Vmax 1200 pricing

[Relic]

Just wanted to ask everybody or anybody. I see a lot of discussions about the pricing of used 1200 Vmax's. The generally agreed upon acceptable pricing appears to be in the 3k to 5k range. I have always thought that was kind of low for a good, clean, well maintained piece. I see many older bikes, dirt bikes even fetching a lot higher price than that. Do you see their value ever increasing like a Kaw Z1 900 or H2 or were there just so many made for so many years they may never become a hot collectors item? People seem to know the Vmax's hot rod reputation so you would think the selling prices would escalate someday...

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

I would think that a low VIN 1985 in showroom condition with low miles would command some money. Maybe an original 1994 Yellow in showroom condition with low miles or a 2005 Anniversary Edition either on the low end of badging or maybe the last 5 on the badging. And these are maybes. Market dictates value. Where I live, there are people who have literally rusted out shells of cars asking stupid money for essentially scrap metal cause they think its worth something. The ad being up year after year after year shows that they priced themselves out of the market. $3-5K is what people are willing to pay for a running Gen 1.

 

[Fire-medic]

Yes good examples can be had in that range, $3K-5K. I think that if you look at comparable bikes from that era, say, 1000 cc+ then you will find the VMax may have a bigger presence than many other bikes. The 900/1000 Kawasaki Eliminator, the Honda Magna 1100, the Suzuki 1200 Madura, an Evolution-engine Harley-Davidson 1340 cc, the Kawasaki 900 Ninja, the Honda 1000 Hurricane, even the XS-11 Yamaha air-cooled inline-4, probably are seen less on the road too. Remember the VMax was essentially unchanged for 22 years. How-many of the other bikes can claim that long of a production run? Not one.

In a way, that works to the VMax's benefits, if you own one. Most OEM new parts are out there, some are not, but a super-long production run and twenty+ years of parts interchangeability are in our favor, for the dedicated owner being able to keep his ride on the road. Plus, you can afford more-than one, if you want, depending on your finances. Keep one stock, and turn the other into a barn-burner, a bagger, a trike, either tricycle-style or Can-Am style. Want to have a drag-bike? You can do all of these on the cheap, with a bit of parts-hunting.

The #1 reason why the bike has such longevity, is that Yamaha still provides parts and support! Take advantage of this and buy a parts-bike, one recently went 'on-offer' as it's said, in the U.K. for $750! What could you do with a free bike? Keep another bike running, or build one of the above-mentioned 'specialty-bikes?' Have at-it. The parts are there and are available and with a relatively modest outlay, you can do something that would be a fun project, and not require alot of $. Sure, if you want to spend $10K on a Sean Morley spec-engine, and the running gear it needs besides, you can go that way, but Sean, Kyle and people like dannymax provide the brethren with services, shared knowledge and a supply of parts to indulge your fantasies, your dreams, or your 'wants.' Seize the time, make a plan and initiate your bike you've wanted to-do, for so-long. Stop daydreaming, start building.

And take plenty of pictures for us, we love pictures.

 

[Relic]

Yes good examples can be had in that range, $3K-5K. I think that if you look at comparable bikes from that era, say, 1000 cc+ then you will find the VMax may have a bigger presence than many other bikes. The 900/1000 Kawasaki Eliminator, the Honda Magna 1100, the Suzuki 1200 Madura, an Evolution-engine Harley-Davidson 1340 cc, the Kawasaki 900 Ninja, the Honda 1000 Hurricane, even the XS-11 Yamaha air-cooled inline-4, probably are seen less on the road too. Remember the VMax was essentially unchanged for 22 years. How-many of the other bikes can claim that long of a production run? Not one.

In a way, that works to the VMax's benefits, if you own one. Most OEM new parts are out there, some are not, but a super-long production run and twenty+ years of parts interchangeability are in our favor, for the dedicated owner being able to keep his ride on the road. Plus, you can afford more-than one, if you want, depending on your finances. Keep one stock, and turn the other into a barn-burner, a bagger, a trike, either tricycle-style or Can-Am style. Want to have a drag-bike? You can do all of these on the cheap, with a bit of parts-hunting.

The #1 reason why the bike has such longevity, is that Yamaha still provides parts and support! Take advantage of this and buy a parts-bike, one recently went 'on-offer' as it's said, in the U.K. for $750! What could you do with a free bike? Keep another bike running, or build one of the above-mentioned 'specialty-bikes?' Have at-it. The parts are there and are available and with a relatively modest outlay, you can do something that would be a fun project, and not require alot of $. Sure, if you want to spend $10K on a Sean Morley spec-engine, and the running gear it needs besides, you can go that way, but Sean, Kyle and people like dannymax provide the brethren with services, shared knowledge and a supply of parts to indulge your fantasies, your dreams, or your 'wants.' Seize the time, make a plan and initiate your bike you've wanted to-do, for so-long. Stop daydreaming, start building.

And take plenty of pictures for us, we love pictures.

Just wanted to ask everybody or anybody. I see a lot of discussions about the pricing of used 1200 Vmax's. The generally agreed upon acceptable pricing appears to be in the 3k to 5k range. I have always thought that was kind of low for a good, clean, well maintained piece. I see many older bikes, dirt bikes even fetching a lot higher price than that. Do you see their value ever increasing like a Kaw Z1 900 or H2 or were there just so many made for so many years they may never become a hot collectors item? People seem to know the Vmax's hot rod reputation so you would think the selling prices would escalate someday...

Just wanted to ask everybody or anybody. I see a lot of discussions about the pricing of used 1200 Vmax's. The generally agreed upon acceptable pricing appears to be in the 3k to 5k range. I have always thought that was kind of low for a good, clean, well maintained piece. I see many older bikes, dirt bikes even fetching a lot higher price than that. Do you see their value ever increasing like a Kaw Z1 900 or H2 or were there just so many made for so many years they may never become a hot collectors item? People seem to know the Vmax's hot rod reputation so you would think the selling prices would escalate someday...

Yes good examples can be had in that range, $3K-5K. I think that if you look at comparable bikes from that era, say, 1000 cc+ then you will find the VMax may have a bigger presence than many other bikes. The 900/1000 Kawasaki Eliminator, the Honda Magna 1100, the Suzuki 1200 Madura, an Evolution-engine Harley-Davidson 1340 cc, the Kawasaki 900 Ninja, the Honda 1000 Hurricane, even the XS-11 Yamaha air-cooled inline-4, probably are seen less on the road too. Remember the VMax was essentially unchanged for 22 years. How-many of the other bikes can claim that long of a production run? Not one.

In a way, that works to the VMax's benefits, if you own one. Most OEM new parts are out there, some are not, but a super-long production run and twenty+ years of parts interchangeability are in our favor, for the dedicated owner being able to keep his ride on the road. Plus, you can afford more-than one, if you want, depending on your finances. Keep one stock, and turn the other into a barn-burner, a bagger, a trike, either tricycle-style or Can-Am style. Want to have a drag-bike? You can do all of these on the cheap, with a bit of parts-hunting.

The #1 reason why the bike has such longevity, is that Yamaha still provides parts and support! Take advantage of this and buy a parts-bike, one recently went 'on-offer' as it's said, in the U.K. for $750! What could you do with a free bike? Keep another bike running, or build one of the above-mentioned 'specialty-bikes?' Have at-it. The parts are there and are available and with a relatively modest outlay, you can do something that would be a fun project, and not require alot of $. Sure, if you want to spend $10K on a Sean Morley spec-engine, and the running gear it needs besides, you can go that way, but Sean, Kyle and people like dannymax provide the brethren with services, shared knowledge and a supply of parts to indulge your fantasies, your dreams, or your 'wants.' Seize the time, make a plan and initiate your bike you've wanted to-do, for so-long. Stop daydreaming, start building.

And take plenty of pictures for us, we love pictures.

It is a blessing to find them reasonably priced and in good shape. If used ones were very high dollar I probably would have never bought mine. But after completing it mechanically and getting it looking like new. Being as nice as it is, I would think it would command a much higher price. But evidently there are a lot of Vmaxs out there. Thanks.
Funny you mentioned 1340 Evo. Here's a couple of pics as that is my latest project
I bought this for a song too, but put a little money and some work into it. Hope the forum doesn't mind off topic bikes...

 

[Relic]

I would think that a low VIN 1985 in showroom condition with low miles would command some money. Maybe an original 1994 Yellow in showroom condition with low miles or a 2005 Anniversary Edition either on the low end of badging or maybe the last 5 on the badging. And these are maybes. Market dictates value. Where I live, there are people who have literally rusted out shells of cars asking stupid money for essentially scrap metal cause they think its worth something. The ad being up year after year after year shows that they priced themselves out of the market. $3-5K is what people are willing to pay for a running Gen 1.

Thanks for the response .I had always thought that a nice copy 30 some years old would command a higher price. Maybe there are just too many of them still on the road. I have a buddy who has a nice 2005 with 12k miles. Couldn't get 5k for it. He even had a brand new, never installed 4 into 1 Kerker he was going to throw in on the deal.

 

[Fire-medic]

That is a Softail, yes? It looks clean. It's hard to find good unmolested Evo's but there are plenty modified ones out there, needing work and $ to set them right.

You probably can see more Evo-engine H-D's on the road than VMax'es, because the bike brought H-D out of a near bankruptcy. In the '80's and into the '90's, you had to 'wait your turn in-line,' to buy a new H-D. The Evolution was first available in the 1983 calendar year. You can read a great detailed history of the motivation by H-D to design and to build the Evo as-told by everyones' favorite motorcycle technical writer, Kevin Cameron: https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson-evolution-v-twin-motorcycles-history-big-twin/

Here in south Florida, to buy an Evolution bike, you either had to trade-in a H-D or the dealership made you spend close-to $2,500 in accessories for your bike, and then charge you for installing them. You got 'listed,' and when the factory shipped the dealer the bikes, you got a call. If you wanted that bike, you had to speak-up then and there, or the dealer went to the next name on the list. No choice of color, just a chance to buy an FX or an FLT or an FLST, or whatever-else came-out of the H-D transporter.

The Evo's were far-better than the Shovelhead which preceded it.
https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson-shovelhead-v-twin-motorcycles-history-big-twin/

The problem of dissimilar metals used in engine components and gasket construction (Shovelhead) was solved in the Evolution engine by using aluminum largely; the aluminum cylinders did have iron sleeves. I recall when the Shovelhead was released in 1966, replacing the Panhead. I was a teenager in high school, no bike, no money. Triumph, BSA and Norton all built parallel vertical twins as their performance-leaders. The largest Honda was the CB450 which also was a vertical parallel twin, featuring DOHC and 'hairpin springs' for the valves. The game-changer CB750-4 was still in the future (January 1969) with its SOHC transverse-four cylinder, front hydraulic disc brake, and 5-speed transmission.

The Twin-Cam came out in 1998, Evo's continued for 3 years (1998-2000) in one style or another and a lot of Evo owners either traded-in their Evo's or sold them, to buy the Twin-Cam. The TC bikes were very popular, though there were issues causing the engine to be redesigned for the 2007 model year (TC88 B). They lasted a long time but because of noise and emissions, and riders wanting more power, the Milwaukee Eight was released (2016). It was 'deja-vu, all-over again' and the 'new, improved' engine series pushed many Twin-Cam owners to buy the NKOTB. I know one guy who has two Twin-Cams sitting unridden in his garage, because he had to have the Milwaukee Eight, and he wasn't willing to take a bath on his Twin-Cam bikes, trying to sell them. The dealer wasn't going to give him anything respectable on the trade-in, so they sit, year-after-year, in the garage, unloved, unridden, unsold. One of the bikes is a CVO, and his wife wasn't enjoying being a rider, so those two bikes sit. He likes his Milwaukee Eight though. I don't think the Twin Cams have a total of 13K miles, between the both of them.

 

[Relic]

That is a Softail, yes? It looks clean. It's hard to find good unmolested Evo's but there are plenty modified ones out there, needing work and $ to set them right.

You probably can see more Evo-engine H-D's on the road than VMax'es, because the bike brought H-D out of a near bankruptcy. In the '80's and into the '90's, you had to 'wait your turn in-line,' to buy a new H-D. The Evolution was first available in the 1983 calendar year. You can read a great detailed history of the motivation by H-D to design and to build the Evo as-told by everyones' favorite motorcycle technical writer, Kevin Cameron: https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson-evolution-v-twin-motorcycles-history-big-twin/

Here in south Florida, to buy an Evolution bike, you either had to trade-in a H-D or the dealership made you spend close-to $2,500 in accessories for your bike, and then charge you for installing them. You got 'listed,' and when the factory shipped the dealer the bikes, you got a call. If you wanted that bike, you had to speak-up then and there, or the dealer went to the next name on the list. No choice of color, just a chance to buy an FX or an FLT or an FLST, or whatever-else came-out of the H-D transporter.

The Evo's were far-better than the Shovelhead which preceded it.
https://www.cycleworld.com/harley-davidson-shovelhead-v-twin-motorcycles-history-big-twin/

The problem of dissimilar metals used in engine components and gasket construction (Shovelhead) was solved in the Evolution engine by using aluminum largely; the aluminum cylinders did have iron sleeves. I recall when the Shovelhead was released in 1966, replacing the Panhead. I was a teenager in high school, no bike, no money. Triumph, BSA and Norton all built parallel vertical twins as their performance-leaders. The largest Honda was the CB450 which also was a vertical parallel twin, featuring DOHC and 'hairpin springs' for the valves. The game-changer CB750-4 was still in the future (January 1969) with its SOHC transverse-four cylinder, front hydraulic disc brake, and 5-speed transmission.

The Twin-Cam came out in 1998, Evo's continued for 3 years (1998-2000) in one style or another and a lot of Evo owners either traded-in their Evo's or sold them, to buy the Twin-Cam. The TC bikes were very popular, though there were issues causing the engine to be redesigned for the 2007 model year (TC88 B). They lasted a long time but because of noise and emissions, and riders wanting more power, the Milwaukee Eight was released (2016). It was 'deja-vu, all-over again' and the 'new, improved' engine series pushed many Twin-Cam owners to buy the NKOTB. I know one guy who has two Twin-Cams sitting unridden in his garage, because he had to have the Milwaukee Eight, and he wasn't willing to take a bath on his Twin-Cam bikes, trying to sell them. The dealer wasn't going to give him anything respectable on the trade-in, so they sit, year-after-year, in the garage, unloved, unridden, unsold. One of the bikes is a CVO, and his wife wasn't enjoying being a rider, so those two bikes sit. He likes his Milwaukee Eight though. I don't think the Twin Cams have a total of 13K miles, between the both of them.

Yes a 92 a 1340 Evo softail custom. Barely ran when I got it. New spark plugs, tore apart and cleaned the carb, then followed S&S's online instructions on how to set it up. It has run fine since. So I got both the bikes I have wanted for thirty some years since they came out for a grand total of $6500. I thought they were both tremendous deals. The parts to get them both running right were pretty inexpensive. Doing the labor yourself = free... Nobody local here seems to want to service bikes over 10 or 15 years old anyway. Thanks for the conversation on both Vmaxs and the others. You are a wealth of useful information. I'll probably keep them until I'm gone. They suit my riding purposes completely as well as polishing and tinkering and being proud of them. Someday the sons in laws or grandkids can have them. Perhaps by then they will have escalated in value. Thanks

 

[PATMAX]

I’ve only been in the Vmax since 85. I have them to enjoy, collect, sell and make a little side money.
Prices have been traditionally low for decades. Compare them to other bikes and it was almost insulting what they went for. That said, In the last 2-3 years prices have been going up 1-2 k ! Maybe that is economics of the day. Someone already mentioned parts support and parts bike availability which is huge !

 

[Relic]

Yes it is surprising when compared to some other older bikes values. Bikes that to me don't have the type of appeal a Max does. Yet they get a higher price.
It's also interesting to see the way people custom build them as well. Thanks

 

[sparky4123]

I agree with the last statement about some older bikes. The XS650 in particular. I have owned a few 1st gen bikes over the years and have restored plenty of XS650’s as a hobby. I have had no trouble getting more for a nice restored 650 than I was able to get for the last 2 vMax’s that were in excellent condition. Crazy!

 

[Relic]

I agree with the last statement about some older bikes. The XS650 in particular. I have owned a few 1st gen bikes over the years and have restored plenty of XS650’s as a hobby. I have had no trouble getting more for a nice restored 650 than I was able to get for the last 2 vMax’s that were in excellent condition. Crazy!

Yes, and the XS 650 guys would have given their two front teeth to have a Vmax instead back then....

 

[Fire-medic]

I've owned both and the VMax is my preference. One of the longest production runs of the same basic bike, w/o a 'Generation II (or III or IV!)' change. They built the same model longer than Henry Ford built the Model T. I suspect that's why Yamaha continues to supply most parts for it. When they stop the support, the prices will rise and the runners will get treated with kid gloves by most of the owners.

 

[sparky4123]

Yes, you have to love both bikes for what they are. The simplicity and light weight of the XS650 make it a bike that is easy to keep on the road and fun to ride the backroads. But hard to argue what happens when you twist your wrist on the ‘Max. And likely the aftermarket will hop on the replacement parts catalogue for the vMax they way they have for the older XS650.

 

[Relic]

The XS650 was a fun, nimble around town bike. Wouldn't want to put one on the highway for long though. I had an RD 350 as my first road bike. I see they are commanding a pretty high price. I really never liked that bike. 2 stroke road bikes don't feel right to me. Always surging at speed. But people love them and are willing to pay a lot for one.