Max Long

[rdbul]

After finishing and enjoying the work I did on my GS, I started thinking about doing another bike. I wanted a cool engine in a roller and I'd go from there. Though I like the classic american style, its been done, and done, and done. A guy I work with suggested a VMax and after a little research on the bike I started hunting for one. Most offerings were either too much or too much. My search took me to Cycle Trader, ,where I found one that was perfect rotting in Arkansas, some emails later I has it picked up and delivered.

Now, the bike was in decent shape and after a little shotgun action it ran ok. It had a brand new rear tire, that cool looking 4-to-4 exhaust, stage 7 jet. Now the front end on this thing scared the crap out of me so I figured I'd start with my mods there. I found an American Suspension B-17 front end on ebay that had been used for a mock up only and snatched it. Concerned about the single disk, I bought another wrecked one and stole the caliper. A handful of pricey factory parts to aid the transition and I had a very custom dual disk, USD, 63mm, hidden axle and caliper fork.

With some help from a very good friend, who is an excellent welder, and a weekend at his shop. we birthed this long Max. I dialed it to 39 degrees in the neck, with 3 in the trees, for 42 degrees overall rake. The wheel is a 21" contrast cut beauty from Southern Motor Works, the rotors are from Wilwood clamped by EBC pads. It has no problem stopping, but solid mounted calipers are definitely not as nice as floaters. A local machine shop helped a lot with spacers and machining on the wheel's hub. Standard Wide Glide my ass!

 

[Rollie]

I'm liking this a lot. Please keep us posted on your progress.

What was that fork designed for originally ?

Are you planning on strengthening the swingarm and frame ?

unk:

 

[rdbul]

Now the motor had lost compression on the front left cylinder before i tore it down, so I went in to see WTF was going onin there. Still not 100% sure what happened but I suspect carbon on the valve was the culprit. Anyways, I got to go through it and see what I bought. Scratched a rod bearing trying to push a piston out. Mr Morley helped me to get that sorted out via email. With some help from my apprentice daughter we set her up with new gaskets, valve seals, ect.

The original paint on the engine was in bad shape and, mine being an 89', had that horrible gold crud on it. I stripped it down and repainted with VHT. The side covers got sanded and polished. I also polished the fins on the engine and head covers. Dipped and painted the carbs. I also reworked the orange radiator reflects by fabricating aluminum inserts and put some round led marker/ turn signals into them.

Buttoned her all back up and BANG! back on the street to test my geometry. It was solid with no head shake or flex up front now, but the factory bars and controls just weren't up to the task of handling that beefy fork.

 

[rdbul]

So now I'm into the bars. I went with a set of Biker's Choice 1.25" bars with 6" rise to keep me from leaning forward. Since the only way to get what I wanted was to go with 1" ends I was stuck figuring out how to make the max stuff work.

I was able to bore out the stock switches with my drill press and refit the innards (all except the fuel reserve switch which is now a toggle mounted in the underside of the right scoop). The master cylinders are off a 14' Harley Ultra Glide that some meathead had taken off before it left the stealership and changed to chrome. Stole those off an ebay auction also. The throttle is from Joker Machine, grips are Arlen Ness, and mirrors are Performance Machine. The stainless throttle cables are +6" motion pros for a Harley that I remade the ends on with some direction from the guru's at Flanders Cables. The Stainless Steel lines were custom made by my buddy at Royal Brass and Hose, including a new stainless hard line on the clutch. The brake manifold in front of the pods works with a pressure switch to turn on the brake lights. I fabricated a mount for the Koso digital hall effect speedometer from a 1.25" thick billet of aluminum which is drilled and tapped into the bars.

Not bar related but by the way: My headlight is a 5 3/4" bullet and charging is handled by an electrosport stator paired with a SH-775 Shunt style RR. I have also done the taillight mod. Love the blink on brake and sequential turn signal thing. I put a couple other led strips on it to raise the profile visibility at night.

Now it feels absolutely awesome. The high and wide bars make manipulating the long heavy front end easy and the grips are thick and comfortable.

 

[rdbul]

Here is how she sits now. I'm about to begin working on the seat and shortly after a different gas tank, but I'm pretty damn proud of it right now! I'm certain people have made choppers out of these bikes before, but I never found a picture of one I really liked. The bike is solid cool and its great fun destroying by buddy on his 110" screaming eagle $45,000 Harley when we go riding.

I hope it doesn't offend any Max purists here, its just what I like. Hopefully someone here agrees....

 

[Fire-medic]

A Yamaharley for the Heartland (in this case the Heartland of I-4). Yamaha running gear, styled like a VTwin. Different, I like it. The 'Frisco Chopper rides again. Looks like a David Mann ride, if some 'scooter tramp' was on it.

 

[Rollie]

I like it. Thought about a Pro Street version similar to this very nice looking VHDMax . Great work. unk:

 

[marsmax85]

nice work !!

 

[rdbul]

Thanks guys!

Rollie: The fork is designed for a Harley. This one is "+4" or 4 inches over stock, 36" total from the bottom of the top tree to the axle center. It is also what Boss Hoss uses on their V8 bikes. Very stout.

I would like to do some frame support. I think I will brace the swingarm, relocate the caliper, and do something different with the rear wheel eventually. The wife is a little hot about the money and time I've spent on it recently so need to let her cool off for a minute.