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

Cheers for that, it will probably be one of the tool fitters that does it, as they don't like other people working their machines and I doubt he would have taken that into consideration...
I'm hoping they are all busy so I can do it myself...

The main thing is your getting it done Ross.   Spraying it black as you have done is a great thing & it looks so much better when that's done on the M800, Alfie's one looks lovely on his bike. ( LINK )

Your right Crash the one exclusive VS1400 drive modification club in the UK is no longer quite so exclusive but that is a wonderful thing, it really makes me happy.

Yep Dave, shaft and spacer done, got a wee half hour on a nice lathe but no luck with the oil, sitting outside auto shop waiting for it to open ..need to actually pay for it ..bah ..

Pay for it     ..........................................................................................  

Anyway cash aside, you are going to love it. The difference it makes is unreal, not sure why it isn't that way from stock. Cruising is better & so is riding around town.

The in-town riding is probably the biggest reason for me to do this as I often feel in-between the right gears for slow corners and roundabouts..and maybe now I will use my 1st gear...
Dave , as your bike has some extra horses how does it pull over the ton in top gear and have you maxed it out yet with the 1400 diff...

I have been at 100mph many times with the VS1400 diff & the bike is so much happier there than before. However I rarely if ever go over 100mph as 1mph over that speed is an automatic ban & as driving has been my living for over 25 years, I just couldn't risk it any higher.

Well all is now done and I had a short test ride around town ....its defo better for negotiating mini roundabouts etc ..then I decided to take the bike to work ...was so much fun ...sixty in top felt like tickover..and eighty /eighty five is so smooth and effortless feeling ...third and forth gear overtakes are a pleasure ...because top gear feels so long legged now it feels like she is only sipping the unleaded....
So a big thanks to you guys for sharing and advising on this most worthwhile modification ...cheers..

No worries Ross, just glad your happy & all has gone well.   
Just don't know why it isn't the stock gearing as it is better on all counts.

I will finally be fitting the upgraded vs1400 drive in the morning and simply can't wait as this modification will complete my bike. My new drive with a modified shaft arrived earlier in the week at an unbelievable price with a guarantee of bolt on compatibility. All I need to do is file out the 3 mounting holes and add lubes. I will report back when drive is fitted with my interpretation.

Nice one Ken  

Looking forward to the big grin riding experience that your sure to report back on.  

You'll be in third thinking your in 5th & still have 2 gears to go....
Brilliant mod if I say so myself...

Going home from 250 km ride, my wife passager
....sweet ride, often found myself at 100 km/h still in 4th gear...still waiting for my cobra pipes :)))

Having today fitted an ridden my motorcycle along with a newly fitted vs1400 drive and modified shaft, I have nothing but praise for the conversion. The riding experience is by far a nicer experience from all angles. The gear change is no longer required when originally expected; they just seem to go on forever without any loss of torque. After a short ride along the M3 the experience was one of far greater comfort just knowing the bike was at a more relaxed state due to the lesser vibration.
The pulling power goes from good with the standard drive to beyond hoped or dreamed of after fitting. A word of thanks must go to Mr Intruder for this excellent tutorial, thanks. Also not forgetting other contributors to this thread who have also inspired me.
 
Thanks
Ken

We told ya so!!!!!!!! Great to know you like it Ken!  

  

Welcome to the 'Club' Ken    

Well pleased for you ken, bet it seems like a different bike now then matey  

It always pleases me to see yet another rider doing this modification as they are improving the bike in so many ways. Best single mod that the bike can have done to it in my opinion.  
I'm so happy that this modification is spreading & that all experiences have been 100% positive, although I would be shocked to find any that weren't.

Been for a long ride today on a great variety of roads, the motorcycle was a pure pleasure to experience. Negatives could not be found in any way, the vs1400 modification certainly has a thumbs up from me. Joining the 'Club' is without doubt one to be recommended and once more I must say thanks to all who have encouraged me personally or inadvertently encouraged me by writing of it's worth.

Good to know Ken, now just enjoy her again.

Hi to all that have already done this mod - bit of advice please

I'm set my mind to do it, but am struggling to locate a final drive in the UK.  There are a few on US ebay (at a price), but I'd like a bit of clarification on whether I need the full drive including the shaft from the 1400 (from what I understand, I just mod my existing 800 shaft).  There are more there that are just the final drive & hub & they tend to be cheaper than those with the shaft included.  

Also, which models/years do I need to look for ?  I'm running an '01 so would a '92 VS 1400 fit ?

Last question (at the moment) - where does the spacer (the one which you say needs to be milled back to a total spacer length of 2, 7/8" ) go ? 

Thanks in advance Dave (or anyone else)

Hi Dave, You just need the drive, spring, circlip and the plate that goes between the swing arm and drive from the 1400, you use the 800 shaft for this mod, any year vs1400 drive will fit, the spacer that's milled to 2&7/8" is the one that goes between the drive and the wheel. (the wheel spindle goes through it)

Thanks Sim

Would this one do ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VS1400-VS-1400-S83-INTRUDER-BOULEVARD-REAR-DIFFERENTIAL-FINAL-DRIVE-GEAR-CASE-/321456417687?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ad84bab97

Cheers

Yeah that'll do Dave   Price seems a bit harsh though.

Know what you mean - I'll probably look around over the next few months & if nothing pops up UK side, accept having to pay a higher price.

Cheers

Dave I'm in Spondon so if you need any help mate you need only give me a shout & I'll pop over if needed to give you a hand, plus I have a friend with a BIG lathe to do the shortening of the shaft from your 800 & the spacer shaft also ok.

Peter, Spondon nr Derby right next to the A52 literally!!!

ps. Oh & I have a few bits left from my rebuild if required ok?

That's a very kind offer Pete - if you're in Spondon, you're about ten minutes away from me - I'm just off the 52 at Bardills Island, just past the Magpie pub.  I'll PM you & arrange to pop over to see you

No probs Dave just offering seeing as I've already done it 

Can anyone help me on this before I buy a shaft in please? I have a sidemount fitted which uses the bolt which fits into where I guess a shock would fit if it had one -  28" />

Does the shock hole / bolt sit in the same location as the one on the 800's shaft - will the sidemount drop back into the same location with no chopping as I don't want to lose the sidemount

Hi Dave, 'Yes' it will fit but needs some minor work doing,(I've got the same side mount as you but don't use it due to clearance with my panniers), The Shock hole is in the 'same place'  and although the bolt is difficult to remove it can be done, You'll need to grind a small amount off the drive and a small amount off the fake swing arm (Plastic on your model I believe) to refit it, but it will all go together 


23&24

Thanks for that Sim - thought it was the same, but it's always worth asking the question.

This is the one I have my eye one - is it the right one ?   Cheers VS 1400 shaft

Yeah looks fine to me Dave 

Cheers Sim - looks like that's my Chrimbo pressie to myself !!!!

Seems a bit dear to be honest, at least when postage is taken into consideration £240 plus import duties. I would keep looking if I was you, £180 is about all I would pay for one, all in. If you really want one badly right now, then go for it, but think about it. Saying that though, it will dramatically change your bike for the better & that's a fact.

I've been looking for the last few months & the price seems to have been holding at the £200 + delivery mark - this is the cheapest I've seen for a while - think a lot of people have caught onto this mod & that's being reflected in the price.  The last one I looked at was $100 more than this one.  I put a best offer in & got it for £230 delivered (bet I get shafted (ha ha) on import duties) 

I could keep looking but the bikes off the road for winter & having some other bits done, so I'd rather sort it now than be pissing around when I want to be riding.  I know it's a fairly quick mod - but with me, these things have a habit of dragging on.  

At least I've got the right one - bit concerned after speaking to Pete about him ending up with the incorrect one.

When considering buying a VS1400 drive, it is worth members checking with either Mr Intruder or Simbo, they are the gurus. Then they can be sure of what drive they are getting.

Yeh thats the one Dave. Have replied to your PM ok so will await your shout!

Can anyone tell me if the diff/shaft unit form a VS800 is the same unit - I've found one at a low price which I could rob the shaft off.  I'm posting this here & also in the "wanted" thread that I currently have running- hope that's OK Dave

VS shafts are too short Dave unless your willing to have it cut and extended with a sleeve to the correct length then balanced? I have a vs1400 shaft free to a good home if you are lol.

Excuse my ignorance Sim, but I thought the VS & VL were essentially the same bike with styling differences - am I wrong on that?  Looking at the fiches for the two models, the drive unit looks identical.

The drive is pretty much the same Dave but the swing arm is a lot shorter on the vs hence the shorter shaft, the drive is probably one of very few interchangeable parts between the vs & vl, The VS 1400 drive is also the same as the GS850 & VL1500 but the VS is the one that requires the least work for this mod ie. the VL1500 has a thicker spindle so it needs a bush making to fit the 800 spindle and the GS850 dates back to the 80's so could possibly be hard to obtain if at all?

Bugger - thought I'd found a bargain !! Ah well - back to searching.  Thanks for the info Sim

Sorry to bother you - but I've been reading the thread again & realised that I do't actually know which the spacer is that's being referred to - the one that's milled back to 2,7/8".  Can someone enlighten me please ?

Page one of this thread 6th photo down.

Yeh - I've been looking at that Dave - I'm just not sure where it actually fits in relation to the rest of the shaft/diff/wheel

On the rear axle, between the diff and the wheel. It keeps the diff at the correct distance from the wheel.

Got it - thanks for that Dave

Awesome write up 

Is it obvious how the shaft comes out of the diff? From what I can gather reading through the manual & threads, you need to remove the backing plate, prise the seal out, then use a pair of circlip pliers to release the shaft.  The seal is replaced on rebuild.  How far off am I ?