2002 V-Max Cafe

[bigjohnbates]

Hey all, I just joined the forum so I wanted to say hi as I will be on here picking the brains of you modifiers ; ]

My story is that a very close friend recently passed away and left me his almost-mint 2002 V-Max (60,000 highway km and a new second gear). He was aways talking about doing a cafe-style mod to the bike so I want to honour his memory and try to do something that he would respect. I really like what MotoCrew did on a couple of V-Max in Germany - URBAN WARFARE: 1998 Yamaha V-Max by Motocrew Cafe Racer. - I think it's a great place to start.

I hope people will share any thoughts or ideas they might have about this project with me because it's a bit daunting. Especially the seat/fuel situation. I have done a few smaller bikes in the past (an '82 SR 250 and a Kawi 305) and I own a 2017 Triumph Bobber so I have a pretty good idea of the style. But to do it and also keep the cult-cool aspects of the V-Max is a bit of a different world. Anyway glad to be here - cheers all!

John

 

[CaptainKyle]

Not what I would consider a true Cafe but this is a customer's I am working on.

 

[DTyrrell]

Hello! We inherited a pair of Harley Davidson's and I understand what it's like to get a moto-kid that way. I too am a newbie, but welcome to the forum! Good luck with your transformation.

 

[Fire-medic]

It can be done, but I don't expect it to be easy or cheap. A set of rear-sets and clip-ons, with a modified seating area to put the pilot into the crouch, would be a good start.

The closest I can think of, is Kainzinger's bike. The read on it is a lot of fun, as I suspect is riding it. You could buy three new Gen. II's for what this would cost you.



Here's another person's take.



You might want to re-think the cafe racer theme and choose another performance theme, which might be cheaper and easier to realize: a short track theme, or probably more in-keeping with the size of the engine and the bike a 'miler' dirt track bike. Something along the lines of Kenny Robert's TZ750 miler bike.

 

[Parminio]

I've seen the black one before. Really nice looking bike.

 

[Fire-medic]

I've seen the black one before. Really nice looking bike.

Trying to ride that in south Florida, with 60+ inches of rain a year, would be a very unpleasant experience, sans adequate fenders.

 

[Parminio]

Trying to ride that in south Florida, with 60+ inches of rain a year, would be a very unpleasant experience, sans adequate fenders.

You don't take a bike like that out in the rain. Freaking duh. In fact, I don't intentionally take any bike out in the rain at all.

Getting caught in it is one thing. Intentionally riding into it is silly.

 

[Fire-medic]

Intentionally riding into it is silly.

OK a 'Fair-Weather Biker,' I understand. Have you visited the Pacific Northwest? Be sure to sign-up for a motorcycle tour by the Pacific Coast.

I see Suwanee is 87% of south Florida's average precipitation, I guess you don't ride when the streets are wet?



We see a number of riders on-here who comment, "I gotta fix this, it's my only mechanized transportation." Hmmm.... . "Can't make it in today boss, it's raining."

 

[Rollie]

I like your thoughts on a cafe racer , but can you or will you ride it full time or do you have something a bit more subdued in the stable ?

I found my '98 quite a few years ago and love the new handling , brakes and look...

 

[desert_max]

Trying to ride that in south Florida, with 60+ inches of rain a year, would be a very unpleasant experience, sans adequate fenders.

Exactly what I was going to say. But, perfect for Arizona! However, I lived in Florida for many years. Sometimes getting caught in the rain cannot be avoided. If you want to ride, you ride. I never concerned myself with a little water, dirt washes off and deep cleaning a bike is therapeutic.

 

[bigjohnbates]

- I like that dirt track idea as well as the cafe. And the bobbed version in the first photo is very cool.
- Yeah, I wasn't worried too much about the cost as it is a memorial of sorts. I like the black MotoCrew build, that's the beast I was mentioning in the initial post.
- I do have a 2017 Triumph Bobber which has full fenders, heated grips and a small fairing etc that I ride most of the year.



But every once in a while I would like to take Scott's V-Max out in the sun the way he envisioned it ; ]

 

[bigjohnbates]

Hello! We inherited a pair of Harley Davidson's and I understand what it's like to get a moto-kid that way. I too am a newbie, but welcome to the forum! Good luck with your transformation.

Thanks! It will be a while but I think it will be worth it!

 

[02GF74]

You need to decide how you want it to look, figure out what needs to be changed to achieve that and how much time and money you wish to throw at it.

I throw in this ad s Vmax cafe racer. The photo you posted is a VMax with shorter seat and mudguard.

 

[DTyrrell]

 

[02GF74]

OK, not to everyone s taste.

I'll admit I'm not keen on the rear exhaust but the rest it looks pretty good and a lot different to the original.

 

[bigjohnbates]

You need to decide how you want it to look, figure out what needs to be changed to achieve that and how much time and money you wish to throw at it.

I throw in this ad s Vmax cafe racer. The photo you posted is a VMax with shorter seat and mudguard.

View attachment 82302

This is very cool, I previously checked it out online. Sounds like creating the exhaust was a bit of a nightmare but the look is deadly.

 

[johntmax]

I remember seeing this max at Steve Taylors workshop a good few years back and bought the seat/tank exhausts
I'm sure it was covered in a British bike mag back in the day.

 

[Fire-medic]

Pretty-wild bikes. I have an old issue of Streetfighting Heroes that has a bike like these on it. I'll get a pic of the cover.

 

[hesalo1959]

 

[hesalo1959]

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