I read somewhere in the forum that the Suzuki spring loaded gauge should not be used as it results in you setting the belt tension too tight. Rather, you should be able to twist the belt with your fingers through 90 degrees. To me passing that finger twist test means the belt is too loose. Unlike a chain which you should be able to waggle about 30 mm, I believe a belt should only move a small amount if you push hard. So what's the concensus?

One thing I've noticed is that after a ride the belt gets tighter, so it shrinks when it gets hot? Whatever, I'm loving having a belt drive!

we all use the twist method, as far as I know, and have zero issues with it
using the spring loaded tool will make the belt too tight and cause problems
You say you believe a belt should be tighter than a chain, what do you base this on?
Do you have a wealth of experience with belt driven motorcycles as the gurus on here have (I am by no means a guru or an expert)? or is it based on empirical evidence? or is it just your feeling?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZsZzTwRyk

It don't stretch... you only adjust when you pull the rear wheel.  

..or if yer' really, really, bored...

Most bike belts (read Harley), are rubber/kevlar... very much like an automotive type belt.
Our belts are industrial... mostly used in assembly line stuff...
(So I've been told)...
It is more plastic with nylon cord embedded...
... and seems to behave differently...
The belts on Harley's are very tight, and run well that way... but our bikes don't like it.
Especially,.. if you go to longer rear shocks... (without some slack, the belt will end up acting as a suspension stop)...

We have seen several belts get a cut or damage from an object causing the belt to break...
...also damage as Dave shows above... probably from suspension stop action, on an overly tight belt...
I don't recall one actually wearing out... if they do, it's in the 100k mile range...

It's a good belt,... near twice as wide as on a Sportster...
It's just noisy...
You can't have everything  

So I think I now have my belt tensioned correctly. I'd not previously heard any noise, now it goes 'wheeeee' on a trailing throttle. I backed it off 4 flats on the hexagonal adjusters (ie 2/3 of a turn).

I've done about 4500 kms with the belt too tight, guess my belt won't get to last 100,000 kms? But it's good to know I've got it right now.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Jasbee

I guess when it is too loose it can flap around a bit....and there will be a bit more backlash when you go from coasting to throttle.  I can't imagine it ever being so loose that the belt can jump teeth on the pulleys.

I believe a little too loose is likely better than too tight.

Dave wrote on 03/08/16 at 03:06:27:


Yeah, and Dave saved my butt  

My belt broke clean across, but you could tell it didn't all shear at once. By that I mean I had some threads on the edges that were discolored, as if they were exposed to the road grime, and the ones in the center of the belt, were clean and still had some thread sticking out, which I am to assume was the only thing keeping the belt on, well, that is until I gave her the throttle pulling across lanes of traffic from a side street....
Lucky thing I wait until all traffic allows me to without having to haul butt.

Not sure but I think the elements of where I live added to its demise. It is rural and the roads cluttered with all sorts of tree windfall and such, rain, dirt, etc....
The belt itself looked ok, except were she sheared straight across. I ran it tightened to the two finger bot twist and one finger snap