9000 miles: rollers and belt?

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 2:07 am

My dealer last year told me, when I asked him to open the variator case, not to bother. My belt and rollers "must" be due for replacing, so might as well save the labour and order new parts. I'd just paid for a service and was a little short. So I opted for delay.

My Kermit has had 9000 miles of city riding and long two-laner rides. Should I do as my dealer says, to order a new belt and rollers? Or ask him to check first? The variator *does* feel a tiny bit lurchy...

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:37 am

If you've never changed your rollers they were due to be changed about 4000 miles ago. There will also be a good deal of grime to be cleaned out of there. Your belt change is overdue too.

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:49 am

Change them. It's not worth trying to push it as far as you can. You can wind up with a broken belt and can also damage your variator.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:16 pm

I had Dr Pulley Sliders and a new belt put in last year, the belt still had some wear left on it, but we went on ahead and changed it anyway, my rollers were also in pretty good shape but I wanted to try the sliders.

I do NOT want to end up with an exploded belt out in the middle of nowheresville, so I figure doing something a little early is better than too late...

-v

kooky scientist · Post by **kooky scientist** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:50 pm

Yeah, I should do this too. I'm @ 11,500 miles and should change the belt and try some Dr. Pulley sliders. What weight should I get ? Not sure what the different weights do.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:50 pm

Oh well. Technically I need a basic service--mainly a check-out for any niggles, as I did the oil change for winterizing--anyway. I'll get on the horn to ask him to order up some parts.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:04 am

you will likely be very happy with the increased speed you'll get and you'll also have to get used to how much quicker off the line you'll go.

a belt and stock weights with that many miles aren't allowing Kermit to perform its best. In addition to the new belt, you may need to have that wheelie do (my tech speak there) sanded. It's the plate on or near the variator the belt rubs on. When it gets too smooth the belt doesn't catch to well.

It's always best to have as much done while the bike's on the rack since it's likely already opened up in one way or another. At least when it comes to oil, filters, belts. Tires are a different beast entirely and well there's no saving on that labor by grouping stuff.

Good luck. Kermit will be so much more fun when running optimally.

Dibber · Post by **Dibber** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:55 am

I just put 11gm Dr Pulley Sliders and a Bates Kevlar Belt after 8000 miles on my Buddy 125. Man are they smooth runners and my old rollers had several flat spots and the edge of the belt was starting ever so slightly fray. I heard some have also purchased 12 gm sliders and are happy with them. I didn't loose any top speed that I have noticed with the 11 gm.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:37 am

jijifer wrote:It's always best to have as much done while the bike's on the rack since it's likely already opened up in one way or another. At least when it comes to oil, filters, belts.

Sadly, no saving at the time I thought to mention checking the variator. Small shop, small parts inventory on hand. He would have had to order the bits and pieces from PGO Canada anyway. At the time, I simply didn't have the money for a second service.

One reason I've decided to do my own valve checks--after reading the tutorial here and watching it being done twice--is to save money on that kind of thing. I already do my own engine/gear oil changes, and figure I can do the air filter replacement as well. Variator work...well, I think that like a tire change, it's something my dealer will do.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:40 am

Dibber wrote:I just put 11gm Dr Pulley Sliders and a Bates Kevlar Belt after 8000 miles on my Buddy 125. Man are they smooth runners and my old rollers had several flat spots and the edge of the belt was starting ever so slightly fray. I heard some have also purchased 12 gm sliders and are happy with them. I didn't loose any top speed that I have noticed with the 11 gm.

I think I'll keep the sliders stock. Maybe a kevlar belt if I think it is affordable.

Kermit isn't showing any serious signs of transmission trouble. Merely a touch of roughness in take-up when I'm feathering the throttle in stop-and-go traffic.

jfrost2 · Post by **jfrost2** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 2:18 am

You can get sliders and kevlar belts at the cheapest prices here!

http://www.buggypartsnw.com/home?page=s ... gory_id=16

Several members of modern buddy buy their parts from this site and have come to trust them very much. Scooterworks sells the same exact parts but for a few dollars more here and there.

The site is dedicated for buggys and ATV's, but many of them use gy6 engines which is very similar to the buddy's since the buddy's is also gy6 based.

This is also the cheapest place online to get a dr pulley variator, on ebay you'll pay twice as much.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:08 am

I am *not* convinced that it really is the "rev-limiter" that is the problem, but supposedly that is what is happening with my Buddy. I never hit the limiter until I had the sliders put in, so the only thing that I can imagine would cause me to suddenly start having this problem, I ride exactly the same as I did before getting the sliders put in.

I am going to put up with it for as long as I can tolerate it and the next time I will have the standard rollers put back in again. It is faster off the line, I do notice that, but if you end up hitting the rev-limiter constantly and this results in the scooter bucking, kicking, and backfiring and loosing top end speed until it is maxing out, by the time you get home, at about 25mph... I would rather be a touch slower off the line and know that I am not going to have that happen.

Again, I am not convinced that this is really what the problem is, but that is what I have been told it is.

-v

Post by **ericalm** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:34 pm

Vic wrote:I am *not* convinced that it really is the "rev-limiter" that is the problem, but supposedly that is what is happening with my Buddy. I never hit the limiter until I had the sliders put in, so the only thing that I can imagine would cause me to suddenly start having this problem, I ride exactly the same as I did before getting the sliders put in.

It's definitely conceivable, but I haven't heard of people hitting the rev limiter on the Buddy, so it's rare. I would think you'd have to be going pretty damn fast by the time you hit the rev limiter. If Kaos and other voodoo speedsters haven't had the problem, not sure why you would.

Another possibility would be some damage or unusual wear to either your variator ramps, the pulleys, or the clutch. This too seems unlikely but it kind of sounds like whatever problem you're having isn't common. The damage would have to be on the outer edges, something that might cause the belt to slip or the rollers to become fouled.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Sat Apr 03, 2010 10:17 pm

Belt and rollers ordered through my dealer. Entirely PGO Canada stock. I'm just not adventurous enough to pick and mix a third-party belt and parts. PGO Canada is also very local to Montreal, so their deliveries of inventoried parts (while a bit expensive) is also on a 48 hour turnaround.

Also, hell, 15000 kilometers. I can't believe I made it this far without a serious accident or a major parts failure. *Nothing* has fallen off despite Kermit sometimes getting slammed hard on Montreal's rough, pothole-strewn asphalt. A single rear wheel rim bent by a chasm early on, a typical speedo cable failure (fixed under warranty with loctite) and the usual vapour lock (cured with a vented gas cap).

These little scoots are tough little buggers. My old Yamaha Vino 125 used to shed parts all over the place, in comparison.