Phantom Transplant

[AllanB]

I was visiting Jo Modify again yesterday, picking up my new shocks (or rather not picking them up) when I spied a bike I thought looked familiar. I was badged up as a Harley Davison....nice stickers and was quite long and then I realised it was a Phantom but with a 2 cylinder engine.

The engine was a 400cc Suzuki straight twin and looked pukka wedged in place of the 200cc piece of crap mine had in it, Jo had simply cut and sleeved the frame making the bike about 2" longer. And stuck it is and it fitted well.

Now my experience of the Phantom, my first big bike.... I know before anyone says anything...was that it was a comfortable cruiser with the nice longish wheelbase, now made even longer. But one thing it really lacked was some torque from the engine and decent gearbox, 400cc and a 6 speed box sounds about right to me and if the engine was bought for a song, made a nice cheap runaround cruiser.

I wish I had known about that when the engine blew on my Phantom, Jo said the mod was easy and I suspect probably cheaper than the rebuild I had done.

[tmaker]

hi Allan.

mind showing me where Jo Modify is ?

[casualbiker]

Pictures?

[billd766]

I am not sure if I would be happy riding a cut and shut.

It would be interesting to see what the green book looks like and I even wonder how it would get through the DLT test.

[AllanB]

hi Allan.

mind showing me where Jo Modify is ?

Do you know where big Piman Chon 2 is, near the big lake Kaen Nakhon?

Okay, with Piman Chon 2 on your left, 7/11 on your right head down that road, leaving the big lake behind you. Carry on down that road, round a left hand bend and about 1km on your left is Jo Modify, usually lots of big bikes outside. Just before Soi Wat Pa Ming Mueang 1 estate.

I am going down there tomorrow morning, to get new shocks for my old NV400.

He seems to speak enough "Bike English" to suffice.

[AllanB]

I am not sure if I would be happy riding a cut and shut.

It would be interesting to see what the green book looks like and I even wonder how it would get through the DLT test.

A cut and shut normally applies to a car and dramatically weakens the vehicle unless done properly, if done properly like with a stretch limo. This has a decent tube over the joints and with an amount of triangulation involved, would seem more than adequate.

The book, I don't know, but will try to find out, it did have a plate though??

[tmaker]

hi Allan.

mind showing me where Jo Modify is ?

Do you know where big Piman Chon 2 is, near the big lake Kaen Nakhon?

Okay, with Piman Chon 2 on your left, 7/11 on your right head down that road, leaving the big lake behind you. Carry on down that road, round a left hand bend and about 1km on your left is Jo Modify, usually lots of big bikes outside. Just before Soi Wat Pa Ming Mueang 1 estate.

I am going down there tomorrow morning, to get new shocks for my old NV400.

He seems to speak enough "Bike English" to suffice.

wow !!!

khon kaen ?

i thought it's near or in Pattaya..

thanks mate.

[billd766]

I am not sure if I would be happy riding a cut and shut.

It would be interesting to see what the green book looks like and I even wonder how it would get through the DLT test.

A cut and shut normally applies to a car and dramatically weakens the vehicle unless done properly, if done properly like with a stretch limo. This has a decent tube over the joints and with an amount of triangulation involved, would seem more than adequate.

The book, I don't know, but will try to find out, it did have a plate though??

It was just out of curiousity I asked. Perhaps a Honda Bros 400 V twin engine would fit? I also ride a Honda CB 400 Four which is a transverse 4 cylinder but I don't think the Phantom could take that. Red lined at 12,500 rpm and I chickened out at 160kph and went back to a comfortable 120kph where I felt happy.

[Longtooth]

I am not sure if I would be happy riding a cut and shut.

It would be interesting to see what the green book looks like and I even wonder how it would get through the DLT test.

A cut and shut normally applies to a car and dramatically weakens the vehicle unless done properly, if done properly like with a stretch limo. This has a decent tube over the joints and with an amount of triangulation involved, would seem more than adequate.

The book, I don't know, but will try to find out, it did have a plate though??

It was just out of curiousity I asked. Perhaps a Honda Bros 400 V twin engine would fit? I also ride a Honda CB 400 Four which is a transverse 4 cylinder but I don't think the Phantom could take that. Red lined at 12,500 rpm and I chickened out at 160kph and went back to a comfortable 120kph where I felt happy.

V-twin would be major frame mods. I have heard you can do engine swaps legally. Green book would be OK with the legality hoops jumped through. Again, I "heard".

[AllanB]

Okay an update, the green book was updated and is now apparently fully legal. Looking at the new engine it fits really well including the exhaust pipes which clear the frame, as is.

I will try to remember by camera tomorrow although the front forks are still in bits.

[dave_boo]

Okay an update, the green book was updated and is now apparently fully legal. Looking at the new engine it fits really well including the exhaust pipes which clear the frame, as is.

I will try to remember by camera tomorrow although the front forks are still in bits.

Mainly just to get notifications when the pictures are posted...I'm interested in what twin 400 was used as the only ones I can think of from Suzuki are 30+ years old.