Here's the MCN teaser

[Rusty McNeil]

Excellent post RJRJRJ

I agree...

Rusty

 

[Buster Hymen]

I grabbed that photo and got rid of the line between the pages (also took off the shadow because shadows scare me).

Nice work... we might as well all start photoshopping it to make it look how we want it to look. :biglaugh: I've blacked out the exhaust and scoops, removed the plate hanger from the back and removed the reflector off the fork.

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

whish we could add this tail to the new bike...

 

[Redbone]

Great post RJRJRJ! It's great that Yamaha seemingly will continue the bloodline while keeping in line with the original bike and it's beginnings. I would be very happy to own one (if I could afford one, lol!)

 

[Rusty McNeil]

whish we could add this tail to the new bike...

That's a nice tail ya' got there buddy:biglaugh:

 

[Buster Hymen]

More bastardization of the 08 in PS....

 

[KOTH01]

Excellent post RJRJRJ

I agree...

Rusty

+1

 

[2stangs69-91]

whish we could add this tail to the new bike...

That looks prety good....better start designing do not let people steel your ideas

 

[82ndCowboy]

looks great thanks.

I slept on it and you know after looking at it again this morning i cant understand where some people (other forums) are coming from.... saying its more euro, or that its nothing like a real vmax etc etc....

Well i gotta tell ya.... to me its so close to the original in concept that id say its really the same bike with just modern advanced twists on all the key areas.

While you have an all new frame that wont need strengthening, its has exactly the same ride position.

Radial tires we all pay big time to upgrade to, yet still 18s.
Wopping v4 engine, best power, funky vboost like cam phase shift, same as original.

Improved and now adjustable suspension, something we all whine about.

A Tach where everyone says it always should have been , with shift light indicating its drag race intentions.

Same old under seat gas tank but with it swollen out the sides to increase capacity, like everyone has always wanted.

It goes on and on...this is the SAME bike, but in a modern interpretation of the theme....like the dodge viper is to the Ford Cobra.

As for street fight euro....i just dont see it... its updated and modern...but if we are going to attribute everything thing new and modern to the Europeans than we are in a sad state here in NA.

It looks to me like Yamaha is sayin..."Vrod?? B-King??....baaaa! we had the formula right the first time!"

All this bikes does is answer the question, "what would the vmax have been like if it was launched in 2008 instead of 1984?" ..if you look at it that way it hits it right on the head perfectly.

We all interpret the bike differently...many view a vmax as a cruiser, some even strap bags and a big windjammer on it and go touring. Others put sport bike tires and wheels on it and try to go canion carving as though its a sport bike.... so if the new bike dosent immediately go that way for you , there is a feeling its wrong. But its not...its the same bike but "better than it was before......better.......stronger.......faster..."

My thoughts Exactly RJ!

Well stated!

I've decided... I'm getting one as soon as they are available and I have enough cash to take one home! Living with debt is the American Way, right!

 

[82ndCowboy]

Good Grief!!!

The bike hasn't even been unveiled yet and the mods have already started!

 

[gleno]

You are spot on the mark RJ.

I haven't even sat on the thing but every bit of 'seeing is believing' evidence says that Yamaha have listened to the V-max fraternity and implemented the best of riders innovations in style and performance from the last 25 years.

Apart from everything you mentioned there's more. Take a close look. Deeper saddle, Wave rotors, Underslung rear caliper, deep sump etc. Everywhere you look shows that Yamaha has really done the homework on this bike.

This model is true to the original concept and a very smart adoption of the best innovations from the street fighters.

Your grandchildren will hear about this Vmax unk:

 

[Hercules]

You are spot on the mark RJ.

I haven't even sat on the thing but every bit of 'seeing is believing' evidence says that Yamaha have listened to the V-max fraternity and implemented the best of riders innovations in style and performance from the last 25 years.

Apart from everything you mentioned there's more. Take a close look. Deeper saddle, Wave rotors, Underslung rear caliper, deep sump etc. Everywhere you look shows that Yamaha has really done the homework on this bike.

This model is true to the original concept and a very smart adoption of the best innovations from the street fighters.

Your grandchildren will hear about this Vmax unk:

It shows how diverse tastes are the New Max does very little for me! when the 85 came out I would have sold everything I had to buy one this one doesn't do that for me,I don't like the street fighter type look.

I think they kinda screwed up! If they had done a cruiser low to the ground longer wheelbase drag type of bike all the older cruiser guys who are now doctors and dentists...would be all over it,I don't see the younger crowd being able to afford it.Just my 2 cents! At least it will not do as well in the US in Europe they like that look,to me its Robo Cop stuff!

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

It shows how diverse tastes are the New Max does very little for me! when the 85 came out I would have sold everything I had to buy one this one doesn't do that for me,I don't like the street fighter type look.

I think they kinda screwed up! If they had done a cruiser low to the ground longer wheelbase drag type of bike all the older cruiser guys who are now doctors and dentists...would be all over it,I don't see the younger crowd being able to afford it.Just my 2 cents! At least it will not do as well in the US in Europe they like that look,to me its Robo Cop stuff!

guys in europe know that a street fighter is a gixer or bandit ,striped down with high bars and chopped seat with massive cornering capability.... this is not street fighter...its just modern.

that curved tail and those metal lace things on the sides of the front and rear fender are all cruiser stuff and no serious English hooligan or German street fighter guy would be cough dead with them, or half the other stuff on this bike. they only like the max for the power and bulldog looks....

will the vmax outsell softail HDs? nope...but neither does the vrod or m109 right? these are all nitch bikes....

I dont know if anyone has noticed yet but the crop of speed freak sport bike
dudes from the 70s and 80 are much older.... but still like a responsive fast bike....and cant take the pain anymore....that what is really driving the high bar streetfighter design.... you will see more of it over time.....much more.
And there will always be cruisers too....its an evolving world individualism. it gets more and more splintered every year.....

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

You are spot on the mark RJ.

I haven't even sat on the thing but every bit of 'seeing is believing' evidence says that Yamaha have listened to the V-max fraternity and implemented the best of riders innovations in style and performance from the last 25 years.

Apart from everything you mentioned there's more. Take a close look. Deeper saddle, Wave rotors, Underslung rear caliper, deep sump etc. Everywhere you look shows that Yamaha has really done the homework on this bike.

This model is true to the original concept and a very smart adoption of the best innovations from the street fighters.

Your grandchildren will hear about this Vmax unk:

agreed...we are all starting to see more and more details...

 

[Hercules]

Actually Harley is selling more Vrods then anything else right now and M109 sales are through the roof! I have a good buddy of mine that works as a bike sales person at a chain of dealerships here in Baltimore.My riding buddy has a Vrod.

As far as sportbike riders there weren't any in the 70s and very few in the 80s???

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

Actually Harley is selling more Vrods then anything else right now and M109 sales are through the roof! I have a good buddy of mine that works as a bike sales person at a chain of dealerships here in Baltimore.My riding buddy has a Vrod.

thats odd because according to their fininacial report , units sold of the "custom line", which includes the Dyna, Softail, VRSC and CVO models, it down 6% from 06 to 07... with total sales down 4.7% in the USA (only) ......while those streetfighter lovin Euros are harleys biggest growth area (15% year over year) next to "Other" (anywhere except NA, japan or Europe) which grew a wopping 21 %....

also: Looking at shipment mix, touring volume was 35.9% compared to 35% in 2006.
- Custom shipment volume, representing softail, Dyna, and VRSE motorcycles was 43% compared to 48.1% for the fourth quarter of 2006.
- Sportster motorcycle mix was 21.1% of the total mix for the fourth quarter of 2007, compared to 16.9% during the fourth quarter last year.

This article by James W. Bronson, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Graham Beaver, The Nottingham Trent University states "The V-Rod was designed to attract two groups of riders that have shown little interest in H-D?s traditional products: savvy, young Americans who have looked to Europe for styling and performance and Europeans who have largely shunned the traditional Harley bikes. While the first year?s production was sold out, mostly to collectors, V-Rod buyers have not been standing in line in the U.S. The U.S. market has shown a strong preference for the company?s traditional bikes. With the least expensive V-Rod priced at $16,895, the bike is still beyond the means of many younger buyers. Dealers, long accustomed to customers who will wait a year to receive their order, seem unsure what to do with a product that doesn?t sell itself. The V-Rod has proven to be a success in Europe. Driven by V-Rod sales, European sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles increased 23% in the first half of 2005."

While the 1130cc V-Twin powered V-Rod stands as the #6 selling model in the US for H-D, it is #1 in Europe where folks are somewhat less insistent upon the "Harley-ness" of their Harley's.

also this 2008 review from motorcycle.com is in the same vein:

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/2008-harleydavidson-models-61454.htmlThe


'VRSC line has never dominated sales at Harley, but they're not giving up on it yet. This year only three models make up the team: The V-Rod, Night Rod and Night Rod Special.
Some rather disappointing news was delivered at the '08 intro. It seems that once again American riders just don't get it. The highly anticipated street-tracker-styled XR1200 unveiled at Intermot in October '06 won't be coming to U.S. shores anytime soon. Saying that "U.S. demand for the XR1200 will be monitored," Harley will be launching it in Europe for 2008."

maybe your buddy is doing well with his personal sales in his region...but not the company over all with vrod..... now the XR1200 seems interesting....a very upright stylr bike...much more muscle standard style eh? id like one of those...

​

 

[RJ RJ RJ]

As far as sportbike riders there weren't any in the 70s and very few in the 80s???

hahaha...ok be nice now:eusa_dance:... the sport bike world was an underground phenomenon in the 70s and exploded in the 80s while the japs bombarded us with better and better bikes non stop......

 

[Hercules]

hahaha...ok be nice now:eusa_dance:... the sport bike world was an underground phenomenon in the 70s and exploded in the 80s while the japs bombarded us with better and better bikes non stop......

I remember it well I went out and bought a Honda v65 Magna after seeing that commercial of it at the drag strip then the Max came out but really the only sportbike I remember seeing around were GPZ's this was between the mid and late eighty's then were everywhere.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Actually Harley is selling more Vrods then anything else right now and M109 sales are through the roof! I have a good buddy of mine that works as a bike sales person at a chain of dealerships here in Baltimore.My riding buddy has a Vrod.

As far as sportbike riders there weren't any in the 70s and very few in the 80s???

I don't know about other states but around Texas I probably see a 1000 Regular Harleys for every 1 Vrod; and the H-D showroom certainly doesn't reflect "more Vrod" than anythinig else....Trying to find a Vrod is like trying to Find an FJ1300 on the floor, you'll hit 3-4 dealerships before you lay eyes on one.....:ummm:

It's a shame tho' because I really like the Vrod, it's sad I have to look so hard for one to beat up on :bang head:since picking on regular harleys is like making fun of a retarded person; not very sporting......:biglaugh:

 

[Hercules]

I don't have to look that far, I beat up on this one! lol

Just kidding thats my Buddy's it sits right next to my Max.

Vrods are a dime a dozen around here I have 5 friends that have them 3 of the guys know each other.