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[RayG]

Sprockets were fine, the 30T was brand new and the rear sprocket only had a few thousand miles on it and I did check it.  Unfortunately I have been hearing quite a bit about Falcon poly belts delaminating within a few thousand miles.  

But your advice is the proper procedure, whenever you have high mileage take the initiative to replace any possible worn parts.  If in doubt check it out rather than do it twice.  In this case there was nothing I could have done.  I will be ordering a new belt, new sprocket, and something that has a driveshaft.  I'm not a mechanic and I'm asking way to much of a product that wasn't intended for my type of riding.
Nuff said.

Once again thanks for the advice.

[Volski]

I appreciate all of your input. I asked my mechanic and got enlightened on the deal. So heres the story:
     I have air ride on my bike. The belt was adjusted at ride height (when my wife and I ride together) and I dump the air when I ride alone(for that "cool" look  ). When the air is dumped, the belt gets loose. Hence the cracks in the cogs. So in turn, I SCREWED myself! I really had no idea that would happen to the belt when running the bike lowered. It never crossed my mind. But anyway, I thank you all. I really do appreciate your guys help and knowledge.

[AXIL]

     I would never go back to the guy who sold you those shocks unless your going to shove them in a hole. the
only one who made out ($$$$$$$) in that deal was him. you cant look cool sitting on the side of road with your
belt laying 200 years back down the road. you may have wanted the shocks but he knew better. jmo  axil

[spydglide]

I appreciate all of your input. I asked my mechanic and got enlightened on the deal. So heres the story:
     I have air ride on my bike. The belt was adjusted at ride height (when my wife and I ride together) and I dump the air when I ride alone(for that "cool" look  ). When the air is dumped, the belt gets loose. Hence the cracks in the cogs. So in turn, I SCREWED myself! I really had no idea that would happen to the belt when running the bike lowered. It never crossed my mind. But anyway, I thank you all. I really do appreciate your guys help and knowledge.

Well, that's the same with all air adjustable shocks.  I have the Legends and I just adjust the belt for the position that I ride the most.  But my belt seems to do fine even tho it's too tight or too loose at times if the shocks are lowered or higher than normal.  The belt seems to  be OK as long as it's not run that way too long.  spyder

[grc]

I forget the exact year they made the change, but even Harley only has one spec these days whether the bike is sitting on the rear wheel or it's sitting up on a lift.  So it's not even a consideration IF you stay within the normal range of swingarm travel.  I suppose that all goes out the window if you drop the suspension far enough, but I'm not understanding how you could do that without gouging the inside of the fender.  Anyhow, I'm glad you have an answer.  Now you can either change out those shocks, or just use the lowered position for parking but not riding.  Not only will the belt probably last longer, but you will be safer as well.  BTW, I wouldn't even think about just setting the tension at the lowered ride height, since you would then be tight when riding at normal heights.  Great way to wipe out a bearing.


Jerry

[Midnight Rider]

I'm confused...it doesn't take much.  I was under the impression that the relative position(s) of the two sprockets stayed virtually the same within the travel of the swingarm, with shocks attached.    With the Legend Air shocks, you can go from fully pumped up, which is (if you got the standard height shock) 13" + or - sag.  The shocks will allow an approximate 3" drop in rear length of the shock, so that would be down to a low of 10" + or - a smidge.  Believe me, you don't want to ride the bike with the shocks lowered all the way down...it's like riding a hardtail...IMO, the purpose (one of them) of the Legend shocks is to lower the bike when parked or parking.  Within that 3", how much would the position of the two sprockets change?  I'm not sure that information is available, but it would surprise me if it changes significantly enough to worry about where the swingarm position is when adjusting the belt.  Surely the radius of the arc the swingarm travels around the front pulley does not change that much.   

[spydglide]

That why, Terry, that I just approximate the usual position that I normally ride my legend shocks and adjust the belt at that position.  When I drop it down to the stops or raise up into the clouds you can feel the belt change tension, but, like you say, you don't ride it (much) at the hard-tail postion.  (unless your drunk, and I try not to ride that way anymore)  har.  spyder

[Volski]

Yes, I have the Legend Air Ride system. It allows a total of 3/4" between the tire and rear fender at full drop so that if you blow an air line, you can get the bike home or somewhere to make the repair. I never rode it completely let-out, but did ride it with very little air in the shocks. Probably stupid on my part for not considering the belt tension. Live and learn. 

[hogasm]

I have the Legend suspension on the 02 bike. I have to set the belt tension with 15lbs of air in the shocks. If I don't the belt will either be too tight or loose, depending on air pressure, and cause a vibration

Never ride 2 up

[AXIL]

   put some real shocks on your motor cycle and go for a ride. you don't look cool sitting still!!!! with a snapped
belt on route 144 with a hot blond on the back ( ask my brother). set your bike up to ride first, to look cool second.
                                                                  jmo  axil

[Midnight Rider]

The Legends are real shocks, and almost a necessity for some of us who are short in stature, or have short legs.  Just don't ride the bike with them lowered too much and everything is totally fine.  And the ability to adjust them for load/road conditions while on the fly is a great feature.  In fact, they actually ride better loaded, IMO.  I check my belt with the bike up on a J&S jack, and have never had an issue with belt tension.

[grc]

The point axil makes is a good one.  Looking "cool" should never be the top priority, and it's hard to look "cool" anyway if your bike is sitting disabled on the side of the road or if it throws you in the weeds after it bottoms out.  Using the Legends as Terry described is a valid use of the product; actually riding it bottomed out is not.  First priority should always be safety.


Jerry

[Midnight Rider]

It's pretty easy to tell when you "forgot" to put some air in the Legends...about the time you hit the driveway/street interface and your ass comes up off the seat 6 inches...gets my attention real fast.   Dosn't take but once...

[charleskmoore2]

Has anyone experienced their drive belt sqeaking or chirping on deceleration? I've cleaned the belt and pulley, checked adjustments, checked clearances, ect. It is an aftermaket aluminum pulley, it's the correct size and has the correct number of teeth. Worked fine for over a year and now it makes this noise, but only when you let off the throttle. It doesn't do it when you pull the clutch in, either. ( that was checked also; everything O.K.) We've even spayed the belt while the tire was running (on the dyno) and the noise stopped instantly, but starts back after a few miles. Any information would be greatly appreciated. 

  I had a very similar issue but I did not try the spray as you did so I cannot speak to that.  Mine would chirp as soon as I would let off the throttle.   On the lift, it would chirp when the bike was in gear and you rocked the wheel back and forth.  During freewheel, it would make a low creaking noise.  My mindset is to always start with the easy, cheap and usual issues, here's what I did...
1) Adjusted belt - Nope 
2) Cleaned belt and pulley - Nope
3) Cleaned compensator isolators - Nope
4) Checked alignment each time I did the steps above - Nope
5) Inspected pulley with a bright light - Ah ha! Two hairline cracks I could only see at an angle.  OBTW, they're hollow.
6) Replaced pulley - Problem solved

Hope this helps someone searching for an answer to what they can't seem to find after doing some of the steps above.   It wasn't the answer I wanted, but it was what I ended with. 

[Twolanerider]

Good analysis and review.  It was to a nearly 10 year old thread though.  Those details can be hard to catch when you're new here.  Welcome aboard and congrats on the first post!