Help me make my NEW Vmax better...

[judesdead]

... if possible, hehe :eusa_dance: I did it. I went and bought a new 2011 vmax. I love it so much. I wish never had to get off of it. I cant (sarcasm) believe the attention I get from this beast. I cant go anywhere or stop at a light without being asked questions or coming back to it with people standing around it. Anyway, Im pretty satisfied with everything except for the exhaust. It doesnt look or sound as mean as it is and that kind of bothers me. I posted a few weeks back about my 06 max and the fact that I know nothing about motorcycles other than how to ride them. Hopefully Mr. Morley reads this as I hear he's one of the best. Please remember, Im a novice. Dont go all super motorhead on me. I dont understand some of the stuff you guys go on about. :ummm:

1. Exhaust. I kinda like the look of two separated pipes on either side. Sort of like UFOs quadzillas for the gen 1. Im not sold on that style of exhaust but so far I like that look the best. Also, if I was to swap exhaust, is the stock exhaust worth anything? Could I sell it to offset some of the cost? I dont want anything super loud. I kind of like how quiet it is in idle but it sounds like a remote control car trying to flex when I hit the throttle.

2. Besides major engine work, what can I do to create more power?

2. Suggestions on how to improve anything that you think might need it, handling, suspension, brakes, anything.

3. Where should I take my bike to get work done on it? I live in Long Beach Ca.

4. Is there anything not mentioned in the owners manual for engine break in that I should know about?

5. Is 91 octane really necessary? Will different grades affect anything? Please let me know the pros and cons.

7. This might sound dumb but given how rare the new ones are and how colors are specific to year, whats your take on changing the color? Id like to hear some opinions on this one.

8. How many gen 2s have been made for each year? Are there any numbers posted somewhere?

I thought I had more but I cant think of anything else. Thanks ahead of time guys, I really appreciate what this site offers someone like me who doesn't understand a lot of whats going on underneath me.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Heres what you want...

http://youtu.be/ThSTVgMeV5A

http://youtu.be/MrItpDBG_RE

Someone embed this shit... Im loosing my patience...

 

[MaxMidnight]

Re #4 have a read of this and this.

Re #2 - do #4 properly!

 

[jbretthorton]

All of these suggestions are purley my opinion

1. 4-2 Akrapovic, Vance & Hines CS2, 4-1 would be Brocks
2. Remove the Cat, New Exhaust (Above) PCV, But biggest improvement would be Tim Nashes Reflash!!!
2b. Not much to improve on handleling, At best change Brake lines to Stainless (See Capt. Kyle)
3. No idea
4. Break it in like you are gunna ride it. Don't baby it
5. I only run high grade in mine, but lower octane works for some and actually makes a tad bit more HP. But I am not gunna change....
7. What ever floats your boat
8. @2300 2009-2011 total in the US, Most where 2009's, less and less as they get newer.

 

[one2dmax]

We've just begun starting to sell a few products for these bikes (Power Commanders, handlebars, Chrome, Misc) and don't have a ton of experience with them yet (The gen 2 that is).

BUT,

1 and 2.) I would consider looking at Darren (DLCrays) midpipe. He's working with Tim Nash to offer a package deal with his reflash but has also got a tune for the PC-V (with individual cylinder mapping that NO Others provide - though I think Tim's flashes are also individual tunes). From what I have seen from the dyno charts and spread sheets I have made from them I think Darrens pipe (not even the most current version) makes almost the same OVERALL power as any of the others! I've got a few pics of his Blue Gen 2 on our facebook and just got some more pics of the exhaust we helped him out with.

Second 2.) The bike does it's job well as is. Don;t be afraid to fiddle with the settings on the shocks and forks. On Darren's bike the factory left the settings a little on the soft side and a few adjustments in Eureka a couple of years ago had it working much better. We also sell Galfer lines/pads if you wanted to upgrade but don't expect to see huge differences.

3.) Work on it yourself when you can. These bikes are rare enough that most dealers have no more experience then you do. In fact you've probably already ridden it more then most dealers put together in Florida have ridden one.

4.) The engine has ceramic liners and comes already "broken in". Regardless of the info seen in the manual it's ready to ride hard right out of the crate. The rings are the only "wearing" surface and you don't "seat in" the bearings so just change the oil a couple of extra times to get the manufacturing debris out as soon as you can. We like to change oil within 20-30 minutes of first startup. Then again after the first 20 mile ride. Then again in 150-200 miles. Finally at 500 miles one more oil change then on to normal intervals.

5.) They advertise this bike as needing premium octane. That's to help prevent detonation under the heaviest loading and heat. Most of the time the bike will actually run cleaner and make more power when lower octane is used. In summer temps I would suggest to stick with the higher octane though.

7.) Paint it to match your desires! Bikes will never hold the collector value like an old musclecar. There aren't many parts that are painted so paint work isn't horrbily expensive but that also depends on the quality of paint used. We can offer all levels and colors and even some dip paint jobs.

I know on the Gen 2 site the guys love the dip work done by Atlanta Hydro, but I can tell you from my experience with them they normally use cheaper paint (even said so on the phone when I had some work done by them). We had some red carbon fiber dip done by them (see the pics on Facebook) and when we finally got to doing the work it ended up being significantly higher priced then quoted because he had to use the better paint to get the effect correct. When we got the parts back they did look great (except parts they couldn't figure out how to dip). BUT, every single place we tried to put a bolt in chipped out far too easily so we had to be careful with them.

We now use a local shop for our dip work (see the grey carbon stuff on our current build for Gannon). So, we can do the many different patterns available - there are a lot of patterns lol!

8.) I have no idea. I am sure not as many as Yamaha would like though! I've also wondered if they didn't make a bunch of them and just label and ship them per the year it's shipped (a simple swap of a body set is the only difference).

Sean Morley

 

[CaptainKyle]

Deffinately take Bretts comments into consideration. Tim Nash is the man for Gen 2 & I can help you out with the brakes.

 

[SpecOps13]

+1 to Brett's credibility. He's been making major progress with his Gen II.
He's running at the Desoto Drag Strip tonight, I am really hoping nothing
comes up to keep me from going.. I'll try to do videos if I get to go...


DAVE

 

[jfeagins]

1)"is your stock exhaust worth anything?"

I'd say it's a real insurance liability to have it just lying around your garage - you never know when someone may trip over it and fall, or if you hang it up, they may bump their head and want to sue.

So, being the nice guy I am, I'd let you send it to me, and I won't charge you a dime for getting rid of it. In fact, I'd be willing to pay the shipping charges on it just to help out a fellow Vmaxer. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:


Oh, and congrats on the new 2011.

 

[jbretthorton]

I sold my stock cat and cans for $550 a few months ago.

 

[mattness]

always run premium in mine. just ride it and enjoy it, but deff get a new exhaust and a nash flash to match