New V-Max owner needs advice/help

[djw479]

I met Shawn Kloker on another forum and he suggested I post here since this is such an active site. I've searched this site using Stage 7, Chicago, Illinois, etc but did not find any prior topics that helped me with my current problem. I live in Elmhurst, Il.

I just purchased a 2001 V-Max from a local Chicagoland Honda dealer with the undertstanding it needed some carb work. I've checked the bike over extensively(with my limited V-Max knowledge) and it seems to be a clean unit with lower than average miles (6,000). The overall drivetrain and engine seem solid without any weird knocks, slips or other strange noises.

Here's the issue...the bike was traded in with an installed Stage 7 kit and with Kerker slip-ons mounted on stock head pipes. I can not see that the motor has ever been opened up for any other mods. Since they could not get it to run well under 3,000RPM, they ordered a complete new Stage 7 kit and planned re-installing. The dealership continued to performed normal maintenance (changing all fluids, new battery, and other minor things as they were planning to sell on their floor), while awaiting the Dynojet kit's arrival.

New stage 7 kit was installed, but the cycle still does not want to idle much, actually it likes to hang at 3,000RPM+ even with the choke off. Its hitting smoothly on all four cylinders at this higher RPM. The shop owner just wanted it gone, so his mechanics can get back to their bread&butter Gold Wing repairs. The mechanic who worked on the bike was unavailable to me, and I do not think there are any more kit or stock airbox pieces left over to be conveyed to me. I will inquire again when I pick up the bike on Monday/Tuesday.

My quandary is I can spin wrenches, but that does not make me a mechanic, especially in this carb-tuning area. I need to find a local Yamaha dealer/independent shop in the Chicagoland area that knows how to dial in this set-up. Perhaps in the future I will upgrade to complete headers or return carbs much closer to stock, but right now I just want to get it drivable at under 3,000RPM.

My head is spinning as I read all these Stage 7 tuning tips...great info but a little beyond my skills at this time.

So, anyone know of a good shop near Chicago? Or is there a knowledgeable site member here who would like to earn some money on the side? I am open to all ideas other than me tearing into the carbs myself...alone. I'm not looking for freebie...just knowledgeable help in resolving this issue.

I guess I'll see if this purchase pans out...it sure seemed to be a great deal at the time. But getting knowledgeable help in this carb area is much harder than I originally thought. Many responses I have gotten elsewhere state not to take to a Yamaha dealer or any local independents as most do not have proper knowledge in the V-max's uniqueness, especially with the Stage 7 kit.

I have located 2 independent shops that seem to do extensive metric performance work. I will contact them when they are open to scope them out, but I do not know if they have V-Max specific knowledge. Closest is Chicago Performance Sportbike Specialists in Northlake, IL. The other interesting shop is/was called 4&6 Racing in Skokie, but I believe they have moved to Arlington Heights, IL and maybe renamed Safety First Racing. Anyone have any feedback on either of these shops?

Sorry to ramble on so much, but I thought I should paint a complete picture (the newbie who under-estimated repair complexity), rather than adding to the story in fragmented snip-its over the next few responses to different people.

:ummm: Dan

 

[lankeeyankee]

Either A or B

A) Remove the stage 7 and hold on to it till you have a full aftermarket exhaust system.

B) Purchase an aftermarket exhaust system.


You should never install a jet kit for just slip ons. Even more so a stage 7 kit.

No wonder the bike wont run, there is no telling what is in that carb, obvious someone that didnt know what they were doing.


Does it have individual air filters?

Take it from there along with getting some stock main jets, pilot jets, and slide springs with some epoxy to get ready to fix it or just dump out 800.00 on a full system


Slip ons are just for noise,,,, no power increase

 

[maxcruiser]

Yankee is right - stage 7 is designed for a full aftermarket exhaust system - almost impossible to get this current setup right the way it is.

Mike

 

[Buster Hymen]

Hi Dan and welcome to the forum. :welcome_sign::cheers: There are enough people on the forum with Stage 7 set ups we can probably get you running without taking it to a garage. Give your post a bit of time and I'm sure there will be helpful responses.

 

[Buster Hymen]

BUMP! Where are the Stage 7 guys? :ummm:

 

[maleko89]

I'm sure you can get it to work but it would take time. IMHO, I would remove the air correctors and go back to stock jetting and air box until you get a full header system.

 

[djw479]

First, thank you to the folks who responded here, as well as those who send me private messages/emails with suggestions. I was able to locate a local Yamaha dealer (Woodfield Motorsports) whose owner at one time was seriously into V-Maxes, and therefore has a mechanic who is familiar with the Stage 7 kit, etc. It just needed a thorough carb cleaning and syncing of carbs. Idles at approx 1000RPM with a nice lope. Of course they tried to up-sell me on other services, but I will do most servicing myself so as to learn.

As I rode it home a Harley-decaled truck paced me for a quite awhile, and at different stoplights the driver asked me questions like "is that thing legal for the street?" and "how big is the cam in that thing?".

I am sure a full after-market exhaust would unleash more top-end HP and in the future I will probably to get one to finely tune it, but right now it has enough power for me and sounds positively nasty! h yeah:

To any fellow V-Max riders in Chicagoland area, give me a shoot so we can get together for a ride before the weather turns ugly!

Dan