Charon
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The belts can squeak, but chains tend to be noisy, too. In theory, a broken chain can be repaired alongside the road, if you have the parts and tools to do the job. But I have seen a broken engine case caused by a broken chain, and stories exist about rear wheels locking up caused by a broken or derailed chain.
Changing ratios is easier with chain drive because sprockets with different numbers of teeth are easier to get than different pulleys. But if you make much of a change the chain ends up too long or too short and has to be modified. Front sprocket changes are often limited by either swing arm clearance(chain drags on the swingarm) or engine case clearance, so you can't really go much bigger or smaller.
Shaft drives require maintenance, too. Usually there is a spline joint at the rear wheel, and it requires moly grease whenever the rear wheel is removed and replaced. I seem to remember reading about some bikes that failed in the Iron Butt Rally because those splines wore to the point that the drive spun in the wheel. I can't be sure, but the ST1100 comes to mind. And of course, the lube in the final drive needs to be changed every so often.
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