While any failed component in the drive system might lead to a locked rear wheel, those listed above appear to dominate.

Of the listed failures, the secondary is due to a simple lack of lubrication. Unless the rider is aware of the location of and the lubrication needs of the secondary drive unit, it's easily overlooked during normal maintenance. Even mechanics with years of experience can overlook it if they aren't familiar with the Cavalcade. Discussion within the e-mail group indicates that this is the case more often than not. Many bike shops are simply limiting their service to newer models. That's why Cavalcade owners need to become familiar with the bike to insure that items requiring regular maintenance receive it.

As for the driveshaft u-joint, it appears to fail due to excessive wear. Replacement driveshafts from Suzuki feature a larger u-joint. And, while the larger u-joint still cannot be lubricated, the additional bearing surface area seems to have solved the wear issue to a great degree. Driveshaft u-joint failure is commonly preceded by an audible "clank" as the drivetrain is loaded and unloaded.

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Solutions to the Plug Problem

There are several solutions to the problem of the factory plug.

1) Replace the stock plug with the machined aluminum "Cade Cork" (click here to view the installation instructions)

2) Fill the hole with a heat-resistant epoxy such as JB Weld (surfaces must be squeaky clean and you must leave room for the driveshaft)

3) Install some other type of metal, pressed-in plug

Author's Note: Of the 3 noted solutions, the Author has only installed the Cade Cork and has not attempted either of the other solutions. However, they are noted since one or more members of the e-mail group stated that they had used them.

The "Cade Cork" is machined from solid aluminum bar stock and is drawn into the gear with an included installation bolt
Author's note: The Cade Cork has not been tested on the GV1200 Madura model G.

Each of these solutions requires some disassembly to implement. The Cade Cork fix requires removal of the secondary drive but does NOT require that the unit be dissassembled. The epoxy fix, with care, may be done with the secondary still on the bike but the drive gear housing must be unbolted and removed from the gearbox. The inside of the driven gear must be carefully cleaned with a solvent and something needs to be placed inside the driven gear hole as a backer (such as cotton balls or a wadded paper towel) to prevent the epoxy from flowing into the driveshaft splines.

Author's Note: According to the member that told us of the epoxy fix, he stated that after mixing the epoxy (JB Weld in his case), it should be allowed to set up some (to be less runny) before spooning it into the hole. The epoxy must be fully cured before refilling the gearbox with gear-lube.

Installation of an other type of metal, pressed-in plug requires the secondary to be removed from the bike and gearbox will most likley need to be dissassembled to install it if it is being pressed into place.

While none of these solutions is an absolute guarantee that no gear-lube will ever escape out of the hole in the driven gear, they all reduce the potential of lubricant loss to an extremely low level. Remember, even after implementing one of these solutions (or another), the gear-lube in the secondary must be checked and changed regularly. The owner's manual recommends replacing the gear-lube in the secondary at the 600-mile break-in point and then inspecting the level every 7500 miles. The author believes that the inspection mileage (especially if you have not implemented one of the fixes for the plug) is much too long and it should be checked much more often. Also, the gear-lube needs to be changed every year or two. The author recommends a synthetic lubricant (such as Amsoil) which may extend the replacement interval and potentially lower the friction (and heat) in the gearbox, but any good quality 80-90W gear-lube meeting the GL-5 specification will do. Bikes that are heavily loaded and/or pull a trailer regularly put more stress on the lubricant and may require shorter intervals for its replacement.

The most important thing is to be aware that there is gear-lube in the secondary drive and the level must be inspected regularly and it must be changed at the recommended interval.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Some riders have reported an increase in gear-oil level in the secondary. This is generally caused by a failure of the seal between the motor and the secondary drive and is allowing engine oil to be forced into the secondary drive. If you experience an increase in the gear-oil level then it's important to replace the seal between the motor and the secondary as the dilution of the gear-lube with engine oil can have damaging effects since motor oil is not designed to endure the high forces of the secondary drive system. The part number for that seal is listed at the end of this article.