GEBE Kevlar Belt Source

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Tom Allen

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Aug 20, 2013
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Bohemian Lady:
This is what I found just now on Gate's site regarding the issue of where to get the belt:
Customers often contact Gates regarding belts for motorcycle applications. Unfortunately, Gates does not sell motorcycle replacement belts directly to aftermarket users. The best method to obtain a proper replacement belt is to go through the dealer network for the particular brand of motorcycle.

Are you sure Gates will ship USPS? Where did you get that info? Have you already ordered?
 
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Tom Allen

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Aug 20, 2013
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I can only say, if they ship with USPS it is a great find. I paid about 11$ shipping on the belt I ordered--and even at that I saved about 8$ over GEBE.
While I am at it, let me say that I am not throwing dirt at GEBE's product line. I think they have a pretty good power transfer method. It works pretty well and is much quieter than chain or roller transfer. What I don't like--it seems to me they have too high a profit margin, i.e., they overprice everything. Everything is proprietary--you have to go through them to get belts, to get the drive ring, to get the timing grears--it has been engineered that way. Maybe they feel they need to do it that way so they can make a living. My feeling is they do it because they want to make a really GOOD living.haha Maybe not. I don't know. I would however like to see others come up with a good belt driven system, one that is set up so that the parts can be bought on a competitive basis from a range of suppliers. And I think this will happen. There is a demand for it. GEBE is seeing to that.
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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Feb 7, 2013
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I totally agree with you Tom, 100%. I only went looking for an alternative belt because... $32 for a belt OUCH! Especially if I have to buy one every three months. 10 belts from GEBE are $320, where as I can buy 10 fiberglass belts for $151 with shipping.... that's huge! Even if the fiberglass belts only last two or three months. The most we've gotten out of the Kevlar belt is 3... wait a minute...

Just realized we've only had the bike for three months... so I was wrong this whole time. We got about a month out of the first belt, the bikes maiden voyage was April 13th. The belt broke May the 11th, was replaced on the 24th. The new belt failed last Friday, the 27th, so each belt has lasted us about a month. That is seriously depressing.
 
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Albula vulpes

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Mar 16, 2010
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I would rather break a belt than break spokes. Maybe GEBE should adopt to the fiberglass belt and make it it's weak link. Charge less for the belts and kits.
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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I am those poor people, seriously. We bought this set up with MR's tax return, which was the only reason we could afford it in the first place. Otherwise it would have taken a months pay to get the damned thing, that includes the kit, the wheel, and the new bike.
 
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Albula vulpes

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I understand your fustration. Would you rather be out on one of your treks and break a belt or break spokes?. Breaking a belt, you can at least pedal the bike home. Breaking spokes, and you are pretty much well stranded.
 
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Tom Allen

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Aug 20, 2013
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I feel your pain too. The belts can last quite a long time. There are people who report getting several thousand miles--one guy got 4000. I think you should keep fooling with the alignment. Go at it gently. A very little change can make a huge difference.
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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Albula vulpes: That's why we sprang for the $125 rear wheel, we were flat broke after but it was worth it. Also I thought you meant poor as in no money poor. Not oh you poor baby poor. ^_^

Tom Allen: That's my plan, I'm gonna give the motor mount a little tweak today put the Kevlar belt on it which came today. Mr is going to take it on a 15 mile trip tomorrow and I'll see how the belt looks.

As a side note here's what the costs of the different belts equal out to for what its worth.

GEBE......................$32.00
Shipping................. $2.32. included
Total...................... $32.00

Biedler/Gates..........$15.99 (disregarding required bulk order)
Estimated shipping...$8.00 (disregarding required bulk order)
Total...................... $23.99 (disregarding required bulk order)

Fiberglass................$13.79
Shipping............... $ 8.00
Total.................... $ 21.79
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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Feb 7, 2013
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My boyfriend, AKA the MR, pointed me at the kit. I don't know how he found it, probably on reddit, the deciding factor for me was that it was a Honda. Honestly I was wary about the rear mount engine and the belt, but he wanted something for commuting that he could put on a bike with full suspension. A 15 mile ride to work then a full 8 hour day and another 15 miles home makes for a long day, so I put together the bike he wanted.
 
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Albula vulpes

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Mar 16, 2010
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BL,

When you start the GEBE bike from a dead standstill, do you pedal it first then apply throttle as you use your legs to start to get the bike going in a forward motion or do you apply throttle from a dead standstill and expect the motor to do all the work and start to make the bike go?

Thanks,
AV
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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Feb 7, 2013
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I never start her from a stand still and neither does the MR because if he did I would do him bodily harm. Dead starting will kill the belt in record time, I am aware of this fact and so is the MR. I nagged him about it, which I make a concerted effort not to do. We always pedal to get her up to speed before engaging the motor.

I'm the one who maintains and mechanics the bikes, he knows the more they break the more pissed about it I get. I like maintaining the bikes, fixing the occasional hiccup, I do not like having to spend whole days troubleshooting.
 
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Albula vulpes

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Come fly with me GEBE. I love this thing. I just got back from the store on it.


BL,

Did GEBE recommend you getting the Tanaka engine over the Honda engine? I love my Tanaka engine. It is so much nicer than my Honda GX35.

Thanks,
AV
 
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Tom Allen

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Aug 20, 2013
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Albula vulpes said:
Come fly with me GEBE. I love this thing. I just got back from the store on it.


BL,

Did GEBE recommend you getting the Tanaka engine over the Honda engine? I love my Tanaka engine. It is so much nicer than my Honda GX35.

Thanks,
AV
Click to expand...
What has the Tanaka got that the GX35 hasn't? Why do you love the one over the other?
 
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Bohemian_Lady

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Feb 7, 2013
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I got the Honda has been recommended to me by more than one person, GEBE had no real baring on it.

I'm with Tom what makes the Tanaka better than the Honda?
 
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