I started out with belts when they came out,..there was an article in a magazine that was trying to explain it all,saying that you visualize a chain with all it's weight and friction creating parts moving in a direction and then very quickly changing direction. A lot of power/momentum lost to mass and friction that only increases at higher speeds...Taking this in comparison to a belt and I was sold.
This was all at a time we were running with tin primary covers and chain oilers that spewed oil everywhere. The first belt drive I tried was with the old Gilmer belts which had square teeth and I loved it. The pulleys wore out fast but they came out with the hard anodizing, then the steel inserts in the pulleys. Later, they came out with the metric belts and things were only getting better. From my own seat of the pants, I thought that I got more RPM, less noise, less vibration and it was a lot cleaner. I was always running an open belt because that's what was in style. I noticed sometimes a pulling on my pant leg and after having a few beers, I was looking for a little dog or something and could never find it. Then I realized it was just the belt. It would grab my pants and spit them out in succession so that it felt like something or somebody tugging at my pant leg. It was more amusing than scary.
The belts were about two inches and I or friends riding next to me never noticed the belt straining or stretching. I could pull wheelies even with a passenger up into 3rd gear and the belt never moved. I thought that spoke pretty much for their strength. Now in relation to the wide belts they run now, I think (personal opinion) that the belts are like the really fat tires, good to a point and just a fashion statement after that.
My current bike a '95 Dyna, that I got at a steal of a deal, I was pleased to find that it had a BDL belt drive with one of their clutches. The little experience I have with this newer unit is good. This time around I'm running it inside a primary cover, although I'm running it vented for cooling.
-Steve/Seetwisted