[rlmenendez]

Anyone have any experience with Bucci belts. It is time for new belts on my 996s. 2nd set of belts in 8 months. I'ld save a ton of money if I didn't ride so much.

 

[nine16]

Bucci belts are perfectly fine. Also, if you're doing a lot of commuting/highway/low stress miles, I wouldn't have any fear of changing belts once a year--even if that's 15k-16k miles or a little more.

 

[velocidave]

Anyone have any experience with Bucci belts. It is time for new belts on my 996s. 2nd set of belts in 8 months. I'ld save a ton of money if I didn't ride so much.

Supposedly they are sourced from the same supplier. I dont know either way, but they are damn well made.

 

[Turboflyer]

So who carries them and how much? I have found the factory ducati gates belts for 95.00 each. Are we talking cheap cheap?

 

[velocidave]

So who carries them and how much? I have found the factory ducati gates belts for 95.00 each. Are we talking cheap cheap?

CA Cycleworks carries them for 35.00 each. Im sure others do to.

* NOTE TO ADMIN - I dont work for, nor am I in any way affiliated with CA Cycle works, so don't delete my account, or shoot RPGs at my house please.

 

[Shazaam]

Aftermarket Timing Belts

The OEM timing belts are made by Gates to Ducati’s specifications. They are not available from Gates in the aftermarket. (We’ve tried.) The belts sold by Bucci are said to be sourced from Giacomoto, but since neither Bucci or Giacomoto manufacture anything themserves, the belts could be made by Gates. If so, Gates will never admit it because of its contract with Ducati to manufacture exclusively for them.

I’ll buy them when GiaCaMoto, Bucci or Gates offers a warranty to cover engine damage caused by their belt failure. Testimonials from one or two owners, or anecdotal info from a reseller that they’re identical to the OEM belts isn’t enough for me.

If you want to assume the risk on an out-of-warranty bike for the sake of a hundred dollars be my guest. The financial (and failure) risk is not trivial. Belt failures are still with us, and even the redesign with Kevlar and the more precise belt tension tools, Ducati hasn’t eliminated the problem. If you have a bike in warranty, it’s a no-brainer - Ducati won’t pay if you have an aftermarket belt failure.

The main concern is that space limitations on Ducatis require the use of smaller diameter pulleys that cause the belt to flex more than large pulleys used in automobile engines. Further, Ducati uses a small diameter back-side belt-tensioning idler pulley arrangement that causes the belt to flex in the opposite direction on each revolution. This design approach results in an even greater angle of belt flexing requiring the use of a stronger reinforcement fiber to prevent fatigue failure. The original drive belt design often failed before the first replacement interval before Ducati switched to a Kevlar fiber reinforced belt.

Most of us are testing a Ducati belt today. If you use an aftermarket belt, you’ll be doing Bucci’s product testing.

Rumors that these lower-cost products are identical to the OEM belts is just heresay. As far as I’m concerned, until Bucci states that its belt meets Ducati’s product specification for tensile and fatigue strength, durability, heat resistance, etc. I’m not buying.

 

[Turboflyer]

Dam! You did not have to show the dead animals bowels. It worked though. OEM gates for sure. I am gonna have nightmares now, thanks.

 

[velocidave]

The OEM timing belts are made by Gates to Ducati’s specifications. They are not available from Gates in the aftermarket. (We’ve tried.) The belts sold by Bucci are said to be sourced from Giacomoto, but since neither Bucci or Giacomoto manufacture anything themserves, the belts could be made by Gates. If so, Gates will never admit it because of its contract with Ducati to manufacture exclusively for them.

I’ll buy them when GiaCaMoto, Bucci or Gates offers a warranty to cover engine damage caused by their belt failure. Testimonials from one or two owners, or anecdotal info from a reseller that they’re identical to the OEM belts isn’t enough for me.

If you want to assume the risk on an out-of-warranty bike for the sake of a hundred dollars be my guest. The financial (and failure) risk is not trivial. Belt failures are still with us, and even the redesign with Kevlar and the more precise belt tension tools, Ducati hasn’t eliminated the problem. If you have a bike in warranty, it’s a no-brainer - Ducati won’t pay if you have an aftermarket belt failure.

The main concern is that space limitations on Ducatis require the use of smaller diameter pulleys that cause the belt to flex more than large pulleys used in automobile engines. Further, Ducati uses a small diameter back-side belt-tensioning idler pulley arrangement that causes the belt to flex in the opposite direction on each revolution. This design approach results in an even greater angle of belt flexing requiring the use of a stronger reinforcement fiber to prevent fatigue failure. The original drive belt design often failed before the first replacement interval before Ducati switched to a Kevlar fiber reinforced belt.

Most of us are testing a Ducati belt today. If you use an aftermarket belt, you’ll be doing Bucci’s product testing.

Rumors that these lower-cost products are identical to the OEM belts is just heresay. As far as I’m concerned, until Bucci states that its belt meets Ducati’s product specification for tensile and fatigue strength, durability, heat resistance, etc. I’m not buying.

If it were anyone other than Shazaam that said this I would capitalize on the absolute lack of anything other than the anecdotal evidence he references, but bottom line, Dude knows what he is talking about.
My bike has Gates belts on it. It will continue to have Gates belts, but I do know a few fellas that use the Buccis on 2V bikes, and have never had problem one. In all honesty, both of those guys change their belts regularly, like every spring, so maybe thats it.

Ducati cam belts are one of those FUD things, "consider the implications if they fail" kind of things. And thats a powerful argument, to be sure. But I have yet to see anything other than hearsay for either side of the argument posted on this or any other Ducati forum regarding them.

What I HAVE seen, is Shazaam repeatedly show that he knows what he's talking about, so I would weigh heavily his statements.

 

[rlmenendez]

90% of my riding is twisties so waiting til 15-16k is out of the question. Since Shazam doesnt recomend it, thats enough for me. Oem here I come

 

[916WI]

I use the bucci belts on both my bikes--never had a problem with either. The belts have been on the 916 for 4 years--I need to change them. I would think that if there were any failures eithe LT Snyder(Desmotimes) or Chris at CA Cycleworks wouldn't be selling them. That said, both of my bikes are WAY out of warranty......

 

[CAlexio]

Dam! You did not have to show the dead animals bowels. It worked though. OEM gates for sure. I am gonna have nightmares now, thanks.

+1 for scaring the shite out of me

 

[pjonte]

Fact is all Ducati valve train drive lines are seriously under engineered - period. To compensate for this deficiency the only solution is 10-20 times more frequent service intervals over traditional automotive toothed belt valve train systems. As owners (I own 2) we accept this simple fact and ensuing expenses. Current technology of tooth belts using poly-arimid and HNBR rubber is about as good as it gets. New and better materials are on the horizon but it will take many years for them to filter down to lowly timing belts. Until then, unless you want to do your own materials R&D and testing you need to change your belts per mfg'r recommended intervals or risk the consequences.

 

[nine16]

I respect Shazaam and his opinions, but I will continue to trust LT Snyder and use the kevlar belts from Desmotimes @ $70/pair.

 

[rlmenendez]

Shazams picture is what sealed it for me. A picture is worth 1000 words.

Dammit!

 

[nine16]

Lemme guess. you buy the extended warranties on everything, don't you?

 

[rlmenendez]

I have never bought extended warranties. I void them.

 

[Desmo_Demon]

Shazams picture is what sealed it for me. A picture is worth 1000 words.

Then you don't want to see any of the damaged parts from OEM Ducati parts that have materialized over the years.

I generally trust Shazaam's statements, but I am currently running Bucci belts on my two ST2 bikes and the Monster. I have been known to do a lot of things that tend to make many people cringe, though.