1st Gen V-Max 86 Vmax

[MDRanger]

VMax Year

1986

Finally pulled the trigger on a Vmax 2 weeks ago. Fully stock 1986, black and chrome, with almost exactly 22k miles. Bike seemed to be in excellent condition and well cared for. New tires, head gaskets, fuel pump, throttle cables, and the carbs were cleaned and kitted. Didn't get on it except one time during my test ride, but seemed quick. I'm coming off a 2011 limited edition M109R, so I'm used to the pull of the 1800. Anyway, after a couple of days I noticed that it was idling just a little high. Before I go any further, I have scoured this forum and soaked up everything I read there is a TON of knowledge on here and I sure do appreciate it!!!! Back to the high idle...I adjusted it like I learned from this site and I'm still having problems. Can't get it to stay set! I ride every day it isn't raining and every single time I start to ride I have to adjust the idle (even during my ride I'll pull into a parking lot and have to adjust it again). It's getting old. Can't think of the name of the procedure I did, but it was having a problem with hot starting so I ran the + and ground wires from the R/R up to the battery and it seems to have fixed that. In a nutshell, the bike just doesn't seem that powerful to me. I am sure that it needs the carbs synced since it just got out of the shop from getting all the new stuff, so I ordered a Morgan Carbtune Pro and it arrived today. I'm sure hoping that when I sync those carbs tomorrow that it runs like I've always heard they do!!!! If it doesn't I'll be on here asking for help!! Glad to have the Vmax!!

 

[Fire-medic]

You definitely will know when it's running right. Mid to low 11's for an average rider, and high 10's for someone with track experience, for a stock bike. One of my friends has had 2 M109R's and they have a lot of torque, but a properly-sorted Gen. 1 VMax will easily dispatch one. Between synching and having the proper amount of slack in the dual cables, and no pinches of the throttle sleeves, causing the throttle to hang-up, I think your bike should idle. Check the cable routing, it's in the shop manual, look in the carburetor section (chapter 5) and then in the back of the manual (chapter 8 p.24). VMX12- Service-Manual.pdf (vmoa.net) Be sure to save this link, and print out a copy and place it into a loose-leaf notebook. The first part of the manual has many supplement updates for multiple years, before the meat & potatoes. They are denoted by a letter suffix after VMX-12___ .

 

[desert_max]

I had a good buddy with an M109. As @Fire-medic says, he was "easily dispatched" with my well-sorted 94.

 

[Parminio]

My '07 bone stock could easily smoke a 109...except for one.

There was a guy I rode with long ago named Chad. He had spent a TON of money on his 109R. That thing dyno'd at 155 RWHP. It was an unbelievable bike. We used to joke at him though how often it was in the shop. He was always doing something to it. Air suspension, paint, cams, you name it. It had it all. It was a badass bike.

 

[MDRanger]

Finally pulled the trigger on a Vmax 2 weeks ago. Fully stock 1986, black and chrome, with almost exactly 22k miles. Bike seemed to be in excellent condition and well cared for. New tires, head gaskets, fuel pump, throttle cables, and the carbs were cleaned and kitted. Didn't get on it except one time during my test ride, but seemed quick. I'm coming off a 2011 limited edition M109R, so I'm used to the pull of the 1800. Anyway, after a couple of days I noticed that it was idling just a little high. Before I go any further, I have scoured this forum and soaked up everything I read there is a TON of knowledge on here and I sure do appreciate it!!!! Back to the high idle...I adjusted it like I learned from this site and I'm still having problems. Can't get it to stay set! I ride every day it isn't raining and every single time I start to ride I have to adjust the idle (even during my ride I'll pull into a parking lot and have to adjust it again). It's getting old. Can't think of the name of the procedure I did, but it was having a problem with hot starting so I ran the + and ground wires from the R/R up to the battery and it seems to have fixed that. In a nutshell, the bike just doesn't seem that powerful to me. I am sure that it needs the carbs synced since it just got out of the shop from getting all the new stuff, so I ordered a Morgan Carbtune Pro and it arrived today. I'm sure hoping that when I sync those carbs tomorrow that it runs like I've always heard they do!!!! If it doesn't I'll be on here asking for help!! Glad to have the Vmax!!

 

[MDRanger]

Yeah I know they'll put it on a 109, just don't think mine will right now. Synced the carbs, they were way off! Got them all lined out like they should be and bike ran a lot stronger. But unfortunately I noticed that a couple of my carbs weren't all the way down in the boot (carb to intake) and I couldn't get them to stay. So I guess I need to take them out, level them up, then reinstall?? Then I figure I'll need to do another sync too. Boots look fine, the carb rack just isn't level I think?? And I've never done anything like that, but gonna have to learn!

 

[MDRanger]

You definitely will know when it's running right. Mid to low 11's for an average rider, and high 10's for someone with track experience, for a stock bike. One of my friends has had 2 M109R's and they have a lot of torque, but a properly-sorted Gen. 1 VMax will easily dispatch one. Between synching and having the proper amount of slack in the dual cables, and no pinches of the throttle sleeves, causing the throttle to hang-up, I think your bike should idle. Check the cable routing, it's in the shop manual, look in the carburetor section (chapter 5) and then in the back of the manual (chapter 8 p.24). VMX12- Service-Manual.pdf (vmoa.net) Be sure to save this link, and print out a copy and place it into a loose-leaf notebook. The first part of the manual has many supplement updates for multiple years, before the meat & potatoes. They are denoted by a letter suffix after VMX-12___ .

I really appreciate the link. I downloaded it, just need to get it printed off now. It'll be very useful!

 

[Rollie]

Stock 109s are not a problem for a stock VMax. You get into modding either one and the sky is the limit...

 

[MDRanger]

You definitely will know when it's running right. Mid to low 11's for an average rider, and high 10's for someone with track experience, for a stock bike. One of my friends has had 2 M109R's and they have a lot of torque, but a properly-sorted Gen. 1 VMax will easily dispatch one. Between synching and having the proper amount of slack in the dual cables, and no pinches of the throttle sleeves, causing the throttle to hang-up, I think your bike should idle. Check the cable routing, it's in the shop manual, look in the carburetor section (chapter 5) and then in the back of the manual (chapter 8 p.24). VMX12- Service-Manual.pdf (vmoa.net) Be sure to save this link, and print out a copy and place it into a loose-leaf notebook. The first part of the manual has many supplement updates for multiple years, before the meat & potatoes. They are denoted by a letter suffix after VMX-12___ .

It's running right! Come to find out all 4 carbs weren't seated! I realized that when I went to sync them. I went ahead and synced them and it did run better, but it was obviously not anywhere near right. I scheduled to take it back to the shop who had done the work on it right before I bought it, but got to thinking. He obviously didn't seat the carbs the first time, what if he doesn't again...I read everything I could on here and decided that I was going to give it a try. I had to work at it, but all of them popped in! I synced them again and installed a new battery (Odyssey PC680) and it is running like a scalded dog!

 

[Fire-medic]

From another thread, applicable here:

Feb 3, 2021

• Add bookmark
• #11,874

I'm glad that you got to the bottom of it, and were able to make it run properly.

Using starting fluid sprayed on the boots is my usual check for seal integrity. Last time it worked for me, it was an intake manifold O-ring which was bad. The spraying of intake system parts, where an increase in RPM happens, quickly and easily reveals the problem.

Just because you found one, don't stop there. There could be multiple parts gone-bad: keep spraying.

Your rubber donuts needing a grind/cut w/a Dremel suggests to me your donuts are old, and dried-out. As a no-cost fix, grinding the inside diameters of the donuts is admirable, to permit a deeper-seating, but if it was a keeper instead of a flip, I'd probably be buying new donuts. I have a jar of Vaseline I use for assembly lube. It goes on the inside of the donuts, if I have a stiff set, just a thin skim, no-need to use gobs. I use it for gaskets, to hold 'em in-place, for final assembly. Again, a thin layer is sufficient to hold the gasket, even when mounting a piece in a vertical orientation.

I always check the carb castings to ensure that the donuts are properly-seated. It's easy to fail to recognize the carb rack isn't fully seated if you're in a hurry.

(2) Pods? New air box? | Page 2 | Yamaha Star V-Max VMAX Motorcycle Discussion Forum (vmaxforum.net) See my post #32. "Sit on-it, Potsie!" My Happy Days solution for fully-seating an airbox.

 

[MDRanger]

From another thread, applicable here:

Feb 3, 2021

• Add bookmark
• #11,874

I'm glad that you got to the bottom of it, and were able to make it run properly.

Using starting fluid sprayed on the boots is my usual check for seal integrity. Last time it worked for me, it was an intake manifold O-ring which was bad. The spraying of intake system parts, where an increase in RPM happens, quickly and easily reveals the problem.

Just because you found one, don't stop there. There could be multiple parts gone-bad: keep spraying.

Your rubber donuts needing a grind/cut w/a Dremel suggests to me your donuts are old, and dried-out. As a no-cost fix, grinding the inside diameters of the donuts is admirable, to permit a deeper-seating, but if it was a keeper instead of a flip, I'd probably be buying new donuts. I have a jar of Vaseline I use for assembly lube. It goes on the inside of the donuts, if I have a stiff set, just a thin skim, no-need to use gobs. I use it for gaskets, to hold 'em in-place, for final assembly. Again, a thin layer is sufficient to hold the gasket, even when mounting a piece in a vertical orientation.

I always check the carb castings to ensure that the donuts are properly-seated. It's easy to fail to recognize the carb rack isn't fully seated if you're in a hurry.

(2) Pods? New air box? | Page 2 | Yamaha Star V-Max VMAX Motorcycle Discussion Forum (vmaxforum.net) See my post #32. "Sit on-it, Potsie!" My Happy Days solution for fully-seating an airbox.

I bought some starting fluid and will check everything tomorrow...just in case. I also ordered some K&L boots just in case I couldn't get the current ones seated. I rode for an hour this evening and everything checked out OK when I got back from riding. I'll keep an eye on those boots though, and if those carbs do pop out I have brand new ones to put on. Thanks for all your insight, it's much appreciated.

 

[Fire-medic]

if those carbs do pop out I have brand new ones

I've never heard of fully-seated VMax carburetors coming out of their carburetor rack to VBoost manifold rubber 'boots,' but I suppose there's always a possibility. Just be very, very careful when you're using any kind of leverage on a carburetor body. The alloy used is not-strong! You could easily break/collapse the carburetor body!

 

[MDRanger]

I've never heard of fully-seated VMax carburetors coming out of their carburetor rack to VBoost manifold rubber 'boots,' but I suppose there's always a possibility. Just be very, very careful when you're using any kind of leverage on a carburetor body. The alloy used is not-strong! You could easily break/collapse the carburetor body!

I was very careful, didn't even want to attempt it to be honest, but wound up going for it. The carbs weren't actually seated. They were down in the boot, and the clamps were tight, but that's it. The shop that worked on it just thought they were in properly. Me, never having a carbed bike before just by looking at them thought they looked "right". But, not a one of them was seated properly and that's why it was running so bad.