VS1400 Drive

Bit pissed off today as I bid on a VS1400 drive shaft yesterday and then forgot about it and someone else got it for only £97.50



If anyone spots at any time in the fututre a drive shaft with hub from a VS1400GLP between 1987-2009, can they please let me know by private message.

I am not only talking about the UK only but anywhere in the world.

Thanks Dave

I've got this in my watch list on EBay which I check every day, I've give up on the idea of fitting the 1400/1500 final drive now due to the work involved in making it fit but I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Thanks Sim

Dave, Just out of interest, what's your limit with postage ? and that's vl1500 as well as vs 1400 ? same final drive but slightly more work with the 1500 from what I've read.

No mate 1400 only for me, my limit for this mod including postage is £250
Not a lot of work in it really though mate.
Shorten shaft 3/16"
Machine shoulder back 3/16"
Reduce spacer by 2mm
Replace oil seal and circlip
Enlarge mounting holes with a file or similar
Grind off a small section of false swing arm or remove completelly

Excuse the ignorance but that will that give you mate? Extra gear?

It gives the same effect to the 800 drive as is given to a chain driven bike by either reducing the rear cog or increasing the front cog. It will mean that your gears become longer and you would also be able to maintain a much higher motorway speeds at lower revs. A lot of people say it is like getting the 6th gear that you so often look for. 5th gear will rarely if ever be used around town after the drive shaft mod. These bikes are rare in the fact that they have almost equal horse power and tourque power so they happily except the gear ratio change without any issue at all.

Sweet... that's a mod I wouldn't dare to do I think :)

All the best of luck with it!

Cheers Marcin, I think after a recent search I have may have one, so fingers crossed.
With the power mods I have already done to the bike, getting this fitted would send the bike into another class all together.

Mr Intruder wrote:

With the power mods I have already done to the bike, getting this fitted would send the bike into another class all together.

Can you just imagine the power difference when you fit one of those with all that you have done already compared to a bog standard stock bike.

I payed cash for this bike brand new on the tuesday and picked it up on the saturday. Before I had even picked it up I had already worked out the power modifications that I would do to the bike including this modification.
Hopefully it won't be long now before I finally get the bike to pull in the way that I have always wanted it too.

I reckon for all the money you've spent you'd be able to buy a far more powerful one by now... but then again, that wouldn't be fun

I have always got my satisfaction from tinkering, I have never kept a bike long when there is nothing left I want to do to it.

Just bought a drive and the required accessories.

The guy that was selling the drive from a bike that was being broken, included extremely detailed photo's. The drive is in extremely good condition and I should have it within a couple of days. I have also bought a spare VL800 shaft and spacer as well as an oil seal and circlip so that my originals can be left intact. This will allow the bike to be reverted back to stock if I should ever require it although I can’t see why that would ever happen.
When the shaft arrives I will need to get that machined but apart from that its game on.
£ for £ I am expecting this to be the biggest improvement possible for these bikes but time will tell, Let the fun begin

Great news Dave Can't wait for the write up and some pictures on this mod as it will give me the confidence to do it :bike4:

Cheers Sim.
I will ensure that a comprehensive thread is made when I finally get this mod put together with full write up, pictures and video of installation.

Well I am on a roll today as I popped over to see Doc Cox and he recommeded a guy that can do the milling on the drive shaft Rolling Art Motorcycles . Always better to get work done on recomendation I believe rather than going in blind on someone you know nothing about.
So hopefully this mod should be done and dusted very very soon.

Wow dave, you have come a long way in only 20 hours

Yes Crash it would seem I have but lets keep that between us because the Mrs will start giving it some in my lug hole like a screaming banshee on crack if she finds out I have been at the piggy bank again.

Mr Intruder wrote:

but lets keep that between us because the Mrs will start giving it some in my lug hole like a screaming banshee on crack if she finds out I have been at the piggy bank again.

Just tell the Mrs about all the money you'll save on petrol over the year running at lower revs at 90 mph and she'll be made up

As you can see my VS1400 drive arrived today so I am well chuffed
I am still awaiting the replacement VL800 shaft that I will get machined as well as the circlip, spacer and seal.
As you can hopefully see from the photo's the splines are in excellent condition so alls good there. I will start preparing the drive this weekend by initially giving her a real good clean up & re-apply some fresh molly grease.
As yet I am unsure as to whether to give the external face of the drive a real deep polish to bring on a chromed effect or to simply prep and spray her black. Any input on what you think might look best would be appreciated.

Mr Intruder wrote:

Any input on what you think might look best would be appreciated.

Will you be keeping the chrome shaft cover ? If so a highly polished finish would blend in better, If not a shiny black would be nice against the chrome and silver wheel hub I'm thinking

ever thought about pissing in the wind and spraying it red and do the front caliper as well. I do think they look nice all polished up tho

What is the big sticky out bit? They dont have them on the C or M 800s

captain crash wrote:

What is the big sticky out bit? They dont have them on the C or M 800s

That big sticky out thing is where it goes through the frame with a big ugly black nut thing on it Crash

"big sticky out thing"
As Sim says Crash but its just different design on the VS1400 to the C800 because they have different frames. However it will be removed and replaced with a flush fitting allen bolt.

simbo wrote:

Will you be keeping the chrome shaft cover ?

To be honest mine is still on the shelf and has been there for about 18 months, I have never actually fitted it due to laziness.

I've just had a look at mine where it's all bog standard still and I think with the false swing arm removed it would look better highly polished with the chrome shaft cover, But I'm sure you'll get more input and opinions to throw at the job

I am probably edging that way Sim but I am very open to ideas and the red spray is kind of tempting but I am worried it may look like a sore thumb.

Dave I would go for paint of some colour,tryin to keep on top of a highly polished item like that is unforgiving and hard work.You will miss out on the fun of riding the beast,if all you are doing is cleaning it.Glad to see you got what you wanted,and good luck with the mod,it is always a trip into the unknown being the first to do it.

Good point on the cleaning Alfie A quick rub over with really fine wire wool and a de-grease then a couple of coats coat of lacquer would sort that department, but it's the idea's like you've come up with that give people inspiration to do things different, And different and a change from the norm is what we like The more idea's and opinions the better, for mods first done in this case especially.

What about changing out the blue led's in the rear and changing them for red and then spraying the drive red and spraying the brake outer on the other side red and spraying the caliper red. you did say the other week that red and black goes well together didnt you. would look cool all lighted up

I kind of like the sound of that crash and to be honest I am unsure if it will look ace or crap?
Maybe some input on this would be helpful, I know I can reverse what ever I do but it's all hastle if it looks like crap.

I think what we need is a photo of the left hand side of your bike or both (for the brake caliper), then the photo shop demons could give an insight in to what all the the options would look like without having the trial and error on colours and finishes Then it would be right first time, because it's already a massive leap forward in the 1400 drive shaft mod alone

Good point that Sim,using Photoshop to do the work first would certainly save time and money.Thats the good thing about these forums ways to do things easier and cheaper.

Any updates yet Dave ? Not rushing you or anything

Got point Sim, crack on Davey boy we is waiting for this one

Sadly work commitments have geared up a bit, so time is against me. I have all the parts now in the workshop, so as soon as I have time I will get the shaft milled. I will keep you informed as soon as there is any progress.

What's new then Mr I, when are you doing this flippin mod then Its no good having the parts in your shed, get them on the friggin bike

Saying that tho' if your post signiture gets any longer it will become a novel in its own right

Yeah I should crack on with that really but everything is about time I am afraid. I will have it done soon but I can't say when at present. It's all there & ready to go. The drive shaft has now been machined so it is only a matter of having a spare couple of hours and it will be done.

So any news on this yet dave or is it still far down the got to do list?

yeah don't keep us all in suspenders.

I am keen to find out just how much difference this mod makes through the gears and over the rev range.

Would I be wrong to assume this is a possible mod for the pre-2010 M800.

If I could get a spare shaft I could probably get it machined for free on the night-shift at work.

rossmofo wrote:

yeah don't keep us all in suspenders.

I am keen to find out just how much difference this mod makes through the gears and over the rev range.

Would I be wrong to assume this is a possible mod for the pre-2010 M800.

If I could get a spare shaft I could probably get it machined for free on the night-shift at work.

It would fit your bike Ross C and M models are the same engine and running gear , I bet it will be done for the France trip

I ordered the parts and had them in the workshop and I thought that was that but is wasn't, wrong bloody parts. Only realised a couple of weeks ago, the company I dealt with were OK and gave me my money back before I had even posted them back.
I now have the parts on order from Hungary through the local Suzuki dealer, they should be here over the next day or two. I have actually gone a step further with this mod than usual as a preventative maintenance measure. I will not go into that now, you will have to wait for the write up for that.
The drive and spacer have both now been milled to the correct dimensions. That was cheap really, only £20 & he did it while I watched so I have taken pictures of it for when I do the install write up. Believe me that shaft & spacer are some seriously hardened metal, reasonable to cut once you get passed the outer carbon toughened metal but that out area is something else.
Should have it all done and the write up on site by this coming Sunday.

About bloody time

All things come to he who waits.

Can't wait Dave I bet it makes a massive difference.

Mr Intruder wrote:

No mate 1400 only for me, my limit for this mod including postage is £250
Not a lot of work in it really though mate.
Shorten shaft 3/16"
Machine shoulder back 3/16"
Reduce spacer by 2mm
Replace oil seal and circlip
Enlarge mounting holes with a file or similar
Grind off a small section of false swing arm or remove completelly

Just an off topic question, but which mounting holes? Also, if a have a vl800 can I use that shaft and everything from that if I just got a new rear drive assembly?