how to fix a chainless bike??
 

whoa- have you all seen this? my bad if already in a thread...

http://www.dynamicbicycles.com/bikes/

maybe they would make a fixed gear line.

Yes, maybe someday someone will... ;)

http://www.firstflightbikes.com/shaft.jpg

wow- where in the world is that from and how does it work?

I think you would find it takes a lot more strength to get the same result (as chain driven) with a shaft.

It works simply by gears making contact with a shaft then the shaft turns and rotates the rear wheel (just as a car works)

There are actually shaft drive motorcycles but they never took off for the same reasons shaft driven bicycles haven't. Belt driven would have a greater chance of gain popularity than shaft.

seems a lot less efficient--

Definatly. Actually I don't have numbers but I do have experience.

If you have ever used a "flex shaft" drill then you would know by pure observation how much power can be put in with little results at the end.

Actually Harley's were shaft drive for some time.

On a bicycle shaft drive tends to be on the order of 90% efficient while chain drive is about 97% efficient. That's the real thing there. I suppose that and the fact that these days derailleur drives are sooo much cheaper than internally geared hubs.

edit: no, I guess I'm wrong. It looks like HD only had one shaft-drive model. Huh. I thought otherwise.

BMW, moto guzzi, and a smattering of japanese motorcycles have shaft drives.

There are actually a ton of shaft drive motorcycles. Check every major manufacturer other than harley.

chainless fixie,now thats quiet!

quiet except for the extra grunting you need to do to get it up a hill!!

i guess you have to compare 90% efficiency to 97% for chain driven but i would think that a shaft is a hell of a lot heavier than a chain...

anyone?

besides BMW other manufacturers have only dabbled in drive shaft driven motorcycles. Every BMW motorcycle has a drive shaft. I have owned many and my father now owns the new R1100S Boxter cup that we have modified like crazy, and that thing is a monster!

It's kind of like the rotary engine in cars, everyone has tried but nobody but mazda has gotten it right.

can anyone show a larger pic of one of the bikes, or show a close up of the drive train? the pics wont load

Here's the old one: http://www.rustyspokes.com/images/Image6.jpg

New designs are pretty much the same though these days they interface to internally geared hubs. Not much to see, but it's your basic 90 degree crown engagement at either end with everything enclosed for your protection.

Shaft driven motorcycles never took off? :roflmao:

NOT !

Hmm, you have criticized two people's comments without offering any new information. Perhaps you would be so kind to enlighten us, or are we unworthy of your awesome knowledge?

I should apologize for being rude. I should have said nothing. I'm getting a migraine, and I'm about to go off line. It makes me a little groggy.

The only short answer is that the complete opposite to both statements is the reality.
They just struck me as hilarious. My level of knowledge is not awesome, I thought it was rather typical actually. That's what seemed so strange.

Shaft drive motorcycles have been around for ages they work superbly and are all over the place. They are made by most motorcycle companies.

But. Shaft drive motorcycles are used in the overweight/underpowered cruiser lines, not in the sportbike lines. Point me to the World Superbike racer with a shaft drive. If you deliberately want to add weight and reduce usability of you bicycle, then feel free to convert to shaft drive. It must be all chrome, though.

I would love to own a old shaft driven cycle, but not a new one.

You mean bikes like the 167 horsepower K1200s.

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/k1200s/index.jsp

By the way the F650 and it's variations are chain drive, the rest of the BMW's are shaft drive.

-s

Not that I don't believe that a chain is more efficient, but what do ya'll think about this, "With 98% to 99% efficiency, our shaft drives bikes perform more consistently than chain and derailleur bikes that range in efficiency from 75% for poorly tuned systems up to 97% for perfectly tuned systems." That's from the bottom of the page at http://www.dynamicbicycles.com/info/top10.php . Bogus? Or did they just measure it in one gear that happens to be efficient or something?

-Will

Actually the f650 is shaft/chain/ or belt drive and it is not a race bike. The K1200s is an overweight joke of a marketing gimick for guys too fat to ride sportbikes. 700 lbs does not make a sportbike.

I am trying to withdraw from my 29 year career of riding/racing (illegally) motorbikes and spring is here, so I'm a 'little' tetchy on the subject.

I sold my last one, a yammy yz based 750 last summer and am still going through withdrawl pains. The poor sod who bought it claimed to have enough maturity to ride it, may he rest in peace.

Geez. Don't get your panties in a wad. I'm sure you were the racery-ist racer boy on the block.

I mentioned the K1200s to point out that some "sport bikes" have shaft drive. Unless you classify 167 horsepower, 98ft/lbs torque and a dry weight of 515lbs as an overweight underpowered cruiser, I think my point stands. It's not a race bike, I don't remember saying it was.

If you would like to continue your pointless rant, please do so by pointing out which F650 bike comes with a drive shaft (I don't rember saying it was a race bike either).

-s

You are correct that shaft driven motorcycles have been around for ages actually since just before the first world war. . .But besides any BMW, name any recent successful shaft driven motorcycle. Please because for my sake I would like to know

Also there is a cup that is dedicated to the R1100 opposing two cylinder engined, shaft driven sport bike, showing that shaft drives can be efficient and effective if applied correctly. I don't know why I've even gone into this at 6am, I am not sober nor am I in the right state of mind to. . . eh to hell with this