increasing Performance/handeling...

[FootNote]

Alright, among my numerous threads I have asked a lot of general questions, I think it might be time to ask some more specific questions.


Question One: What can I do to reduce clutch slippage?

I am guessing getting an aftermarket clutch is my best option? Clutch lines? Ect ect.

Question Two: What can I do to reduce vibration at higher speeds?

I have brought my bike up to 120-130 and there is bad vibrations at that speed, its a while ago so I am not sure exactly what speed it starts. This was a while ago and I kind of put it in the back of my mind, getting 100+ is not common for me at all and I first thought it might be the simple fact the VMax was not aerodynamic lol. But seeing other people talk about these speeds with no mention of the vibration problem I think its something I need to fix.

Question Three: What are some "cheap" performance upgrades that every VMax should have.

Ok I had to have at least one open ended question. And keep in mind I do have a good exhaust. And by cheap, I mean under $200.

 

[sdt354]

Alright, among my numerous threads I have asked a lot of general questions, I think it might be time to ask some more specific questions.


Question One: What can I do to reduce clutch slippage?

I am guessing getting an aftermarket clutch is my best option? Clutch lines? Ect ect.

Question Two: What can I do to reduce vibration at higher speeds?

I have brought my bike up to 120-130 and there is bad vibrations at that speed, its a while ago so I am not sure exactly what speed it starts. This was a while ago and I kind of put it in the back of my mind, getting 100+ is not common for me at all and I first thought it might be the simple fact the VMax was not aerodynamic lol. But seeing other people talk about these speeds with no mention of the vibration problem I think its something I need to fix.

Question Three: What are some "cheap" performance upgrades that every VMax should have.

Ok I had to have at least one open ended question. And keep in mind I do have a good exhaust. And by cheap, I mean under $200.

New Vmax Owner FAQs....new members please read! Welcome, but $200? that's asking a lot, depending on what's needed. Are you doing the work yourself? That's your only hope.

 

[FootNote]

New Vmax Owner FAQs....new members please read! Welcome, but $200? that's asking a lot, depending on what's needed. Are you doing the work yourself? That's your only hope.

Oh dont get me wrong, 200 for the problems I listed? Not going to happen, But I was wondering if there was any simple goodies people might suggest.

As far as doing the work myself, I am hoping to start doing some of it myself with a buddies help.

 

[CaptainKyle]

Stock clutch plates work fine do the double d mod or pcw clutch spring & put a full disc in the rear instead of the half disc. ( I prefer the PCW clutch spring over the double d just my oppinion) Check your head bearings & swingarm bearings if you have not already done so. Also better fork springs & shocks will help out with handling. I can help out on parts if needed.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

You bought the wrong bike for cheap upgrades. The Vmax is too much of a niche bike for the parts volume needed to generate cheap aftermarket parts.

Edit; This isn't a shopping list, do your research and make it your bike. This is just a list of common upgrades some people do.

Exhaust and jetting are two best performance mods. Probably $800 for those two.
After that it gets really expensive.

Handling.
First are you talking about vibration? A gentle weave emanating from the rear of the bike? or a wobble coming from the front?
Vibration is almost assuredly an out of balance tire or weird tire wear. Wobble and weave are usuallly frame/suspension/tire issues, occasionally tire issues.

1st is to make sure your tires are in good shape, properly balanced and properly inflated.
2nd is to make sure your steering stem bearings are in good shape and properly adjusted. This is the main culprit for most Vmax wobbles if all else is good.
3rd is to make sure the swingarm bearings are propelry adjusted. A loose swingarm can give you the gentle weave coming from the rear, and will make it wallow in uneven high speed sweepers.

After that it gets expensive.

Aftermarket front springs and maybe an cartrdige emulator. Probably a little less than $200
Fork brace-maybe $100 or less
Frame braces=around $150-$200
Better rear shocks-anywhere from $250-$1200
Soild motor mounts - around $100 (the mounts and the frame braces can be one or the other in most peoples opinion, with which I agree, but I did both, the solid mounts have their drawbacks as they will make the bars buzzy, which can be cured by various solutions)

Clutch slipping;

If it's slipping under normal conditions the friction plates are probably bad, the slipping will usually show up in 4th or 5th gear at cruise 93500-5000rpm) if you try to roll in to it hard. This is where the engine is making the most torque and working against the gearing harder than in the lower gears.

Eliminating the clutch itself as a problem, the next item is the pressure plate or "diaphragm' as it's called. A bad pressure plate is sort of rare. The easy upgrade is what's called the "Double D" mod which is simply adding another pressure plate (about $45 plus gaskets) on top of the existing one. This works and works well but also has drawbacks as the clutch pull is hellacious unless you then upgrade the master cylinder somehow.
The other option is the PCW spring, which is stronger than stock but not stupid strong like the Double D.
An aftermarket clutch like a Barnett I know nothing about other than I've heard most people aren't that impressed with the results.
Most Vmaxes don't really need a stronger spring if the friction plates are good. I did the Double D on mine anyway. (and promptly broke the driveshaft on a hard 1-2 shift becuasue I wasn't used to the feel of the clutch pull, fanned it at redline and accidentally let it overrev before "dumping" it into 2nd and shocking the driveline, thank god I had never installed a stronger driveshaft or the tranny would have broke instead, which it did anyway when a buddy of mine tried to do a 15mph 2nd gear, rev it and dump the clutch burnout) I've got a PCW spring in the garage which is going on the bike when I put the motor back together
Clutch lines are an excellent upgrade as far as improving feel but will not improve the bite one iota.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

One thing to start with... You CANNOT ask people what you should install on your bike. Thats a novice's question. Look around, see the gazillion parts, ask about them, get informed and then decide what you "need", and by need i mean want, because i always "need" something for my max. Like my girl says - "When will the bikes be ready?" and i say - "One of these days..." That day is still to come...
About the clutch slippage, confirm you are using the proper engine oil (some oils have anti-friction additives) other wise it can kill your clutch discs They can be glazed by slippage overheat, take the lid and check if they are golden/bluish, if so they were overheaten by excessive friction and need some fine grit sandpaper on them. The PCW heavy duty spring that the guys talked about above is about 50 bucks and can set you up nicely adding to the extra full disc replacing the half one...
The vibration can be caused by multiple factors but im leaning to improper steering head bearings torque/too loose. Check the Furbur fix for the front wobble as well. As per my experience i don't reckon that a rear wheel out of balance may be a factor (I never balance my rear tires) but it can be excessive due to wheel lock/tire grind... The frame itself is not very rigid causing what i call the jelly effect at higher speeds (100+) where the steering neck twists to one side and the rear frame to the other creating a momentum that can only be stopped by decelerating or by the tarmac or a rail (lets choose the throttle unwind)...

Take a look here http://vmaxoutlaw.com/main.html
It will keep you busy for a while

 

[Miles Long]

Alright, among my numerous threads I have asked a lot of general questions, I think it might be time to ask some more specific questions.


Question Three: What are some "cheap" performance upgrades that every VMax should have.

Ok, I had to have at least one open ended question. And keep in mind I do have a good exhaust. And by cheap, I mean under $200.

Based on my own experiences, aftermarket front springs (I opted for progressive)gets my vote as the #1 "cheap" performance upgrade. Tremendous improvement over stock. If you do the installation yourself, which is straightforward and easy, you should almost have enough of those two bills left over to buy a beefed-up fork brace.
If your bike has that infamous low-speed (40-60ish kph) wobble, try the Furbur fix , IF adjustment of the headstock bearings does not correct it. Worked for me, like a charm. And it's absolutely free, providing you make your own washer (out of stainless steel, preferably)
Cheers!

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Seans Busa brakes upgrade... Thats a good one and not that expensive...

 

[gamorg02]

under $200? throttle lock.

 

[Lew L]

Hi Foot,
Don't know what you've done to the motor yet but:

*** A K&N filter with a raised (3/8" to 1/2") "Y" (top of the air box)

*** Proper jetting. I think the Max is rich on the top end as is comes from the factory but lean off idle. At least shim the needle a bit.

*** Carb sync and float level are a must.

All the rest will cost a lot.

Lew

Oh, just a footnote here----- a valve adjustment, fresh spark plugs, fully charged battery can make a difference.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Mods under $200 really exist:ummm: :rofl_200: :rofl_200: :rofl_200: :rofl_200:

 

[RaWarrior]

If you want cheap parts, you should have picked up a Harley 883 or 1200. Stuff for those are practically dime a dozen compared to what Vmax bits cost.

Clutch....I got the PCW kit ($150), which includes the thicker oem-style spring, all new frictions, an extra to replace the anti-chatter plate, and a new case gasket. Took maybe an hour and clutch slipping is gone and the lever still has a stock "feel", as in when the clutch starts to grab, ect. It's maybe a bit heavier, but I ONLY notice that in constant stop-and-go if I'm repeatedly working the clutch around. Some people say getting a SS clutch line helps the feel also, my bike came with SS lines so I don't really have a comparison.

If you have a "good" exhaust(i.e full system, not just slipon cans), $200 will set you up with a jet kit, and the exhaust/jetting combo can net you a good 10rwhp over stock. Ask Sean.


Do you mean "vibration" at speeds, or do you mean "headshake"? Tires are my first suspect with wobbles/vibrations. Cupping, bad balance, flat spot, low pressure. Mine had an incessant wobble that would come up around 130, I got a new rear tire and now it's gone.

If you have solid motor mounts vibration at high RPM will be considerable, but if not, better check around. The Vmax mill with stock mounts is fairly smooth. I don't notice any vibration from the engine or drive at WOT speeds(too busy noticing all the wind, haha)

 

[88vmx12]

I sell an upgrade for less than $200 LOL

G

 

[sdt354]

DD mod, price of gasket and extra disk. Already had reconned the steels and had new OEM fibers. Free 28k spring. Thank you Heritic, with out your generosity Howard it would have tipped the scales, thank you again. It worked out great, or my old left has some zing still

in it?
I guess it can be done (had to think about it though). One GOOD mod UNDER $200 anyway.Cops is deffinately worth it for $200
Steve

 

[a113ycat]

You can upgrade from the stock Brake and clutch lines to stainless, maybe all 3 are less than 200 OR save that 200 add 200 then save another 200 and do something else....:confused2::confused2:

 

[[email protected]]

Worthwhile mods under $200:

Reshaped seat (front section only)
fork springs and oil
solid mounts (adds vibes and bolts come loose but they do help)
DD

 

[dannymax]

Alright, among my numerous threads I have asked a lot of general questions, I think it might be time to ask some more specific questions.


Question One: What can I do to reduce clutch slippage?

I am guessing getting an aftermarket clutch is my best option? Clutch lines? Ect ect.

Question Two: What can I do to reduce vibration at higher speeds?

I have brought my bike up to 120-130 and there is bad vibrations at that speed, its a while ago so I am not sure exactly what speed it starts. This was a while ago and I kind of put it in the back of my mind, getting 100+ is not common for me at all and I first thought it might be the simple fact the VMax was not aerodynamic lol. But seeing other people talk about these speeds with no mention of the vibration problem I think its something I need to fix.

Question Three: What are some "cheap" performance upgrades that every VMax should have.

Ok I had to have at least one open ended question. And keep in mind I do have a good exhaust. And by cheap, I mean under $200.

#1) Are you sure it's slipping? Your statement "getting over 100+ is not common....." doesn't sound like you're a racer, under what conditions is it slipping & what kind of oil are you running?

#2) You don't often hear a high speed wobble referred to as 'vibration'....I'm betting on a balance problem. Try putting the wheels on a balance stand and see what you have.

#3) This has been gone over already but your biggest single handling upgrade, in that range, IMO is Progressive springs and emulators.

 

[KJShover]

DD clutch mod
Torque your steering head to prevent shake (depending on if your bearings are still good)
K&N, shim the "Y" and sync your carbs.

If you can do all the work yourself, you can to all three for $200 or less.

 

[RaWarrior]

I converted to COPs for about $30....the price of the four sticks+harness off ebay, and about an hour of my time to splice them in and make it look tidy. It definitely made starting quicker and overall throttle response seems crisper.

That's probably one of the most bang-for-buck mods. You can't even replace the plug wires for that, and now you have a better, more modern system and will never have to worry about plug wires going bad again.

 

[88vmx12]

I converted to COPs for about $30....the price of the four sticks+harness off ebay, and about an hour of my time to splice them in and make it look tidy. It definitely made starting quicker and overall throttle response seems crisper.

That's probably one of the most bang-for-buck mods. You can't even replace the plug wires for that, and now you have a better, more modern system and will never have to worry about plug wires going bad again.

Not to be a jerk! but if you can do a nice quality kit for $30 I want buy them from you and sell them! :rofl_200:

G