Chain final-drive systems are by far the most common. In this system, a sprocket installed to the result shaft (i.e., the shaft in the tranny) is linked to a sprocket attached to the trunk wheel of the motorcycle by a metallic chain. When the transmitting turns the smaller front sprocket, power is usually transmitted along the chain to the bigger rear sprocket, which then turns the rear wheel. This kind of transmission system in automobile should be lubricated and adjusted, and the chain stretches and the sprockets put on, requiring periodic replacements.
Belt drives
Belt drives are an alternative to chain drives. Early motorcycles frequently used leather belts, that could be tensioned to provide traction using a spring-loaded pulley and hand lever. Natural leather belts often slipped, especially in wet weather, therefore they were abandoned for other materials and designs. By the 1980s, improvements in components made belt final-drive transmitting system in automobile viable again. Today’s belts are made of cogged rubber and operate quite similar way as metallic chains. Unlike metal chains, they don’t require lubrication or cleaning solvents.
Shaft final-drive
Shaft final-drives are occasionally used. This transmission system in automobile transmits power to the back wheel via a drive shaft. Shaft drives are well-known because they are practical and don’t need as much maintenance as chain-based systems. Nevertheless, shaft drives are heavier and sometimes may cause unwanted motion, known as shaft jacking, in the trunk of the motorcycle. The various other components that make a motorcycle a motorcycle are area of the chassis.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The major advantages of shaft-drive are lower maintenance and running costs, and cleanliness. Chain-drive bikes need their chains adjusting frequently plus they can be costly to replace when they degrade.
They need lubricating often, especially in bad weather, which may be messy and inconvenient. And chain lube increases the running costs.
Shaft-drive systems are fully enclosed and so are unaffected by the elements and only need periodic oil changes.
The disadvantages of shaft-drive are that it is a lot heavier when compared to a chain and absorbs more of the engine’s power before it sprockets reaches the trunk wheel
In comparison to a Chain system
A shaft-drive may also change the action of the rear suspension - when the throttle is opened and closed quickly the bike may rise and squat because the shaft is wanting to “climb” the cog on the back wheel.
Power Transmission
The chain drive system comprises of two sprockets, one on the gearbox and one on the trunk wheel, that are connected by a chain.
In a shaft-driven transmission program in automobile, a shaft connects a gear in the gearbox to some other gear inside a hub on the rear wheel.
When the engine is sparked, power is transferred along the chain or shaft to the trunk wheel, and the bike moves forward. Either system is commonly referred to as “final drive,” as it can be the last group of components employed to deliver power to the rear wheel.
Some manufacturers, notably Harley Davidson, have used belt drives on some of their model line-ups. BMW, Kawasaki, and Suzuki have also attempted the belt drive system.