Not a newbee to the Valkyrie, but i have a question!

[bigdog99]

I picked the Valkyrie over the Harley because of the video on TV when they first came out, through the salt flats i think, Anyway, how many miles should I get on my timing belts? they are original with 79,000 miles.

[DaveD(MI)]

I think the manual says replace around 100K. Not too hard of a job.

[MP]

Actually, the manual says to "inspect" at 100,000, not replace.

MP

[Black Dog]

Yer gonna get a lot of input on this one, with many different answers...

The book says 'inspect' at 100K.  Our Valks range from 7 - 13 years old, and many have gone past 100K in that time.  These are 'interference' engines, meaning that if a belt breaks or jumps a tooth, yer gonna mess it up bad.

I don't know how much an official Honda Belt is, but I seem to remember it's somewhere north of $40...  Our own Jeff K has put together a 'Generic Parts List' (find it here - http://www.jkozloski.com/generic_parts.htm ) that gives a few examples of other brands of belts that can and do work (Gates # 275, Napa # 250275, Goodyear - #40275).  For about $11 each, I used the Gates belt when I changed mine.

My reasoning is if my belts are 10 years old or more, I'm not gettin' a warm fuzzy as I head out on a 1000 mile weekend trip.  If I can give my self some piece of mind, for less than $30 and an hour or so of my time, it's money well spent.  Most Honda cars say to replace the belts anywhere between 95K and 105K, or every 10 years (and that job goes for $500, on average).

Take the time to work on yer lady...  Time and money well spent  

Black Dog

[quexpress]

Yer gonna get a lot of input on this one, with many different answers...

The book says 'inspect' at 100K.  Our Valks range from 7 - 13 years old, and many have gone past 100K in that time.  These are 'interference' engines, meaning that if a belt breaks or jumps a tooth, yer gonna mess it up bad.

I don't know how much an official Honda Belt is, but I seem to remember it's somewhere north of $40...  Our own Jeff K has put together a 'Generic Parts List' (find it here - http://www.jkozloski.com/generic_parts.htm ) that gives a few examples of other brands of belts that can and do work (Gates # 275, Napa # 250275, Goodyear - #40275).  For about $11 each, I used the Gates belt when I changed mine.

My reasoning is if my belts are 10 years old or more, I'm not gettin' a warm fuzzy as I head out on a 1000 mile weekend trip.  If I can give my self some piece of mind, for less than $30 and an hour or so of my time, it's money well spent.  Most Honda cars say to replace the belts anywhere between 95K and 105K, or every 10 years (and that job goes for $500, on average).

Take the time to work on yer lady...  Time and money well spent  

Black Dog

We are on the same page Black Dog!!! 
I don't care what the manual says. Why risk it?

[alph]

an ounce of prevention,,,,  pound of cure.......

diddo with the previous posts, changing a timing belt is A LOT cheaper then new valves and a cam!!

[bigdog99]

looks like the new belw is goin in. Thanks for the twist of the arm, i have tackled so much this winter, adding the belts is a no brainer.
thanks

[Airetime]

I picked the Valkyrie over the Harley because of the video on TV when they first came out, through the salt flats i think, Anyway, how many miles should I get on my timing belts? they are original with 79,000 miles.

Kinda like oil! If you change it, run the Valk for 100 miles and put it away for 10 years, are you going to start/run it on the old oil that has sat there or change it? Well the answer is obvious, change it. Same as the belt, with the downside being sooo BAD, I'd change it at 75k as it is cheap insurance. Sold a Honda Civic one time and it had 92k on it, told the new owner to make sure that he change it, he didn't and at 101k it went, taking the head, valves etc. His belt was $80, repair was $2,700, you decide 

[bigdog99]

with my luck if i dont do it now, i will get the biggest i told you so!