1993 Vmax 1200

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dippy22

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england kent
Hi All
This is my first post so please go easy on me. I have a 1993 vmax 1200 and I have been told it was a show bike or a magazine bike.
The bike was my dads brand new and has not been used since 1997 it has only done 690 miles from new. I am restoring it but need some help.
Does any body know or has seen this bike at a show or magazine, its along shot but I thought I would try .It has been airbrushed by kinetic arts? I don't know who they are and have looked online but I cant find anything.
 

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It's not the original color. That should be a medium blue.

Don't take this the wrong-way, but airbrushed gas tanks, or our faux tanks, are a dime-a-dozen, especially as you go back in time. While having the bike in a magazine pic is cool, it appears to be a stock bike, so that actually is to your advantage. It may be one of the lowest-mileage bikes of its type in the world! No-kidding. As such, it may have collector interest to some wealthy Japanese collector. That's something to consider. Despite its non-original color/paint, the XXX miles, and everything-else untouched is just-what such a collector wants. I have a contact who is in Japan buying vintage 1970's and 1980's Japanese bikes of renown (Z-1's, KO-model SOHC Honda 750-4's, Wes Cooley GS1000 S Suzukis, Eddie Lawson Replica KZ1000J's, Kawasaki 750 Turbos, CX500 Turbos, CX650 Turbos, etc) who may be interested in it because of its untouched condition. PM me if you are interested in investigating this more. If you are, I wouldn't touch a thing on the bike. "Unmolested!" That's where the value is.

Continuing.

In 4 years' use, it wasn't. That's barely break-in miles, actually, you still have some to-go! All the fluids in the brakes, clutch, cooling, and engine need to-be changed, I don't think you need to-worry about the differential, other-than to ensure the level is OK. Actually, I suspect the entire f & r brakes, and the clutch hydraulics, will need a thorough cleaning and a flush. That includes the clutch slave cylinder, which requires removal of a left-rear engine side cover, to access the two screws attaching the clutch slave cylinder to the engine case. Be very careful in attempting to-remove those screws! It will be difficult to have to deal with that if you bugger the heads.

Brake fluid probably has badly crystallized in the calipers, and the master cylinders, and maybe the clutch slave cylinder. Do the brakes even-work? I doubt it, if the bike has been dormant for nearly 25 years. Same for the hydraulic clutch, it's probably inoperable. I'd start by removing and disassembling the master cylinders, removing the oxidation/crystallization you find, and flushing the systems thoroughly, For the brakes, you may need (probably-need) to also disassemble them, removing the oxidation/crystallization you find, and flushing the systems thoroughly.

The carbs need to-be removed, disassembled, cleaned, and installed. They need to-be tuned, including synch'ing. The gas tank probably needs to be removed and thoroughly-cleaned. Cleaning the carburetors, and hooking them to a rusty, gummed-up gas tank, is a waste of money and time.

If you can do this work yourself, and you wish to keep the bike, have at-it. If you don't know how to do the work, you're probably looking at $2,000 US in parts and labor for what I've described, including new tires, at a shop, where you authorize all that work, and probably have to leave a partial deposit. Those old tires are very-dangerous for a bike with 15 RWHP, much-less one with 115 RWHP! Other than rolling it around, I wouldn't use the tires for anything under-power. You could easily dump the bike if you tried to use it! However, if you do decide to sell it, leave those rim-protectors on-there! Repeat after me: "originality, originality."

This thread may help you to understand what is involved in what you're facing.
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/clutch-slave-cylinder-replacement.45011/
 
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Hi All
This is my first post so please go easy on me. I have a 1993 vmax 1200 and I have been told it was a show bike or a magazine bike.
The bike was my dads brand new and has not been used since 1997 it has only done 690 miles from new. I am restoring it but need some help.
Does any body know or has seen this bike at a show or magazine, its along shot but I thought I would try .It has been airbrushed by kinetic arts? I don't know who they are and have looked online but I cant find anything.
Put your location below your name. You never know, someone might be close enough to come help you out with it.

Other than that, what Medic said. I would only add: get new tires. No matter how good they look, they're worthless after sitting that long.

In fact, they're dangerous.
 
It's not the original color. That should be a medium blue.

Don't take this the wrong-way, but airbrushed gas tanks, or our faux tanks, are a dime-a-dozen, especially as you go back in time. While having the bike in a magazine pic is cool, it appears to be a stock bike, so that actually is to your advantage. It may be one of the lowest-mileage bikes of its type in the world! No-kidding. As such, it may have collector interest to some wealthy Japanese collector. That's something to consider. Despite its non-original color/paint, the XXX miles, and everything-else untouched is just-what such a collector wants. I have a contact who is in Japan buying vintage 1970's and 1980's Japanese bikes of renown (Z-1's, KO-model SOHC Honda 750-4's, Wes Cooley GS1000 S Suzukis, Eddie Lawson Replica KZ1000J's, Kawasaki 750 Turbos, CX500 Turbos, CX650 Turbos, etc) who may be interested in it because of its untouched condition. PM me if you are interested in investigating this more. If you are, I wouldn't touch a thing on the bike. "Unmolested!" That's where the value is.

Continuing.

In 4 years' use, it wasn't. That's barely break-in miles, actually, you still have some to-go! All the fluids in the brakes, clutch, cooling, and engine need to-be changed, I don't think you need to-worry about the differential, other-than to ensure the level is OK. Actually, I suspect the entire f & r brakes, and the clutch hydraulics, will need a thorough cleaning and a flush. That includes the clutch slave cylinder, which requires removal of a left-rear engine side cover, to access the two screws attaching the clutch slave cylinder to the engine case. Be very careful in attempting to-remove those screws! It will be difficult to have to deal with that if you bugger the heads.

Brake fluid probably has badly crystallized in the calipers, and the master cylinders, and maybe the clutch slave cylinder. Do the brakes even-work? I doubt it, if the bike has been dormant for nearly 25 years. Same for the hydraulic clutch, it's probably inoperable. I'd start by removing and disassembling the master cylinders, removing the oxidation/crystallization you find, and flushing the systems thoroughly, For the brakes, you may need (probably-need) to also disassemble them, removing the oxidation/crystallization you find, and flushing the systems thoroughly.

The carbs need to-be removed, disassembled, cleaned, and installed. They need to-be tuned, including synch'ing. The gas tank probably needs to be removed and thoroughly-cleaned. Cleaning the carburetors, and hooking them to a rusty, gummed-up gas tank, is a waste of money and time.

If you can do this work yourself, and you wish to keep the bike, have at-it. If you don't know how to do the work, you're probably looking at $2,000 US in parts and labor for what I've described, including new tires, at a shop, where you authorize all that work, and probably have to leave a partial deposit. Those old tires are very-dangerous for a bike with 15 RWHP, much-less one with 115 RWHP! Other than rolling it around, I wouldn't use the tires for anything under-power. You could easily dump the bike if you tried to use it! However, if you do decide to sell it, leave those rim-protectors on-there! Repeat after me: "originality, originality."

This thread may help you to understand what is involved in what you're facing.
Hi Thanks for the reply
the carbs have been done also changed the slides and needles
all oils and filters have been changed
fuel tank cleaned
new spark plugs are going in next week
clutch works perfect
yes tyres are deffo going in the bin. The bike runs fine gonna get the carbs set up and new front fork seals done at a shop near where i live.
I wont be riding this bike going to sell it once it has been fixed up and working perfect I've done quiet a lot already the bike looked really bad but its now coming along.
 
I don't know your U.K. market for VMaxes, but stateside, I'd say that's probably a $5,000, maybe a $6,000 bike, if it needs-nothing, with that low miles. I suspect the market is probably higher than that where you are.

If you got back those slides and needles you could probably sell 'em. Normally, the throttle slides would last the life of the bike, it's their diaphragms which may deteriorate with time.
 
I don't know your U.K. market for VMaxes, but stateside, I'd say that's probably a $5,000, maybe a $6,000 bike, if it needs-nothing, with that low miles. I suspect the market is probably higher than that where you are.

If you got back those slides and needles you could probably sell 'em. Normally, the throttle slides would last the life of the bike, it's their diaphragms which may deteriorate with time.
can you ask the collector if he wants to buy it ?
 
As a '93, there's nothing "collectable" about it.

It is a very nice low mileage bike though, so in that regard you can get top dollar for it as FireMedic said. But that's all you're going to get.

In my humble opinion, there are only 5 "collectable" Vmax motorcycles:
  • A mint condition 1985 (first year they were made)
  • A mint condition 2005 (the 20th anniversary edition)
  • A mint condition 2007 (the last year of the Gen 1)
  • A mint condition 2009 (the first year of Gen 2)
  • A mint condition 2020 years from now (the last of the Gen 2)
 
As a '93, there's nothing "collectable" about it.

It is a very nice low mileage bike though, so in that regard you can get top dollar for it as FireMedic said. But that's all you're going to get.

In my humble opinion, there are only 5 "collectable" Vmax motorcycles:
  • A mint condition 1985 (first year they were made)
  • A mint condition 2005 (the 20th anniversary edition)
  • A mint condition 2007 (the last year of the Gen 1)
  • A mint condition 2009 (the first year of Gen 2)
  • A mint condition 2020 years from now (the last of the Gen 2)
thanks for the reply im only doing this bike as it was my dads so its not really a money thing
 
To the right person, it's collectable. Because of its low miles, and preferably, completely-original, or as-original as it can-be. It's a 'muscle-bike,' the one which out-lasted all the others: Magna, Eliminator, Madura, Mothra. 😉

In its favor, it has the later-model digital ignition, larger forks, better brakes; all good things for someone who's gonna ride it. If it's gonna sit in a static collection, next-to a banner or advertisement of Jay Gleason using it, those things aren't so-important. Parminio's list has merit for being the first/last/anniversary models. I posit that the lowest-miles bike is a good choice, because of that one thing alone. Picking-up a set of tins for a re-paint in the OEM shade is easy to-do, or just re-do the yellow ones to the OEM blue.

If we were speaking of a 1961 Ford Falcon 4 dr. with a 170 cu. inch engine and 'three-on-the tree,' which had 700 miles on it, yes, it's unusual for the low miles, but not a model to make your heart beat-faster. Now if it was a Ford Galaxie 500 convertible with a 406 and dual-4 bbl, with a 4-speed Borg-Warner, and positraction, with 800 miles, now we're talkin'!

Performance and a low-miles example is always attractive. Winching it on and off an enclosed trailer and accumulating miles on the odometer from pushing it into a display setting, and not running, is for Aston Martin Zagatos, Ferrari 166 Barchetta's, Alfa Romeo B.A.T.'s, BMW 507's, Toyota 2000GT's, and the like. I want to hear the VMax!

Maybe swap-out that yellow faux tank cover and fenders for something in this style:
VMax Mad Max tank art.jpg
😁😁😁😆😆😆🤣🤣🤣😜😜😜
 
thats pretty sick or do this which if i keep it i will
 

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you say oem but is that the same as the euro model?
I think there may be some power restriction on the European models, in some countries, and in Japan too. It is a made for the USA market bike. What does your steering head decal say? The market for-which it was built to conform to that country's regulations should be shown there. You may have an import, though if your dad bought it new, I suspect that it's a U.K. market bike, unless he went across the Channel to buy it in Germany or somewhere.

While that nitrocycles bike is a cool-looking build, and that bike is yours to modify however you wish, it's only original once. Since you're apparently almost-there in finishing a re-commissioning, I believe you call-it, leave that stock, and look for the customer who wants an unmolested example having very-low miles, with the better ignition, suspension, and brakes. Maximize your profit, and then buy something which isn't a near museum piece in terms of mileage and wear. Modify that. Unless you're a fabricator, making that bike in parts and labor will cost more-than you pay for it, assuming you sell yours, and buy another. That's on a stock engine. A fully-built 1500+ cc engine can be $10,000+ depending upon specs.

VMax 1508 cc big valves.jpgVMax 1508 cc cams-Suzuki followers.jpgVMax 1508 cc cyl bores.jpgVMax 1508 cc disassembled.jpgVMax 1508 cc pistons.2.jpg
 
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In my humble opinion, there are only 5 "collectable" Vmax motorcycles:

  • A mint condition 2007 (the last year of the Gen 1)
  • A mint condition 2009 (the first year of Gen 2)

hmmmm.....I think I know someone with both of those bikes, LOL. Mine arent low mileage. Well, the Gen 2 has 7100 on it. Arent really mint either. Some minor scratches that were on the bikes when I got them. But in excellent condition overall.
 
hmmmm.....I think I know someone with both of those bikes, LOL. Mine arent low mileage. Well, the Gen 2 has 7100 on it. Arent really mint either. Some minor scratches that were on the bikes when I got them. But in excellent condition overall.
My 2007 has just passed 15,000 miles. It has only one mark on it.

20201118_114418.jpg

That's where my boot rubs up against it when I hit the rear brake.
 
Leave it as it is but replace or straighten out the gear lever, looks bent to me. Maybe ditch the engine bars.
That is unreal mileage and I envy your bright red handle bar buttons!!! they tend to fade BADLY.

Value, should be easy £ 5,000 + not sure about the tank though but its personal taste.
BTW since 2000 tyres should have mark to indicate age: week/year of manufacture.

And another to the collectible list is 60th anniversary Vmax

1605803736853.png

PS I was looking at your location, England hmmmmm ... that's a bit vague then I looked at mine, even vaguer!!!
 
PS I was looking at your location, England hmmmmm ... that's a bit vague then I looked at mine, even vaguer!!!

Could be worse.

If you put Birmingham, we'd think you were in Alabama. If you put Cambridge, we'd think you were in Massachusetts.

The list goes on. Don't blame us. You did it.
 
Hi All
This is my first post so please go easy on me. I have a 1993 vmax 1200 and I have been told it was a show bike or a magazine bike.
The bike was my dads brand new and has not been used since 1997 it has only done 690 miles from new. I am restoring it but need some help.
Does any body know or has seen this bike at a show or magazine, its along shot but I thought I would try .It has been airbrushed by kinetic arts? I don't know who they are and have looked online but I cant find anything.
+1 on 02GF74's shift lever comment, show bike showing a little normal/incidental wear.
Somebody took it for a Vboost blast.
 

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