WANTED : New project !

[JnJDesign]

I want to find someone that would like to build a true custom V Max. Frame, suspension, you name it. I have an idea for a very custom V Max built with a custom frame, forks, swing arm, chain drive, etc.
It would still look very much V Max but would be built with a true Pro Street look and performance. I have been building V Max bikes since 1989 quietly for customers that have shipped them to Greece, Italy and also kept them here in the states. We have the capability to complete a full custom bike in a timely manner and not spend the $50 - $80,000 that the chopper guy's seem to hit all the time.
If this sounds like it may be for you just let us know.

 

[PATMAX]

Berea Ohio? Got a website? Congrats on your first post!

 

[JnJDesign]

No website for the V Max stuff. You can check out lovellperformance.com for some of the things we have done for other bikes. Mostly sportbikes. I had a turbo Busa that I used to race in the AMA Dragbike series and thats what prompted a lot of the products that are on that site.
As I said, I was pretty quiet most of the time. I had enough work to keep me busy so I didn't really need to put the word out there too much. I did my first chain drive conversion in 1990, used 41mm flat slides in 1991 ish, and first big bore "1428" at the same time. I made lots of custom parts for the bike back then and it even made 193 rear wheel at the Brute Horsepower Shoot out in Daytona right around 1993 or 1994 or so.
I've just been a V Max guy forever and love to build more of the drag style bikes. All of the bikes I've built have been for street riding and week end racing. We can build just about anything. One off parts to moderate run production parts. Just want to find someone that wants to build and own a one of a kind V Max.

 

[satariel666]

Maybe some pics mate?

 

[rusty]

ics:

Maybe some pics mate?

 

[JnJDesign]

Pic's Huh ? Let me see what I can dig up. I've always been pretty bad at taking them of projects.

 

[JnJDesign]

Are pic's of the last drag bike O.K. ? It is a Busa though !

 

[JnJDesign]

I'm gonna try this. Here are a couple I have on my computer. Hopefully this works !

 

[twistedmax]

Ok, so you dont have pics of any maxs :ummm:and have building them since ? how bout pics of your shop? gotta have a place to work. And no web site:confused2:? Ive only been doing my thing (part time) for 18 months and I could get you lots of pics of my work on customers bikes,and web sites are cheap( I know cause so am I)


Not hating,just sayin.

Oh yeah, would'nt YOU want to build and own custom one of a kind vmax?

 

[Buster Hymen]

Welcome to the forum! :cheers: The greeting from fellow members was a bit frostier than usual :biglaugh: but they are a friendly bunch! I was checking out your site and that is a nice custom triple tree you offer for the Busa ( I also own a Busa) .

 

[one2dmax]

I sold my Hayabusa (pictured along with a few customer bikes we got together for a big bike show) and also build vmax's (Lots of build pics on our facebook link).

We don't need your build pics at the moment, but when you're hunting up business you should really be a bit more prepared. I like the Busa but it's not really what I would consider customized to any great extent. I'm sure it's hands down faster then the one we had with your turbo setup!

Please add more info as we would all love to see what products or custom parts you can make!


Sean

 

[JnJDesign]

Wow.... Not really sure why some comments sound so confrontational. V Max's are not my main business. If you check out lovellperformance.com, lovellengineering.com, you will see some of the stuff my buddy and I have been working on over the years.
The Busa does not look all that custom because thats the way I think a bike should look. Everyone's taste is different. Mine just happens to be to make the bike or car look as though that is the way it left the factory. I don't like bikes or cars that look like a bunch of add on parts have been bolted to them. The Busa had a custom chrome moly sub frame, hand hammered aluminum under tail section, custom suspension pieces, and way to many other fabricated parts to mention.
I also own a complete automotive and motorcycle shop. We do everything from oil changes to collision repair, and mild to wild car and bike projects. I do not have a web site for the V Max stuff or the Auto business. I do not have time to maintain a web site and with Chris and I paying to have the other 2 maintained thats enough.
I just want to build someone something crazy, but keep in mind it's going to retain the V Max identity. Thats something a lot of the V Max customs I have seen have lost.
I have been away from the V Max builds for a few years now, racing the AMA series and the shop and also the transfer case have not left too much time for anything else. I just wanted to see if anyone wanted to do a project. And also my V Max is in the planning stages now, I should have it done in about 8 to 12 months from now.
Everyone have a safe and happy New Years.

 

[FootNote]

JnJ,

I dont think anyone is really trying to be confrontational. Its just that your first post you talk about wanting some big projects so naturally people want to see what your past work is. Not being able to show it... well really it doesn't tell anyone anything.

As far as the photos you have posted are not too far modified which is the way you say you like doing them, that's great, but if that's the case then your probably going to want to explain what hidden mods you have done and how much better the performance is on those bikes.

Again, don't think anyone is confrontational, more of trying to figure out what you can do/have done.

But this is coming from a rider with less than a year on a bike.

 

[Diablotin]

Hope you find somebody interested man. You made me curious. Im wondering what that crazy idea is now lol.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[JnJDesign]

Well I guess to let you guy's know something about the idea here is what I'm working on for my bike. It will be a back bone style chassis. The height will be way shorter to get rid of the super tall look the V Max has from the side. If you noticed they always look better when they have been extended. It adds length to the over all bike that it really needs. The rear tire is jammed up under the seat and just does not give the bike the right proportions viewed from the side. I know they did not make the swing arm any longer due to the jacking effect that would have transferred to the chassis. The big V 4 makes a lot of torque and adds forces that lesser powered shaft drive bikes of the time did not have. It would have taken one hell of a set of shocks to control the rear tire and I'm sure that the cost would have been a negative for the price point of the bike.
Again the frame will be a back bone style chassis with a single shock in the rear tied directly to the steering stem. It will move away from the bird cage style that the bike has now. Some length will be added to the seat area to move you back just a bit further to give you more room between the seat and bars and also put a little more weight on the back tire. I'm only 5.10" and I always feel like I'm riding on the handelbars! The rear tire will probably be in the 200 to 240 range. It will also be a chain drive bike. The biggest job will be to get the rear fender extended and widened and not make it look funny, but I have an idea of how to do that too. ALL of the stock body work will be used. Scoops, tank top, side covers, etc. The front forks will have to be shortened to work with the lower steering neck. The only thing I'm not sure of is should I use a newer inverted style fork. They are heavier and more bulky looking but are much stronger and reduce flex. But when the stock big tube V Max forks are shortened they will gain strength by reducing the leverage effect caused by being longer. What do you guy's think ?
Thats in a nut shell is what we are working on. Once we run these idea's through Solid Works I'll know a little more. Maybe we will have to change things just a bit but maybe not.
I hope everyone had a great New Years Eve.

 

[one2dmax]

The inverted will lower it anyway since they are on average 4" shorter then the stock setup (plus another inch for tire diameter) - this is too short to clear the pan and the exhaust and is why the aftermarket makes dripped triples to compensate. So, something like PCW does (cutting and welding a new head stock on) will let you reuse many of the sportbike front end components without a custom set of triples (though custom would look cooler).

Extending the swingarm works/handles just fine and the vmax I pictured earlier that we built has a 6" extended swingarm with a mono shock (like you are talking about). The current bike being built is also using a 6" over arm and we are doing an undertail exhaust on this one. We build 3" over arms all the time for customers and it's a very popular length (mostly due to the ability to keep the stock fenders and still have a tiny bit of clearance).

The frame you are wanting to build sounds like a Spondon frame so that should look good. There isn't a lot you can get lower to still get all the carb and misc in there (unless aftermarket carbs are used and the airbox taken out). When the inverted front ends are used you end up getting the pan very close to the ground so that's something else to keep in mind.

Moving the seat back will make the reach to the bars more sportbike which many that ride them on a regular basis don't like. Of course the popular mod is a set of handlebars to open the wrists up which does add reach too. We've also seen/used clip-ons for that reach you are talking about.

Tire size is always a personal preference. The 190-210's are probably the best for actual performance use while the larger ones always attract more attention. Going chaindrive makes that job easier when going large. The largest you can do and still fit in the stock frame (with some slightly offset motor mounts) is a 280. We have a chain drive design that would easily let you get a 300 or larger but of course it requires frame modification (though a new frame wouldn't matter since it can be designed how it's needed).

You're going to have fun putting all the needed tabs on the new frame to be able to put the various parts on. This is one of the most complicated frames from that perspective.

Keep in mind when you shift the seat that may cramp up the legs depending on the sets used. The aftermarket offers many different variations on these (and an inexpensive set of forward and rear sets would easily sell if you made them).

All in all it sounds like a great project but not anything that hasn't been done before. Of course it's hard to do something "new" with a cult bike like this that has been modified by companies for the last 25+ years!

Sean

 

[JnJDesign]

Your right Sean, the inverted forks are shorter. What I'm building for me is a pro street or drag style chassis. I know the ground clearence and some of the other compromises wouldn't be what what some guy's are willing to deal with. The Busa I used to race and ride around on the street here was set at the AMA minimum of 3". I never had an issue with the bike there. Our roads are mainly straight and flat. Not much fun if you own a sportbike here ! Lol. So most of my bikes have always been set pretty low.
The last V Max I did for myself wasn't really what I would call a custom. It was chain drive, big bore, flatslides, etc. Pretty much standard stuff. I will use the motor from that bike for this build. The main back bone will be dropped between the carbs, so your right about the air box being in the way. This won't be a frame that can be used with a stock in take set up. As for all the tabs, your not joking. There are a lot that hold the various body panels on the stock frame, but should be very doable with out much aggrivation. The reach being more sportbike like is probably correct. I guess I may preffer that over the V Max feel since I've spent the last 5 or 6 years pretty much riding drag style sportbikes. It's looking as though I will need to carve up a set of risers for the bars to get them to clear the tank and maybe move them back a touch so it wouldn't be too stretched out feeling. It's pretty early to start knowing the finer details of that kind of stuff but we are getting there.
The rear tire will probably be either a 190 or 200 Shinko. They are a great light wieght tire and stick like glue. Thats what most of us run on our drag bikes. The cost is about half of the Mickeys or Michelin Pilots. You can walk away from Rich's at the tracks for about $125.00 all day.
Your right about it being hard to do something truely different with them. It's like trying to build a custom Harley. It's been done to death. What I'm going for is a bike that you may have to look and figure out why it looks different. I have a 68 AMX in the shop that a few AMC guy's keep asking why it look different from thiers. I added 4" of wheel base to it and moved the rear wheel openings back and the front wheel openings forward. Mainly to try to add so stability to the car as it has a turbo 435ci. AMC engine that should be in the 900 - 1,000 hp range. I did a lot of subtle changes to the body that just makes it look cleaner. Thats just what I like. Some guy's don't like that.
Thanks for all the in put. It's nice to get from someone that works on them all the time.

 

[rynoman]

Wouldn't worry about putting more weight to rear. The V-max already has a bad weight bias (to the rear). I wouldn't even consider anything but inverted sportbike forks (put the stockers on eBay). Use clip-ons or a drag bar with many products/combinations available and like me you will probably need to build your own rearsets. This attains the long and low look and with a 6" over arm produces an acceptable weight bias. Good luck, I like and share your style and taste for the V-max.
Ryan

 

[rynoman]

JnJDesign,
just read your last post. That is exactly what I am building myself with the exception of a completely new frame. I lowered steering head 2" and pushed it forward a bit. Custom triples and inverted forks. Chromoly 6" over arm/chain drive ( to get that rear tire out from under the seat). Looong and looow. I am also running Shinkos with the rear being a 200 (perfect size for form and function. Original lines and iconic features to make people look at the bike and ask themselves what's different. They will ask you "has your bike been working out? It looks like it's on steroids.

 

[Itgoes]

Hi, I'm a Gen 2 VMax owner after having owned several first generation bikes . I think you would find some interest in a chain drive conversion for the Gen 2 if you could design and build something dependable, that does not cost half the price of a new bike.
The new VMax shaft drive components are extremely strong, and in turn very heavy. This would be a bigger performance enhancement than it is on Gen 1......the tremendous weight savings and the ability to change gearing would make a huge difference on this bike.
Anyway just a thought.....although the amount of Gen 2's being sold is a fairly small market (just as the Gen 1's were) the owners are spending $$ to modify and are hungry for new vendors with new stuff.

Mark