How does your vmax handle on the twisties??

[Rollie]

My '98 handles very nice through the turns. My '90 , well , I'm working on it . Sean ......... how we coming ?

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[tfranklin]

Mine does ok, you really have to muscle it though... I tried to scrape the pegs but couldn't. Then again, I'm not taking any 35mph corners at 80 either. I don't have a death wish. I have a new ME 880 and new springs going back on. We'll see if it makes a difference. Not much could be worse than the stock front end on it. Little to no shock absorption is happening at the moment, you could bang two bricks together and it would be softer than hitting railroad tracks on mine.

 

[one2dmax]

Trying brother! Got all the chrome parts here and the stuff you sent from Racetech. Hopefully will have a date that the forks will be assembled soon. I am actually paying another guy that sets up race suspensions for the local road racers since I don't have the experience that you deserve.

Sean

 

[FREERIDER]

What the hell are you girls talkin about????

Seen my pics?

You are right about our beloved Max being a "pig"

BUT, its a "tameble" pig.

I scrape peg just warming up the tires before I get to the twisties.

Hell I gotten as low as to scrape the foot peg mount bolts on the bottom of the frame. And thats with one rider not two. Ohhh, but the way my girl squeezed me the first time she felt metal on assfualt. Man that was sexy.....

The red "Don't Let Up" '94 Max in the pics and video is ALL STOCK. Except the smaller tires. THere is the hint there. Smaller tires kids.
I dont remember the tire sizes but I do know its one size down from stock tire sizes. I think I was running a 100 in the front and 140 in the rear. Metzler 880's.

IT AINT HOW BIG YOUR RUBBER IS BOYS, ITS HOW YOU USE EM.

P. S. it took an 110 mph sweeping left for me to lowside the that beast. Oh ya, it was on an almost bald front tire. I got cought up in the race forgot about my handycap tire. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP1T7ZGlTPQ&feature=player_profilepage

 

[Ridin Dirty]

I developed a high speed wooble, this past summer. I tightened the steering head bearing, which cured the wooble. I then decided it was time improve the handling, overall. I installed Racetech springs and emulators in the forks, and Works performance shocks in the rear. This firmed up the suspension quite well. The forks now recover quickly after braking and the bikes goes through turns level. Prior to this, the forks never fully recovered in a turn and I had to stay on the gas to keep the front end up. The stock rear shocks caused the rear end to squat down, under acceleration, and the front end would lift up causing the steering to feel too light and unstable.

I have a frame brace and fork brace on it and solid motor mounts are on the way. Sean is working on a notched and braced swingarm. A Marks exhaust will also be installed( lighter weight and better sound). Next I have to figure out what to do for rims. I really wanted Carrozzeria rims. Their light and came in 18 inch diameter. I like the look of 18 inch rims better. 17 inch rims will track a smaller radius around a turn, but I'm not trying to make it handle like a sportbike and prefer the look of the 18 inch rims. Unfortunately, the only options left for 18 inch rims are heavy. A lighter rim has less gyroscopic effect , making it take less effort to cause it to change direction. Hopefully, I can find another option for lighter rims, in the next couple months. I hate to be putting in all this time and money, and still have rims and tires as heavy as stock.

Hopefully, this coming spring everything will result in a good handling solid ride. I don't expect it to handle like a sportbike, but I always liked my Vmax because I think it's a good compromise between a sport bike and a cruiser. And nothing else looks like it! Except another Vmax.

 

[pdxvmax5257]

I agree with:
"Just keep looking thru your turns in the direction you want to go in. And all should be well. Your bike will go where your looking. Look off the turn and you are off the turn."
and
"From a technique standpoint (not that I'm any form of an expert rider or anything) I can say that the Vmax likes constant throttle through the turns, and it helps to get "up on the tank" on the forward portion of the seat, Firm and smooth counter steering until you achieve the lean angle you want or you start dragging parts."

I have an '07 I bought new and just turned over 18,000 miles. I live near a lot of wonderful twisty roads (Portland OR). Handling wise I have Progressive HD440s on the rear, a UFO front fork brace, and a frame brace. I recently switched to Avon tires (bias ply, fit on my stock rims) and they are incredible. At the moment the rest of the front suspension is stock, but this winter I plan to put in Progressive front springs and the Ricor Intiminators someone else mentioned.

Even at that I think it handles great for what it is. A book that helped me understand what's going on with the suspension, handling and physics of life is Lee Parks "Total Control." I've taken all of the MSF courses, and next summer will find and take the actual Total Control riding class, probably up in Seattle.

In addition to the counter steering and smooth throttle mentioned above and looking through the turn, another huge factor is how much weight you can hang off of the bike to the inside of the turn. I'm not agile enough in the twisties to move my butt off of the seat, but I do dip my shoulder as low as I can and I can do that very quickly from side to side. My helmet ends up either at or past the inside rear view mirror. And you absolutely have to look as far through the turn as you can see.

You can comfortably take 35 mph corners at 60-70 with no danger of running wide.

I recently was pushing very hard on a twisty road (hwy 224 up the Clackamas river) and I knew at one point that there was another bike behind me. We road hard for several miles until I spotted a county sherriff and slowed down. The guy behind me pulled up beside me and it was a State Trooper....... He waved me over (he had never turned his lights on) and said "I can only assume you didn't know the police were behind you. You know we were doing a 112 back there."
We talked for a bit and he finally just said "I just thought I'd tell you to slow down a bit OK?" and then he took off. No ticket!!! Now that's grace.

Whether it's 'cause I'm an old fart (54) or that I have a full suit of armored gear that is that obnoxious traffic lime green color or because I was riding really well or maybe he was having fun too I don't know.

Todd
VMOA pdxvmax5257

 

[Ridin Dirty]

I agree with:
""From a technique standpoint (not that I'm any form of an expert rider or anything) I can say that the Vmax likes constant throttle through the turns, and it helps to get "up on the tank" on the forward portion of the seat, Firm and smooth counter steering until you achieve the lean angle you want or you start dragging parts."

Once I switched to Racetech springs, I found the need to stay on the throttle was eliminated. The stock springs are soft and going into a turn they compress and never fully recover, in the turn. Staying on the throttle acts to pull up the front end, bringing the suspension geometry back into alignment. The Racetech springs are not progressive, without the softer initial portion of the spring, I find the Racetech's do a good job getting the front end back up quickly. With progressive springs there's still some initial softness to the spring, which makes it more comfortable with small bumps, but also allows it to stay more compressed in a turn. Either one is a vast improvement over the stock springs. I chose to have a less compliant spring on small bumps for better turning. You pick your priority.

 

[sdt354]

+1 on the Progressives being soft for the first bit of travel. Been thinking about going to a steady rate spring.

 

[tfranklin]

The difference from Progressives to stock 96 springs (worn out I'm sure) was night and day. It's a different bike. A real pleasure to turn. I can be a lot more aggressive and it sticks hard. This was the first mod I made and I'm very pleased. Still haven't scraped the pegs. They just got higher with a new tire and springs...

 

[wolftone]

Having started my road riding in the 70's (H1 750 kawasaki, now there's a wobbly one) Through the 80's and all the behemoth's of those years. Try scratching on an XS1100. Then the amazement of my first ride on a 1000 exup, through to today on my V Max i find the max just needs to be thrashed with total commitment. Freaking out & tensing up will just make you crash. There are several upset Ducati owners near me who's only retort was that V Max's aren't supposed to do that. I dont wish to blow my own trumpet but mainly it's down to the skill/experience/ball's of whoever is on the machine. Just a personal opinion. Ps. I've also got a 20 year old VFR750 Honda for when i really want to go mental in the twisties but the Max leaves a greater sense o achievment due to the fact that a much greater amount of effort is needed. pps. I had lessons from the late great Joey Dunlop.

 

[adamax]

I am just scared twisting the modafoka at high speed.
I go over 150 mph on a straight, but on a twistie... no no.
I guess the reputation it has ( no brakes and no turns ) and the fact that it does run wide sometimes is acting on me.

So what's the technique? countersteer it with some body shift...

 

[Rollie]

I guess the reputation it has ( no brakes and no turns ) and the fact that it does run wide sometimes is acting on me.

So what's the technique? countersteer it with some body shift...[/QUOTE]

Fix the shortcomings first . front springs ( Racetech ) , fork brace , rear shock ( Works Performance ) , brakes ( R-1 or 'Busa conversions ) & stainless steel cables , 17 " or 18 " wheels with radials , frame braces , and sliders , just in case.
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