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[North Georgia Hawg]

As I have posted in various threads, I am considering the Drago's Bike Works IDS Chain Drive conversion, which is available in a variety of final drive gear ratios.

The primary reason I would do this is to change the final drive ratio from the stock configuration. This should help with off-the-line performance, since with the Andrews 54H cams (238/238 duration) I'm running, I need around 2700 RPM at the minimum before the cams really begin to "light up". I am thinking that a lower final drive ratio will help the bottom end without having to get the engine into the 3000 RPM range to get off the line quickly.

My understanding is that doing the IDS Chain Drive with a 2.94 final drive ratio is essentially very similar to going to a 30T front tranny pulley - but the issue with an aftermarket 139-tooth belt goes out of play, since there is no belt. With a chain drive, you can adjust the chain length to whatever you need - unlike a belt. And Frank says the chain drive can handle a whopping 350 HP... FAR more than I will ever make!

I like this approach - at least from what I know now. When I get really serious about it, I will have some more dialog with Frank about actually doing it. I have held off until now because of other things going on... life gets in the WAY sometimes...

So, if anyone has any feedback about the Drago's IDS Chain Drive, I'd like to hear it...

Thanks!

Ken 

[SBB]

As I have posted in various threads, I am considering the Drago's Bike Works IDS Chain Drive conversion, which is available in a variety of final drive gear ratios.

The primary reason I would do this is to change the final drive ratio from the stock configuration. This should help with off-the-line performance, since with the Andrews 54H cams (238/238 duration) I'm running, I need around 2700 RPM at the minimum before the cams really begin to "light up". I am thinking that a lower final drive ratio will help the bottom end without having to get the engine into the 3000 RPM range to get off the line quickly.

My understanding is that doing the IDS Chain Drive with a 2.94 final drive ratio is essentially very similar to going to a 30T front tranny pulley - but the issue with an aftermarket 139-tooth belt goes out of play, since there is no belt. With a chain drive, you can adjust the chain length to whatever you need - unlike a belt. And Frank says the chain drive can handle a whopping 350 HP... FAR more than I will ever make!

I like this approach - at least from what I know now. When I get really serious about it, I will have some more dialog with Frank about actually doing it. I have held off until now because of other things going on... life gets in the WAY sometimes...

So, if anyone has any feedback about the Drago's IDS Chain Drive, I'd like to hear it...

Thanks!

Ken 

Ken

I don't mean this to be a slam but if you want more off the line performance then buy yourself a Hayabusa and double your life insurance.
You have a heavy bagger, enjoy it for what it is.

SBB

[Twolanerider]

No familiarity with the product at all Ken.  Even slightly surprised at finding the option.  Will only say that, short of having so much engine a belt would never last, I'm too lazy to ever consider going back to a chain final drive.  That's a mess and a maintenance issue I'm well glad to see in my rear view.  Especially on a long haul bagger.

No doubt modern chains are better than what we grew up with.  There will still be some necessary new maintenance to keep up with.  I'm all for Zen and Phaedrus and the whole zoning out enjoying maintenance and riding.  While I enjoy both I do prefer the Zen of riding slightly more than the Zen of wrenching.

[grc]

One nice thing about chain drive is the much easier process when you need to remove and replace it or when you want to change gearing.  On the other hand, you have to actually change it more often than a belt and of course you have to also maintain it.  Even supposed "sealed" chains require some lubrication on a regular basis.

If it were me, I'd look at the modification Steve George (Fullsac) posted not too long ago.  By modifiying the axle end of the swing arm slightly, he was able to use the stock belt with the 30 tooth sprocket.  That solves the problem folks were having with the aftermarket belts.  There is also a different clutch basket gear on the market that you can use to modify ratios in the primary (stay away from the solid crank sprockets without the compensator however).  


Jerry


Forgot the link to Steve's thread.     http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=67516.0

[North Georgia Hawg]

One nice thing about chain drive is the much easier process when you need to remove and replace it or when you want to change gearing.  On the other hand, you have to actually change it more often than a belt and of course you have to also maintain it.  Even supposed "sealed" chains require some lubrication on a regular basis.

If it were me, I'd look at the modification Steve George (Fullsac) posted not too long ago.  By modifiying the axle end of the swing arm slightly, he was able to use the stock belt with the 30 tooth sprocket.  That solves the problem folks were having with the aftermarket belts.  There is also a different clutch basket gear on the market that you can use to modify ratios in the primary (stay away from the solid crank sprockets without the compensator however).  

Jerry

Forgot the link to Steve's thread.     http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=67516.0

Thanks for your input, Jerry.

I know about Steve's mod - but there is absolutely no way I would ever mod my swing arm like that. I just don't want to make structural changes like that.

The advantage of a chain drive in my opinion is - as you stated - that you can very easily remove the chain to change ratios, or to replace it - without having to remove the primary (unless of course you are going to change the tranny sprocket). Having a chain doesn't concern me from the maintenance perspective - every bike I've ever had prior to the Harleys had a chain drive. Keeping a chain lubed properly and clean is in my experience pretty easy to do. It's a 15-minute job to raise the rear wheel and spray chain lube on it while rotating the rear wheel. I did this quite often on my earlier chain-drive bikes - so that doesn't bother me.

I would really like to go to a better final ratio - but I really don't want to go to an aftermarket belt.... I NEVER want to have to deal with a broken belt.

Having the rear pulley machined to accept the Tri Glide 139-tooth 1 1/8" belt and using the Tri Glide 30-tooth front pulley might be another option. That's fairly easy to do, and I can have that done locally. 

Ken