Royal Enfield Super Meteor / Shotgun 650 belt drive
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A belt drive conversion kit for the Royal Enfield Super Meteor, and Shotgun 650's, consisting of a genuine Gates Carbon belt, and both front and rear pullies.
Zero maintenance belt drives have been readily available on production motorcycles since 1981. Quiet, smooth, no more adjustment issues, no more oily mess, no carrying chain lube on a trip, lighter, and lower long term cost due to extended belt and pulley life when compared to a chain drive.
See the reviews for the Interceptor belt drive kit, and see what Riders have to say.
Two gear ratios available - the stock 2.6:1 finial drive ratio and the popular "38T rear sprocket mod" resulting in a higher 2..5:1 final drive
To a large extent, the choice of ratios is a personal preference, driven by ones riding style and local conditions. I, and seemingly most Super Meteor riders, prefer the higher ratio "38T mod" in order to keep the engine RPM a little lower at highway speeds, and to be able to keep up with my mates without flogging the engine to death. Others prefer the shorter stock gearing - horses for courses
The belt is the latest generation 4, Gates Poly Chain Carbon GT, and included in the kit. This is the same belt used by the major motorcycle manufactures in their OEM belt drives. A common Gates part, used in thousands of industrial applications and readily available from Gates Dealers worldwide
The rear pulley is CNC machined from 6061-T6 aluminium, and is then Type III hard anodized in satin black. This results in a durable wear coating with a hardness in the mid 50s Rockwell C, and in the same range as high tensile steel.
The front pulley is CNC machined from high tensile steel, then heat treated both for tooth wear resistance, and durability on the spline drive. Finished by black zinc plating for corrosion resistance.
Weight is 450 g less than the stock chain drive
GEARING OPTION:
Gearing is a bit confusing with a larger number being "lower" geared – IE the SM 650 stock sprocket ratio at 2.6:1 is lower than the "38T rear sprocket mod" at 2.5:1
A lower gear ratio (2.6) will accelerate quicker, but top speed will be lower. At highway speeds the engine will be spinning at a higher speed, and depending how fast you are riding, you may not want to work the engine that hard for very long.
A higher gear ratio (2.5) will accelerate slower, but (theoritical) top speed will be higher IF you have the HP to pull the gearing. Top speed on a SM is usually not a consideration, however and some riders, myself included, would prefer lower engine speed on the highway. When higher geared, cruising speed rpm will be lower, and in the meat of the TQ band.
Carrol Shelby famously said “horsepower sells cars, and torque wins races”. RE Street riding is mainly in the engine torque band, I try to match gearing to my riding style. Having a cruising rpm in 6th in the meat of the torque band, and not flogging the engine, works best for me.
The Enfield 650 engine has modest torque and horsepower, so gearing becomes a compromise between acceptable performance, the ability to pull a higher gear, with ones tolerance for wringing its neck to keep up with motorway speeds in some countries.
So how does this math translate into seat of the pants riding:
SPEED IN KPH(MPH) RPM Stock gearing RPM "38T rear sprocket mod" higher gearing
100 (62) 4330 4100
110 (68) 4760 4500
119 (74) 5150 TQ peak
120 (74.5) 5180 4930
126 (78) 5150 TQ peak
130 (81) 5610 5330
140 (87) 6050 5740
RPM is calculated and does not account for the bike weight, rider weight, rolling resistance, or drag from panniers and a windscreen - measured rpm will be higher than this calculated engine speed.
As you can see, while the increase in gearing is modest, as is the result, it is of benefit in lowering engine speed, and related wear. Any higher gearing, like the Interceptor 2.375 16T” mod is likely too high for the heavier SM.
You have a choice of gearing when buying a belt drive, so give it some thought………………….Most riders prefer the higher ratio, as little sacrifice in acceleration, with the benefit of lower engine speed.
BELT TENSION TOOL:
A belt tension tool is highly recommended. Proper tension on the belt is important for belt performance and life. You will need a belt tension tool, to apply 10lbs of load to the belt in order to properly adjust the belt, similar to how you would adjust the chain. A simple generic tool, and I have been using the Harley once since the late 80's - also manufactured by OTC, Motion Pro and a host of generic manufacturers. A generic one is listed under options should you not have one
