Premature Shredding of a CVT Belt?

[monkeybongos]

1st belt lasted 14,400 miles. 
2nd belt lasted 12,400 miles.
3rd belt broke at 6,000 miles.

All the same oem belts.
Manual recommends 12,000 mile change.

Any guesses as to the cause?
Age of belt is only thing I can think of (don’t know the age)

[Ruffus]

MB, what brand did Kymco fit in there?
Mitsuboshi and Bando are their OEM stuff.
This brands do have a production date on its paper sleeve.
Here in Italy I have seen several Malossi Kevlar belts prematurely shreddered. Don't know why.
Pls see link

https://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=26204.msg186710#msg186710

[Stig / Major Tom]

1st belt lasted 14,400 miles. 
2nd belt lasted 12,400 miles.
3rd belt broke at 6,000 miles.

All the same oem belts.
Manual recommends 12,000 mile change.

Any guesses as to the cause?
Age of belt is only thing I can think of (don’t know the age)

You've actually had 3 belts fail while you were riding!?
I suspect the serv schedule includes a belt inspection at 6K, or less?
With your belts failing sooner and sooner - I'd wonder about the condition of the parts which contact your belts.
Or what might be increasing the heat in there?
Here in the States we are lucky to find an OEM Kymco belt in stock - never mind a fresh one!
Stig

[monkeybongos]

It’s a Bando made in Japan, Ruffus.  Don’t have the sleeve anymore.
Direction of installation does not matter, does it?

It’s not a Kymco, it’s a Lance (made by SYM)

  Yes, 3 belts broke.  Was hoping no one would pick up on that.  Should’ve known better w this crew. 

The first one I was a couple rides from changing it.  No excuse, pushed it too far. The second was also my error, didn’t know then that the first belt gets 10-15% more than subsequent belts, so I was expecting 14,000.  But this one is perplexing and a bit aggravating, especially as I waited over 4 ½ hrs for roadside assistance (Progessive, always been good before).  As the initial ETA was 45 minutes, that 4 ½ hrs seemed that much longer.  10 miles from home, coulda walked it. 

I do check and measure the belt every couple thousand miles, as well as keeping close tabs on mpg.  Seems to drop when the belt needs replacing. Maybe cause it’s stretched?

Oh yeah, had left the house at 8:30 am for dentist appointment, ate nothing since I expected to be home by 10:30.  Ended up being 4:30 before I ate. 

Looking into a carrier to put on wife’s car…

[Stig / Major Tom]

Direction does matter.
Stig

[monkeybongos]

Direction does matter.
Stig

That could explain the premature breaking. No arrows or any other indication of direction, only size info on the outside of the belt. How do you know which way to install?

[Stig / Major Tom]

If the belt has words or numbers on it.....I sit next to the cvt area, hold belt in my 2 hands so that when I look down at the belt in my hands whatever is printed on the belt is right side up. Then I hold the belt forward and install it in this orientation.
If the writing is up side down,  flip it over until it isn't.
Stig

[monkeybongos]

I’ll do that, although a tech at Bando and rep at Partsforscooters both said the belts are not unidirectional.   

The Bando tech also suspected a worn out pulley, as the scoot has 33,000 miles and mpg had dropped 15% in recent months.

Does 33k miles sound like a reasonable lifespan for a pulley?  And does the variation need to be changed as well?