Yamaha VMax vs Honda V-65 vs Suzuki Madura....

[fmcandrew]

For me it's all about the looks...I could have any bike, but nothing looks like a Gen 1 Vmax! It looks fast standing still. My bike will be 20 years old next year and I don't think I could ride anything else...

 

[Biker Dash]

I have a friend of mine who is selling his old V-45. It would be a much better bike than my Max for longer rides, but it needs way too much work to it to be ready for the road again.

 

[rusty]

For me it's all about the looks...I could have any bike, but nothing looks like a Gen 1 Vmax! It looks fast standing still. My bike will be 20 years old next year and I don't think I could ride anything else...
My vmax is 15 years old/ Your right/ Nothing looks like a Gen1 Vmax/ I also have a Hayabusa I ride once in a while:banana:

 

[BorgBiker]

Way back in 1984 my Dad decided he wanted to get back into riding after about 20 years away. He asked 15-year-old-me what bike to get. My answer was a Honda V65 Magna. I had become obsessed with it, as it was the big deal of the time. I had a motorcycle magazine with a picture of the V65 showing it's wheelie prowess - something not very common on 500+lb Superbikes of the era.

The writers of the time loved it for the thrill, so I figured Dad would too. I think the writers scared him a bit, after reading some of my magazines, he decided it would be too much and opted for a brand new 1983 V45 Magna. It wasn't quite as cool, but it still scared me silly back then. Both of our jaws were dropped when Yamaha released the Vmax, and how it dominated the year it came out.

I still loved the V65 though, and after many other bikes, I finally bought a 1983 V65 Manga in the Summer of 1999 for $900. It was in great shape except minor plastic bits that had discolored or broken, one front brake caliper was stuck, the clutch slipped and 2nd gear was gone. I fixed everything but second gear and even missing that it was great fun. Radials from the later years 1st Gen Concours 1000 fit the stock wheels, so it was actually quite fun in the twisties.

When I moved from Austin to SoCal, I sold it thinking I'd be able to easily replace it after the move. I sold it for $1600, and spent that on the cost of living out here in no time. While I loved the V65, the parts became hard to find and expensive while Yamaha just kept rolling out new Vmaxes year after year, with an ever-growing aftermarket ready to satiate the mod-monkey lurking within.

I will (when the money is flowing properly) pick up another V65, just because. I'll also pick up a Supermagna, another 1980's bike that still looks great today.
I'd love to have the time/money to make a V65 Supermagna. Best of both worlds?

Nothing will ever replace the Vmax in my garage, but man should not live on 1 bike alone.

 

[Luby]

Was there ever a head to head comparison in a magazine of these bikes ? If so I’d like to get a copy to blow up the cover for display behind the bikes in my shop

 

[Dansmaxresto]

In '84 my buddy was riding a CB650 and I a '72 H2750. My brother totaled my H2 so I bought a brand new leftover '82 Nighthawk, a step up from the CB. So my buddy went out and bought a new '84 V-65 Magna. A huge step up for him. He smoked me constantly, of course. Then the Vmax came out...game over. I had to have one not only because I absolutely fell in love with it but because I knew it was faster than his Magna. We went to Edgewater dragstrip several times together and I consistently beat him by a couple bike lengths. I was impressed with the Magna for looking like a regular cruiser but being so quick.

 

[robdean45662]

I was 20yrs old in 1985 and had just purchased my first street bike, a yamaha maxima 400. When I went to pick it up there was a display of the new Vmax with a brand new bike and a factory sponsored video playing.
Sadly I couldn't afford the Vmax.
2 months later I had totalled the 400 and still couldn't afford the bike though I was drooling over.
I did manage to buy a 1982 Suzuki GS 1100 L that had been souped up quite a bit.

I drag raced everything in town and won ever time, then my buddy bought a brand new V65 Magna it was a very fast bike but he wouldn't race me afraid of being showed up.

These were the days of the boulevard muscle machines next came the Kawasaki Eliminator 1000. A very mean bike along with left over KZ 900s with their ubiquitous Kerker headers and skinny rear tires.
So now 37 years later after always wanting a Vmax and screaming Every time one would ride by, I finally got my 98 Silver and Black Max 2 weeks ago.
I feel like I'm back in 1985 just hoping someone wants to drag race at the next traffic light.
Wish I'd bought this so many years ago.
Who says you can't go back again?

 

[Fire-medic]

Yes, the 1980's was a great time in the motorcycle industry, progressing from air-cooled bikes, to water-cooled and air and oil-cooled (Suzuki GSXR) bikes, from 2 valves/cyl air-cooled to as-many as 5 valves/cyl (Yamaha FZR 750/1000 Genesis). From mild-steel to wide aluminum beam frames, traditional forks to USD forks; twin shocks to monoshocks. From bias-ply to radial tires, which helped as top-ends went from barely 140 to 170 mph.

The Madura was a 'me-too' attempt to field a bike like the V65 Sabre and closest-to the V65 Magna, but it never had much success in the marketplace. It's never going to have the interest that the 'Max has because of its smaller production numbers, and the short time it was a current model. I'd liken it to the Cosworth Vega, a limited-production model that had some good specs, but just didn't have enough lasting power to stay relevant in the marketplace.

I think the Eliminator 900/1000 had the best opportunity to stay in the market, because of the Ninja roots, allowing the engine to easily be hopped-up.

Remember that the early 1980's was when Yamaha decided to assault Honda's #1 place in the market. The number and types of motorcycles introduced into the marketplace provided a variety of motorcycles never-before seen from major manufacturers. Then there was the recession, and the Harley-Davidson lawsuit against Japanese 'dumping,' the government's tariff on Japanese bikes resulting in the 750's becoming 698-699cc 'tariff bikes.' H-D was trying to buy itself out from under American Machine and Foundry (AMF) by a group of employees headed by Vaughn Beals and Willie G Davidson. They struggled to find financing, and came within less than a month of having to liquidate the H-D brand. How the market would have been different, if they had been dissolved. H-D in the USA, with the arrival of the Evolution powerplant, became the nation's largest seller of large-displacement motorcycles, and that includes the V65, VMax, Eliminator, the Madura, the V-twin cruisers and all the 'literbikes.'

If you are interested in the timeframe, and the history of the motorcycle manufacturing industry, Harvard Business School (HBS) has a case study of the Harley-Davidson turnaround, it makes for great reading. Harley-Davidson: Preparing for the Next Century - Case - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School There are a number of HBS papers on Harley-Davidson.

https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=47467https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/item.aspx?num=7084https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/what-should-harley-davidson-s-management-dohttps://hbr.org/2017/05/how-harley-...tics-to-increase-new-york-sales-leads-by-2930https://phdessay.com/harvard-business-school/

 

[Rgtrough]

I own an ‘85 v65 Magna and a ‘07 VMax and a ‘02 Suzuki TL1000R. All very fast motorcycles. Being a big guy (6’5” 230lbs.) the Magna is the easiest to ride. I personally like the light front end of the Magna. The TLR handles well until it doesn’t and tries to throw you because Suzuki couldn’t figure out how to make a good suspension for these bikes. But the VMax…..is so much fun to ride. I hate the heavy front end and the upright riding position but those negatives fade away like so many wannabe racers when the throttle is twisted. I don’t know what one is fastest but I know which one scares me and it’s the Yamaha.

 

[Radioguylogs]

I like the V65 for all-around cruising. It's comfortable, smooth, and nimble. It's fast enough that it seems effortless to do whatever I want. Note: It's harder to work on.

I like the Vmax when I need to shake a funk mood The no-holds-barred exhilaration always get me high. I think it handles nicely when properly maintained.

I've taken both bikes to the Smokies and I love them both.