[Ducati] 1098 pricing - (now lower maintenance costs

[Veloce916 at aol.com]

FWIW Goodyear makes a belt now that has a lifetime guarantee - never needs  
replacing unless it gets cut somehow.  Buell is using them and I would  imagine 
it won't be long before we see them in other applications as  well. 
Vicki
 
 
In a message dated 11/26/2006 12:25:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
bigredxrunner at yahoo.com writes:

The  thing is rubber will oxidize over time, meaning unusued left to air it 
will  slowly deteriorate. Question is how to know how long is too long. Granted 
 paying someone to change belts gets a little silly. And adjustments if you 
ask  me has something to do with it. I think proper clearances are easier on 
belts,  a little tight is harder on em I would say. So well adjusted you might 
get  better life out of em. You would think the factory has some idea what is a 
 good interval. If you maintain according to their schedule and belt breaks 
and  you tear up your heads in the process it might be on their nickle. 
Testastrett  is a little different and I think the head design is a little easier on 
the  belts. Isn't the direction change across fixed/adjustable pulley a little 
less  severe?  The kevlar belts have been around for ages...I think the first 
 set of belts I bought for my 1995 were kevlar, they changed pretty early on 
so  kevlar had been around for many years. Honda Civic not likely
such a good  camparison. When cruising at what 2000 rpms. I imagine you do 
not ride your  Duc at twice that, more likely 3 times that and belts are shorter 
so if trying  to compare apples to apples you would have to say your civic 
had 20-30K maybe  to be equivalent. I would guess even lower, still a Civic has 
closing springs  to overcome so belt sees some significant load and the Ducs 
clsing springs not  much as a comparison.
Anyway. you need to ride that bike more, thus your  maintenance expense per 
mile or month will go down, :)   Rich