldier12 The one in the video didnt seem to last too long

[@kevinradtke3767]

My 1983 honda cb550sc nighthawk has a shaft drive. Love it

[@WAZZUjohn03]

The best type of drive is... the one that you own. They all have pros and cons, but if you understand the maintenance required they all get the job done. I think I need more bikes so I can have an example of each in the garage.

[@DavidJansen23]

Perfectly explained and 100% chain all day. That power to the ground is just right right there everytime! But anyway, we all love riding our bikes so let's just enjoy it.

[@Ijusthopeitsquick]

"That power to the ground is just right right there everytime! " Sorry I have no idea what that is supposed to mean. Could you explain?

[@MozzaBurger88]

One thing he forgot to mention that I think is worth : shaft drive is by far the heaviest system, adding quite a bit of weight to the machine (which doesn't really matter on big cruisers hence why they're used there. So more weight, power loss and cost for the shaft drive but super reliable and maintenance-free in most case. Whereas chains are light, strong (under varying environment), tunable and put the power down nicely but require frequent cleaning, lubing and the occasional adjustment. Can't have your bike cake and eat it too :P

[@hulkhatepunybanner]

*If Craig didn't mention it, it wasn't worth mentioning. But do tell me about bike cakes because that sounds awesome.* LOL

[@diegosilang4823]

When drive shaft wears out it will pain to repair depending how easy to replace the bearings.

[@marklapirow5473]

Chain oilers and cases In the last 54 years, the improvements to lubing and power capacity of chains has been immense, but 2 devices, formerly used by some have been overlooked. 1. A chain oiler. Specifically an English Scott Oiler. It works. It improves power transmission and uses a light oil that does not attract crud. 2. A final drive enclosure. Think Bultaco Metrella, Yamaha XV 1000 RH or even the Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha step throughs. Chain drive is more efficient and gives "some" chance for altering gearing. Overall shaft drive has won me over, especially the BMW systems which don't cause the rear end to rise under power. The telelever / paralever BMWs are very stable. My 1250 RS has teles up front, and are electronically managed, so it has not proven inferior to the telelever. Great vid!!!

[@martingorman9691]

nicely done craig , great video delivery and knowledgeable explanations

[@c.a.marsupial.1282]

He's a total professional without a trace of arrogance. Excellent viewing.

[@GaltJohn2008]

I've always loved shaft drives. The smoothness and the quiet are great but its really the ease of maintenance which put it over the top for me.

[@notroutaboutitfishing9361]

What are the odds?! I’ve been researching the differences of these over the last couple of days, and have recently gotten into this channel over the last month! I’m going to look at some HD’s later, and am super excited to get into the motorcycle community! Thanks for the video Craig!!

[@Bro_wat]

one thing I'd like to say is that while they may not last as long, chains are extremely common and cheap compared to shaft and belts, which means while you're more likely to go through wear and tear with a chain, it's much easier to repair and recuperate from than the other options(while very unlikely, you're pretty much boned if you damage your shaft or belt)

[@jacobwray8754]

Education + entertainment = time well spent I like this type of video for sure. Y’all keep up the great videos!

[@ereverski]

Having had several bikes I’ve found the Virago shaft drive and even the Honda Sabre V45 shaft to be extremely smooth and reliable. I’m very surprised that Craig failed to address the rotation differences between chain & belt (forward) versus shaft (lateral). Shaft drive bikes behave slightly different under heavy power. It comes down to personal preference. For those who don’t care to mess with sprocket changes and tuning the drivetrain you’ll find chain to be the last of the three options and shaft the first choice.

[@lowtech67]

You are exactly right. I've ridden both and the shaft does have a different feel.

[@mikemortensen4973]

The way I used to ride (I no longer ride motorcycles) the chain was best. Two reasons. Number one being I never happened to want any bike that had a shaft. Not because of the shaft itself but none of the bikes happened to be my style. Second reason is I didn't really ride all that many miles per year due to long winters and other reasons. So if you don't ride all that much a chain will virtually never wear out. I never, ever changed a chain or sprocket. I sold my bike with the factory chain and if the buyer ran the bike a lot, then the chain was then their problem. And back in the seventies and eighties when I used to ride as a young pup, no bike I knew of had a belt drive. Maybe the first belt drives came out about the time I quit riding in the middle eighties or so. Bet you can't name a belt drive bike of the seventies!! Good luck. I think Harleys had chains only in those days. But I'm no expert on Harleys.

[@Ponysoldier12]

Belt for me bud

[@Ponysoldier12]

@@mikemortensen4973 Belts on Harley’s last 60,000 to 120,000 miles

[@davidmott1969]

I was thinking the same thing, shaft drive, if I'm correct, picks the rear up on power delivery and belt/chain drops the rear down.

[@Tom-rk8oy]

This is the kind of videos I want to see on the channel more often, learning off my favourite motorbike people

[@wimdriessen5511]

Good job craig. Keep going ...

[@greyarea3804]

I had the KZ1300 AND loved almost everything about shaftdrive. Less cleaning, no adjustments but hated the pogo sticking. Didn't inspire confidence cornering. Chaindrive with the A track chain managing on a CalFab swing arm. Put that on my H2 and loved it.

[@nateoconnell5404]

Great job, Craig! I’m excited to see where this channel goes! I think you’re an asset to the SRK Brand!

[@Dhenning1009]

Love the nerdy in-depth look at different system designs! Keep it coming!

[@dr.fruityboots4706]

great video. ive always prefered a chain because they r so much easzier to fix on the road. plus its a bike not a lounge chair its supposed to make noise. i like hearing the chain sounds cuz it helps diagnose some problems.

[@terrylstarks]

Great job Craig!!!!! I like all SRK videos, but I really like the direction this is going. I’m a proud NERD!!!!!

[@ozzynmyrtle]

I switched to chain drive on my street glide and i really believe it's the best thing I've done so far. 24 tooth up front 58 on the rear. Makes my bike take off like a rocket. Top end sucks but how often and how long do you really stay above 100mph on public crap roads? So much cheaper than big bore kits. No more down shifting 2 gears to pass cars just twist the wick and gone....

[@warrensmith792]

Crazy to hear the sprocket difference compared to a sportbike, really goes to show the difference in the tranny's finals drive. My cbr1000rr comes with a 16/42 from factory

[@randall1959]

That is the one true advantage that chain drive bikes have. You can change the final drive ratio. Impossible on a shaft drive.

[@GorillaCookies]

Chain drive conversion is definitely a nice way to make a bike much snappier without tons of money and time into the engine

[@uslesstrucker]

Craig's insite is on the next level of common man and the average rider can understand. I truly enjoy the growth of the Chanel and the way its been growing. I think more people relate to Craig. I truly appreciate the time and effort thats put into the content i would hope you guys go on the road. Maybe do a meet up and ride. Dragons tail would be a great place.. Keep up the great work.

[@punkrockdidi]

Absolutely love the content you guys make BTW!

[@freeagent8225]

No matter how old the bike it feels brand new with new sprockets and chain.

[@rgh622]

Great job Craig! Far more knowledge and information than Sean could ever deliver. When Sean talks it sounds like a snake-oil salesman pitching to a carnival crowd.

[@johnpost]

Craig is a natural on camera and this video was great. SRK cycles needs to make this type of content a weekly feature. I’m sure Craig can think of plenty of topics to discuss.

[@from_brazil_with_love]

Recently I bought my first motorcycle with a shaft drive (BMW K1300S) and it's awesome. But I wanna say to those who don't like chains at all because of the maintenance issues - you should try scottoiler system! I have one at my KLR 650 and it's pretty good at keeping my chain always lubricated.

[@bjorntappe4139]

great choice.. i got myself a k1200r.. nearly the same. awesome ride.

[@rex8255]

I've had one belt drive, two shaft drives, and one chain drive. SCREW CHAIN DRIVE! I rode my bike for transportation, and it was a PAIN IN THE BUTT! The maintenance on the shaft drives? LOVED IT!

[@motomike71]

The one mod I've seen for a shaft drive bike to change the gearing was for the Yamaha XS 1100. People would swap out the rear pumpkin from an XS650 to get taller gearing. There's a whole user forum dedicated to the bike with a section on how to do the mod. It takes some wrenching and a little bit of light fabrication to make it work, but if you can find an XS650 to cannibalize it's not a very expensive mod.

[@dastrayer63]

The old Honda Shadow rear on a Goldwing was another "thing", back in the mullet days.

[@mpccenturion]

Thank you! I started on a 70 Tiger 650 twin. The chain was shot. I went looking for a replacement. The only thing I found was machine chain of the correct pitch. And I had 4 links and a breaker in my jacket. Along with a flat screw driver - and a 12 point 9/16th. I had the chain lay out on the ground once. The old link split. Took me a week to find an old machine shop - with an old guy who had been there 60 yrs. As you might guess - I like chain drive.

[@lightspeedforlife]

Great video! However.... I think you are selling the belt drive short. It's quiet, clean, smooth while responsive, low power loss, almost maintenance-free and you can change the front pulley for city/highway if you wish. For every single used bike I have had, I had to replace chain and sprockets, it's a system that just doesn't age well and people can't be bothered to service them often enough. It's expensive and annoying that you have to get dirty after almost every ride and it's a constant worry to keep track of mileage and weather since last chain service. The bike is always messy and the garage floor too. Belt drive is like a gift from God for all bikes except dirt bikes.

[@BelieveTheMessage]

My first bike was a 2004 V-star 1100 (shaft drive) and I loved the ease of maintenance. 👍 Second was a 2013 street glide (belt drive), which was a rolling couch basically, but also pretty easy to wrench on. Third bike I got squirrelly and bought a 2003 Big Dog pitbull which was meticulously maintained, and also a belt drive. I never got into swapping sprockets or anything, but I agree with Craig, shaft drive was the lowest maintenance and most fun to ride. Blessings to you all @SRKCycles. 😇

[@Jaslath]

Nice list. One thing I think you missed is the weight of each system. It can make a difference depending on the application you're using the bike for.

[@yourhandlehere1]

So when would a pound or two difference...make a difference? Never for the average rider.

[@ih8momjokes1]

@@yourhandlehere1 not for the average rider but you wouldnt put a shafty on a sports bike. and u wouldnt put a high maintenance chain on a cruiser.

[@kenwittlief255]

@@ih8momjokes1 Take a Yamaha Vmax for a ride - open the throttle WFO.... and get back to us

[@planefloat]

@@kenwittlief255 Loved my VMax. Ever sold a bike and missed it the very next day? Queasyrider

[@vincedibona4687]

“A pound or two”… 🤣😂🤣 And even a novice would feel the difference in a couple pounds of unsprung weight.

[@DancerOfClouds]

No offence Sean, but Craig rocked it. Let's be honest. you guys are an awesome team and it was great to see Craig presenting.

[@user-qv4rj3fo9b]

I've been riding the same bike with a chain for 39 years. Sure, it takes some maintenance. I recently got a belt drive and really don't notice much difference - just less maintenance. However, though I've never owned or even ridden a shaft drive, I think it makes the most sense and wish H-D would have used a shaft all along.

[@dukeljk2191]

Not me, it's ugly.

[@treeguyable]

Got 2 vtxs', shaft drive, 1 Raider, belt drive, and an R1, chain drive. They are all awesome! Love bikes & beards vids.

[@peter455sd]

Shaft is the best,no question...

[@Ipsissimus]

Joke's on you. I never think.

[@Always2Wheel]

These videos are awesome please keep doing them not only am I being educated but I am being entertained. This channel only puts out videos of high quality it doesn't miss.

[@alpha13dylan]

Shaft drive. Hands down.

[@eddaugherty335]

Great video! I have had all three and for the intended use of the bike they were all best. My last bike was a F800GS that I rode daily. Every weekend I had to clean the chain, every other day I had to oil the chain, every 40k miles (12 to 15 months) I had to shell out $250 for a new sprocket and chain set. That got old fast...but...it took me everywhere I wanted to go, and comfortably I might add. Highway, gravel road, dirt road, single track...it did it all. The Harley I had...only had to adjust the belt when I changed tires. I never had any issues with them. I had to check it periodically but it was always fine. I'm now on my second drive shaft bike and I love that I don't worry about it. I like working on my bikes but the chain drive was too much for me. On the dirt bikes it's just as you said, chains are lighter and easier to change the gearing to whatever I wanted. I didn't have to worry about maintenance much because it got cleaned after every ride just about because I always ended up in some mud somewhere and had to clean the bike. I didn't put thousands of miles on them so I didn't have to change them often...if ever. Having anything else on a dirt bike would be nonsense!

[@WTF1wr1ownage]

Chain is more work, but you can’t beat the power delivery

[@hutch36xx]

I just went from a shaft drive 94 Honda to a 06 Ultra that has belt drive . I love the smoothness and quietness of the belt I hope it goes 100k . Good video Craig .

[@ar3fali]

So glad Craig got his own video. Nice one mate.

[@brholmes2000]

It’s about time Craig has some camera time. What a great Wealth of knowledge he has. I couldn’t agree more about chain drives. They may require more work but what a great system for efficiency and tunability. Not sure that’s a word, but I’m gonna pretend it is.

[@JaySmith-ly6gr]

Touring from Ontario to California & back, I left having a new chain installed. Chain adjustments and lube all the way to Cali, had to replace the chain when I got there. Same on the way back, plus another chain and also sprockets on returning. The uneven chain wear caused an engine surging when holding the bike at highway speeds, apparently the engine cam timing chain had been unevenly stretched as a result. 1983 Suzuki GS550L.

[@John_Ridley]

I put a Scottoiler X system on my VStrom back in December. It throws a drop of oil on the rear sprocket every 50 seconds or so while moving. Since then my chain is always very evenly and smoothly lubricated and both the chain and the sprocket are much cleaner than when I was manually cleaning and lubing every 500 miles or so. It basically turns chains into no maintenance other than checking the slop along with the normal walkaround once a week or so.

[@Briansammo]

I have all 3 drive systems on my various bikes (mini-Jay Leno collection) and I like all 3, when best applied to type/style of vehicle.

[@lotus64ftw]

Great Video. Happy to see Craig doing a video on his own.

[@Srkcycles]

Us too!

[@istvanfarkas918]

You are very good, Craig, and I love the continuity Srkcycles has :) I miss Sean, and the words of wisdom, but I will not miss Srkcycles, thanks to you. Keep up the good work, and God bless you all.

[@omfgwtfbbq90]

My first bike was a chain drive... Oh the maintenance... So fun! Good thing it had a single sided swingarm! Then the next bike was a shaft drive. Now my third bike is also a shaft drive. I just love it! No more of that swinging dirt under your tail fairing of your clean bike and no maintenance, except for changing the oil in once in forever. I don't care for the power loss, I don't do record lap times on the track, I just enjoy the ride and ownership of the bike. Also it's a Yamaha Vmax 1200, love it so much! :)

[@mattclarke8791]

I remember something about a chain drive conversion for the V-Max way back, and being amazed how much weight it saved

[@scottmorgan1334]

I had a Honda v 65 1100 shaft drive. I loved it.when I'd take off hard it leave same every time or a burn out cpl gears it leaves a mark the same every time

[@triumph9252]

Craig is a star. Keep these info vids coming.

[@henrybartolomei4640]

Seeing more of this type of video would be a lot of fun. I really like all the content you guys put out but diving a little deeper into the mechanical side of things is interesting and fun.

[@markchalupsky2336]

Belt is the way to go for most people who don't want to do maintanence. I have had all three systems. If you do have problems with a shaft drive, it can be very costly to fix!

[@henrya3530]

The best system is fully enclosed chain drive. Used to be a popular feature on commuter and utility motorcycles (and Yamaha TR1). Lighter than shaft drive so lower unsprung mass. Low maintenance - like belt drive but not as expensive. No dirt gets on the chain and sprockets so they last waaay longer. You can still change the gearing ratio if you want to. Over the years I've owned several motorcycles with fully enclosed chain drive and it's a system I wish was still in use today.

[@oswaldjh]

Shaft drive is different on launch because the rear wheel pushes away from the frame. The others pull the rear wheel into the frame. The reverse is true that the shaft drive may pull the rear wheel off the ground during hard downshift.

[@Marc-zf3xv]

Shaft drive is best "they just don't wear out" ha, ask me about my last two BMWs with a shaft drive and why I now have a chain driven bike... Great video, thanks.

[@roscoe4092]

Just got my first belt drive after maintaining chains for the last 20 years, my god I love it

[@kirknelson156]

I used to have a '84 700cc yamaha virago with a shaft drive, I loved it. It was my daily driver when I used to drive 70 miles each way to work, drove it cross country while pulling a trailer. had put over 140,000 miles when I got transferred out of the country and had to leave it behind.

[@kirknelson156]

@Cosmo Logical it was more like I really liked the girl I was living with at the time.

[@zef2stroke655]

Awesome video Craig I think we all needed this, waiting for the next Craig video

[@manfredklitschke2645]

After years of driving chain bikes i got one with a shaft drive and i love it.🥰 Maintainance free, smooth and quite, your right. For me it's yust the best👍 I think you forgot also how easy it is to change or install the rear wheel and the back of the bike is not so horribly dirty because you need no chain lube.

[@TRI-JOHN]

Dude! Yeah, definitely more videos like this, keep them coming. Thumbs up from Scotland 👍

[@richardmcbride538]

Jan 2022: Well done, professional and moved along. Appreciated, thank you. Richard

[@Eric-4501]

It is possible to change the final gearing on a shaft drive system without having a new set of gears made. Just change the tire size but since there is not a lot of excess space around the tire the amount of change is small unless you are going to a smaller tire. I did this on my bike because I wanted less RPM's at highway speeds. I was only able to increase it by one size and got results that I was not expecting. The RPM's did drop at highway speeds but a miniscule amount, and my fuel mileage went down about 2MPG and shift points also changed. I agree with your assessment of the systems, well done video.

[@c.jwilliamson9247]

Yeah forsure do more Craig you wassup man ..love the fact you said the engineering with proper applications

[@EwoudPook]

Keep them coming! I like the nerdy stuff! And I like to learn about bikes.

[@Srkcycles]

Thanks! Will do!

[@kmemz]

I'm not talking from a motorcyclist perspective, rather a bicycling perspective, but if I got myself a motorcycle, I would like to fab or find a sealed self-lubricating chain setup. Motorcycles are on single speed chain drives, so the enclosure could be made fairly compact, the output side could be sealed similarly to an engine's crankcase, and the whole setup could be drained and cracked open within a few minutes, and would take away very little of the tunability aspect that chain drives have. By being sealed off and constantly lubricated, it would decrease wear, almost negate maintanence beyond changing the chain and changing the oil, it would function more consistently in offroad environments since the actual drivetrain within can't get dirty, be it dirt, mud, clay, or bits of plantlife, and it would suppress the chain noise. It wouldn't have to be filled to the brim with oil and completely sealed off either it could be done with a resorvoir and small pump, also not unlike what's in most engines on the roads today. I suppose that's all I got for my brain dump, maybe one day it'll become a real thing.

[@Hipporider]

I've ridden from Tassie to Queensland, over to Adelaide then back to Tassie, i think at least 11000 kilometres or more with a belt drive cut half way through and it never broke. I took a spare belt and a clutch puller with me in case it let go, but it didn't. I even forgot about the belt being cut and did some aggressive acceleration at the lights in Queensland and it never broke. This was on a FXRSSP back in the early 90s. I met a fella touring around Australia with holes punched clean through his belt, no problems . Having said that, the days I'm on an old Triumph Rocket 3 and the drive shaft is great 🇦🇺

[@SaintBelmont]

Ain't gonna lie, liking this new guy.

[@rezdad0108]

CRAIG!!! this was a different type of video for sure, but a welcomed one! Great idea to bring Craig to the page! I have to say it was also very informative.

[@Davido50]

Craig is ok. Thanks for your knowledge on this topic.

[@terrycoggin1684]

Enjoyed seeing Craig having his own video! Good stuff!

[@johnreis1872]

Thanks Craig! Can’t wait for more of these videos!

[@just-dl]

Craig, I love it when you talk nerdy to me! Btw…belt drives for me

[@darrylpotter8255]

Well done sir! Glad to see the big man stepping up!!