Thanks for all your input especially pete whos honest approach I like. Sorry i'm not a good communicator. whats wrong with running the bike on the centre stand to check the drive train? I run it in 1st, 2nd,3rd . With any gear engaged and the big wheel spinning after 20s or so it hits its transmission bad spot and the whole bike shakes beyond its normal vibration to the point shakin sideways of its stand. This is the best way to demostrate the noise/fault condition. If you run it on the stand will the speed sensor (if thats from the front wheel) produce a false error? Assuming its a false error will the ecu realise this after a while and rest the error condition. Yes the shop took the shaft out. when I delvered the bike i did the center stand test and demonstrated with my ear that you can hear the noise of metal grinding coming from behind the gearbox. The shop confirmed the uj joint is there. I am not happy with the shop because after a week and £170 I have achieved nothing. Today I'll retun asking them to replace the shaft and if that doesnt fix it they take the cost since I already paid for the diagnosis. The book refers to special tools to remove the swinging arm? How hard is it? could your average dork do it? That last bigger job I did was replace my steering head bearings on my Deauville.