The modern cogged belts are built far stronger than a V-belt - the cords are extremely strong and the black "rubber" is very durable.....and most likely more plastic than rubber.
I have had a few vehicles with cogged belt (not v-belt) camshaft drives - I have never had any issues. My Audi Fox had a belt drive and I replaced it when I rebuilt the head at 100,000 miles, my wife's VW Jetta diesel got a new belt every 80,000 miles and the car was still running great when we sold it with 260,000 miles on it (the belt drives the cam and the injection pump).
The Suzuki Savage has a belt final drive and they seem to last forever - as long as the owner doesn't over tighten the belt. The belt has a pretty good shield on the top and bottom - but every now and then somebody will get a stone lodged in a pulley and it can punch some holes in the belt until the stone is removed - but they still keep working even with the extra holes. We have one member who has 150,000 miles on his bike and is on his 2nd or 3rd belt - he lives in the Texas hill country and rides a lot of gravel/dirt roads.
I really don't see a belt cam drive as being anything to avoid - they are likely made in a way that allows relatively easy adjustment and replacement, and I expect the service intervals are not excessive.
On a street bike I prefer a belt final drive over a chain (cleaner and less maintenance) - and a shaft drive over a belt. On a dual sport or dirt bike......a belt final drive isn't likely a good thing.
New replacement belts can be very expensive - I watch eBay for low mileage replacements that come from salvage bikes......or folks making bobbers who convert to chain drive.
I have had a few vehicles with cogged belt (not v-belt) camshaft drives - I have never had any issues. My Audi Fox had a belt drive and I replaced it when I rebuilt the head at 100,000 miles, my wife's VW Jetta diesel got a new belt every 80,000 miles and the car was still running great when we sold it with 260,000 miles on it (the belt drives the cam and the injection pump).
The Suzuki Savage has a belt final drive and they seem to last forever - as long as the owner doesn't over tighten the belt. The belt has a pretty good shield on the top and bottom - but every now and then somebody will get a stone lodged in a pulley and it can punch some holes in the belt until the stone is removed - but they still keep working even with the extra holes. We have one member who has 150,000 miles on his bike and is on his 2nd or 3rd belt - he lives in the Texas hill country and rides a lot of gravel/dirt roads.
I really don't see a belt cam drive as being anything to avoid - they are likely made in a way that allows relatively easy adjustment and replacement, and I expect the service intervals are not excessive.
On a street bike I prefer a belt final drive over a chain (cleaner and less maintenance) - and a shaft drive over a belt. On a dual sport or dirt bike......a belt final drive isn't likely a good thing.
New replacement belts can be very expensive - I watch eBay for low mileage replacements that come from salvage bikes......or folks making bobbers who convert to chain drive.