Can you imagine this?

[ClutchMaster]

The bushing does not rotate at all when in forward gear, it is locked to the shaft. Imagine putting in a roller needle bearing how that would flatten those little needles and wear them into the shaft! I'll take the better load carrying ability of the bushing thanks. The only time the shaft rotates on the gear bushing is when you are in reverse, that is it. All other times its locked to the shaft and does not rotate.

Run the proper chain tension at 1.5 turns out with oil holes in the gear and your chances of ruining a bushing is slim to none.

What KA said about load carrying capacity of a bushing vs. a needle bearing is very true. A needle roller bushing can’t carry even half the shock load of a bushing. It would ruin the shaft and bearing if they were to use a needle bearing. Also the shaft would need to be much harder causing it to be brittle. Extremely high horsepower turbocharged motors use an ampco bushing in the connecting rod, that’s the only thing that will hold up to the extreme forces exerted on these engines.

 

[ClutchMaster]

This rod will bend before the bushing will fail.