Can you guys with the Gen 2's answer my question

[vmaxer06]

Here is the problem, I had a lot of bikes during my college years, then a family and kids for many years and no bikes, then in 2020 with Covid, bikes were dirt cheap so I bought some again. I have a Gen 1 Vmax, 900 Eliminator, M109 as an example. I have always planned on buying a 1700 Vmax, never any doubt. However, I have been reading some of the postings about the Guru flashing and other stuff, and I am starting to wonder if I could ride one safely. I ride my Vmax, 900, and M109 as aggressive as possible up to 80 without doing burnouts, so I am used to getting the most out of the bike 0-80. But I am reading and seeing videos on Youtube of 1700 Vmax guys doing burnouts in 3rd going 70 mph, 2cd gear at speed, and now I am wondering if the bike can be ridden safely in rain for example if you get caught out in it. The guys in they videos, are they using their clutch to start the burnout, surely not just giving it quick throttle?

I was just about ready to buy one, then saw some more stuff, and am wondering.

So what is it like to ride a 1700 Vmax, and can it be ridden safely by average riders that are used to getting on the throttle up to speed?

 

[Mr. Max]

Well yes, it would not be on the streets if it was not safe. Sure you can ride it unsafe too, like almost any bike out there, but thats not on the bike. Thats on you.

 

[deathpulse]

The 1700 is a great bike to ride and as "tame" as almost any other bike is today - just have a nice healthy respect for it and don't grab too much throttle by mistake etc. Having said that, pretty much any modern 600cc or above bike is the same. Get it, be cool and have respect for the power and enjoy!

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I have been caught in rain and hail with my Gen2. Like ANYTHING with 2 wheels, know the limitations of not only your machine, but yourself as well. These bikes can be remarkably tame or incredibly violent if you dont know what you are doing. Having respect for the machine until you are comfortable is first and foremost. It took me about 30 days to get comfy with my Gen2. As for doing burnouts up to certain speeds, I try not doing that as I dont like putting on tires before doing oil changes. The initial start is where you are likely to do the burnout. Once I get the bike moving, 2cd, 3rd, 4th and 5th gear, even in higher RPMs, The bike hooks and I go. I have Metzlers on the rear at the moment which arent my favorite tire. But it hooks pretty well for where I am and what I am doing. As for an average rider....I would say the Gen2 is not really a good bike. But if you have ridden other bikes before and have experience riding, the Gen2 should be no problem. Its alot heavier than you would think. Slow maneuvers, the front end is very heavy. But the bike is nimble at speed. There are no self cancelling turn signals as compared to the Gen 1 and there is no center stand.

Last thing....make sure you have good rubber so if you are caught in inclement weather, you are better prepared.

 

[Marauder03]

Hi, I bought my Gen2 in June and have just under 2k miles on since then. I had a Gen 1 for many years and when I finally was able to purchase a Gen2 I jumped at it. So far I love the bike, it definitely needs to be respected in my opinion. I thought my Gen1 was pretty quick until I rode this thing, it does have an aftermarket exhaust and I’m assuming it has been flashed so it may be a little faster than stock I don’t know this is the only one I’ve ever ridden. I have been on wet slippery roses since I purchased the bike and haven’t had any problems with traction, but I was very cautious. I’m able to maneuver at slow speeds without any issues but it is heavy and I’m not one to try and scrape pegs so my turns aren’t that impressive looking but my main concern is control. It sounds to me your an experienced rider and quite capable of this beast. It will break the tire loose on command but I typically don’t do it very often as it is expensive for tires. If you can and want one I’d say go for it! I read on here about starting out with a roll on 3rd gear to start with. Definitely would not recommend just cracking it wide open until your comfortable with it, it’s an awesome machine I’ve never ridden anything like it. I hope you decide to get one, remember your in control of the throttle so it’s only going as fast as you make it go. Definitely respect it and you will be fine, it has way more power than I’ll ever be able to take. Good luck.

 

[vmaxer06]

Thanks for all your time and comments so far. One of you mentioned the front end weight during low speed turns. The other day when I was riding my 1200 Vmax I really did notice how heavy the front was to turn at very low speeds. I still don't understand why as my M109 beast weighs a good bit more than my Vmax, yet I have never felt like its front end was heavy at low speed. That's one reason I love my 900 Eliminator, it is based on their drag bike, and it is low, very maneuverable, you can trust it to not wheelie on you due to its raked front end, and it hauls butt from 0-60 with the short spaced gearing.

It is also hard to imagine riding a bike like the 1700 with 200 hp to one tire, when my 1984 Camaro Z28 had 190 hp, weighed 3600 lbs, and ran mid 15-16 sec quarters.
From reading the comments, it appears a decent rider can drive it safely cautiously, take a month or 2 to get used to it, and maybe never ever quite drive it to its potential like I do with my 900.

 

[totalcomfort]

Went from a gen 1 to gen 2. It is a beast but only if YOU turn it loose. Slow speed the front feels heavy, I think it is due to short bars so not much leverage on the front. Burn outs are easy if you want to do them. Throttle is pretty snappy from the factory. I am going to get a flash as it is supposed to tame it somewhat. This is just one of those bikes that is just plain fun to ride and will always put a grin on your face when you twist the throttle.

 

[Ted Drum]

Here is the problem, I had a lot of bikes during my college years, then a family and kids for many years and no bikes, then in 2020 with Covid, bikes were dirt cheap so I bought some again. I have a Gen 1 Vmax, 900 Eliminator, M109 as an example. I have always planned on buying a 1700 Vmax, never any doubt. However, I have been reading some of the postings about the Guru flashing and other stuff, and I am starting to wonder if I could ride one safely. I ride my Vmax, 900, and M109 as aggressive as possible up to 80 without doing burnouts, so I am used to getting the most out of the bike 0-80. But I am reading and seeing videos on Youtube of 1700 Vmax guys doing burnouts in 3rd going 70 mph, 2cd gear at speed, and now I am wondering if the bike can be ridden safely in rain for example if you get caught out in it. The guys in they videos, are they using their clutch to start the burnout, surely not just giving it quick throttle?

I was just about ready to buy one, then saw some more stuff, and am wondering.

So what is it like to ride a 1700 Vmax, and can it be ridden safely by average riders that are used to getting on the throttle up to speed?

74 years old just bought my 2017 Vmax and put collector plates on my 1995 Vmax. The gen 2 is 10 times the gen 1 bike. Do not wait go for it, all bikes ride the same in the rain and need respect whether it is a NSU Prima scooter in 1958 or a Vmax gen2 today. The Gen 2 Vmax is best of all bikes I have ridden as they are bullet proof.
Some things to remember
1. Store it in a shed with a heater to raise the temperature 2 degrees above outside. No rust
2. Never work on it as you can only make it run poorly
3. Gel pack battery to start when engine is hot
4. Storage: take the battery cables off, do not charge the battery or use battery tenders. Come back in 6- 8 put a battery tender on for 2 days or until charged, install cables and drive away. A car battery charger will destroy the battery in 1 hour usually.
5. Both gen1 and gen 2 run just fine on cheap gas and there is no requirement for premium.
6. Fuel stabilizer must only be used as directed, excessive amounts will cause carb plugging problems.
7. The last 2 tanks of fuel should be something like Chevron Supreme Plus, 94 octane is ETHANOL FREE and available at all Chevron locations in British Columbia. It is the Ethanol and excessive amounts fuel stabilizer that cause of carb gum. Keep it full of gas in storage.
8. Read my posts on why gen1 have poor gas mileage and what must be checked before balancing the carbs of which you will probably not have to do.
9. Gen 1 over heating read my posts, briefly there is a little drain knob for the anti freeze lodged in the heads when your draining the cooling system.
You must read and understand how it works, if you do not have the knob in the OFF position of which is I believe the 2 o'clock position the cooling system will not work as designed. It operates like you have no thermostat or like your running it without anti freeze of which one would never do. The knob has a little set screw securing the knob in position. Loosen the screw and turn the knob a 1/4 to 1/2 turn to drain the heads do not try to remove as it is a like a ball valve with a rubber o-ring. Many people have changed the thermostat because the bike will not hold a some what constant temp when operating and it is the head drain knob in the wrong position.
10. If you change the thermostat make sure you have the proper Yamaha o-ring as metric and standard would not work and can cause case damage if too big. According to the book the thermostat needs to be placed with the small hole a certain direction. If you do not have a spring extension (like a speedometer cable) for your allen wrench get one or it will take about 3 hour fooling around with no room and an 1/8 of a turn at a time.
11. I used Lucas wet clutch standard oil for 25 years, not expensive $7 a quart

 

[2017VMax]

It was my 1rst street bike. Only 3 things to note. Pulled wheelie on an on ramp in 3rd gear (that I didn't mean to) , but not to high. Took off in a left turn from dead stop and swung the rear out a bit. Went a bit easier after that. And the large windshield caught the wind high speed across some fields and swung me into the left lane. Otherwise I always feel safe. Swapped to the boulevard windshield. Stops on a dime and never gets squirrely. But if you got that thing pointed straight, what a controllable rush....! Turns real nice in the s turns too.

 

[Randy67500]

I've had 3 gen 1's and 3 gen 2's over the years. The gen 2's are a heavy bike to say the least, but well mannered and easy to ride. They are only as aggressive as your throttle inputs are. Far better cornering and braking than gen 1's. Personally, I see no need for Guru upgrades for the average rider. The bike has more power in stock form than you will ever dream of using. Modifications like those provided by the Guru certainly make the most of what Yamaha has designed, but at the same time tend to take away from the rider friendly qualities that the engineers built into the bike to make it enjoyable. As for rain, as much as I try to avoid it, if I had to be out on one or the other, I'd ride the gen 2 hands down. Find a nice stock example of the bike and go enjoy!

 

[Rick52]

Bought my 09 new and have 52000 miles on if Piped and mapped and probably really close to 200 rwhp. I say that cause my last dyno was 195 with a 240 and I am back to running a 200. Yes. This bike can kill you if you are irresponsible or are inexperienced with motorcycles.
What I have found and all the reviews show is this bike pulls very smoothly in all the gears. This makes the bike extremely responsive without hot rodding in lower gears or high rpm. Makes the bike extremely safe to ride if you choose to. And extremely unsafe if you choose to
make it so I am 68 years old and love the hot rods. So I believe the Vmax to be as safe you want it to be. Imho

 

[wacokid]

Scariest, baddest, smiliest ride I've ever owned. Get it while you can.

Rode mine two up last weekend 350 miles, four gas stops. It is not an all day, speed limit, sit back and relax rider. I told my wife on third stop I want to go back to the FJR. Her ass hurt, my ass hurt, not normal ass hurt. It was a pleasure cruise. We were riding with 8 bikes, an older couple leading on HD trike. We all parted ways the last 25 miles. This allowed me to crack her open. Next to the gas station is a chevy dealership with maybe a dozen people out by the road. I love seeing heads turn and wonder "WTF is that?" The 4-1 screams raw power, and the feel of hanging on for dear life and grabbing more every gear is heaven. Got home, told the wife (she said at the same time) I (you) ain't getting rid of this Vmax. I'll buy another FJR as a long distance rider and keep the Max.

I let my brother ride it. He said it's an angry dirt bike (because of the handlebars).

 

[vmaxer06]

Thanks for all the tips and experiences shared, I am putting it into my memory bank. I am back to knowing I will get one.

I appreciate hearing any tips and experiences riding it that you are willing to share.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

Out where I live, poor law enforcement and long looooooooooooooong open roads mean 2 things. One....you can cruise triple digits easily. Two, you can be taking your Gen2 for a walk if you think you dont need gas. As for cruising at 100+....the bike is very manageable. At no point do I think the bike cant handle it or that the bike starts to wander on me. Better seating position and handlebars, you would think this bike is a stripped down cruiser. As Waco stated, you can put lots of miles on it so long as your ass can handle it. Memorial Day, I put 540 miles on mine. Certain weekends, I can toss on 300+ without ever thinking about it. But then again, I earned my Ironbutt Award for 1500 miles in under 36 hours. And in all actuality, I missed for the Gold version by 4 hours. The Gold version was 1500 in 24 hours or less.

You find one in your price range and driving distance....do not hesitate to get it. Smiles per gallon on this bike are completely worth it and even more are the hurt looks of folks and kids in Hellcats, Mustang GTs and Corvettes getting smoked by this bike.

 

[vmaxer06]

Sounds like you live in a great place! I have not done triple digits on a cycle yet, mostly just full out 0-80 runs. I have to be more careful around where I live.
Are there better aftermarket seats for the Gen 2 like Corbin or Max Gasser? There are also some custom places that will put memory foam in for you.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I live in the American Southwest. A state where law enforcements hands are tied by inept politicians. Couple the fact that my state has a mere population of roughly 2.1 million people and counties that are bigger than all the state of New Jersey....it makes for absolutely fun riding. My Gen1 I have had topped out at around 145ish cause I am a bear on the bike at 6' tall 200lbs. The Gen2 I had up to 140 but never took to the governor cause I been in cars that were governed and it is a bit nerve wracking. I did not want that on 2 wheels at those speeds.

As for seats, There are better folks here to tell you what is the most comfy of the batch. My bike is mostly stock with just upgrades on the lighting. My Virago, I had a custom seat upholstered where there was a gel pack and memory foam installed. Took that bike to 100K miles before getting retired. That was a comfy seat on a not so comfy bike.

 

[1badmax]

I had an 85 Max when they first came out, kept it for 7 years. Loved it but it was a straight line bike only for me. Had it on the strip usually 3 or 4 times a summer. I was brought up on dirt bikes and have been riding for about 50 years. After the 85 Max, had ZX11, 98,02,01 Honda CBR 1100XX Blackbirds, HD Dyna, couple of Viragos and now a 14 Raider 1900 and 16 Vmax. I bought the Vmax totally stock with 5500 miles last year. It had plenty of power and handled as well as my sportbikes. I only weigh about 160 therefore I cannot get it to hook even on concrete. I have always kept my bikes completely stock but had the urge to beef the Max a bit more doing the MAB, DD to clutch, Akrapovic mid pipe with stock mufflers and then Nash flash. It is crazy quick and fast, I don't need to do burn outs cuz at just about any speed in any gear I can snap the throttle and the rear will lite up. I enjoy riding it pretty aggressive and as I stated it handles extremely well. If you get over your head on it and don't respect its power it can easily put you in your grave. Saying that I also enjoy jumping on it in the morning and riding it 3 miles to work at 50 mph. It's just a great all around machine that if you want to snap the throttle and take it up above 150 you can do that also. Sounds like you are probably a guy to saddle one just take your time getting use to it!!!

 

[vmaxer06]

Thanks for your information. Those are 2 great bikes. I also have a custom 1700 Warrior (precursor to the Raider 1900 as you probably know). Thats a nice blue Vmax, the blue ones are kinda hard to find. Did you de-cat your standard mufflers, or is that what the middle pipe change did for you? I like the looks of the stock mufflers.

 

[1badmax]

Thanks for your information. Those are 2 great bikes. I also have a custom 1700 Warrior (precursor to the Raider 1900 as you probably know). Thats a nice blue Vmax, the blue ones are kinda hard to find. Did you de-cat your standard mufflers, or is that what the middle pipe change did for you? I like the looks of the stock mufflers.

I had my shop pull the cat off and install the Akra mid pipe. I liked the stock mufflers too that's why I had them put back on and it has an awesome sound. Not too loud but sound like it has a lot of bite, which it does. Good Luck! Had an 04 Warrior also and sold it to a buddy of mine.

 

[vmaxer06]

thats a sweet original warrior except for the pipes! How does the Raider feel compared to the warrior?