Vmax as a first bike...

I will start by saying I realize this is a heavy and very powerful bike.
I also realize that, for the most part, most reviews - including the Yamaha website advise not to buy this as a first bike.

I learned to ride on a dirt bike - and even took a harley (what ever the police model is) for ONE quick scoot.

I consider myself a new rider - with the knowledge on operating / clutch / gears.

I also respect the rules of the road - AND that the Vmax is a rocket, if driven like one.


My question is this: I am looking at sealing the deal on a Vmax within a day or so - am I making a huge mistake?

I hopnestly don't want any other bike. Not even a 2009 max. I love the original.
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jugalettes

ghostntheshell said:

I will start by saying I realize this is a heavy and very powerful bike.
I also realize that, for the most part, most reviews - including the Yamaha website advise not to buy this as a first bike.

I learned to ride on a dirt bike - and even took a harley (what ever the police model is) for ONE quick scoot.

I consider myself a new rider - with the knowledge on operating / clutch / gears.

I also respect the rules of the road - AND that the Vmax is a rocket, if driven like one.


My question is this: I am looking at sealing the deal on a Vmax within a day or so - am I making a huge mistake?

I hopnestly don't want any other bike. Not even a 2009 max. I love the original.

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Sounds to me you have just talked yourself into getting one .
Yes , it is a heavy powerful bike it will bite back when you least expect it .
You sound like me , i love bikes but always wanted a Vmax .
Ride within your capabilities and you will be fine . unk::clapping:

Yeah. The price is right - the km's are low.

I just need the guts to hand over that cash. It's not the money, as I can always re-sell the bike.



My friend from Sudbury started up a raced out 85 Vmax (has Nitro / pipes and some other stuff) for me - and instantly I knew I had to have one. I have always liked motorcycles - but this sealed the deal. No other bike would do.
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starcraft II replays

Just take it easy as it is heavy put some hours on it and before you know it you will be boosting with the rest of us ...unk:

My vmax was my first street bike, always rode dirt bikes but never street bikes. Heard of one for sale, test drove it then bought it. One of the best purchases i ever made, absolutely love it...

I say go for it! just take it easy and get used to it and you will be fine.

Technically, ANY size bike could be too big for a rider, it depends on the rider. You ride dirt bikes so it is not like you have never ridden before. In dirt bike terms, think of the Vmax as a CR500. Would you go full throttle on a CR500 and dump it into 1st? Show the VMax the same respect and you will be OK... and we'll get to meet you at one of our local VMax rides.

Get the bike, take it easy till you're used to it. As long as you have some respect for the weight and power you'll be fine. unk:
Come out to the Icebreaker in June and ride with the rest of us!
(Dirt bike riding is excellent training for any type of riding.)

Dale #2592 :clapping:

Buster Hymen said:

Technically, ANY size bike could be too big for a rider, it depends on the rider. You ride dirt bikes so it is not like you have never ridden before. In dirt bike terms, think of the Vmax as a CR500. Would you go full throttle on a CR500 and dump it into 1st? Show the VMax the same respect and you will be OK... and we'll get to meet you at one of our local VMax rides.

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That would be crazy for sure, just like on a Vmax, unless maybe...no that'd be carzy too!
You can cruise around on the Vmax and it can be a pussycat, but start hitting it and the evil alley cat will come out and bite you.
Completely doable as a first streetbike, you will love it! unk:

The vmax was my first street bike. I found a deal I just couldn't refuse. Like everyone says just respect it and you will be fine. Congrats and don't forget to post pics for us.

Hi, I can give you some feedback about it since like you I didn't start on the vmax but I decided to get one earlier than what some people might advise you.

I started to ride with an SV650S with is a good bike for starting : not too heavy, easy to handle but has enough power for you not to be ashame.

Then after 1y riding, I got an opportunity for getting the vmax lady which i was dreaming of since i was a kid.

On the first drive test, oh shit it's heavy
vmax lady is quiet heavy and you have to be careful at low speed but when opening the throttle carefully it's smooth, thanks to the engine torque.

As soon as you're not that crazy on the throttle and you always remember the weight, it should be fine.

One day, I discovered the vboost after being lazy to shift the gears then i understood more the warning of experienced rider about than bike.
The acceleration can be amazing and pulling your arm and you start to feel riding a crazy horse.

So if the bike is in a good shape, go for it but remember be sweet on the throttle and discover the potential of the bike as you get used to it and don't forget the weight

Wish you a good ride

Michael

You have dirt bike experience and took a HD for a spin. You won't have any problem with a VMX at all.

Do they have motorcycle training courses in your area? Might be a good idea to take one if so. In the US they have a beginners and an advanced. In the advanced, you drive your own bike. In the beginners, you drive a small (up to 250cc) bike provided by the course.

Would you go full throttle on a CR500 and dump it into 1st?

Sure. Mine never got any traction if I dumped the clutch so it was no issue at all. Get moving a bit and goose the throttle and its a different story. F'er will stand staight up 1st-3rd. 4&5 are a bit more tame but kinda like the max in first gear, if you know when to hit it, it will rise right up off the ground no problem.

I was trying to teach my ex GF how to ride a dirt bike about 10 yrs ago on my cr500. BAAAAAD idea. I was on the back, she was driving. She was actually doing quite well. We were in a huge grass field, nothing around, all kinds of room. Well she was getting a bit more confident with the throttle so I tell her to make sure to take it easy with it, don't crack it. Well, we were putting around in 2nd gear and she hit it a bit too hard. The front wheel reached for the sky instantly with my ass on the back half of the seat for ballast. It was like a bull riding show. I got kicked directly off the bike. Happened too fast to do a damn thing, it was instant. I landed flat on my bike in the field, the girl friend landed directly on top of me. Imagine the two of us riding normally and then remove us from the bike and put us both flat on the ground horizontally and thats what it was.

She was fine, she landed on me. I had the wind knocked out of me for a while. My back was pretty well scraped up from the hit but nothing severe. It took a few minutes for me to be able to stand up and breathe but when I did I was a lil' bummed when I say the bike! Back fender pretty much ripped off, silencer smashed, pipe bent to shit, rear wheel chain adjuster jacked up, rear wheel crooked, chain popped, and couldn't get things straight enough w/out tools to get the chain on. Even if I did the silencer was so thoroughly jammed with dirt it would have never started. It was a long walk home after that.

Still have the bike, not the girlfriend. Fixed the bike immediately and ran it years. Its now in purgatory in the basement along with the GS550E, the pw80(free project beast that will cost way too much to fix) and the pantera 50 (chinese scooter, another free one, its looking promising)

[email protected] said:

Still have the bike, not the girlfriend.

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CLASSIC :rofl_200::eusa_dance:

I think you would be just fine. Be careful and enjoy yourself, the handling of the Vmax can be "interesting" when you least expect it, but it is a fantastic bike. Good luck, ride safe.

Just so you know, the Vmax handles just fine a speeds up to about 60-65mph.

It's when you go faster than that and attempt to turn that things get interesting, especially if there are ANY bumps in the road surface.

Basically the chassis isn't anywhere near rigid enough to handle the weight of the bike, the forks, the swingarm and the frame all start flexing and the result is scary. Keep it in a straight line and you'll be ok, as long as everything is well maintained. When the steering head bearings and/or swingarm bearings get worn or out of adjustment, and even when just the tires are worn, it can develop a wobble that will turn into a tank slapper and kill you, since it usually happens above 110/115mph.

Other than that, it's great! Just easy on the power, especially when banked over or on wet roads, and you'll be totally fine.

naughtyG said:

Just so you know, the Vmax handles just fine a speeds up to about 60-65mph.

It's when you go faster than that and attempt to turn that things get interesting, especially if there are ANY bumps in the road surface.

Basically the chassis isn't anywhere near rigid enough to handle the weight of the bike, the forks, the swingarm and the frame all start flexing and the result is scary. Keep it in a straight line and you'll be ok, as long as everything is well maintained. When the steering head bearings and/or swingarm bearings get worn or out of adjustment, and even when just the tires are worn, it can develop a wobble that will turn into a tank slapper and kill you, since it usually happens above 110/115mph.

Other than that, it's great! Just easy on the power, especially when banked over or on wet roads, and you'll be totally fine.

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Good write up , well put apart from the "And Kill You " bit .
Poor guy is chances are get a Vmax go for a ride go over some uneven parts in the road and think fuck its all over now im gonna die .

But on a serious note you will be fine go out and do it instead of in 10 years time thinking - i wish i bought one unk:

I only put that in because those times when I did experience the wobble at 115+mph, I REALLY did think I was not gonna make it through.

OK I'm still here to write about it, but then I've been riding bikes since the tender age of 12 and now I'm 43, so I would call myself a 'rather experienced' rider.

My head bearings were totally shot, my tires were dead Dunlops Qualifiers, the rear wheel assembly was missing a spacer, and the front wheel assembly was missing the collar between the wheel bearings.

Since I've fixed all these things and got a Muscle Corbin seat, I've been numerous times up to 135mph in a straight line and it's as solid as a rock.

But I still won't attempt to turn any faster than 75mph - and that's already chancing it LOL..

Thanks for all this great advice guys.

Great forum.
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buy no2 vaporizer

naughtyG said:

Just so you know, the Vmax handles just fine a speeds up to about 60-65mph.

It's when you go faster than that and attempt to turn that things get interesting, especially if there are ANY bumps in the road surface.

Basically the chassis isn't anywhere near rigid enough to handle the weight of the bike, the forks, the swingarm and the frame all start flexing and the result is scary. Keep it in a straight line and you'll be ok, as long as everything is well maintained. When the steering head bearings and/or swingarm bearings get worn or out of adjustment, and even when just the tires are worn, it can develop a wobble that will turn into a tank slapper and kill you, since it usually happens above 110/115mph.

Other than that, it's great! Just easy on the power, especially when banked over or on wet roads, and you'll be totally fine.

Click to expand...

I don't agree with this statement at all. Any bike will handle poorly if it has not been set up correctly for the rider. The VMax is no sport bike but has gotten a real bad (unwarranted) rap that it can't turn or handle high speeds. I've seen enough people drag knees and bury the speedo on stock Maxes to know it's not true. I've done it on mine when it was stock. However the Vmax will do this if you do not do maintenance on the bike, such as checking air pressure in the tires. Go to a bike shop and get the stock suspension dialed in correctly for your weight, it makes a big difference.