Thoughts on a Few Mods.

[Blurr]

Cruising the internet looking at what people have done to their particular Vmax seems to be unavoidable past time of late. This of course leads to looking at parts that can be put on your own Vmax. Followed by dreaming. Alas I've barely gotten mine serviced back to a reasonable state and I'm off and wondering how I can make it better. I know I want to address the brakes and handling first off. The brakes I've already decided on, but decision about wheels/tires/rear shocks I'm still up in the air over.

I know I want a larger rear wheel, preferably an 18 inch one.
1) Is there any reason to choose a 17 inch rear wheel over an 18 inch one?
2) How do the larger wheels effect handling?
3) How do they effect acceleration?
4) I'm looking at this rear wheel running a 170 or 180/60 18 tire.
http://www.v-max-f-maerz.de/vmaxkatalog/590/591b_en.html
Will it fit or will I need to get a notched swing arm? A lengthened one?
5) The indaviual I bought the bike from said you could take it to 170/90 with the stock wheel but that the swingarm should be braced because the gyroscopic procession of the larger wheel would make the swing arm flex. I DEFIANTLY want a second opinion on that; is it true? Is it doubly true with 18 inch rear wheel?
6) Are ?hlins over rated? Is the improvement that overwhelming?

Thanks for any advice you can give.:clapping:

 

[4gasem]

Cruising the internet looking at what people have done to their particular Vmax seems to be unavoidable past time of late. This of course leads to looking at parts that can be put on your own Vmax. Followed by dreaming. Alas I've barely gotten mine serviced back to a reasonable state and I'm off and wondering how I can make it better. I know I want to address the brakes and handling first off. The brakes I've already decided on, but decision about wheels/tires/rear shocks I'm still up in the air over.

I know I want a larger rear wheel, preferably an 18 inch one.
1) Is there any reason to choose a 17 inch rear wheel over an 18 inch one? (Lower gearing and more tire selection)
2) How do the larger wheels effect handling? (For the better)
3) How do they effect acceleration? (depends on the wheels you choose) (Heavy wheels will slow the bike down, while lighter wheels will help in ALL respects)
4) I'm looking at this rear wheel running a 170 or 180/60 18 tire.
http://www.v-max-f-maerz.de/vmaxkatalog/590/591b_en.html
Will it fit or will I need to get a notched swing arm? A lengthened one?
5) The indaviual I bought the bike from said you could take it to 170/90 with the stock wheel but that the swingarm should be braced because the gyroscopic procession of the larger wheel would make the swing arm flex. I DEFIANTLY want a second opinion on that; is it true? Is it doubly true with 18 inch rear wheel?
6) Are ?hlins over rated? Is the improvement that overwhelming?

Thanks for any advice you can give.:clapping:

See the red above!

#5 (no doubt a braced swingarm will help, but it's NOT a necessity.)

#4 (looks OK, but Kosman does a weld job on your stock wheel that will make it look VERY similar to that and it's done here in the States. Do a search on Kosman)

#6 Ohlins are amazing shocks, but Progressive models 418 and higher or Works are VERY good for less money.

I recommend you talk to Sean Morley before you buy anything. He's a great guy that can hook you up with some great new parts at lower prices. He goes by one2dmax on this site.

Here's a photo or two of mine with the 18" wheels. (no longer offered) Oh and the rear is a 180 on a completely stock swingarm.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[gamorg02]

1) i believe there are more tire options, but doing it again i'd go 18"
2) not sure if they do
3) slower accel, but lower rpms at cruising
4) can't see the link at work, but also look at kosman, they do a great job and like 3-4 week turnaround and its probably cheaper
5) i'd get the swingarm braced either way, makes a huge difference
6) don't know, haven't tried them.

 

[maleko89]

I have a 17 inch rear wheel from a YZF. Pros.....+1 with what was mentioned above. Cons....also plus one except for the handling...also, due to rpm shift upwards gas mileage goes down some.

 

[RaWarrior]

A 17" radial actually has a smaller circumference than a stock 15" bias (difference in sidewall height). So putting a 17" radial on will give you better acceleration at the cost of top end and mileage, since the motor will have to spin faster on the highway.


A 170 fits in the stock swingarm fine. Unless you're laying down crazy power figures(far beyond stock), a braced swingarm isn't really necessary. For a stock or stock-ish motor is just really isn't needed.

Ohlins are fantastic shocks, and you're pay for them accordingly. Yamaha puts them as OE on their top shelf snowmobiles. Progressives are more popular and priced a bit more reasonably, though good suspension is always expensive.

 

[Rand-5107]

I have the Ohlins shocks. The guy who had the suspension shop here sold me on them. They are rebuildable and serviceable (you can change the oil). Plus infinitely adjustable. Of coarse he went out of business the day after I picked them up. I can only compare them to stock and there is no comparison. Tomorrow I hope to be picking my Carrozzeria wheels up from Seans chromer. They came from Mr.Pickles with Bridgestone Exedra tires (Harley V-Rod) 120/70zr/18 front and 180/55zr/18 rear. He said the rear fit his stock swing arm fine, but that he had to let the air out to remove it. I bought a 130/70zr/18 for the front as recommended by Raging Main. I'll probably buy a set of Metzler Me 880 radials, when they go on sale later this spring. The selection of 17" tires is huge. 18" not so much, if you want to stay with a V or Z rated tire. Reinforced swing arm and frame braces are next. I already have the race tech springs for my weight in the forks. Another huge difference over stock. Good luck with your project. Rand

 

[[email protected]]

1. Looks is a big factor. Many people like the look of a 18" vs 17". 17" offers WAY more tire choices. 17" generally has a smaller OD so you will have slightly quicker acceleration and higher rpms on the highway vs. 18" or stock.

Lots of guys run a 170/80/15 on the stock wheel and that has a diameter of 25.71"

Here are some radial choices for reference:
A 190/55/17 has a diameter of 25.23
A 180/55/17 has a diameter of 24.80
A 170/60/17 has a diameter of 25.03

A 170/60/18 has a diameter of 26.03
A 180/55/18 has a diameter of 25.80
Not sure if anyone makes a 190 in 18"

2. Radial rims/tires will greatly increase the handling of the bike
3. See above for tire size info. Smaller diameter tire increase acceleration, raises RPM. Weight will play a small factor. The lighter the rim setup, the better accelleration and stopping.
4. I've heard of the company but have no knowledge of their wheels other than expensive to buy, and expensive to ship. There are options on wheels.

Kosman- will covert your OEM wheel (heavy) 17 or 18"
RC Components- new aftermarket (heavy) 17 or 18" Morley Muscle has best pricing on these
Galespeed wheels- new aftermarket 17"
PVM wheels- new aftermarket 17"
Cycle One Off - these are converted from sportbikes. 17" Not as lightweight as say a galespeed or PVM but lighter than a vmax conversion or RC
Morley Muscle Wheels- he is selling HD Wheels made by Ultima for reduced prices. Then he will sell you adaptors to fit the wheels to the vmax. A forum member named Steve (Jedi) is the one machining the adaptors.
Morley Muscle Wheels- he is working on a new product of custom aftermarket wheels. Not made yet but shooting for later this year. 18" or 17" IIRC.
Boxenstopp- they have options, not sure what they are. Wheels come from UK
Exactrep- UK company. I know they have em but I never bothered researching
George Deget- German company. I don't much about these
Taylor Made- UK company.
Over racing- Japan company
Otec- $$

None are cheap.

5. I had a 170/80/15 on stock rim, no swingarm bracing and the bike was just a squirrelly in the turns with the stock 150, LOL. Bracing the arm is a good mod, not required but good.

6. No idea on the ohlins. I have progressive 440's. I scored them brand new for $130 shipped. Had I paid the full price of $400+ I'd be pissed. They help but it was not a dramatic change IMO.

 

[gamorg02]

A 17" radial actually has a smaller circumference than a stock 15" bias (difference in sidewall height). So putting a 17" radial on will give you better acceleration at the cost of top end and mileage, since the motor will have to spin faster on the highway.


A 170 fits in the stock swingarm fine. Unless you're laying down crazy power figures(far beyond stock), a braced swingarm isn't really necessary. For a stock or stock-ish motor is just really isn't needed.

Ohlins are fantastic shocks, and you're pay for them accordingly. Yamaha puts them as OE on their top shelf snowmobiles. Progressives are more popular and priced a bit more reasonably, though good suspension is always expensive.

ryan i somewhat argee, altho the aspect ratio of the 17" tire makes a difference there are 190/50, 190/55 or 190/60s all of which change the circumference. i have a 50 right now and i htink a 60 would be similar to stock height

i respectfully disagree on the swingarm tho. it flexes so effing much in turns you wouldn't believe it. when i went from a stock one to braced it was incredible. i was scared to drag my pegs above 60 as the rear end would start hopping in turns. braced the swingarm and it was GONE.

 

[[email protected]]

who makes a 190/60/17?

 

[gamorg02]

bridgestone:

http://www.bikebandit.com/rear-190-60-17-street-motorcycle-tires/c/a642336a5a328a13a634762a344a351

 

[m-cman]

I have the 18" Kosman and the largest tire I could fit is the 170/60-18 and there are few of this size available. Most have the 160/60-18. Had to do the washer swap for it to fit. However the offset is not as bad as most. Have a 110/80-18 front because the 120/70-18 is not recommended on the stock front wheel and the fender is so far from the tire it looks like a dirt bike. (All tire sizes mentioned are radials). I have a friend that has the 17" wheels front and rear on his Max and I don't like the look. Too much air between the tires and fenders. He does have a much better selection of tires though.

 

[[email protected]]

bridgestone:

http://www.bikebandit.com/rear-190-60-17-street-motorcycle-tires/c/a642336a5a328a13a634762a344a351

I saw that one which is supposed to be a "cruiser" type tire. I saw a couple race tires also.

Not sure what a "cruiser" tire is and the difference between that and a sport bike type tire. I know I wouldn't be interested in a race tire for road use. Doesn't seem like many options in 190/60 but that would put me right just above the 170 I'm running now.

 

[Blurr]

Thanks, gentlemen, you've given me lots to chew on. Also, thanks for the list of places to check out wheels, Mike, I'll look them up. I really like the look of your bike Chris. Particularly how the wheel/tire fill out the rear end. By the way, thanks for pointing out that Sean was one2dmax; kept seeing His name when ppl asked questions but didn't put 'one & 2' together. It was a d'oh! moment. Now all the posts that asked questions addressed to Sean and answered by someone else seem more... liner.:bang head:

Of course one question answered equals two more asked.

Gamorg, you mention that if you had it to do over you'd go with an 18 inch. If you don't mind, what makes you feel that way?

Is the larger final gearing from an 18 inch wheel enough to take the luster off that "...wack to the back of the head with a chainsaw"_cycleworld feeling when vboost kicks in? Really not willing to loose it's Vmaxy-ness.

I have the progressive shocks in the forks are they comparitive to the Race Tech ones? I've not heard of Race Tech, what is the general concensus on them?

If there isn't a wealth of tires to choose from in the 18 inch category, are there at least well respected models of the sports touring / light drag racing type? Found a Dunlap RoadSmart, ideas?

Finally:
The nearest city of any size is Anchorage and if I fill up at the last station leaving my home turf I can just barely make it to the farthest filling station on Anchorage's outskirts. I usually have had to flip it to reserve for the last 10 miles of that trip. It is bad enough that I can't really accellerate out of the curves at 'oh fun' speeds with any confidence that I'll make the run unless my buddy is carrying a 2 gallon gas can in is side bag on his Goldwing. Needless to say, while I like the idea of faster acceleration via the 17 inch wheel, I really like the idea of not having to put up with the little snide remarks from Mr Wing.

 

[Heretic]

For handling, solid engine mounts, frame braces, and front springs would probably be 'the best bang for the buck'. There are various opinions on the solid mounts, but I would not go back to the factory rubber ones. These items really help take the wallow out the bike and make it alot more fun to ride hard. You can do all three mods for a little over $300 if you do the install yourself.

 

[Rollie]

1. Looks is a big factor. Many people like the look of a 18" vs 17" and many vice versa . The 17" offers WAY more tire choices. 17" generally has a smaller OD so you will have slightly quicker acceleration and higher rpms on the highway vs. 18" or stock.

Here are some radial choices for reference:

I use for rear : 5.5 " wide ( 6 ' and 6.25 " also availabe ) 180/55/17 has a diameter of 24.80


2. Radial rims/tires will greatly increase the handling and braking of the bike .

3. See above for tire size info. Smaller diameter tire increase acceleration, raises RPM. Weight will play a factor. The lighter the rim setup, the better accelleration and stopping.

4. I've heard of the company but have no knowledge of their wheels other than expensive to buy, and expensive to ship. There are options on wheels.

I run 17" polished Lightcon Wheels.
You can get them from one of the good guys , Bill Warner @ Wild Brothers Motorsports , Inc. sales2wildbros.com
List price is $ 2,200.00 with valves , bearings , and brake rotor adapters .
Front 7.7 lbs Rear 10.9 lbs


None are cheap.

5. I had a 170/80/15 on stock rim, no swingarm bracing and the bike was just a squirrelly in the turns with the stock 150, LOL. Bracing the arm is a good mod, not required but good.

6. Works Performance shocks and Race Tech front springs with gold emulators and Michelin Pilot Power 17 " radials , make my '90 handle the way Yamaha should have made and improved it along the way to the Gen II .

 

[gamorg02]

Gamorg, you mention that if you had it to do over you'd go with an 18 inch. If you don't mind, what makes you feel that way?

Finally:
The nearest city of any size is Anchorage and if I fill up at the last station leaving my home turf I can just barely make it to the farthest filling station on Anchorage's outskirts. I usually have had to flip it to reserve for the last 10 miles of that trip. It is bad enough that I can't really accellerate out of the curves at 'oh fun' speeds with any confidence that I'll make the run unless my buddy is carrying a 2 gallon gas can in is side bag on his Goldwing. Needless to say, while I like the idea of faster acceleration via the 17 inch wheel, I really like the idea of not having to put up with the little snide remarks from Mr Wing.

i think b/c its closer to the stock ratio i'd like it better. no going back now tho!

also, you may also want to save up (think $1k-ish) for a bigger gas tank. afew different places have them available and getting 20-30% more fuel might actually be the best thing for you, in terms of happiness and worry free riding.

 

[schlesin]

Was looking at similar mods to my max from Morley, how do like yours compare to stock?

 

[Bruiser1198]

I had the 17"rear wheel from UFO with a stock front wheel running Radials and went with the Venture final gear drive . The accelleration was almost like stock and the top end pulled forever , gas mileage was almost identical also. No solid motor mounts but had Progressive Street Trackers set to my weight and riding style with progressive Front springs . Once I got rid of the 15" rear wheel and went with the 17" everything felt better in the handling dept. I think the biggest thing is knowing how too set up your suspension for your weight and riding . Later Kurt

 

[hollywood]

Anyone have a pic of a 170-60-17 on their bike. I have 180-55-17 now and want a fatter circumfrence tire in profile. Will it be wider also?

 

[VA.MAX98]

Does anyone currently have a black 17x6 galespeed rear wheel up for sale?