I'm about to throw in the towel :(

[MaxMidnight]

Never
Never said gen1 is garbage bone stock low km is good someone else’s mods generally suck and a gen 2 is the shit!

Thanks for pointing out that my mods suck - you considered opinion is gratefully received.

Oh sorry, that is how it looked when I bought it....

This is it with the sucking mods.

 

[Coastal Grey]

Easy there Tiger
You know what the context of this conversation is
If you want to mod out your bike no issue with me.
Me personally I would not buy your modded out bike especially if it was power mods again just me
I love to tinker and play as much as the next guy or girl my preference is always bone stock in my experience far less headaches and if for some reason I do suffer from the mod monkey I will spend the money to do it
I wasn’t slagging your bike or anyone else’s modded bike just would trade hard earned paper( plastic in Canada) for it

All good brother.. rubber down!

 

[Parminio]

gen1 ... someone else’s mods generally suck

Buy a bone stock Gen2 save yourself the grief of someone else’s imagination

Buy a Gen 2 all problems are solved

Gen2 all the way

Gen2
Awesome bike fits all the categories for me road wise
MUST BE RESPECTED!!!!

Why is this even an argument if you got the money a gen 2 is by far fully the better bike even if you spend a wheelbarrow of money on a gen 1 to make it”better” lip stick on a pig it still will not even come close to a gen 2

Like I said, we're well aware of your single minded opinion.

 

[Fire-medic]

Ok that sounds like an offer to de-escalate (CoastalGrey's post #62). I like the appearance of MaxMidnight's bike, and I'm sure it works better than OEM. Let's see if we can leave this in the past.

Paul Civitello, he of Mad Max VMax chain-drive modifications, said that he considered just a chain-drive conversion on an otherwise stock bike to be a very effective way to achieve a very-significant bump in performance, especially at the strip. Here's the 1988 Cycle World article about his build: Mad Max | Cycle World | AUGUST 1988

Because these bikes have a reputation from their introduction of being the baddest stock bike on the streets, and coupled with the American tradition of hot-rodding, people are naturally drawn to making modifications to be faster/quicker than their buddies. Or, the competition.

I see nothing wrong with leaving a bike primarily stock, nor do I see fault in hairy, wild builds ('Toxic,' anyone? That one made it into a factory media commercial!) to satisfy an owner. Choose your path, and if you wish to contribute your experiences on-here, we can all share in the knowledge.

 

[Parminio]

Well, coming to a Vmax forum shitting all over more than half the Vmax owners on the site probably isn't a very good idea, one would think.

He does it every time: shits all over the Gen 1 then pretends he didn't shit all over the Gen 1.

 

[Fire-medic]

Well, who knows, maybe he will decide to try a different tack? I would enjoy a Gen 2 and if I liquidated all my stable, I could afford one, but I haven't taken that step yet. I still like a Gen 1, from my near 30 years of ownership of multiple bikes. To me, it (the Gen 1) represents an iconic model in the history of powerful bikes, parts are still available, and fairly reasonable. If you can deal with whatever happens to it in use, you should be well-rewarded. I especially like being able to surprise owners of much-newer bikes, with its performance.

 

[ouchez]

Almost 20 years ago I road my Vmax 2-up(wife) from Miami to Alaska. Total trip including visits to national parks was 14000 miles. So the Vmax served as a tourer without a problem. I must add that we were much younger at about 50 hrs old.

She must have really loved U!

 

[Parminio]

She must have really loved U!

My wife gave me a blank check and told me to buy whatever bike I wanted. I went in to Mountain Motorsports and bought the Vmax for $9,500.00 in the crate. Took them a week to put it together and deliver it to me.

 

[DreamV4]

Oh sorry, that is how it looked when I bought it....

This is it with the mods.

View attachment 80777

Lower bike looks much better... I guess about $2000 better.

 

[Maxrdr]

I’ve only been a member for about 2 months and read a lot of posts but never comment. Reading gen 1 vs gen 2 made me wanna add my 2 cents….
I ride with friends on harleys, a roadstar warrior, Ducati diaval, hayabusa, gsxr1000, gen2 max and a few touring bikes. All very cool in their own way but nothing I’d care to own. Other than the gen2 max. (My next purchase)
I’ve personally owned a gpz1100 when I was younger and 3 gen1 vmaxs, 2 essentially stock and my current one modified. I don’t think there is a more bad ass bike!!! Gen 1 or 2!!!
When we goto bike shows, or stop for fuel the early vmax (even stock), gets most of the attention! Even more then the gen 2 max. It’s the one one everyone remembers as it was made so many years.
The gen 1… 22 years, etched the vmax in stone as arguably one of the most iconic motorcycles of all time.
As far as leaving a bike stock… if the mods are done correctly, you won’t have problems. Mines a big bore , chain drive and lots of other stuff… other then a bit of chain maintenance… no problems at all.
All that said, the V-Max , gen 1 or 2 is the shit !

 

[user 16790]

personally I'm not interested in being faster than anybody else, my bike gives me an adrenaline rush and that's all I need,
but, it's not always what the bike is capable of, it's what YOU are capable of

 

[Equanish]

OK, I suggest removing the windshield. Try it 'naked.' See if it's any better.

You're talking about 134 mph there, and the factory USA model top speed is usually quoted as 149 mph. You are at the 90% range of the bike's ultimate performance. Frankly, with its upright seating position, those speeds are going to present an issue. If you really want to see how a VMax can handle, get a 17" or 18" rear wheel/radial tire, and a front radial tire, and see how different the handling is, especially at those speeds. Couple it with more rear-set pegs/controls, and a lower handlebar, and being in the crouch should significantly improve your aero profile, and benefit your handling. None of this is cheap, but it's one way to have a better-handling bike.

I put a 2 inch lower seat E=MC2 shocks new bearing in the head lighter T-Cat wheel up front (fender mod), XJS 900 wheel in rear(17mm spindle) Commander 3's, took it out for a blast under the High 5 in North Dallas and immediately got the feeling a tank slapper was coming on but later I realize my preload in the rear was too much. Thank you Dave Moss, set the static sag correctly, then try that stuff.

 

[Equanish]

Probably same reason why the news does not report road deaths in India, which is significantly higher than UK.

If you recall Not the nine o clock use where Pamela Stephenson read the news, " today there was a plane crash in Bolivia. 65 people died but none of them were British"

Basically we are more interested what's happening on our doorstep, a jack knifed lorry at junction 4 of m25 closing two lanes is more relevant than whether Herr Schwatzmann in an audi rs4 stuffed himself and family into a bridge.


View attachment 80712

So the Hiway is safer just like they said in school.

 

[Equanish]

First of all, don't ride fast, you'll die, wobble or not.
Wobble reasons:
bad tire/pressure(bubble) (front/rear)
wheel bearings fr/rr
wheel balance fr/rr
steering bearings/adjustment
bad forks/low fluid level
loose engine holding bolts (?)
worn out control arm bearings

Brand new Commander 3's, lighter 17 Yammie Mag rims, good fluid level in rebuild forks, new steer bearing, still got the wiggle on hard acceleration even sitting 2 inches lower and 200 lbs.