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RSTECH BELT DRIVE CONVERSION KIT V2, TALLER GEARING, 650 Bear
Belt drive kits are designed for road use only. It is not suitable for any form of off-road use, including gravel tracks, green lanes, trails, or competition use.
Zero maintenance belt drives have been readily available on production motorcycles since 1981.
• Quiet
• Smooth
• No chain snatch resulting in a smooth ride and effortless shifting
• No more adjustment issues
• No oily mess
• No carrying chain lube on a trip
• Lighter than the chain set
• An industry standard belt that you can buy worldwide
• Lower long-term cost due to extended belt and pulley life when compared to a chain drive.
EFFICENCY:
Described as a positive drive system, the belt teeth engage with the pulley similar to that of a chain, resulting in a very efficient method of transmitting torque. The old adage that a belt is less efficient than a chain is not the case with these modern positive drive belts running at 95-98% efficiency.
Properly lubricated chains running at the higher surface speeds seen on a motorcycle, tend to throw off the oil due to centrifugal forces, making it difficult to maintain proper lubrication at the load bearing. Consequently, chain drives are typically only 92-98% efficient. That performance degrades as the chain wears.
For all practical purposes, a properly maintained, oiled, quality, new chain running on new sprockets, and a properly tensioned positive drive belt, are the same efficiency. Chains do not stay new nor oiled in real life, and an old, or dry chain, and/or worn sprockets, is a different story, with the belt showing greater efficiency.
WEIGHT MATTERS – A lot:
“Simplify and add lightness” is often attributed to Colin Chapman of Lotus fame, and adding weight is the last thing you want in motorcycle design - more so when that weight is un-sprung, and a heavy rotating mass on the wheel; negatively affecting both performance and handling.
RSTech values the importance of a properly engineered rear pulley that “adds lightness” and results in a final drive system that is 11% lighter than the chain set it replaces, thereby improving the handling and performance of your bike.
Adding lightness with an aluminium rear pulley costs more than a steel pulley, and the lightweight rear pulley is a work of art that you will be proud to have on your bike. Fully CNC machined from a solid billet of 7075-T6 aluminium, (the same hard alloy used for sprockets) in a one-piece design that assures safety, and a perfect balance for long life and a vibration free ride. Not a simple cosmetic coating, the rear pulley is Type III hard anodized in black. This results in a durable wear surface with a hardness in the mid-50s Rockwell C - the same range as high tensile steel.
The front pulley is engineered to be lightweight, and fully CNC machined from a billet of high tensile steel, and then post machining heat treated for durability. Rather than a cosmetic paint finish, we then take the additional step of nitriding the pulley for corrosion resistance, and increased hardness over that provided by the chrome moly steel substrate.
GEARING:
You have a choice of two gear ratios when buying a RSTech Bear belt drive kit – stock and a 3.76% higher ratio. To put that in perspective, the higher ratio would be like dropping 1.5 teeth on the rear of a chain drive Bear, or using a 16/41 sprocket combination.
As a 3.76% change is relatively conservative, you do not lose the soul of the bike. Belt drive is not for an off-road bike, and stock Bear gearingon the street behaves like an aggressive, short-geared urban hooligan bike. It maximizes off-the-line sprint times and provides fierce mid-range punch, but makes city riding feel frantic with constant gear changes and compromises long-distance comfort with pronounced high-RPM footpeg vibrations.
The higher gearingtransforms the bike into a balanced, long-legged roadster. By making the gears 3.76% longer, it calms the engine down on the highway, smooths out the parallel twin’s natural vibration harmonics, and makes city commuting far more relaxed by smoothing out the first-to-second gear transition.
Gearing is a personal choice, so consider how you ride, and what you want from the bike:
Highway Cruising & Vibration Management
If you use the Bear for highway commuting or long-distance sport touring, the stock gearing is a drawback. At 115–125 km/h (70–75 mph), the engine revs right into a prominent secondary harmonic buzz, sending a high-frequency tingle through the footpegs and handlebars.
The higher gearing dropsthe cruising speed, and shifts the engine just out of that buzzy harmonic pocket. The bike feels like it settles into a calm, relaxed groove on the motorway. The exhaust note changes from a frantic hum to a steady, deep drone, drastically reducing rider fatigue on long stretches of pavement.
Urban Rideability & Stop-and-Go Traffic
The Bear is factory-tuned for 56.5 Nm of torque (4 Nm more than the Interceptor). Combining that extra torque with short stock gearing, and 1-2 kg lower weight, makes first gear rather brief. Pulling away from traffic lights requires shifting into second gear almost immediately to avoid surging, making the bike feel twitchy and high-strung in heavy city traffic.
The higher gearing gives every gear "longer legs." First gear becomes more usable for filtering through slow traffic or pulling away from lights smoothly and elegantly. The throttle response feels less snatchy, providing a more deliberate street riding experience.
Sport Riding
On twisty backroads, the short gearing means you are constantly shifting between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears to stay in the powerband. If you get back on the throttle mid-corner, the short ratio can make the initial throttle tip-in feel abrupt, which can upset the chassis when leaned over.
With the higher gearing, the power delivery becomes more linear and progressive. Because each gear covers a wider speed range, you can leave the bike in 3rd or 4th gear and smoothly ride a wave of mid-range torque all the way through a series of twisty S-curves without constantly clicking the shift lever.
Overtaking
With the stock ratio, opening the throttle at 100 km/h (62 mph) results in an immediate mechanical lunge forward. The bike has plenty of passing power, but it runs out of breath quickly at the top end of the rev range.
At the higher ratio, the bike trades a fraction of that initial, aggressive snap for a much wider, more elastic spread of power. While a highway pass might feel slightly smoother rather than explosive, the bike pulls cleanly for longer, utilizing its horsepower curve more efficiently at high road speeds.
In summary:
Presumably you already have experienced the stock gearing and stick with it if you solely ride short, sharp trips—like a quick urban commute or carving up tight city streets, where you want maximum acceleration thrill from stoplight to stoplight and don't mind a busy left foot or highway buzz.
Use the higher gearing if you treat the Bear 650 as an upright sport-touring roadster. It capitalizes perfectly on the bike's comfortable riding position and Showa suspension, refining the parallel twin into a smooth, relaxed machine that handles highway miles effortlessly while remaining engaging on a winding road.
Gearing by the numbers:
Speed kph(mph)
Stock gearing
Higher gearing
80(50)
3420
3310
90(56)
3850
3700
100(62)
4240
4080
110(68)
4690
4500
120(74.5)
5090
4890
130(81)
5520
5310
140(87)
5950
5730
150(93)
6370
6120
5150 TQ peak
121 kph (75 mhp)
126 kph (78 mph)
Fitting Guide
Identify Your Model
On average over the last few years we processed over 750 orders each week, most of these were for Royal Enfields covering a span of over 80 years. During these years Royal Enfields made in Redditch and in India have produced countless different models and upgrades. It is therefore very important to know the exact model and year of your Royal Enfield before ordering. The accessory catalogue on our website is primarily aimed at the various models of Bullet from 1948 to present day, however there are an ever increasing number of parts which are suitable for any Royal Enfield or virtually any motorcycle
Shipping available to over 100 countries worldwide
We endeavour to despatch all our orders either the same day or within 1 working day of receipt, with very few exceptions. However, we cannot give an exact delivery date. In most circumstances UK parcels/packets under 2kg, and less than £150 in value, will be sent by Royal Mail first class mail, parcels over this weight and value would be sent by Parcel Force and should be delivered in 1 to 2 working days. Overseas parcels/packets up to 2kg, and less than £50 in value, will be sent by airmail small packets. Parcels over this weight and value will be sent by an international carrier service; this will depend on the weight, value and the destination country.
Click and Collect Available
Choose click and collect from the delivery method options in the checkout.
Please leave a minumum of two hours for us to pick and pack your order before you collect.
Collect from our store showroom
Hitchcock's Motorcycles
Oldwich Lane West
Chadwick End
Solihull
B93 0EY
UK
09:00 - 18:00 Monday - Friday
Please bring the credit card that you used to pay for the purchase along with the sales order (SO) number from your confirmation email.
Shipping available to over 100 countries worldwide
We endeavor to despatch all our orders either the same day or within 1 working day, with very few exceptions. However, we cannot give an exact delivery date.
UK Mail
For our UK customers, as a general rule, we use Royal mail First class mail if the parcel/packet is under 7.5kg and less than £200 in value. Orders shipped with Royal Mail should arrive within 5 working days to UK Mainland. Above these values, the parcel will be sent using Parcel Force and should be delivered within one to two working days.
Overseas and International Orders
Overseas and International parcels/packets below 2kg in weight and £150 in value can be sent tracked or without tracking using Royal Mail or DHL Global Mail. Above 2kg, above £150 or upon request, we offer a selection of international carrier services including tracking options and express delivery. We offer a tracked service using Parcel Force or an express tracked service through DHL or UPS. For more information regarding customs duty, fees, taxes, and shipping, please view our full delivery or customs information.
As the lockdown restrictions are beginning to be eased by the government in England, we have taken the decision to re-open our click and collect facility for our customers.
It is still necessary that we follow the guidance from the government concerning social distancing for retail shops so we are setting out the following conditions that must be adhered to by all to help protect you, the customer, and our staff.
Our showroom and counter will remain closed until further notice.
All orders must be placed over the phone or internet and paid for in full using credit/debit card prior to collection.
Please leave a minimum of two hours for us to pick and pack your order before you collect.
Orders cannot be amended at time of collection. Any alterations to orders must be arranged before your arrival at Hitchcocks.
Our staff will not be available for technical or sales advice on site.
On your arrival, please knock on the door and await a member of staff to bring out your order.
Hitchcock's Motorcycles
Oldwich Lane West
Chadwick End
Solihull
B93 0EY
UK
