List of available shafties

[Da Bear]

I thought the can ams were shaft drive

They are now. His wasn't...

 

[STRider]

Yamaha XV920, brand new , silver early 1982. Had a fully enclosed chaincase , with the chain running in a grease bath.

Was it really a grease bath? I just figured it was an enclosure to contain whatever form of chain lube you chose to apply to it.

Those chain drive XV920 make a great cafe platform. Just sayin'...

 

[Mellow]

They are now. His wasn't...

No, they are all belt drive. Just checked their current offerings, no mention of shaft and all the gallery pics show a belt.

 

[ST Gui]

I think I would prefer a belt over a chain!

I do but have never owned one. My shaft drives are/were the ST/GL1000 Wing. All the rest were chain drive. I done with chains.

 

[Roger]

One of the finest shaft driven bikes Kawasaki ever made - the GT750. That and its little brother the 550 (along with the CX500 of course) were the bikes of choice for many couriers.

 

[Chris09]

I remember reading a while back comparable power losses; chain could be as low as three percent where a belt might be ten to fifteen and a shaft could go as high as twenty six percent. I'd imagine it varies within the categories and would expect the ST being an inline four likely would be on the lower end of the scale.
For my own reference I look at my 09 VStar 1100 which was available at the same time as the newer designed same year VStar [?] 950 cruisers. Not sure of all the details but my understanding is that the 1100 / carb / shaft drive is comparable performance wise to the 950 / FI / belt drive.
Looking at HP ratings on some [GM V6] outboards a few years ago when both carb and FI were available on the same engine, power ratings were 200 vs 220, so [maybe] all things being equal that might be a ten percent advantage which might suggest there is only a small gain in efficiency with belt drive; and cheaper to manufacture.
Be interesting to see a real-world / everything else equal shaft vs belt performance comparison.

 

[V4 Rider]

In Europe we got a nice 600cc shafty called the Revere which eventually became the Deauville.

 

[the Ferret]

Although no longer available one of my favorite shafties was my 81 Suzuki GS 850G. 850cc inline 4 with shaft drive, mag wheels, triple disc, a 5.8 gallon fuel tank, a super comfortable seat for two. About 80 hp and 557 lbs wet. I would buy another one of these if Suzuki brought it out today.

on the BRP

 

[dwalby]

Although no longer available one of my favorite shafties was my 81 Suzuki GS 850G. 850cc inline 4 with shaft drive, mag wheels, triple disc, a 5.8 gallon fuel tank, a super comfortable seat for two. About 80 hp and 557 lbs wet. I would buy another one of these if Suzuki brought it out today.

on the BRP

I had one of those back in 1996, when I decided I just didn't want to mess with chain maintenance any longer, and agree it was a great bike. I remembered them from when they were new and found a clean used one at a good price. I sold it after a year because touring at 80mph with no windshield was too much work hanging on against the wind blast. I'd had one of those plexiglass windshields on a bike back in 1981 or so and wasn't crazy about it, so rather than put a shield on the Suzi I sold it and bought my '97 ST1100 the next year.

I still have a soft spot in my heart for UJMs, but their mechanical age and lack of wind protection will probably keep me from owning another one, unfortunately.

 

[Bush]

Since this thread appears to have morphed into a walk down memory lane of old shafties we had, I had three. !982 Honda V45 Magna was the first, then the one pictured below, which I had from 1983 until 1989. Than I had a ST1100 for 27 years, starting in 1995.

 

[Da Bear]

Man, I did love those 80's Vetter Fairings...
I had an 85 450 nighthawk with a Vetter Quicksilver on it. Marti and I did 3,400 miles on it from May 31st through June 10th in 1986. We weighed a tad less than we do now, on our honeymoon...
37 years...

 

[dwalby]

Since this thread appears to have morphed into a walk down memory lane of old shafties we had, I had three. !982 Honda V45 Magna was the first, then the one pictured below, which I had from 1983 until 1989. Than I had a ST1100 for 27 years, starting in 1995.

I had the 900cc version of that bike from 1981, which still had the crappy Comstar wheels they started using in the late '70s.

 

[ST1100Y]

In Europe we got a nice 600cc shafty called the Revere which eventually became the Deauville.

But the issue with the transverse V-2 is that it requires two angular drives, hence twice the losses...
So the trusty NT700VA Deauville (and my GF loves her "ST700") features a bevel gear at the output, plus a Hypoid gear in the f/drive...

 

[Sadlsor]

Man, I did love those 80's Vetter Fairings...

I always thought the mid 70s Windjammer III was the best looking one.
Mine was black with gold pinstripes, and perfectly matched my black 1975 Suzuki GT550.
As my first motorcycle, I didn't know anything about shaft drives (not much about chains yet, either) and I didn't care.
It was a real motorcycle, and it was really mine.

 

[phantom]

Was it really a grease bath? I just figured it was an enclosure to contain whatever form of chain lube you chose to apply to it.

Those chain drive XV920 make a great cafe platform. Just sayin'...

I could not find the photos, but i found the 1981 Yamaha XV1000R sales brochure in the shed, it will give you a rundown of the features
including the enclosed grease chain.

 

[Donk]

It's a pretty big job to change a belt on a Harley. It's very straightforward and simple on a BMW F800 and on a Buell. Just a matter of design.

 

[Uncle Phil]

Just a matter of design.

Or lack thereof!

 

[Jethro]

I had a new 1981 Yamaha Seca , shaftie.Wife and l rode two up out east and all over Ontario..Soft luggage tank bag,no windscreen(because of stupid handle bars.Was a big bike for us back then.We were also young and trim! Great bike,just oil & filter,shaft oil change.No photos after 4 moves & 40 odd years later.

 

[phantom]

I could not find the photos, but i found the 1981 Yamaha XV1000R sales brochure in the shed, it will give you a rundown of the features

Also between the L+R indicators in that small black box supporting the tail light, is the tool box, which opened from the top. The XV also had rear air suspension
and i am pretty sure it had adjustable pre load controlled from just under the left hand side of the seat.
phantom

 

[Larry Fine]

Man, I did love those 80's Vetter Fairings...