| Author | Message | ||
     U4euh |
I know this thread won't last long. But I have always wanted one of my own, since 85 when one came around me, in a very sharp curve, like I was sitting still! Now they just released the new MONSTER. 200 BHP!!! redifined Vboost system( all electronic borrowing cues from the R1/R6 ) Stopped by the dealer today and picked up a very nice DVD on the bike, yaaaaaay. BUT 17,995$$$$$??? WTF? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Still shaft drive?... The 1987 VMax is why I will NEVER ride a shaft drive again. Had to have it, the biggest baddest mutha on the block at the time, guaranteed to eat interceptors and ninjas Leaning Left hand curve, power in before the apex and that bike HOPS a full inch if not two. First time it did it, I thought it was the road... the next time it did it, I knew it was the bike. Sold it for what I paid for it. That thing is a widow maker if there ever was one. DAMN sexy though. | ||
| Thumper74 |
I was only a couple years only when they came out. I REALLY like the bikes and the new one is pure sex, but I think they're off their rockers wanting that much for a production bike... | ||
| Rex |
I love the old bike and the new one....rex | ||
| New12r |
I will take and old one! | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Cityslicker, shaft drive design has come a long way since then. | ||
| Jaimec |
Nothing taught you how to ride smoothly than an old shaftie. If you were the least bit sloppy in the turns, it punished you HARD! Once you mastered it, though, the technique carries over to anything you ride. Some of the fastest guys I've ever ridden with rode old BMW Boxers... | ||
| Skinstains |
I wish I had a six car garage and the wallet to match. It would be full of cool bikes. I never owned or rode one, but, when they first came out they boasted a 0 to 50 in 2.31 seconds. If I still remember that I must appreciate it more than I think I do. | ||
| Bob_thompson |
My son road one for a few years when I got my Buell M2. I could easily leave him way behind in these canyons only to have him literally fly by me in the long straights. It just did not handle AT ALL for our type of riding. For a while he was with me and ahead many times when he got a new SV1000 Suzi., that is until I got my 1125 this past March. I do not know what he will get next but the contest continues and we ARE having fun. His V-max lost a rod early in its life which was completely rebuilt under warranty and then it was ring and pinion carrier bearings but that was his fault for over tightening the rear axle after a tire change. All in all a pretty good bike but lacked some good handling at least for these canyons. | ||
| Bads1 |
Cityslicker, The V-Max wasn't built in 1987. That was the year they were restricted. I bought a 86 new. Damn I miss it sometimes | ||
| Sticks |
Saw one at a bike shop that a mad genius had turned into a trike. It had 2 wheels in the front, both of which were XB complete with ZTL brakes. It had lean capabilities designed in. Think Piaggio MP3 scooter's evil twin. | ||
| Neurorider |
I had a 1998 v-max; rode it almost 2 years before getting a 98 S1WL. I loved and hated that bike; it wouldn't corner well to say the least, but was a rocket on the straights. The seat sucked; just shaped totally wrong. Mine got 33mpg and it went on reserve at about 3 gallons/90 something miles. With the filler under the seat it was a pain when used to commute to work every day. But, it was a very cool bike. I learned that I'm more about the corners than the straightaways-the Buell was a revelation after the Vmax. But, I'd love to ride or own one of the new ones (or another old one for that matter). Just never again as "my only bike". The Ulysses I ride now is so much better a bike it's unreal. The 'Max is a rush though! | ||
| Miamiuly |
My buddy has an older one that is cherry condition with some nice add ons, like the frame stiffeners. I considered one for a while but for one thing, I could never get over watching a different friend slide to a stop at every light when it rained. All that momentum and that little front tire and flexy forks. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Sumna biatch, you are correct, I had an 86, that I purchased in 87. (all these years I thought it was an 87!) Upon further review of title paperwork, it was 1986 VMX12S V-MAX purchased in feb of 87. Still scared the wooley bjesus out of me when that damn thing hooked up in the corners. Looks like with that price they are in the same price category as the VRod NightRodSpecial. I would love to see them run head to head... sneaky feeling that the Yami owner would be leaving with two pink slips | ||
| U4euh |
If the makers will do it I'll twist my arm enough to pilot one, and itdon't matter which one! The new drive shaft is purposely built for this bike. Looks real industrial looking. The first time I touched a knee down was on my 750 Seca, yes shaft drive. Someone else said it above, you learned real quick to be smooth in the corners, especially with entrance speed and gear choice. But once you got to know the quirks, you could predict what the bike was going to do and be very lethal, for that day and age! The video shows the new V-max on a track course, the riders really don't crank it over for all it is worth, BUT they still have plenty of lean angle left, AND they were sittng straight up in the pilots seat, not hangin off the bike. Please don't tell me hangin off a V-Max is impossible, I witnessed it first hand. NO words I can choose can explain the feeling you get when your in the TX hill country up past Bandera, bankin through a strong uphill right hander when you suddenly hear what sounds like an F-4 Phantom idling up behind your helmet. Then out of your periphial vision comes your friend grabbing gears,looking through the corner, ( I swear I could see him smiling!) and the last thing you see is his tail light dissappear into the next downhill lefty. I was on the back of my old mans V65 Sabre. When we caught up to him, the first thing he told me was, "Jim, you need to lean over more, your making your dad work too hard" And so began my fascination with 'hangin off'. | ||
| Jaimec |
I still remember the photos of Kenny Roberts, Sr. and Eddie Lawson riding Yamaha Ventures on a track, hanging off, dragging knees and drifting the rear tires. It was in either Cycle or Cycle World. Wish I saved that photo, it was a CLASSIC! | ||
| Etennuly |
The nemesis to that V-Max was Honda's V65 Magna. That was a shaft drive rocket ship too! I bought a used '85 with about 15,000 miles on it. A good friend of mine had an '83 with 125,000 miles on it that he had purchased new. This was in 1989. That tired old '83 would still do 165 MPH in stock trim. Another of our good friends had a new Soft Tail. After spanking his butt with my V65 in a big way, he spent $5,000 on Screaming Eagle go fast goodies, to try again. His bike was much louder, and the mechanics claimed a lot more horse power and torque, but it still looked small in my mirrors! I didn't get to run against a V-Max though. Honda had the shaft thing figured out pretty well. It wasn't difficult to handle like another buddies 750 SECA. That thing was a squirrel's nest, it was all over the place when he got after it. Dragging a knee on the Magna wasn't gonna happen unless you wreck and drag other stuff with it. I wouldn't put any of that stuff in the same field with the Uly though. | ||
| Bads1 |
The V-Max will kick the V-65's Butt but good. The danger of losing a drag race back then. Was when in 86 the Gixxer 1100 came to town. They could be beat,but only if the rider couldn't launch one. They were hard to launch. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
If they clean up that rear fender I would be more attracted to it . It is still as ugly as it was 20 years ago | ||
| Xandersam |
Food for thought. A quick websearch shows: Cycle magazine turned in a 10.84 second, 124.82 mph shot with the V65 Magna. Cycle World got Quarter-mile acceleration: 10.87 sec., 124.0 mph from the VMax. Every run I found had the bikes within roughly .5 seconds and a couple mph. Doesn't look like either Kickin the others butt good. | ||
| Bads1 |
Ummm sorry my friend. Research further. 85-86 model's boasted alittle more. Heres the original test. I owned a 86 new and had friends that had Honda's. You couldn't get the V-65 out of the hole like a Max. The Max either hooked or smoked. No loop out. http://vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/into_the_10s.htm | ||
| Xandersam |
Bads1, I've got no dog in this fight either way. I'm not even picking a fight. My point was that one does not flat out own the other. I saw times favoring each. The fact that the VMax was easier to be fast with is also supported. My bike is a VFR1000F from 1984, which was at one time the fastest bike in the world. Not when ridden by me though...  | ||
| Jaimec |
The V-Max was the first stock motorcycle able to launch with a drag slick without bogging down. Cycle magazine did nothing to the motor, just replaced the shocks with struts, replaced the stock rear tire with a drag slick and added wheelie bars. No other modification and Pee Wee Gleason was able to get that thing damned close to the nines. It also matched the Kawasaki GPz900 Ninja in a top speed run, impressive considering it's about as aerodynamic as a cinder block. In fact, the article even said it felt like it could pull the same top speed dragging the ninja behind it on a chain. THAT was power. Succeeding years found the engine more and more strangled by emissions and modern sportbikes put out much more horsepower AND torque in a lighter package. However, their shorter wheelbases make them harder to launch at the track. The V-Max was designed for one thing, and one thing only... going as quickly as possible in a straight line. Complaining about their handling in the curves is like complaining about Buells in a straight line... those weren't in their design parameters. My old teacher, the late Gasper Trama, summed it up best. He said the V-Max was "wrist-controlled tunnel vision." I never knew what he meant until I had the opportunity to launch one. When that V-boost kick cut in, your peripheral vision went right out the window and all you could see was what was directly in front of you. Almost like that movie effect of space ships entering wormholes. Fun stuff... just not something I'd want in my garage. Too one-dimensional. | ||
| Bads1 |
Jaimec, Actually they didn't use the stock back wheel. It was a special machined spoke wheel that is readily available now in the aftermarket. Best time was a 10.41 126 mph.} | ||
| Danger_dave |
>> just not something I'd want in my garage.<< Plus one bruddah. Never liked them. At least with something like a Hyabusa eg you get the same acceleration with ergonomics and cornering clearance to deal with it. (Message edited by danger_dave on July 06, 2008) | ||
| Djkaplan |
Nothing about the V-Max has ever intrigued me, either. The introduction of a new one is a non-event for me... not even on my radar. But I like anchovies... | ||
| Danger_dave |
It might be different where you guys are - but down here I think they are up to version 3 of the Hawk Radar system in the Highway Patrol vehicles. Doesn't matter if you are in front or behind the patrol car. It will ping you. Some mates have got off on technicalities, I've even talked my way down from a severe bust to considering $500 to be getting off lightly - on my Uly. Unless I'm going to suddenly develop an interest in driving 50 miles to the drag strip a 200 horsepower motorcycle is as useless as tits on a bull. It's just an exercise in self restraint. | ||
| Danger_dave |
Sound convincing? Still wouldn't half mind a burn on one! | ||
| Brumbear |
I road one and I didn't care for it to much engine and not enough handling for me I would get into trouble with that at 6K or so the thing just looses its fing mind and goes postal | ||
| Citified |
that would be the V-boost  |
