While I think
Parminio has a valid viewpoint, I think there should be some codicils added to the contract.
The goal is to get it running, at least-cost.
Forget the new seat, the new tires, a paint job, custom bodywork, the substitute H-D VRod headlight, the alternative tail light, the new 4/1 or Mark's 4/2 exhaust. You need to see/hear/feel and to
use that V4 DOHC engine! I suspect the gas tank may be cruddy/rusty. Shine a light in-there, if you don't see shiny metal, you need to get the tank sparkling-clean. While it can be done with the bike's tank in the frame, you probably will better accomplish a thorough cleaning of it out of the bike. The removal and replacement, once cleaned, costs you nothing, and cleaning agents are inexpensive. Use the search function (try 'advanced search,' and several different ways of writing what you wish to accomplish, i.e., 'gas tank,' 'gas tank cleaning,' rusty tank,' etc.) and after digesting the material, decide upon a plan. If you get too-many things apart and scattered about, and you're trying to do this in a parking lot, you're going to become lost in the job, overwhelmed by the uncompleted multiple tasks, and lose interest in the final goal due-to frustration.
You need a battery to make things work, a
new battery. This is another 'advanced search' topic, there are many opinions on batteries, battery designs (lead/acid, AGM, Lithium-ion) and brands (Yuasa, which is OEM; Panasonic, Odyssey, Ballistic, Shorai, Bikemaster, Sears Diehard, etc.) there are many threads on this, so read a lot, and decide what you want to do. At this stage of the game, I think I'd recommend an assembled glass mat (AGM) battery, they are durable, reasonable in price, and you should get a couple riding seasons out of it.
"A couple of riding seasons out of it? Whaaat?" This depends largely upon how you treat it. If you keep it charged, and you use the bike frequently, and encounter no issues which cause you to run-down the battery trying to make the bike run properly, that lifespan may-be extended. If you run-down the battery because you have a dirty gas delivery system, crud in the carbs, and someone was in-there before you, they left-out the carburetor float needles, and tried to adjust the float levels, doing it impossible-to-run wrong, and now you're on the starter, watching four black overflow hoses which stick-out the side carburetor brackets below the CV (stands-for 'constant-velocity,' the principle on-which the carburetors operate) caps, well, that battery will soon run-down. You get frustrated, you don't charge the battery back-up to a full charge, and abandon things for months, and when you return to it, the battery is too-weak to accept a charge. Remember what I said about you
lose interest in the final goal due-to frustration? Now you're experiencing
mission paralysis, the bane of well-intentioned projects.
In the case of your battery, I suggest getting a decent battery charger for the type of battery you have. Li-ion batteries use a different charger than lead/acid, or AGM batteries. "Hey, I sprung for the high-zoot Li-ion battery, and it takes a charge when I hook-up my 25 year-old charger to it! What gives?" The type of charging a Li-ion battery needs is according to an algorithm to properly do the job, that is part of the charger's behavior, using a lead-acid type traditional charger could overheat the battery, and in an extreme case, it could not-only destroy the battery, it could cause a fire.
I use a Battery Tender, and the small eyelet wire adapter to allow you to use a polarized quick-connector point of attachment for the battery charging. There are many other chargers out there, NORCO is another one which does Li-ion batteries. If you have a lead/acid or a AGM battery, you don't need the capacity to charge Li-ion batteries. However, it's a good capacity to-have, it gives you the ability to buy a Li-ion battery, 'next-time.'
The eyelet attachment for a polarized plug to charge your battery also gives you the ability to use the charger as a booster when you're trying to get the bike running. I
do-not recommend using the 50 or 75 amp booster capacity some battery chargers have, for starting cars and trucks. That is too-much amperage for a motorcycle.
There are more points of information upon the proper way to deal with the battery and the electrical system, the VMF members will likely share when you encounter specific issues, and you post questions. However, do yourself the favor of trying to locate related info by spending time using the 'advanced search' function. Make a folder, and save the stuff you find according to the topic, 'electrical,' 'carburetors,' 'tires,' second-gear doesn't work,' etc. I guarantee every single problem you will have, someone on-here had it before you (er, we're speaking-of
motorcycles, you're on your-own for the G.F. issues!) so show some initiative and don't ask, '
what oil should I use?' The link to Ra Warrior's beginner's guide to the VMax answers that, and many-more.
Did you know, many riders on-here have bad second-gear issues? And, they ride their bikes frequently, they just shift from first-gear, to third-gear. They skip second-gear. That could be you, once you get the bike operational, and reliably-so, you probably aren't going to be able to dust-off your friend's Hyabusa 0-100mph but you can use the bike like that.
Dannymax, CaptainKyle, and Sean Morley
([email protected]) all offer rebuilding of your carburetors. It's worth it to have them done properly. The forum has many stories, "I took my bike to the shop, they charged me an arm and a leg, it doesn't run any-better, and I had to wait three months to get the bike back, now riding season's over!" I've done business with all of these guys, and they are honest, ethical, and reasonable in their pricing.
Dannymax specializes in VMax carburetors service,
CaptainKyle and Sean Morley sell new and used parts, they offer painting, mechanical repairs, and more.
I could go-on but I'm gonna leave it at this. Concentrate upon getting the bike operational (engine running properly) first, and save everything-else for after that. If the heart of the beast is mortally-wounded, there's no-sense in buying brake pads, tires, a new paint-job, chrome, powder-coating, a new exhaust, etc.
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