Touring with a VMax

[NuckaMan]

I'm looking for do some multi-day rides with my VMax, something more along the lines of a weekender (2-3 days) type of thing.

Can anyone share some of your touring setups? I could use some inspiration on setups.

Thanks.

 

[DMAN999]

Check out Miles Long's TourMax:
http://www.vmaxforum.net/album.php?albumid=494

And Biker Dash tours with his Vmax:
http://maine.craigslist.org/mcy/5227843498.html

And hopefully a few others that use their Vmax for touring will post some pics.

 

[Fire-medic]

Unless you're traveling in summer, or are at higher elevations, consider electric clothing. A windshield will help divert wet weather. Waterproof clothing, easy to don & remove, is a priority, including boots/gloves.

 

[NuckaMan]

Extended overnighters with the VMax will be regulated to late-spring/summer trips only. I have another bike for long-distance and colder weather riding.

Just trying to see some options on mounting a bad or two on the back. Accessories for the Vmax is quite scarce in the US.

 

[DMAN999]

These Cortech's work pretty well on a Vmax:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/51376/i/cortech-super-2-0-36-liter-saddlebags

And a tunnel bag on the back seat works well also:
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&no...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_9tmkwo4841_b

Or this one:
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/14271/i/Gears-Navigator-Tail-Bag.aspx

And a lot of guys use a tankbag on their Vmax for longer overnight/rides.

Here's a picture of a Vmax with Saddleman bags:

And if you have a backrest and luggage rack you can use something like this:

 

[Ojref]

Be sure to have a fuel tanker following you for your trip. :rofl_200:

I love my Vmax but my CBR1100xx is my touring steed of choice. If I did a 250 mile plus Vmax trip, I'd think a forward set of pegs would be in order. For some reason after a few hours the stock pegs seem to make my legs go numb.

 

[DMAN999]

Be sure to have a fuel tanker following you for your trip. :rofl_200:

I love my Vmax but my CBR1100xx is my touring steed of choice. If I did a 250 mile plus Vmax trip, I'd think a forward set of pegs would be in order. For some reason after a few hours the stock pegs seem to make my legs go numb.

Mine went numb after about an hour on the stock seat.
I reshaped and added foam to mine and now I can ride for hours without them going numb.
I do use my crash bars to stretch my legs though.

 

[Thorodin]

Here is my rig. I'm the only one in my group that doesn't ride a "cruiser". Its all stock cept for straight handlebar with bar end mirrors and cheap $20 highway pegs to move the legs around. Oh, and the Slip Streamer Spitfire windshield. The highway pegs are the best buy thus far. I can fold them up and no even notices them.

I carry two 1 liter bottles of fuel in the bags, but my group likes to stop every 100-110 miles. "We have a few old farts with us... "
I love riding the vmax.

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[Bill Seward]

In 1985 I rode the Max 2-up on a camping trip down to the Great Smokies from Buffalo NY. We managed to take the tent, sleeping bags, rain gear, clothes, and cooking stuff. Did the same trip solo in '86, and twice during the summer of 1988.

We wound up making a trailer hitch and built a cargo trailer out of a Kmart trailer kit and a car top carrier. This trip was to Northern Maine. The Max didn't even know it was back there, even fully loaded.
There were many week long trips to Americades during this time. The bike always ran perfectly, and we always had a laugh when the Gold Wingers saw the Max all set up with windscreen and Bags. Still got the old Tracy Designs windscreen, which is actually older than the bike.. The trailer really got some stares from the wing nuts..

 

[Max88]

I think the gen 2 is a great bike to tour on. Ya, the fuel range is a downfall but I don't mind stopping every 1 1/2-2 hours to stretch my legs anyway. I carry 1 gallon of fuel with me also but have never had to use it yet. My touring set up is pretty simple I use a givi blade hard shell trunk that clips on to the factory yamaha rack. I love this thing! It is lockable, and is secure on th bike it does not rub on anything and holds a lot. It is also rain proof. Then I have a tour master barrel style bag on the pass seat. Works great and also doubles as a back rest. Also run a cortech tank bag for things I need quick access to. I have a factory yamaha touring windshield with a givi windshield spoiler on it as the shield is is a couple inches to low and the wind would hit me right in the visor. The spoiler made a huge difference in comfort. I would really like to find hiway pegs for it but other than that it is very capable to tour on. I can do 400-450 miles without too much problem.
I wear a heated jacket, Klim shell rev it rain pants and dainese waterproof shoes this also makes a huge difference in comfort when the weather sucks.

 

[Redbone]

I wear tourmaster Defender rain jacket that fits over my Joe Rocket Sonic jacket, and my Fieldsheer armored riding pants double as water resistant pants. I wear Alpinestars waterproof touring boots that have worked well. I also carry Alpineswtars insulated goretex gauntlet gloves if needed.
Here is Redbone in touring mode:


This setup didn't include camping gear but could easily add a top bag for tent/ sleeping bag and there was plenty of room in the saddlebags for food/ stove/ cookware.

 

[Miles Long]

I wear tourmaster Defender rain jacket that fits over my Joe Rocket Sonic jacket, and my Fieldsheer armored riding pants double as water resistant pants. I wear Alpinestars waterproof touring boots that have worked well. I also carry Alpineswtars insulated goretex gauntlet gloves if needed.
Here is Redbone in touring mode:
View attachment 51331View attachment 51332View attachment 51333View attachment 51334

This setup didn't include camping gear but could easily add a top bag for tent/ sleeping bag and there was plenty of room in the saddlebags for food/ stove/ cookware.

Looking REALLY fine, Brian.
Don't forget that you will have to make room to carry studded snow tires, if you plan to tour Newfoundland.:biglaugh:
Cheers!

 

[Redbone]

Looking REALLY fine, Brian.
Don't forget that you will have to make room to carry studded snow tires, if you plan to tour Newfoundland.:biglaugh:
Cheers!

I was thinking about that, and to that end I have been looking at the Blizzaks on my Terrain. Both are 18" tires but the rim width might pose some hurdles to overcome. If I went to a 180 wide tire I could strap on some tire chains!unk:
Although looking at the map, they are close to the same latitude as I am so I should have no problem!:eusa_dance: I'll make sure I pack the sun tan lotion, shorts and flip flops when I'm down south in you're area!:biglaugh:

 

[davesax36]

Here's mine waiting for a ferry on my trip to Newfoundland this summer. I think prepping for weather is the worst. I really could have handled the trip without my aux tank, but I sure did like having it back there.

 

[Miles Long]

Here's mine waiting for a ferry on my trip to Newfoundland this summer. I think prepping for weather is the worst. I really could have handled the trip without my aux tank, but I sure did like having it back there.

That pic says it all, Dave. Auxiliary gas tank on rear rack, negating the poor mileage range, if using only the OEM tank.
However -like I've mentioned previously - it would be SOOOO easy to cover the aux. tank with an extension of the rear bag, or just any suitable bag , with a modified flap top allow fuel filling. And of course this means that you would already have equipped the aux tank to dump directly into the main - again, not a big alteration.
Bottom line - keep refueling as simple as possible.

If I were re-designing my touring setup, this is the way I would have gone. I spent countless hours fabbing up an aux. tank that replaces the rear seat. It works well, but only gives me an extra 100 kilometers of run time.
The TOUR TANKS are available in many configurations and capacities, all at incredibly low prices!
Cheers!

 

[Redbone]

That's a good looking setup Dave, do carry camping gear too?
I'm thinking I might get a 2 gal rotopax tank, then makeup a drivers backrest to mount the tank to. Or I may get a 50liter top case that would leave the passenger seat optional or could make up a tool case for to replace the seat and mount the rotopax tank on top of the case which would leave room for a camping gear. The KLR in the background of Dave's picture.
Lots of options when you start out with a 5 gal tank/ 170-195mile range. I do have a pair of 1 liter MSR fuel bottles I have used as a backup on a couple of long rides but still need a better way to carry them.


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[davesax36]

I don't carry camping gear, but I'm probably going to start. We should talk about this maybe Newfoundland trip.

 

[Redbone]

I with you Dave, the sooner we can plan this the better for me since work may be an issue, but hopefully not. We are adding new business opportunities that will have me locked down for at least a month, maybe more. The problem lies in which month that this will happen is as of yet unknown.
I'm going have to refine my setup to add extra fuel capacity, better highway peg setup, adjust the peg to seat to handlebar relationship slightly, and better wind protection. My riding gear should be good to go save for my helmet which I'm working on now and pretty sure I know what I want.