KEVLAR BELTS, are they worth the money?

[XPS1210]

to start my kevlar belt was a polani belt and not purchased throu provo...

however they should be almost the same no matter which of the name brands used...

today i was riding at 45mph and my scooter started to feel like it was slipping...next thing i knew it went bang and i thought i blew the piston...

i ended up leaving in a parking lot and had to hitch a ride from one of the employees at the place i parked it... yes it was there wheb i got back... thank god!

i loaded it in durango a few hours later and brought it home... expecting the worst... however i noticed the rollers sounded like they were rattling so i pulled the tranny cover off... my kevlar belt had shreaded...

litterally... i'll post a pic in a few... it looked like a pile of hairs with some belt cord in it....


what the heck could have caused this? is it possible that it came off of the variator? i know it uses the full variator face, since i marked it with a permanent marker and the marks are all worn off...

also it was wrapped in the clutch end of the tranny... like it was still spinning when the belt came apart...

any thought would be appriciated... i don't want to be eating belts... they add up at fifty bucks a pop...

[XPS1210]

here is a pic of the mess

2 more to follow...

[XPS1210]

only 1 more...

[XPS1210]

last pic...


pretty lame huh... this was a $45.00 belt... Hope it was just defective as I got it on eBay... Before I knew of this site...

[James B]

I did that to mine also I had 4500 miles on it when the belt went it made alot of grinding noises and sounded horrid. When I lost my piston it was alot quiter.

[XPS1210]

so the big question is... with only about 400 miles on that belt... YES Four Hundred... Miles!!!

What the heck could have caused that?

Is there to much torque for the belt? Or was it just a POS belt?

:confused: :confused: I'm confused! I thought it should have lasted much much longer...

And is it likely my stock belt will go faster?

[James B]

Did you blow the first belt?

[XPS1210]

I removed the stock belt when I did all my upgrades... The kevlar one is the only one I have blown...

I have the stock one installed now as it's my only other belt... I will order a new kevlar one from Erich in the morning...

[James B]

Did you put it on backwards? Not that i think it would do that. but you never know.

[XPS1210]

nope i was always careful of how it went on... made sure the arrows point to the front as the belt spun...

i don't know... only thing i can think is i might have gone out of the variator... however i wan't spinning the rpm's that fast as far as i could tell...

[King Vino]

Holy cr@p, jered, you weren't kidding in the email, that really is shreaded!

[Elliott]

Yeah!! Jered those Belts Get Mighty HOT!! Do you Think Kevlar is Defective!!

I will be shure to Carry a extra Belt with me!! now that you have shown us that!! I cut a hole in my Transfercase Cover to let More Air in!!!

Sometimes there Not Any Coolant at all!!! :eek:

[XPS1210]

I'm guessing the kevlar was bad or it jumped the variator... You know with all my massive mods... I could be pushing more power then the variator can handle... :D


Then again... I hope it was just a bad belt...

[James B]

I have at least 800 miles on my Kevlar belt now so they are not all defective also even if you had a spare belt with you it would help much since at least in mine there was such a mess of shredded belt everywhere it took me a good hour of cleaning.

[XPS1210]

ditto... It took forever to clean all that crap out...

[King Vino]

Just wondering since it wasn't bought at Provo that if perhaps it wasn't really Kevlar, or if it was it was an inferior grade? I mean that stuff is suppose to be indestructible right?

[Lennox]

Jered, I think I remember you posting about using multiple washer behind you variator and a possible alignment issue?? Have you investigated these possibilities?

[scooterconvert]

what's all this talk about kevlar belts? I have a leather belt and it holds my shorts up just fine. I've never had one shread on me and I've had the same one for the last 6 years :p

[XPS1210]

Jered, I think I remember you posting about using multiple washer behind you variator and a possible alignment issue?? Have you investigated these possibilities?


No the variator is functioning correctly and the "wharble" I had is gone... What it was... The variator kit comes with an additional washer from provo... at 1st I didn't install it... had the wharble and the outside finned pully wiggled... Now with the washer in, it's tight and working as it's supposed to...


I do have 1 ? for you guys... I bought strap wrenches... what a waste... how can you possibly get them to work? I bought craftsman ones... They just slip... you could do it I guess but would take a LOT of time to get it tight enough before trying to spin a nut off...

[James B]

I use my strap wrench on pickle jars but not the variator use an impact.

[Lennox]

....or bust


It was my understanding that this "extra" washer would restrict you somewhat? Or is the "extra" washer on the outside of the finned pully?

[Elliott]

Just wondering since it wasn't bought at Provo that if perhaps it wasn't really Kevlar, or if it was it was an inferior grade? I mean that stuff is suppose to be indestructible right?

Maybe it was Made in CHINA HEHE :)

[XPS1210]

....or bust


It was my understanding that this "extra" washer would restrict you somewhat? Or is the "extra" washer on the outside of the finned pully?


it was on the out side... also I played with it more today... To check everything with the stock belt... and I removed the washers...

I saw no need as the molassi finned pully I got from provo fits tight with the stcok washer (just behind the nut)...

I had the washer on the outside of the pully though... So nope not a restrictor...

[mikhail masevich]

I heard the best way is to keep with the factory yamaha belt. Mine was $46 from the dealer. I rebult my top end and breking it in alredy. I hope it will be faster with the new belt

[Zuma88]

i have herd form lots of people ripping the Malossi, polini, DR kelver you need to cut you crank case cover in half to vent it. my stock belt melted on my varaitor lol. i have a Polini Kelver racing belt form e-bay and it has 800 miles on it and it still is like new expt for a little fading on the tag.
my sugjestion is to take you crank case cove (CCC) off and cut it down the center about 2 inchs be for the end if the kick start, i had a high power honda elite with a KOSO clutch on it and it smoked my bell and the heat couldn't get out and melted down my rollor waights lol :eek:
now with it cut and lighter springs in my clutch my belt clutch and varaitor dont get very hot

[Lennox]

wait a minute.......


your saying to leave the cluch exposed???:confused: the whole swing arm is the support for the real wheel!!:rolleyes: I do agree we need to vent the case, but theat is overkill. you are breeching the strength of the swing arm. And look at the dirt and oil you are collecting in there!!:eek:

[Elliott]

The best i did was Cut a Hole in the TransferCase 3 or 4 With a Drill and Cut a hole in the Transfer Case Cover and by the way the Filter that over the variator fan ,and get a Thin paper Filter!! the one thats on there is Blocking 66% of the Air ,and the Heat from the Cylinder Blower is going into the Transfer case .. :eek: Makes it even Hotter Heating the Belt !!! :mad:

[XPS1210]

has anyone looked into installing the little DC computer fans into the case?

I have seen some that are a total size of around an inch diameter and would push air in the front, then have one in the back pulling it out...

I'd say that's the best idea I've heard!? Just haven't seen it done!

[marylandmark]

Anyone try these vents yet?

http://rockymountainatv.com/product_graphics/uniairvent.jpg






Air box vents that contain a foam element to pre-filter air before it
enters the air box. I want to say they are about the size a those nice and tasty white powered donuts that come 6 to a pack from Hostess...

[Lennox]

mmmmm....d o n u t s!

how much for 2 of these? I'll be a guinea pig.

[marylandmark]

$6.99 for 6 of them

[Zuma88]

on hondas cutting the crank case cover is the best and my new zuma has it.
your belt will last 3x as long as reg.
just once a month clean the back part with brake cleaner and you'll have a good ride

[Lennox]

Mark, order me some.....I'll pay pal you. I'll send you a pm with my address.


I would never cut that big of a section out of my swing arm..... but them again I have been known to go off jumps on my Zuma:D It would surely break.

[marylandmark]

On the way...

[marylandmark]

Stock Qty Unit Item No. Description Unit Price Net Price
In-Stock 1 Each 00005427 Uni Filter Air Box Vents $6.99 $6.99




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Subtotal: $6.99
Shipping /Handling: $7.02
Order Total: $14.01

[XPS1210]

http://www.provoscooter.com/vbull/showthread.php?t=3452

has more info on this... the damage to by belt was caused from the info in this thread.