VS1400 Drive & Shaft Modification ......................How To Thread.

Thanks for sharing, sure that will help someone who wants to keep the false swing arm on 

I'm posting this video just for reference as to what the bike sounds like at various speeds with the longer gearing of the 1400 drive.

1 min 22 seconds..........60 in 5th
2 min 16 .....................40 in 5th
3 min 02 .....................30 in 4th
4 min 48 .....................90 in 5th
7 min 42 .....................85 in 5th
8 min 39 .....................75 steady
13.44     .....................1+2nd up to 3000 rpm 3rd 4th 5th 4000rpm last bit up to 100 then a little 105mph 

My speedo is exactly 35mph fast, so I never broke the speed limit once officer  

simbo wrote:

My speedo is exactly 35mph fast, so I never broke the speed limit once officer  

Ha Ha  

Just listened to the whole thing, firstly you bike sounds very nice and deep with those pipes. Those gears are hugely better as your going through the box. A must do mod me thinks 

That second gear when you pulled away at the beginning just went on forever, Love it. It really is a must do mod, the drive just gives the bike a new lease of life. Bet your well chuffed with the difference of the drive over the stock one Sim.
Going out on mine tomorrow for an hour or two before working tomorrow night.

Mr Intruder wrote:

Bet your well chuffed with the difference of the drive over the stock one Sim.

 Definitely Dave! On the way to Squires today, I left the M62 onto the A1 M in fourth gear and wound it up to 90 before changing into 5th and sat there cruising at 90!, It's a different bike now! so much more relaxed at motorway speeds, I'd even say it's better at slower speeds too, It just doesn't seem as buzzy and it should have been geared like this from the factory, I won't be putting the original one back that's for sure.

Yes it is better at lower speeds for sure, simply because the gears are longer. You find that you are not changing gear all the time, a much more relaxed ride all around.

Sounds good Sim,well done m8.

Rattler wrote:

Looking at over £200 but is worth it by the look of it

Definitely mate, a massive difference in the way the bike rides, I've done London and back at 85 with the standard drive and felt like I was pushing it, but doing 85 now seems like a good speed on motorways.

I agree, if only one mod was done to an Intruder it would have to be this one.

PS, don't forget the price of the various seals, circlip, oil, and cost of getting the shaft milled but even then it's a no brainer as it ain't all that expensive. You can see what the extras cost me at the beginning of this thread, not to much at all.

Any ideas where to get a new stock drive shaft from? I want to get it milled while waiting for the drive to be sent.

I take it you've ordered one  
I kept searching Ebay but had no luck   I did think about ordering a new one from here http://www.cheapcycleparts.com/oem-parts/suzuki/2009/vl800-c50-boulevard-k9/propeller-shaft-final-drive-gear-vl800ck7-ck8-ck9


But seemed to expensive, but cheaper than uk sellers, In the end I took mine in and they milled it while I waited, It took about 30 mins and he just said buy me a couple of pints  Don't forget you need 2 mm milling off the stock 800 spacer (fat end) while your getting the shaft done.

ps Just for note, the shaft and spacer are case hardened, not fully hardened steel just in-case whoever is doing it needs to know.

I've not ordered it yet but will be.
So it's the stock spacer that is milled. The 1400 one isn't needed.

Lol yeah I'm not paying that. I'll wait til it comes.
Did you order the seals through a dealer or site?

I used my stock spacer milled down by 2mm otherwise the drive sticks out to far from the wheel, I didn't get a 1400 spacer with mine so I don't know the measurements for that one sorry, As for seals, I ended up ordering off Ebay (usa) because after going to my local Suzuki dealer, they never got back to me grr, All original part numbers for the VS1400 end with 00 now if ordering from a suzuki dealer.

I've just looked at Robinson's Foundry. They have a couple of bits available in stock and the other 2 bits to order in but more expensive than Dave paid.

I just go into my local Suzuki dealer with the part numbers, they then bring it up on the micro fiche, I confirm its the bit I want & it arrives 3 days later

Cheers for that guys.

Rattler,  Just out of interest? have you thought about cutting the universal joint down by 3/16th (engine end) instead of machining the drive shaft?, Same principle just a bit more labour to remove it, but then you get to use a stock 800 shaft.

Didn't think about that Simbo. Which is the best way. So if the drive shaft is milled, it's the one from the VS1400?
I've just bought this btw. Cost about £215 including import duty. I got the cost of it down with making n offer on eBay. Hopefully can make some money back on the swing arm.

Rattler wrote:

Didn't think about that Simbo. Which is the best way. So if the drive shaft is milled, it's the one from the VS1400?

The easiest way is to have the 800 shaft milled, doing it the other way means removing all the swing arm and rear suspension to get at the universal joint, I can't see you wanting to put the 800 drive back on once you done the conversion though.

I'd rather use the 800 one. I know its in good nick. Saying that this VS one was from a 2000 with 9000 Miles.

The VS one needs a lot more work doing to it to make it fit, it's a lot shorter than the 800 one so it would mean cutting and sleeving to lengthen it to suit and then balancing.

I'm confused now lol. So there are 2 ways to do it. One is modifying the stock drive shaft and the other is shortening the universal joint?

Shorten the drive shaft!

Ok will do Dave. I've ordered the the seals and circlip and also the spring.
Then after this is finished getting a TRE fitted and modifying stock airbox.

It arrived yesterday. Just need to get the drive shaft machined and oil seals changed soon. Hopefully it won't be off the road for long.

When you have the shaft milled it should take you know more than a couple of hours max to do the rest. Good luck and enjoy.

Hi dave,
what grease did you use for the rebuild and ware did you get it from, i noticed you give a part number is that the suzuki part number ?
thanks

I actually just used suitable Lithium Molly grease that I had in my workshop myself, bought from Halfords if I remember rightly but it was a long time ago.

I used this stuff, It gets everywhere! :aghh: 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AS60-60-Moly-Assembly-Paste-100grm-Similar-to-Honda-60-grease-/130942496859?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts_13&hash=item1e7cc7f05b

I ordered Honda Moly 60 from the US for lubricating the splines in the past.

I have just ordered some Honda 60 moly from local honda dealer for £13 and pennies as i am going to pull diff and check for rust, also my friend has suffered a snapped middle joint pinion shaft on his 1100 dragstar (fairly common aparently} so a re-build needed their also.
I prefer the moly 60 paste over the grease as I find that moly grease is typicaly 3% to 5% moly even CV joint grease but as the 60% moly paste it speakes for itself

Will this require my Power Commander remapping?

no

For the 1400 drive mod will a rear out of a '91 work for my '03 vl800?

Just phoned Dave and he says it will 

Thanks Captain!:yeahman:

Rattler, Any updates on your 1400 drive yet?

Simbo...I'm a little indecisive at times and nearly got a new bike lol. Back to the Intruder. I've found somewhere local that will machine it so I'm ringing them tomorrow.
Then for a TRE, air kit and apes.

It's a bit annoying that the case got damaged in transit. It has some quite big scratches which the seller is trying to sort but I do believe the false swing arm should cover them.

I'm all about low end so here's one for you. Right now I have pipes and power commander and although it's not got its full potential from those mods it's not slow. I know that the drive mod will loose some of the low end but if I fit an air kit and TRE and have it remapped will that take it over what it is currently even after the loss from the drive mod?

Rattler I think from what you have written that are perceiving a drop in low end power, this really is not the case. You will need to give it a fraction more clutch from the off it wanting to pull away at full bore but from the moment you are no longer still its is all gain.

At the moment you only have the Free flowing exhaust and FI module so in effect your bike is still restricted. Let me put it like this, when the VS1400 drive has been fitted with the following mods "TRE - Hi-Flo air filter - free flowing exhaust - Fi Module" you will piss all over any your bike as it stands right now from A through to Z & will shock standard 800 owners at how quick your bike is compared to theirs.

Ok great Dave. I'm gonna get it all done.

If I did want to change it back to the original how easy would it be? Obviously I would need a new stock drive shaft but it's more the fact that the mounting holes will have been drilled out bigger.

Rattlet wrote:

but it's more the fact that the mounting holes will have been drilled out bigger.

 Not if you file the hole's to elongate them as opposed to drilling them out, 15 mins with a rat tail file and your done.

Ah ok excellent. Did anyone get any pics of the holes elongated?

Like this  It's not a great amount, a couple of mm off each hole.

pic 20

So they are all elongated outwards. Cool. 
I'm waiting for the machining company to get back to me with a price and that for machining the drive shaft.

If you want to meet up and have a go on my bike to see what it's like with the 1400 drive on? Just give us a shout mate, I can give you some idea on what needs doing to install it too.

Could be an option bud. To be fair I've not heard one person negative about the mod.

You need the shoulder milling back 3/16th's of an Inch and the same off the end to allow for it going further into the universal joint, otherwise it sticks through the u/v joint and snags on the other side under suspension load.