Buying a 85 vmax need a little advice

[totalcomfort]

Looked at a 85 today that looked showroom new only had 9k miles. That is the great part!!
The back story is a family member got it new and died 6yrs ago, when this happened they pushed it into a backroom. It has sat for six years and not been started. I am sure the same fuel is in it from 6yrs ago. The bike did not have a battery so could not check anything. I can get this bike cheap I think 2K. I know carb issues for sure and all fluids changed. If I do the work what do carb kits run for these? First vmax but like 10th bike. Best place to find parts? Thanks for any help.

 

[user 16790]

beware of condensation corrosion inside an engine, I've seen clutch plates half rusty and piston rings rusty from sitting a long time, if it has been in a temperature stable environment then it should be ok but worth thinking about

 

[Fire-medic]

Where are you located? Someone local to you from here may be a resource for you, put your location below your screen name.

$2,000 for any non-runner is no-deal! You should be able to find a functional bike for $2,000, perhaps a higher-mileage one, needing rebuilding of brakes, carburetors, fluids changed, new tires, etc, but they're out there. You're looking at a real 'pig in a poke' at that price point. Honestly, there are better bikes available for you out there. Do you know if the engine even turns-over? Do the brakes work at-all, even to the point of allowing you to roll-around the bike, and to stop it rolling? I've seen plenty of bikes with frozen calipers and frozen master cylinders from sitting for an extended period.

About the only thing this bike has going for it is your description that 'it looks showroom new.' How do you know it's a 1985? Do you know what the differences are between a first-year bike and later ones? How-close is the engine # to the VIN #? The engine VIN # will tell you what year it is. The same with the frame/steering head VIN.

I'd at-least remove the left front round engine side cover and put a socket wrench onto that nut behind it, to see if the engine at-least turns-over. If it doesn't, no-way am I paying $2K for a bike with a frozen engine! Some collector who is after an unaltered early model in good cosmetic shape may do that, betting that he can fix anything which needs it.

What color is it? Describe the appearance of the front wheel, and the back wheel. Pics?

Here is some basic data to help you.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/new-vmax-owner-faqs-new-members-please-read.21240/
If you cannot split the engine cases to fix a bad second gear engagement issue, and it has a bad second gear (yes, I've seen bikes with < mileage having bad second gears) you will easily end-up spending $2,000 if you tried to get a dealership to fix it. Sure, you can take it to an independent shop, but beware of shoddy work.

 

[putin]

Looked at a 85 today that looked showroom new only had 9k miles. That is the great part!!
The back story is a family member got it new and died 6yrs ago, when this happened they pushed it into a backroom. It has sat for six years and not been started. I am sure the same fuel is in it from 6yrs ago. The bike did not have a battery so could not check anything. I can get this bike cheap I think 2K. I know carb issues for sure and all fluids changed. If I do the work what do carb kits run for these? First vmax but like 10th bike. Best place to find parts? Thanks for any help.

********, 1985 can not have 9000 miles. Died In 2014 so bike is 29 years of operation.

 

[totalcomfort]

I did check the vin and it is a 85, this guy had a bunch of cars he collected and don't think he rode the bike much. I am going back to take another look and take a battery with me and see if I can get it to spin over. Do some more checking. I can do all the repairs myself, have rebuilt several bikes before.

 

[one2dmax]

********, 1985 can not have 9000 miles. Died In 2014 so bike is 29 years of operation.

What is so hard to believe about that? My 2009 has finally reached 1000 miles.

 

[Fire-medic]

What is so hard to believe about that? My 2009 has finally reached 1000 miles.

Let's see, a quarter-mile down, a quarter-mile back, say, six times in a trip to the track, that's three miles. A 2009 model, eleven years-old,; if the track is open seven months/year, that's four weeks times seven months, that's twenty-eight race weekends a year, times eleven years, that's three hundred-eight meets, times six miles, that's 1808 miles total.

And Sean says he's got it just hitting 1,000 miles? Well, I suppose that you have to miss weekends due to anniversaries, birthdays, vacations, etc.

One-thousand miles sounds about right.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

Let's see, a quarter-mile down, a quarter-mile back, say, six times in a trip to the track, that's three miles. A 2009 model, eleven years-old,; if the track is open seven months/year, that's four weeks times seven months, that's twenty-eight race weekends a year, times eleven years, that's three hundred-eight meets, times six miles, that's 1808 miles total.

And Sean says he's got it just hitting 1,000 miles? Well, I suppose that you have to miss weekends due to anniversaries, birthdays, vacations, etc.

One-thousand miles sounds about right.

View attachment 72750

Single disc spoke front wheel....thats serious weight reduction there. But if you decide to make your brakes weaker....why would you leave the side scoops on?

 

[Fire-medic]

Single disc spoke front wheel....thats serious weight reduction there. But if you decide to make your brakes weaker....why would you leave the side scoops on?

Run one of Sean's three-pair of opposed pistons Hyabusa single-sided brakes on a Gen 1, maybe there isn't any loss of braking... .

Leaving the side scoops on is salt in the open wound. You could remove 'em, but I can still beat you with 'em on, no-need for the infintesimal weight reduction. See my signature line.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

Run one of Sean's three-pair of opposed pistons Hyabusa single-sided brakes on a Gen 1, maybe there isn't any loss of braking... .

Leaving the side scoops on is salt in the open wound. You could remove 'em, but I can still beat you with 'em on, no-need for the infintesimal weight reduction. See my signature line.

HA! So....one question....was Sean making those retrofits in March 1987? LOL.

All seriousness though...The bike does look good with spoke rims. Wonder where the rim was sourced for that bike in the front page of that mag and was the rear rim spoked as well. Interested in the build of that bike.

 

[Fire-medic]

HA! So....one question....was Sean making those retrofits in March 1987? LOL.

All seriousness though...The bike does look good with spoke rims. Wonder where the rim was sourced for that bike in the front page of that mag and was the rear rim spoked as well. Interested in the build of that bike.

Kyle had a set of VMax spoked wheels. He got them from a guy by me, The magazine has info on the manufacturer of those used there. It was the prototype for the Dynojet Stage 7 carburetor kit, and the Kerker 4/1 exhaust. Other than that, the engine was stock.

 

[dannymax]

********, 1985 can not have 9000 miles. Died In 2014 so bike is 29 years of operation.

The '85 I sold a couple years ago had less than 5K miles on it....they're rare but they're out there!

 

[putin]

One can use a drill, put it in reverse, attach to speedo cable and go back in time.

 

[dannymax]

And I have heard of unscrupulous types doing just that....but it won't give you a bike that looks like this one.

 

[02GF74]

One can use a drill, put it in reverse, attach to speedo cable and go back in time.

 

[Woody]

What is so hard to believe about that? My 2009 has finally reached 1000 miles.

A quarter mile at a time.

 

[Radioguylogs]

I bought my '86 2 years ago with 5,000 miles on it.

Based on wear and the date on the tires, I trust the odometer.