Vmax...

[V-Four]

Since were telling our stories..

The year was 1998. I was checkin out my local used bike store (They knew me by name as I always window shopped there..) I was checkin out whatever low priced sport bikes they had. The guy says to me , "This is the bike for you.." (as he manuvers some cruiser bike around a corner.) " It sounds like a dragster " he says. "You get respect from sport bike guys and harley guys." He proceeded to fire up the 1994 Yamaha Vmax he was still sitting on. [ That happened to have a Kerker 4 into 1 on it]
I litterally got goosebumps on my arms when I heard the massive engine roar to life... That was my 1st time ever even hearing about Mr. Max
I didn't buy it.. as I didnt have the money..
I did however, start researching vmax ..and then followed my lust..then love for a bike that I vowed I would someday own for myself.

Well FF to July 27 2012. (14 yrs of internet love for the max..rarely getting to see one in person) I had just gotten a bonus at work..
My craigslist notifications had been showing maxxes all over new england for the past 3 months..just hoping I'd find the right deal.
And there she was..Just 15 miles away..2002 Yamaha Vmax Mechanically ecxellent, minor paint fading, lame ass 1980 suttin chrome suzuki rear fender..
I called him.. looked at it.. offered up "most" of the cash that was in my pocket, and am the new owner of the "bike of my dreams" for the past 14 yrs.
well.. I took a long lunch today, went to DMV. and shes now STREET LEGAL.

Its such a great feeling when dreams come true.

Oh.. and I still Get goosebumps when I hear a "Piped" Vmax fire up.

Thanks guys/gals.. fire it up.

T$

 

[Fire-medic]

Heckuva way to get another two-valve Suzuki 4 rear fender, buying a VMax! I see your GS1K.

Since were telling our stories..

The year was 1998. I was checkin out my local used bike store (They knew me by name as I always window shopped there..) I was checkin out whatever low priced sport bikes they had. The guy says to me , "This is the bike for you.." (as he manuvers some cruiser bike around a corner.) " It sounds like a dragster " he says. "You get respect from sport bike guys and harley guys." He proceeded to fire up the 1994 Yamaha Vmax he was still sitting on. [ That happened to have a Kerker 4 into 1 on it]
I litterally got goosebumps on my arms when I heard the massive engine roar to life... That was my 1st time ever even hearing about Mr. Max
I didn't buy it.. as I didnt have the money..
I did however, start researching vmax ..and then followed my lust..then love for a bike that I vowed I would someday own for myself.

Well FF to July 27 2012. (14 yrs of internet love for the max..rarely getting to see one in person) I had just gotten a bonus at work..
My craigslist notifications had been showing maxxes all over new england for the past 3 months..just hoping I'd find the right deal.
And there she was..Just 15 miles away..2002 Yamaha Vmax Mechanically ecxellent, minor paint fading, lame ass 1980 suttin chrome suzuki rear fender..
I called him.. looked at it.. offered up "most" of the cash that was in my pocket, and am the new owner of the "bike of my dreams" for the past 14 yrs.
well.. I took a long lunch today, went to DMV. and shes now STREET LEGAL.

Its such a great feeling when dreams come true.

Oh.. and I still Get goosebumps when I hear a "Piped" Vmax fire up.

Thanks guys/gals.. fire it up.

T$

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

:thumbs up:

Something the Gen 2 is missing IMO.............

I thought so to when I first saw one in 2009, but I have to admit it`s starting to `grow` on me - if what I read about the Gen-I, didn`t it have the same slow start-off? After all, it`s only 2012 yet...if only it wasn`t that terribly expensive, there`s a brand new 2009 at my dealer`s, and prive hasn`t dropped a single euro since it was on display the first time back in `09 :bang head::bang head:

But I like the red 2011 best really, somehow it recalls the Gen-I better, I don`t know if it`s only the color or some other cosmetics?

 

[dtoebaert-5311]

I'm with you man, nobody every believes me when I say my bike is 20years old...

same here, even if it needs a good cleaning :biglaugh:

 

[SpecOps13]

Vmax's are like retired Retired Professional Fighters. Still willing and able to kick a lot of unsuspecting asses...
I have Crotch Rocketeers fly up on me all the time. Soon as they realize what it is, they generally get in behind me.
When they don't, it's Much More Fun.....:clapping::rofl_200:

 

[DakRatFink]

I have Crotch Rocketeers fly up on me all the time. Soon as they realize what it is, they generally get in behind me.
When they don't, it's Much More Fun.....

One guy I work with had a CBR600 last year ( since traded it in on a 4 wheeler ). He had never heard of a V Max. He took notice after our first road trip.

 

[Fire-medic]

:cheers:Hahahaha!!!!! (My preferred remark instead of "LOL") Dave, that made me laugh! Like all uniformed services, if you keep yourself fit, you can enjoy life more than if you decide to allow susceptibility to vices destroy your life.

I had a fellow teammate from high school wrestling in Section V-NYS (the winningest h.s. program in its history) who went to Vietnam just in-time for Tet. He was seriously wounded, very physically-scarred in the head, and came-back home, and fell victim to substance abuse, which eventually killed him, but it took years. He was never able to get the help he needed, a tragedy years in the making.

I just went to a rehab facility for one of my fellow co-workers, a retired firefighter/paramedic here in FL who is an alcoholic. A caring neighbor found him collapsed on the front stoop of his home, called fire/rescue (he was taken to the public health trust hospital) & then he called me. I went to see my friend, he went to a rehab facility after being stabilized. When I saw him, he looked 15 years older than his age. He could not stand unaided, he had ascites (excess fluid in the abdomen) and hepatitis C. He began presenting a management problem in the rehab facility and was sent back to the hospital, this time in the psychiatric ward. Now he has transitioned into another residential facility, still cannot walk unaided, and may never return home. If he does, because he is single, he will probably turn to alcohol again. He needs a 24-hr. live-in caretaker.

My point is, we all need to try to deal with those things in our lives which may ruin the future for us, whether it is alcohol, Rx, aggressive behavior, etc. Sometimes you need to know when to ask for help. Those who don't will find themselves on a downward spiral to leaving this planet prematurely.

Hobbies like motorcycling and whatever else occupies your time are what help many of us to be able to deal w/the tensions and anxieties of modern life. I admit that for me, though I spend time pretty-much every day communicating w/people on the internet here, I have only met in-person a handful; but I enjoy each and every interaction whether or not I have met you in-person. People I have met, and with-whom I share common interests, are "CaptainKyle," "SpecOps13" (Dave), "Ninjaneer," and a few others who PM me from time-to time, like "Patmax," "Alorio," "Garmong02," "Beekeeper," "Coprunner," "Finetune,"and others (I regret being able not to recall everyone's name, an oversight but not a slight!).

So, the mucilage of our common-bonding is the mighty Yamaha VMax, and our willingness to share our comon interest among the brotherhood. I have found that I can ask for assistance, and it is forthcoming from those of us here, and that is a quality which is unfortunately rare among the nether recesses of the world-wide-web. Thanks to those of you who have shared your personal issues with me, I am glad to be considered a person to-whom you choose to entrust with your confidances. I use the time here to decompress from the pressures of life, and I am glad that I have friends who share a common interest in biking. God bless my brothers wherever you are, and thank-you for sharing your knowledge with me about your and my favorite bike. "United we stand."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=m_edWOkKuOw

And as Bob "Bear" Hite says at the end of the video, "and don't forget to boogie!"
:You_Rock:

Vmax's are like retired Retired Professional Fighters. Still willing and able to kick a lot of unsuspecting asses...
I have Crotch Rocketeers fly up on me all the time. Soon as they realize what it is, they generally get in behind me.
When they don't, it's Much More Fun.....:clapping::rofl_200:

 

[Lew L]

While we'er tellin' stories--------

After selling my CB900F to buy a friends ZX-11, my wife soon realized that she wouldnt ride on it. Oh I tried. Custom made back rest with small rack that just didnt look right on the ZX. Still no go, so we started looking for a more suitable bike to ride on two-up. Well we'er at the local Yamaha dealer looking at used this and that and she spies the black V-Max with only 4k miles on it. She says " That's a cool looking bike" .

I carefully kept my enthusiasm in check as I click off the good things about the bike. Again she says how cool looking the Max is ------- little did she know!!!!!

So I bought it and we used it a bunch for short two up trips. The Valkarie is now used to two-up and the Max is all mine:biglaugh:

Lew

 

[eggohead]

I almost bought one in AZ in 95, but got talked into a 750 Virago. I had road a 1100, and like it but still wanted the Vmax. I just didn't have the 5k to buy it. In 2007 I got lucky enough to find one on ebay at a car dealer about an hour away. When I won the bid at the last second, I could hardly wait to pick it up the next day. Many friends on crotch rockets, I like surprising them as it pulls up the front wheel or pulls away from them. Last month I took a neighbor to Quaker Steak bike night, a he owned a 800 Kawasaki, once I got on it and pulled away I had to slow to allow him to catch back up. The next week he went and bought a bigger 106 cu Victory. I looked to show him up again until I realized a coil went out. I'm ready for anyone, my 1990 isn't even close to the bike buddies of mine have out in Wa, but as for here in Va it's my baby I will never get rid of..

Long Live the Gen I Vmax, once and always the king....:worthy: I also enjoy leaving my mark on the road when I head home, most are black and about 150 feet long.....unk:

 

[Sonoran6]

Vmax's are like retired Retired Professional Fighters. Still willing and able to kick a lot of unsuspecting asses...
I have Crotch Rocketeers fly up on me all the time. Soon as they realize what it is, they generally get in behind me.
When they don't, it's Much More Fun.....:clapping::rofl_200:

Yes!! This happened yesterday, a black ninja 07 or 08 passed me quick on an on-ramp so I caught him, and 3 or 4 times we both took off at WOT the last time either I was faster or he ran out of balls, cause I pulled on him at 130 and he exited waving at me. Stupid, but fun nonetheless

 

[BorgBiker]

At 43, I'm old enough to remember when the V-max first came out, but too young to have had a new one that year. It was Summer of 1984, and I vividly remember riding my CB350F around our neighborhood getting practice so I could get my license the day I turned 16 the following April. After many 'laps' around my virtual 'track' I rode home, parked and checked the mail. Back then we got all 4 major motorcycle magazines - Cycle World, Motorcyclist, Cycle, and Cycle Guide. We usually got at least 2 on the same day, and on this day there were two magazines with V-Max reviews.

Running inside to commence reading, I was floored. In my world, the V65 Magna was Supreme, and all other bikes seemed tame. Until I read the specs, saw the pics, and read the articles comparing the Max to the V65, Eliminator and Madura - making them all seem tame and boring! The V-Max cast a long shadow, and since then only the Suzuki Hayabusa has equaled the V-Max in justified hype.

The V-max only held 'World's Quickest Production Bike' for one year, but it seems to have held the 'Worlds Baddest Production Bike' for many years since. About once every week or two some guy (usually in a truck) in the next lane will roll his window down at an intersection and say "Is that a V-Max?" or "V-maxes are Awesome!" followed by "I always wanted one." As the light is about to change, I shout out "So have I. I got mine... go get yours!"

With that I flip down the shield, the light changes, and after scanning for red light runners I give the tire a bit of spin while I cross the intersection. Gotta remind them of who's still the baddest bike!unk:

 

[Dr.n2o]

Definitely an awesome bike. Had mine for awhile now and still love it when there's 100 bikes around and I fire mine up to leave....that wtf look from people is priceless.