Maybe underpowered??

[jaywoo]

Please allow myself to introduce myself. I'm sortof a noob, at least to this forum. My name is Jay Woodson, and I live in the thriving metropolis of Cabot, AR. "Where is that" you ask? Just outside of Little Rock, thanks! This is where all of you say in unison "Hi Jay". Anywho, I started riding back in 1980 on a Honda CM400T. I was 14 and thought that it was fast. There have been quite a few bikes since then (my favorite being a VFR750), and the latest is a 2005 VMax, bought new in March of 05. The bike has just over 6000 miles on her now. Aside from some cosmetic changes (turn signals, tail light, handle bars and grips) the bike is stock. Oh, and I did drill the exhaust with 5 1/2" holes on each side to add some sound a couple weeks back. Not to get off on a tangent, but I really want a Dale Walker Holeshot exhaust. Just need the $1400 or so to do it.

So, onto my question. I've read a bunch about how the VMax will shread the rear tire in first gear from a roll or stop. Mine never has, even when brand new. Crack the throttle open, and it goes, but no tire spin. This has me wondering if maybe there is something wrong with the bike making it underpowered. The V-Boost seems to be working, but I have no idea if it's working right, since this is the only VMax I've ever ridden. It will lift the front tire off the ground on the 1-2 shift if I'm riding in an "aggresive" manner. unk:

Oh, and I've been getting somewhere around 38mpg on it, just riding back and forth to work (46 miles each way, mostly interstate). Does that sound about right??

The bike hasn't been to the shop since I bought it. I've done my own oil changes to it. I'm fairly certain it could really use a carb synch. I just need to buy the carbtune tool to do it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[Jayhawk]

Welcome, Jay!

I put nearly 5,000 miles on my '07 (stock), and my experience with its performance was really not any different than yours.

 

[jaywoo]

Oh, and since I am at work today with nothing else to do, here's a pic of the tail light.

 

[hubeerjw]

I bet you are spinning the tire more than you realize. With stock suspension and a fairly warm tire, you should be able to pull the front tire off the ground fairly easily by doing the following: Start out in first gear and get up to about 4 or 5k rpm let off the throttle quickly so the nose of the bike dips and the front forks compress then hammer on the throttle. You should either spin the rear or pull the front wheel off the ground. If you stiffen the rear shocks, that will help too. Be careful because the bike can and will go to the 12 o'clock position pretty quickly. I also noticed that an extra 10HP (or close to it) really helps with pulling the front tire off the ground. I noticed this after installing Morley's Carb kit. I would go and spend $30-$50 and get it on a dyno and just see where you are. As far as shredding the rear tire, I really think it depends on the rider's ability.

Welcome to the forum! There are a lot of great people and knowledge here.

Jeff

 

[one2dmax]

With a worn tire my 05 smokes the tire like it's greased up. With a new tire it stands up pretty well. it's three inches longer now and just lichjts it up.

Sean

 

[QuarterHorse]

Welcome to the forum first off and nice lookin' bike! Great bunch of guys on here.

With my bike being lowered and progressive springs/shocks all the way around it doesn't wheelie as easy as a stock suspended bike does, but has stood up to 12 o'clock when I tagged 2nd a couple of times. As far as shredding the tire mine won't do it unless I play with the clutch and drop it about half way through a rev while on a slower roll, then it's hang on with the tail of the bike waggin' like a dog!

 

[jaywoo]

Just with those descriptions, I'm thinking it's not making the power it maybe should. It will spin the rear if I pop the cluth on a cold tire, but that's it. Even doing a burnout sitting still, it wants to push the front end and not spin. A hard 1-2 shift if will only pick the front tire off the ground about a foot, certainly not what you guys are describing.

Might be time to drop it off at the Yamaha shop and get checked out. I'd like to meet someone local and do a few side by side highway pulls to see where it stands vs another VMax. A buddy of mine has an 05 GSXR750 that I've ran against a few times. We're fairly even until we get above 100mph, at which point he pulls away from me.

 

[Jayhawk]

How many miles did you get out of your rear tire? That might be an indicator re: wheel spin.

 

[QuarterHorse]

Oh I think your making the power. We also have modified bikes where yours is mostly stock too. I'd get it on a dyno before you drop it off thinking that something is wrong. It's not common for me to look at the sky on the 1-2 shift, but has done it a few times. It will carry the tire a foot or less off the ground 9/10 times.

 

[jaywoo]

How many miles did you get out of your rear tire? That might be an indicator re: wheel spin.

Almost 6100 miles, and still on the original rear. Getting time for a new Metzeler.

 

[Jayhawk]

Almost 6100 miles, and still on the original rear. Getting time for a new Metzeler.

Seems like a lot of miles for a tire being spun much.

I don't think the carb sync would hurt. It made a big difference in my bike. Not so much on the top end, but just made starting easier, idle better.

You've come to the right place to learn how to squeeze a few more horses out of your bike, though.

 

[one2dmax]

You're obviously not riding it too hard to get that many miles out of the stock tire. I'd say it sounds like it's running well enough. Get a header and jet kit on the bike and it will wake up!

Sean

 

[QuarterHorse]

After 3000K miles my Metzler is flattening out pretty good. I do more cruising than drag racing right now with it though.

 

[jaywoo]

Dale Walker Holeshot (black cans), their jet kit and K&N. Also, I need a seat. After reading through the seat thread here, I think I'm going with the Morley seat this winter. Seems like most of the people that responded really liked that one. And suspension work. I'm reading through those threads, trying to see what really works and what's a waste of money. Speaking of money, I keep looking around for one of these "Money Trees" I keep hearing about. I'd really like to plant one in my back yard.

 

[Redbone]

I have about 1600 on my bridgestone and it is starting to get flat topped too. I'm sure I'll need a new one by the time I get back from Ohio.:biglaugh:

 

[QuarterHorse]

The Morley seat was the best money I've spent on the bike bar none.

 

[Hulign]

What the rear does and doesn't do has to do with a lot... Weight comes into play, body position, bike setup. My bike when stock would break the tire loose with just rolling on the throttle...but only if I shifted my fat ass forward a bit. if I sit up and back you couldn't even tell it was doing anything(even though it was spinning). With the HP it puts out now and a good 1/2 shift it will loft the front just a little... but I'm usually tucked in a little. If I relax and let things happen it will come up but the tire at some point seems to break loose and it comes back down. Pretty cool spinning the tire with the front wheel in the air.

Plain and simple if you take it in they are gonna tell you thats normal...if it starts fine and runs well they wont know a damn thing. You'll have better luck meeting up with someone else that owns one and doing a side by side ride. Still though these things can be totally different from one to the next.

I still need to nut up and do a 5k launch at the strip...these 60 foot times in the 1.9s SUCK. It seems to wheelie, bog or spin.... can't put it all together yet.


Back in the old days cars that were babied never seemed to run as hard as those that were driven hard. Maybe that explains my bikes numbers...lol


Frank

 

[hamish]

Hi there, what tail light are you using

 

[93max]

Nice bike!
Here's what I did with the taillight/signals
As far as power goes, It will loft the font wheel about 1' off the ground IF done as mentioned above...but kinda thought /expected it to be a lil more violent.
Now this is with no clutch action like on my KTM and me being 250lbs doesn't help matters either!:biglaugh:
It does go like stink...better when my 170lb son rides it tho!
He's says it's like riding an electric bike the way it hits. He has a Hornet 919
So IF I lose 40/50 lbs (which I need to do anyway) and I put my slip on's on, that would be a lot less the bike has to compensate for!

 

[Fire-medic]

Search on here for CBR 600 taillight

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=24276&highlight=cbr600+taillight

http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=22795&highlight=cbr600

Hi there, what tail light are you using