I've just had the little dateservice light come up om my Multistrada, no big deal. Chatting to the service guys at OYB Aylesbury about belt life, it appears somethings improve with age. My limited understanding of a vee twin was new belts every two years, no ifs nor buts. Apparently on this bike I can run to 18k miles or five years, that's going some. So what's changed? A timing belt is presumably doing the same job it's always done, stopping the engine parts from colliding, are the belts different? Are they working under less stress? Is this just on certain engines and models? Just wondered why.
Most of the later bikes have been shifted to 5 years on the belts. The belts are wider, better materials and the pulleys have been increased in diameter so the stresses from the tighter radius of the older bikes are lessened. 1098/848 motors have just had a revision to the belts (new part number) and moved on to 5 years, so even the older motors are still being considered as the tech moves on.
Recently changed mine on my 2016 DVT. Think it’s around 11-12k miles. Have to say the old belts that came off the bike look perfectly good still. Very slight wear. Now I have piece of mind though. Your call.
Didn't realise the belts were age as well as mileage related (should've known as VW ones are 6 years), until I read this thread. That's another £600 (inc oil & bf) I have to find as bike is just 5 but only with 11k miles. Thing is, since 2020 I've only done 2k miles, what with Covid lockdowns and now a knackered back!
