Am I alone?

[gnappi]

I stopped in the local Yama dealership yesterday, and right in front of me was a PRISTINE 2004 VMAX with less than 5k miles on it which could be had for under $6000.

There was a salesman there who said the owner traded it in on a new 09.

WHAT? Someone trades in a barely used bike, took a licking on it (obviously he rarely rode it) and wanted more bike? I JUST HAD to check out the 09 now since I had only seen pics of it. The sales man looked at my 2004 max that I rode in on and said he has one (an 09) on the showroom floor he'd be glad to take another older vmax in on trade for.

Here's where the "Am I alone" comes in. GADS I DID NOT like the 09 at ALL! Not one single thing about it I may add. I'm all for change... change is good, where needed, but IMO this one looks fat, and like it was designed by the people in hollyweird, Y'know, the ones who make silly looking bikes for movies?

Anyway, I spent just enough time to SERIOUSLY consider buying the 04 trade in that they just took in and parking it in my garage next to MY 04 and my 96 Magna

So, there it is, AM I alone? I haven't heard anything like this about the 09, it almost sounds like the designer is making all those wonderful posts after I actually saw one.


Gary

 

[vmax190]

I stopped in the local Yama dealership yesterday, and right in front of me was a PRISTINE 2004 VMAX with less than 5k miles on it which could be had for under $6000.

There was a salesman there who said the owner traded it in on a new 09.

WHAT? Someone trades in a barely used bike, took a licking on it (obviously he rarely rode it) and wanted more bike? I JUST HAD to check out the 09 now since I had only seen pics of it. The sales man looked at my 2004 max that I rode in on and said he has one (an 09) on the showroom floor he'd be glad to take another older vmax in on trade for.

Here's where the "Am I alone" comes in. GADS I DID NOT like the 09 at ALL! Not one single thing about it I may add. I'm all for change... change is good, where needed, but IMO this one looks fat, and like it was designed by the people in hollyweird, Y'know, the ones who make silly looking bikes for movies?

Anyway, I spent just enough time to SERIOUSLY consider buying the 04 trade in that they just took in and parking it in my garage next to MY 04 and my 96 Magna

So, there it is, AM I alone? I haven't heard anything like this about the 09, it almost sounds like the designer is making all those wonderful posts after I actually saw one.


Gary

if this 09 was a complete beast i would buy one, it is a good looking bike, but 18k is just silly. dave

 

[gamorg02]

haven't seen one in person, hopefully I will soon...

i'd seriously consider trading my '03 in with 3500 miles for the right amt...

i'm with dave tho, 18k is more than my blazer, my primary vehicle! (can't ride a bike in the NE all year!)

 

[vmax190]

i think yamaha had to do something, but it's hard to top, PERFECT.

 

[vmax1125]

all thoughts change once you ride a 09' they do seem a bit fat but are very nimble and you would never know they weigh 680lbs when moving sitting still you can feel it.
Chris

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

Quick comparison of prices:

USA 17,990 USD
Canada 21,999 CAD - > 18,565 USD
Australia 29,850 AUD -> 21,825 USD
UK (EU) 15,999 GPB -> 18,000 EUR -> 23,895 USD
Sweden (EU) 202,900 SEK -> 18,977 EUR -> 25,192 USD
Slovenia (EU) 19,990 EUR -> 26,536 USD
Greece (EU) 23,000 EUR -> 30,532 USD
Netherlands (EU) 25,999 EUR -> 34,513 USD
Finland (EU) 27,750 EUR -> 36,838 USD

id say its better in the flesh than pics...and its unlike anthing else on the road.. Thanks god i dont live in Finland!

 

[Buster Hymen]

I agree I wasn't impressed when I saw pictures of it but I was when I saw it in person and sat on it. After 20 plus years of the same product, it's hard to make a change to something different.

 

[sqweeky]

i own a 94 max and a 09 max and let me tell ya,once ya ride the 09 its very hard to get back on the gen 1 and feel the same,yes its a nice bike and still has a hell of alot of "character" but the new bike is so far beyond the old one in everyway its hard to compare. and me being over 6 foot feel so at home on the new one and now the old max feels so cramped.

And seriously once ya actually get to ride an 09 you will understand the hype,this bike just makes you feel "special" i know that prolly sounds a little over the top but its true!

not taking away from the gen 1,its still a way cool bike but it is waaay outdated compared to the new one,in fact i dont really wanna compare the two,they need to just stand beside each other like brothers:worthy:

 

[Jayhawk]

The pull of the new Max is strong, indeed.

 

[medic981]

The Force is strong with the 09 VMax.

 

[Firewrench]

Hey Medic, still feel like you're on vacation? Stay safe.

 

[Theemax]

No you are not alone, to me, the gen 2 is as attractive as the B-king. Performance is great for a 660 lb bike, but for 18,000 buy 2 used Busa"s to trick out, and make 2 extra house payments.
To me Yamaha crapped on max fans by leaving it way heavy, shaft drive, and no six speed tranny.
Also, to me it really does look like something out of a batman movie. If you are making a fast as hell straight line cruiser, as bad as I hate to say it, lay it out like a V-rod, and make it look and run like a drag bike.

 

[HuecoDoc]

I sure wish the Vmax was lighter and thinner. The frame is wide enough that no aftermarket seat will allow my heels to touch the ground. I don't think the frame had to be that wide there. I don't think there is any fix except lowering it but I don't want to change its handling.

Artists should not be part of a design team.

I think the side-covers are too bulbous and I don't like the mass of the exhaust or its lack of ground clearance.

I am still happy with it, but then again I saw a B-King for the first time last week, and I liked it...as long as I was looking toward the glaring sun, with one eye closed, and the rear end was out of view.

 

[medic981]

Hey Medic, still feel like you're on vacation? Stay safe.

Every day. But I sure do miss my bike. I have a brand new 09 with less than 500 miles on it, and I don't even get to ride it this summer. It'll be November before I get to ride again. :bang head:

 

[gnappi]

I sure wish the Vmax was lighter and thinner. The frame is wide enough that no aftermarket seat will allow my heels to touch the ground. I don't think the frame had to be that wide there. I don't think there is any fix except lowering it but I don't want to change its handling.

Artists should not be part of a design team.

I think the side-covers are too bulbous and I don't like the mass of the exhaust or its lack of ground clearance.

I am still happy with it, but then again I saw a B-King for the first time last week, and I liked it...as long as I was looking toward the glaring sun, with one eye closed, and the rear end was out of view.

I think the same about the B whatever... does ANYONE think that model will last 10 years? No way. There must be lots who agree, haven't seen ONE on the road since it was released.

Hopefully someone at the manufacturer has the balls to say that the 09 Vmax is the "emperor who has no clothes"

An ugly "limited edition" 5 Speed that holds LESS than 5 gallons? To what? Go fast? But not for long? Look cool? To who? People who don't pay for bikes but get PAID to review them? GADS!!!

Saaayyy... what IS with the "limited" thing anyway? Did they do that so they can kill this model off quietly and push it off as a "market test"


Gary


PS, the new max radiator looks like an air brake (and probably is) in case nobody noticed

Flame off, G'night

 

[gunrunner]

When the 09s came out i didnt like it but its growing on me ,
Ihave seen 1 in person but it was stripped down as said on a previous thread .
Yamaha have made them available in limited numbers only - so demand for it will always be there . They could of made it a bigger tank tho .unk:

 

[sfc rick]

I have the 09 and think it's ugly, over the top, and a bike totally opposite of what I like in a bike. I love chrome big V-Twin power and lot's of color. I only bought the new VMax cause it's the 2nd coming of a "Jesus" bike! All the hype and press on it was enough for me to put down my deposit and wait.

Did I ever think it would attract as much attention as my custom Raider? NO WAY!

BUT it's a bike that has guys and gals running up to it and checking it out whenever I park it. AS much as my custom Raider, which really surprised me. Of course they are gawking it for different reasons, but it's the bikes look that says POWER!

And it only takes a one ride on it to know you have a work of art AND performance that completely outguns the other bikes.

One of my best buddies has this Buell which he just got and he rode my VMax, he freaked and says his Buell Lightning seems like a Vespa.

$18000 is a lot of cash, but it's cash I gladly put down to own it and ride it.

Gen 1 started the VMax story, the 2nd Gen will continue the legend.

unk:

 

[mr.maxx]

i didnt really like the gen2 either until i saw it in person.....:worthy:

if i had the $$ i would buy one in a heart beat.

just needs a diff headlight.....:rofl_200:.

 

[naughtyG]

if i had the $$ i would buy one in a heart beat.

just needs a diff headlight.....:rofl_200:.

My feelings EXACTLY! :worthy::clapping:

 

[gamorg02]

if i had the $$ i would buy one in a heart beat.

MY thoughts exactly!