I want to put my Max on a diet

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Shoria battery, light weight wheels, titanium fasteners. Single disc front brake, c.o.p.'s. titanium axles. You already did the most for the least.
 
Too-bad the YMC (Yamaha Motor Corp.) never decided to do an upgrade like sportbike manufacturers were doing about the same time the VMax was released. I think Kawasaki was the 1st to offer an aluminum frame on their 600 sportbike in 1986, you could still buy the steel-framed bike @ the same time, but like Ducati, another same-displacement version was avail. For those who had deeper-pockets & wanted premium wheels, lighter bodywork, better suspension (Ducati's "SP" line) & etc, all for a healthy bump-upwards in price. W/some parts-bin engineering, a few well-chosen new pieces like an aluminum frame, & using existing tooling and ingenuity YMC could have had two markets-the stock, less-expensive route, and a premium brand for the $$$-up enthusiast who wants something better, more-exclusive, and better-performing.

Just by cutting weight by 20% and going to fuel injection you would have a very real, noticeable difference in performance, less maintenance, and a new revenue stream for those willing to speak w/their cash. 500 lbs. fully-fueled & 135 h.p.instead of the rear-wheel 110-115 h.p. of the stocker would make a big difference. After all, Kawasaki had digital fuel injection for their GPZ1100 years before the VMax was released, I think one of their KZ 1000's also was fuel-injected, the shaft-drive touring-oriented one before the liquid-cooled 900's & 1000's. And there was precedent @ about the same time in Yamaha's sports bikes. The FZ750 was upstaged by the FZR 750 w/it's aluminum frame instead of the FZ's steel, & the FZR was lighter & came w/a 6-speed gearbox, lighter hollow Marvic-copy aluminum wheels, better aeros & suspension (Ohlins!), etc as it was designed to be a basis for their Superbike AMA racer.

A bike like that premium-design VMax would probably have been capable of running mid/high 10's in the 1/4 mi. & w/o Jay Gleason behind the handlebars.

Well, it didn't happen, and this has been discussed before, but a guy can dream, right?
sophia_vergara_maxim_july_2008_main.0.0.0x0.365x357.jpg
 
most times, the easiest way is on the rider :)
 
Take the engine out and put it in a Honda XR250 frame...:punk:...how come no one else thought of this first...? :confused2:
 
I've lost 27 pounds, helps the bikes a lot....:rofl_200:Getting harder to put on the centerstand though.:bang head:
 
Go on a diet, start hitting the gym. You feel better and your bike goes faster.
Everyone seems to forget about the rider's weight.

Lighter wheels would offer the biggest perceived benefit. Shaving a pound or two here and there you'd never notice seat of pants, but the rotating weight of wheels has a lot bigger effect on handling and overall responsiveness.

If you have the stock muffler, ditching it will lose a good 20-25lbs, that thing is a brick.

A Li-Ion battery can save like 9-10lbs over a lead acid one.

Beyond that you're splitting hairs. Getting lightweight blinkers is not going to improve your bikes handling in any perceptible way. Pulling off body panels ruins the style and character of your bike for virtually no benefit at all. I'd enjoy the bike for what it is (badass), not for what it isn't (a sportbike).
 
go on a diet, start hitting the gym. You feel better and your bike goes faster.
Everyone seems to forget about the rider's weight.

Lighter wheels would offer the biggest perceived benefit. Shaving a pound or two here and there you'd never notice seat of pants, but the rotating weight of wheels has a lot bigger effect on handling and overall responsiveness.

If you have the stock muffler, ditching it will lose a good 20-25lbs, that thing is a brick.

A li-ion battery can save like 9-10lbs over a lead acid one.

Beyond that you're splitting hairs. Getting lightweight blinkers is not going to improve your bikes handling in any perceptible way. Pulling off body panels ruins the style and character of your bike for virtually no benefit at all. I'd enjoy the bike for what it is (badass), not for what it isn't (a sportbike).
+1
 
I lost a lot of weight and could def feel the difference in acceleration. Over the winter I would like to do exhaust and a L-Ion type battery. I figure another -30 pounds or so would be just the ticket. Now if I could just afford some Carrozeria wheels :)
 

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