Here is a translation from the german company, sorry to say its not perfect but I think you will understand most of it.

For a long time we had announced it and it is ready final! Hereby we introduce our Kettenversatzkit to you for the Suzuki LS 650 Savage.  
 
Some will wonder: Kettenversatzkit? However who itself already once a new tooth-belt must buy, becomes we understand something with our Kettenversatzkit intends. Whoever still toys with the idea then, a wider behind-wheel in the Suzuki LS 650 Savage lasts upper-cool, a light now rises that! With our Kettenversatzkit, we offer you a possibility, about 2 problems with, to solve once.  
 
1. opposite the Neupreis for one original tooth-belt is favorable unbeatable our Kettenversatzkit chain-wheel, chain-pinions, O-Ring-Kette and distance-material for only 199,00 €S incl..  
2. through the mounting of the Kettenversatzkits becomes place sufficiently created a 4,50x15 inch of rim about the mounting with a 170er ring, that a proud width of 180 mm, to enable, reaches.  
 
Is also available the 4,50x15 inches of rim incl. matching spoke-sentence with us. More information to the Felgekit here!  
 
For the ones, that wish no wider behind-wheel, and skeptically the secondarily-chain with the original tooth-belts compares, is said that the secondarily-chain is laid out with its 530er division for motorcycles until 1200 ccms. Consequently the question of the durability of the secondarily-chain would like to be answered.  
 
No particular tools are required to the montage of the Kettenversatzkits. The included mounting-instruction, that each of that has already changed a motorcycle a chain-sentence at any once, is so described our Kettenversatzkit without problems can install.  
 
Technical details:  
 
- Chain-pinions 17 teeth  
- Chain-wheel 50 teeth  
- Secondarily-chain 530HTP O-Rings, reinforces  
- Translation-relationship 1 to 2,941 (original 2,956)  
- Distance-material from noble-steel  
- Mounting of tires until 180 mm width possibly  
- It is necessarily swing no Verbreiterung of that!  
- At that swinging must be removed only the mounting of the original Beltschutz!  
- The original Zahnriemenabdeckung can not be used!  
 
Delivery capacity:  
 
- Chain-pinions MFC-Sonderanfertigung  
- Chain-wheel MFC-Sonderanfertigung  
- IRIS Sekundärkette 530HTP, closed  
- IRIS Nietkettenschloß  
- Distance-disk type AT 2 pieces  
- Distance-disk type B 3 pieces  
- Cylinder-screw with Innensechskant M6 xes 50 mm DIN 912 1 pieces  
- Cylinder-screw with Innensechskant M6 xes 60 mm DIN 912 2 pieces  
- Mounting-instruction  
 
Price: 199,00 €S incl. MwSt >>> buys  
 
Pictures of the delivery capacity and from the built-in condition of the Kettenversatzkits:  

Odar

That's interesting Odar and not a bad price considering you get an O-ring chain with the kit. Cool. Shipping might be prohibitive though.

In my experience, the REAL problem with the Savage's gearing isn't in the Primary/Secondary drive, or final (belt) drive, but the transmission gearing itself. While that makes it a much harder problem to solve, it is the ultimate answer IMHO.

Note though, that my 4-speed 1987 is the only Savage I've ridden, so I don't know exactly what the ratios are in the late model 5-speed versions. I'd like to know myself, does the 5-speed have a lower first gear, like I wish my 4-speed has? I'm fairly sure that 5th is the same as 4th on the 4-speed. Is it possible that they just added one more gear to make an even more "close ratio" transmission? (Which the torque strong thumper doesn't need anyway. While I wouldn't WANT it this way, the Savage could get by with a 3-speed tranny... Granny, second, and overdrive! IMO, 4-speeds was plenty for this powerplant, they just needed wider ratios!

Answering the suggestion that the "primary chain drive" might be altered is a dead end, as the transmission is driven directly by helical (slanted) cut gears. Which DOES however, open the possibility of having those two gears cut at a different ratio, which would alter the drive ratio throuhout the remaining driveline.

Now, having said that; things I have learned through my research of the whole belt pully / chain drive issues that may close some dead ends:

Harley belts have different shaped teeth, and width, so they won't work on the Savage, unless you changed both gears and the belt + conversion = cost prohibitive.

Suzuki only offers one length of belt, so even if you had some custom pullys machined, unless you kept the change/s within the tolerances of stock belt's adjustment, you would be out of luck.

As for chain conversions: that would open up a host of gearing possibilities, and also allow for wider rubber on the rear (up to a point, then you run into recommended rim width problems) Hense, the offered wide rim on the German site which allows for some serious wide rubber. (And acording to my measurements with digital calipers, belt to tire clearance is by far the most limiting factor in increasing tire width.)

So... In summation, IMHO the ultimate solution would be to split the cases, and have custom shafts/gears machined for the transmission (which uses all simple straight cut gears. Yet still very costly and labor intensive.

The alternative of changing the primary drive gearing is attractive because it doesn't requre splitting the cases and reassembling that whole mess, and allows keeping the nice clean belt drive (albiet at the cost of not allowing a super wide rear tire for those so inclined.) While it has the huge disadvantage of having to engineer and machine helical cut gears to an exacting spec. ($$$)

It seems that the chain drive, while far from ideal, is the most cost effective way to raise/lower the overall gearing on the Savage. And as someone mentioned... $199 Euro isn't that bad, considering the cost of the included o-ring chain. Shipping could be a bit high. Maybe as much as $75 -$100 US to get the kit here in a reasonable amount of time (a week or two).

So what it boils down to, after all my investigation over past weeks, including things I learned in this thread, is: I don't think I'll change ANYTHING in my driveline, and just live with it like it is!

I ~might~ change tire sizes, but I'd like to investigate that in another thread.

Sorry, didnt change the values at the bottom of the picture 1 = 1000 RPM then its 500 RPM higher betwen the dots......12 = 6500 RPM

Odar

OK, I see your post now, that makes more sense...

Over on Bert's pages RIP ages back there was a reference to a company in New Zealand that made a conversion kit for chain drive, but I've long since lost the reference.  I believe the parts from the Savage 400 are a straight fit, but as it was never officially imported here (to Europe that is) sourcing the bits could be tricky.

The downer on going over to chain is maintenance and wear in addition to the loss of smootness already referred to by others.

barry68v10 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:



Personally, I'd be more inclined to pay twice the price for a good belt drive system; than to go to a chain. The Savage is my first belt drive bike, and so far I've loved it. No torque steering and jacking like my previous (albiet trouble free) shaft drives; and also no mess and noise like a chain. I'm quickly becoming convinced that a belt is the only way to go on street cycles.