Sportiest shaft drive?

[Benbay001]

Having spent 6 months and 6000 miles with my first shaft driven bike, its been a joy to have spent less than 30 minutes doing final drive maintaince.
I think id really struggle to commute on a chain driven bike again.
So whats the most sporty option A) for less than £4000 B) for any budget.

Im currently addicted to looking at FJR1300s.
My ideal bike would be a shaft driven ST 1050.

[black-k1]

K1300S or VFR1200 would be the sportiest overall. (I'd say the K1300S would just win it, but then I'm slightly based!)

£4000 would get you a K1200S.

[DH01]

Moto Guzzi LMIV

[f1nn]

Genuine question, but am I missing something with chain maintenance, as it takes literally 5 minutes to clean and re lube?

I can't see the issue.

[f1nn]

Genuine question, but am I missing something with chain maintenance, as it takes literally 5 minutes to clean and re lube?

I can't see the issue.

[RemyMartin]

Surely the HP2 sport from a few years ago??

[Benbay001]

Cheers for the suggestions.
Hadnt considered any BMWs.
As for "Why shaft drive?"
No sprockets and chains to change.
No chain adjustment
No lubing of chains on the coldest winters evening
No thick dryed on chainlube to scrape from the chain guard come cleaning time.

[Wedg1e]

Is the FJR1300 a shaftie?

I'd add the ST1300 into the mix; it may not be the fastest bike but it is a fine-handling machine when you grab it by the knackers... and it's a lot of bike if you an find one for £4000. The list price of a new one is over £1500 more than a VFR1200.

[spareparts]

RemyMartin said:

Surely the HP2 sport from a few years ago??

For usability, however, I'd wager the K1300S. Great great bike.

[obscene]

RemyMartin said:

Surely the HP2 sport from a few years ago??

Might want to read the less than 4k bit

[spareparts]

obscene said:

RemyMartin said:

Surely the HP2 sport from a few years ago??

Might want to read the less than 4k bit

Might want to read the "B) for any budget"

[Dr Jekyll]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

+1

If I was doing low mileage I could probably tolerate a chain, but why bother?

If car manufacturers started fitting chain drives to 320ds and Golf GTIs on the basis that it makes the vehicle fractionally lighter and it's only a case of spending 5 minutes under the car every week to lube it and half an hour every few weeks adjusting it and then replacing chain and sprockets every so often. Their sales would plummet.

Bugatti used to use chain drives but when the company revived they realised it was obsolete technology and went to shafts. So why can't bike manufacturers do the same?

For a road bike, chain drive simply makes no sense at all. No matter how low a mileage I was doing I would avoid a chain drive bike on principle.

[ec1 eex]

f1nn said:

Genuine question, but am I missing something with chain maintenance, as it takes literally 5 minutes to clean and re lube?

I can't see the issue.

Clean? I lube, but have never cleaned

[f1nn]

ec1 eex said:

Clean? I lube, but have never cleaned

Really? So you apply lubrication over the top of any grit etc that may have attached itself to the chain/O/X rings?

[Benbay001]

f1nn said:

Genuine question, but am I missing something with chain maintenance, as it takes literally 5 minutes to clean and re lube?

I can't see the issue.

Not being funny but..

f1nn said:

I've just been checking my bike over before heading off to the TT on Friday, and while cleaning and luring the chain I've noticed that there is a few mill of side to side movement on the chain as it runs over the rear sprocket.

So, if I am stood behind the bike, I can move the chain noticeably from left to right by a few MM as it is on the rear sprocket.

I suspect this is fine, but I've never noticed it before on any of my bikes.

Chain is a DID X ring, Sprocket is a Renthal, all standard size and pitch.

Sound normal?

[obscene]

spareparts said:

Might want to read the "B) for any budget"

Can you tell I was watching motogp?

[f1nn]

Benbay001 said:

And?

I cleaned, lubed and checked adjustment in about 5 mins, 7 max, and in doing so had a query about sideways movement so asked on a forum.

[nightflight]

I'm considering buying the new BMW S1000XR next year, but the only downside I can see is it's chain drive. My other bikes are chain drive (apart from my Explorer which I would be swapping for BMW), which is fine for fun riding, but when you're away touring, it's just better not having to bother greasing etc.

[accident]

i wouldnt let chain drive put me off a bike.
i wouldnt let shaft drive put me off either.
never ridden anything with belt drive but i would give it a go.
if a bike is what you want who cares what spins the rear wheel.
chains arent hard work

[gareth_r]

BMW R1200S?