Might be the next vmax owner....

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Hagen

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Hey, I am 17 and looking for a motorcycle. I was interested in Sport Bikes...cause they look fast and have that "oh mah god hes soooo cool" look for my age. After sitting on them and listening to dealers i found them to be quite the uncomfortable and expensive machines. I first saw the vmax a week ago, when walking by it I told my dad i thought it looked pretty tough. After glancing he got a big grin and said it was his dream bike back in the day. Knowing that i passed it up and went running to the sportbikes.

Today we visited the dealer again, i tried a few more sport bikes and looked at prices and kept seeing the vmax out of the corner of my eye. Finally i sat on it and it fit me perfect! I fell in love with it...but as nice as it looked it i figured it was outa my price range. However the sales guy told me it was a used 2005 vmax and they were selling it for 5,500 =).

Before i make this jump id like some questions answered.

How much per month would insurance roughly cost?

Is it a decent bike to learn on? I have some experience but i always respect a machine and its power.

Hows the mpg on them?

I want it screaming...any good affordable exhaust pipes i can throw on for a decent price??? but i want a good sound too...

Im forced to wear one of them full blown sport bike helmets...do they still fit the bike pretty well? i know on a harley you look pretty retarded.

Thanks and sorry if this is in the wrong forum.
 
Hey, I am 17 and looking for a motorcycle. I was interested in Sport Bikes...cause they look fast and have that "oh mah god hes soooo cool" look for my age. After sitting on them and listening to dealers i found them to be quite the uncomfortable and expensive machines. I first saw the vmax a week ago, when walking by it I told my dad i thought it looked pretty tough. After glancing he got a big grin and said it was his dream bike back in the day. Knowing that i passed it up and went running to the sportbikes.

Today we visited the dealer again, i tried a few more sport bikes and looked at prices and kept seeing the vmax out of the corner of my eye. Finally i sat on it and it fit me perfect! I fell in love with it...but as nice as it looked it i figured it was outa my price range. However the sales guy told me it was a used 2005 vmax and they were selling it for 5,500 =).

Before i make this jump id like some questions answered.

How much per month would insurance roughly cost?

Is it a decent bike to learn on? I have some experience but i always respect a machine and its power.

Hows the mpg on them?

I want it screaming...any good affordable exhaust pipes i can throw on for a decent price??? but i want a good sound too...

Im forced to wear one of them full blown sport bike helmets...do they still fit the bike pretty well? i know on a harley you look pretty retarded.

Thanks and sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

I will try and help with this.
First thing I would say is look the bike over really really good. $5500 for a 2005 seems a little low to me. Make sure nothing is wrong with it. If it is all good, never laid down and all that jazz pick it up!!!:rocket bike:

First with the insurance, best thing you can do is call around. Being 17 and a 1200cc machine I cant imagine it is going to be cheap.:surprise: Best be sitting down when you get your quotes

As far as learing on a 600+ lb machine, personally I dont think I would let my son do that. He is 13 now and we have been riding most of his life and I still dont think I will hand over the keys to my '86 when it comes time. With that said the Max isnt as strong as its rep leads people to believe. The modern day sport bikes, even the 600s are just as powerful. It isnt the bike that will hurt you. :stickyman: It is you that will hurt you. :stickyman: Dont let your balls get the best of your brain.:smileystooges:
Take the motorcylce safety course and pay attention to the instructors. Ok, I am getting off my soap box.:icon_rolleyes:

The mpg are between the low to mid 30s. Like anything else this depends on your right wrist. :whistlin:

Do the research on the forum about the different exhausts that are available. Everyone has their own opinion, and you know what is said about opinions right???

Full face helmets are fine on the Max.

Welcome to the site and many happy years of riding!!!
 
Hi Hagen,

I just read your post and spent a bit of time dragging my 17 year old attitude out of the memory vault and fitting it into my fifty something year old head so I could give a you a meaningful answer.

The V-max is a powerful, heavy, and thirsty piece of mechanical muscle that needs to be respected.

Being heavy, it will not handle like a sports bike. Cornering will be much slower. Flip flopping the bike from side to side in the twisties will show its limitations. It will take longer to stop than a sports bike.

It will scream with almost all the bigger sport bikes up to about 70 mile an hour and then they are going to pass you. Don't try to mix it with them because they have a huge power to weight and handling advantage over the V-max.

In short if you are going to fuel the V-max with your testosterone you are going to discover its limits quickly. It will bite you.

Having said that, The V-max is the coolest ride around if you just understand that it’s not a bike you want to ride on the edge.

It's very fast off the mark. Stops predictably for a 600lb brute. It has an engine sound that is (IMO) unique and it's pretty easy to work on.

It’s pro’s and con’s are discussed at length in this forum so keep reading because it’s all good stuff.

My son is about your age and will soon have a road bike so I have to ask myself “Would I recommend my son, with limited riding experience get on a V-max as his daily rider?” My answer would be “No”.

I’d rather see him get a better handle on his riding skills and road experience with a range of tamer rides because I know, no matter what, he will fuel his bike with testosterone.

Inexperience + testosterone = poor judgement.

Horsepower is the real multiplier here because it gets you to big speeds very quickly.

Poor judgement x horsepower = accident and injury.

Having said that, you might have the right mindset to handle the ride responsibly.

Talk it over with your Dad.
 
Hey Hagen
I noticed your location is Seal Beach. If that is the one in So Cal give me a PM and we can get together and really look over the bike. Shoot the shit, too bad you aint old enough to drink a beer

I wanted to say the mere fact you decided to post here with questions shows a lot of maturity!!!
Cheers:cheers:
 
I AGREE !!! TAKE A MOTORCYCLE SAFETY & RIDING COURSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Hagen,
Judging by 3 things.....
1. 17
2. I was interested in Sport Bikes...cause they look fast and have that "oh mah god hes soooo cool" look for my age.

3. I know what I was like when I was your age.

...I would say the V-max is, plain and simple, a bad idea. Probably one of the worst bikes to learn on that I can think of. Gobs of torque that takes an experianced wrist to control,not so good handling(stock anyways), adequate,but not great, brakes. A recipe for disaster for a 17 year old rookie IMHO.

I would suggest a ninja 250...tried and true beginners bike, much cheaper than a vmax and they still look pretty cool.

I know,I know,..a 250! And all your buddies are ramming around on 600's and 750's. Contrary to popular belief 16-25 year olds are not invincable. I have one of my very best friends that learned that one the hard way. His first (and last) bike was a fzr1000......he is now paralyzed from the chest down.

Think very hard on this and try not to make a decision based on emotion.

Clint Eastwood said it best...."Dyin' ain't much of a livin' boy"

Good luck, and welcome to motorcycleing, the best therapy on the planet.
 
Hagen,
The guys are pretty spot on answering with your questions. It is a heavier bike, but that isn't always a bad thing depending on your size and your riding style. I learned on dirt bikes and my first street bike was a late 70's Suzuki GS400. That bike topped out at around 110mph and was a fun light bike, but little gusts of wind would toss you around pretty easily. I have found the VMax to be a pretty stable and predictable bike. It isn't a sport bike, but the best thing about a VMax is you can ride with the Harleys, and the sportys, and it is a respected bike by most. It isn't the fastest, but it definitely isn't the slowest! I do think with the right exhaust it is the best sounding bike around. I run a Kerker with a competition baffle, and I LOVE the sound... when you get on it, it sounds like a V8 with open headers. I always let my buddys ride it just so I can listen to it.

If Raging Man is in your area, take him up on his offer. $5500 sounds pretty cheap t me too, but maybe you found a great deal?

If I was to get a VMax at 17.... I may not be here right now... I pushed that little GS400 to the limits (and beyond), and if it would have been a VMax (or any more powerful bike), I would have gotten 'bit' many times... I was also prettty immature (and still am if you ask my wife) but the biggest problem was I thought I was immortal, and nothing would ever happen to me.

Good luck and keep us posted. This is a great forum with tons of good info and great people.
Jeff
 
My initial reaction to this posting is that it was from a troll.

In the case that it's not, a V-MAX is absolutely the worst idea for a 17 year old for probably his first street bike.

This is insane. I would guess that your riding experience has been on small, light, agile machines, probably in the dirt.

The street ia s whole other animal, and a cruel one at that.

A Max is heavy and cumbersome at times, and it has respectable power. It is an enthusiasts bike for sure, not for a beginner with newly developing skills.

To me, this is a real problem, in the fact that new inexperienced riders all want to have the "oh mah god hes soooo cool" look wich usually equates to the latest, greatest sportbike or something similar.

My recomendation would be to grow up a bit, cool your jets, and start out on a beginner bike, them after a few years of learning how to ride and survive on pavement, progress into a bike with more weight and performance.


Your ultimate goal is to live, not look cool and die!
 
Agree with Glen

Depends on your driving mentality. If you are a cautious rider and are not persuaded into taking stupid risks. You should be OK. But take time to learn the characteristics of the bike. Take the safety course.
Always be 100% alert and know your limits. Always wear safety gear. We've already lost some riders recently. Even some very experienced ones. Assume no car sees you.
 
I had to think very carefully before I posted, and I will say this. I don't know how good or experienced a rider you are. You could be a pro rider and out ride every one of us on the board, nobody knows that.

This being said, if you are serious about it, it is a fun bike, but there are loads that out perform it if that's what your after. The 'Max doesn't stop as well or corner as well as any current sport bike, and can be unforgiving at best in certain situations.

If it sounds like you got 'er controlled, than have fun with it. $5,500.00 sounds a little inexpensive for that new a bike, but I don't know the market value in that area.

If I personally would have listened to some of the advice given, I "shouldn't" have gotten the 'Max either, as it had been about 7 years (when I was 18) since I had ridden anything. That was a Gixxer 750. I wanted the 'Max for something different and bought and had it shipped from New York to Des Moines, Iowa. Had it shipped to work, had a friend take my truck home, and I rode the bike home after 7 years of zero riding. *GASP*

Keep us informed on the decision you and your dad make. FWIW I'm 25 years old, I pay around 25 bucks a month for my '93.
 
Hagen,
The guys are pretty spot on answering with your questions. It is a heavier bike, but that isn't always a bad thing depending on your size and your riding style. I learned on dirt bikes and my first street bike was a late 70's Suzuki GS400. That bike topped out at around 110mph and was a fun light bike, but little gusts of wind would toss you around pretty easily. I have found the VMax to be a pretty stable and predictable bike. It isn't a sport bike, but the best thing about a VMax is you can ride with the Harleys, and the sportys, and it is a respected bike by most. It isn't the fastest, but it definitely isn't the slowest! I do think with the right exhaust it is the best sounding bike around. I run a Kerker with a competition baffle, and I LOVE the sound... when you get on it, it sounds like a V8 with open headers. I always let my buddys ride it just so I can listen to it.

If Raging Man is in your area, take him up on his offer. $5500 sounds pretty cheap t me too, but maybe you found a great deal?

If I was to get a VMax at 17.... I may not be here right now... I pushed that little GS400 to the limits (and beyond), and if it would have been a VMax (or any more powerful bike), I would have gotten 'bit' many times... I was also pretty immature (and still am if you ask my wife) but the biggest problem was I thought I was immortal, and nothing would ever happen to me.

Good luck and keep us posted. This is a great forum with tons of good info and great people.
Jeff

You MAY not be here? I WOULDN'T have been here...

I'm with the rest of the guys here when I say this bike is big, heavy and fast as hell for a first bike. Insurance I bet will be over a grand a year for a 17 year old. Mine is 3?? a year and I am 34 with a clean record and driving in the Midwest.

All in all I don't think this is the right bike for you. If I had to choose an awesome bike that I KNOW you would love that handles well, performs well, and is cheap to insure and fill with fuel I would pick the Suzuki SV650N or 650S. They are VERY comfy (especially the N) and won't get you in to much trouble too quick. Goto www.svrider.com to get some info on them.

I know when I was 17 if someone told me I didn't need or shouldn't get something that it would make me want it that much more!:biglaugh:

Good luck!:thumbs up:



I AGREE !!!

To what? All of it?:ummm:
 
Hagen,
Judging by 3 things.....
1. 17
2. I was interested in Sport Bikes...cause they look fast and have that "oh mah god hes soooo cool" look for my age.

3. I know what I was like when I was your age.

...I would say the V-max is, plain and simple, a bad idea. Probably one of the worst bikes to learn on that I can think of. Gobs of torque that takes an experianced wrist to control,not so good handling(stock anyways), adequate,but not great, brakes. A recipe for disaster for a 17 year old rookie IMHO.

I would suggest a ninja 250...tried and true beginners bike, much cheaper than a vmax and they still look pretty cool.

I know,I know,..a 250! And all your buddies are ramming around on 600's and 750's. Contrary to popular belief 16-25 year olds are not invincable. I have one of my very best friends that learned that one the hard way. His first (and last) bike was a fzr1000......he is now paralyzed from the chest down.

Think very hard on this and try not to make a decision based on emotion.

Clint Eastwood said it best...."Dyin' ain't much of a livin' boy"

Good luck, and welcome to motorcycleing, the best therapy on the planet.

+1 on the '08 Ninja 250, no where on the bike does it say "250" it handles like a laser, the reviews say it has plenty of power to get out of it's way, comfortable, and affordable. Not to mention its a great beginners bike. Then there is the honda 600 and 650cc vtx cruisers to look at.

Also I'm asuming that you don't have your motorcycle license yet by the "to learn on" statement. taking a tank like the vmax around the pylons is not going to come easy for a rider with no expirence.

As far as insurance that varies as much as the riders on this forum, my suggestion is to call around to different companies and get comparison rates, being your under 18 more then likely it will be as an underwriter on your dad's policy.

Full face helmets look great with the Vmax.
 
Hi Hagen!

First off welcome to the forum! :cheers: The above responses are all valid, however I'm going to look at it from another angle. First off, with insurance, it MAY be cheaper than a SuperSport bike, depending on the Insurance company. When I first got a Vmax, the insurance company didn't know what it was!:icon_rolleyes: , so I told them it was like a GoldWing!:biglaugh: and got a really cheap rate.
All the posts are saying don't get a VMax as a first bike but you were also looking at SS bikes... so the question is, what is the lesser of "2 evils". I'm assuming you were looking at the 1 lite SS bikes, but even on a 600 SS, they can get you in trouble just as fast, or even faster, than a VMax. I'm not sure of your riding experience ( if any), but to choose...:hmmm: ... here's some pros and cons of each ( I've owned 600 &1000 SS bikes and have a VMax) :

Cons: Vmax

- heavy!, if you drop it may need a friend to help pick it up
- handling: certainly needs work, but gets better with mods
- brakes: see handling above
- suspension: is very soft so it is not suitable for "hard riding"(canyon carving) but is fine around town
The bike can be a "handful" if you ride outside your rider skills

Pros:

-torque!! low down power out the wazoo and fairly "controllable. The bike, generally, won't do an uncontrollable 12 oclock wheelie dumping the clutch
-V4 sound - no mistaking the sound of a VMax coming or going especially with an after market exhaust
-unique : easy to find and attracts crowds at bike nights in a sea of plastic fairings.
The VMax is fairly easy to "civilize" with some mods

The same Cons apply to SS bikes but can also be viewed as Pros. An SS bike is light but the HP to weight ratio can turn it into an uncontrollable wheelie machine, if you are not an experienced rider. The same goes for the brakes, ever see an unintended stoppie go wrong! Doh! :stickyman: Also SS bikes are easier to steal with the "2 guys lift it into a van" technique. That would be lot harder with a VMax and probably isn't viewed as a high theft bike.
So, if you are still awake after reading all this, you really need to decide what you want from your bike. If it is knee dragging in corners, coffee shop posing, in town hooliganism, top end runs... there is a different bike for all of these.
Overall, I wouldn't suggest a 1 litre bike to start on, however I know guys that have and are still riding today.
Hope this helps, let us know anything else you may want to know. Almost all of us here, have owned multiple bikes, so we can probably help you out with whatever you choose. :cheers:
 
Hmmmm sounds like more are laying on the no side of things =/.

Id like to straighten out that I am not getting a bike to look cool but more so one to last and is cost efficient. I can afford a sport bike on payments and barely get by with liability insurance (which is never a good thing for a beginner). Plus i will have to work all the time and never be able to ride.

My dad ran some quotes and its about $125 per month for insurance. He also took some time to research some other bikes. The r6s is coming in about 500 per month. The Harley Roadster is the cheapest at like 75 or something so we are gonna go check them out.

My riding experience is slim, I have put-putted around on a friends bike to get a feel and road on the back of a few to get a feel of what im gonna kinda be expecting.

I'm not big on stunts or tricks never have been, I do not even get much enjoyment out of racing a car from light to light. I do plan on riding with some people...all decently old and well burned out of the stunt scene. I also do not drink or do any type of drugs yet.

I will take the motorcycle safety course...I want too and have to.

Bottom line i think you guys are mixing me in with the rowdy drunk kids that i see killed in the headline of the paper daily. Im very calm and wont ever do something i know i cant.

I have some more research to do though...and a couple more ???

After looking through jackets and gloves and helmets i am a tad puzeled on what is good and not good. I dont wanna go by price cause i know a mediocre priced jacket can be just as good as the expensive one. Should i look at sportbike jackets??? they have more of a selection atleast...

How is the support for the vmax? Is there very many get togethers and rides any where in california or wyoming? Especially in the summer.

Thanks so far your answers have been helpful and ill make sure to look around at littler bikes.
 
MY FIRST BIKE WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD WAS A 1979 XS1100, CARBS ,KERKER, K&N'S, HEAVY ,FUN,& FAST, BUT I HAD RIDDEN SINCE 2ND GRADE, & RACED MOTOR-CROSS, ON A CR 250 & A QUAD, AFTER THINKING ABOUT YOUR SITUATION FOR A WHILE, I THINK AS LONG AS YOU RESPECT THE V-MAX & TREAT IT AS A BIG HEAVY POWERFUL MACHINE, IT MIGHT BE BETTER THEN BUYING SOME RICE ROCKET, THAT ONCE YOU GET THE FEEL OF YOUR GOING TO BE FLYING AROUND ON !!!! AND MAYBE GET INTO A BAD SITUATION !!! THATS WHAT I ALSO LIKE ABOUT MY V-MAX, YOU CAN JUST CRUISE & ITS STILL FUN !!!!!! THATS MY OPINION !!!!!!" A RICE ROCKET IS ONLY FUN AT OVER 100 MILES AN HOUR !!!!" " AND A V-MAX IS FUN ALL THE TIME ,"EVEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT !!!!"
 
A V-max can be ridden slowly and comfortably. In my opinion, you have to open the V-Max up to get it moving. Below 6,000 rpm it is very docile. It does have an enormous amount of torque, which is both good and bad, but it can be ridden in a mature fashion and it will never present a serious problem.

HOWEVER, I could see someone with no experience getting extremely intimidated by the bike and possibly doing the WFO panic "wrist lock" all the way to a bad end.

I would take a riding course. 100% great suggestion. Learn how to properly handle the bike in a safe environment before turning yourself loose on ANYTHING on the street.

I hadn't ridden in 15 years and got back into it on an RZ350. I then picked up the max. I think the RZ is much terrifying to ride. The wicked 2 stroke powerband is much more violent than the big block pull of the Max.

Mike
 
Well here is yet another Opinion... Mine.
All the people that replied to you are pretty much right on the money.
It's heavy, it only gets about 40 miles per gallon, and insurance on a 1200cc bike at your age is going to be expensive.
It's true the Vmax is not the best choice for your first 2 wheel ride.
How do I know? Because It IS My First ride. I always liked motorcycles and always wanted one. But because I didn't know how to ride I never got one. Then there were always money and other excuses.
I fell in love with the VMax at first sight when I saw it in a magazine advertisement in 85. I tore out the ad and the pics from the ad still hang on my bulletin board today.
In Jan 06, I finally made a decision and ran out of excuses, and wanted to buy a bike to save money on commuting to work everyday. Naturally I wanted a VMax. But everyone said it was a bad idea for my first bike. It's too powerful for a beginner.
So after sitting on several models of Harleys, Kawasakis, Suzukis, Buels, Yamahas, BMW's, Hondas and then finally a VMax.
The ONLY one that sent a chill up my spine and into my brain, causing a huge smile and an overwhelming desire to ride it, was the VMAX. And I hadn't even started it yet. The salesman just smiled and said "I'll go start the paperwork".

Yes the VMax is quite a bit heavy and cumbersome at times. You have to consider your frame and build and strength. I'm a skinny lil cuss with no ass. So it is a chore for me wrestling the Mighty Max at times. And it's quite embarrassing when you drop it and can't pick it up.

Yes the Max is powerful and can get you into trouble way too quickly. But what Bike Can't do that? I don't think power is what gets young kids wrecked or killed. It's the lack of experience and POOR JUDGMENT. You can get killed on a scooter just as easy as a VMax. It's all in how you ride them that counts.

So I would say shop around and try different bikes. I see a few very low millage new Vmaxes for sale, and it puzzles me sometimes. But some people, after buying a VMax, decide it's not the bike for them. Make sure you can physically handle the size and weight of the VMax.
Make sure the Vmax is THE bike you want for your style of riding. Hanging out with the Hooligans and "looking cool" is not the right reason for owning ANY bike in my opinion.
Ride it for what it is. The Best Looking Street Cruiser on the Planet, in my Opinion.
I'll finish with this thought.
You alone decide your own safety. And at your age, chances are your not going to make the best decisions every single time. So remember that when deciding on getting ANY Bike. You will have to keep your cool and pay attention to every little thing at EVERY SINGLE Moment you are Riding any Bike if you want to stay safe and not end up lying on the roadside.
Never out ride your limits and ride like every one on the road is out to get you. Err on the safe side and you will learn and discover that riding on two wheels is something that just can't be described, it can only be experienced.

Good Luck and keep the rubber side down!
:thumbs up:
 

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THATS ALL GREAT ADVICE !!! AND I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT HERE IN NEW JERSEY EVERYONE IS OUT TO GET YOU !!!! SO KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN !!!!
 
I have given the beginner bike thing alot of thought over the years, and I would really prefer a tiered licensing system to graduate people to full size bikes with serious power.

I think this is a great beginner bike for people a little large for 250s.

GS500FK8.jpg


also, the sv650 as already mentioned is a good choice with fantastic aftermarket support.

Also look at the Kawasaki 650 and EX500

Here is the Kawi 650r

ninja650.jpg
 
Haha at the tiered licensing for motorcycles. I don't mean to offend, but that's almost like "extra baby proofing" your home, or over protecting your new son or daughter from getting sick. There are precautions everybody should take, and then there is over precaution.

If you don't let children or anybody inexperienced fall and get up on their own (with help), they'll never learn. Putting fear into somebody that's never experienced anything is just as bad.

Example just today I was at a friends who's two year old runs about and they have a little electric pocket bike. He watches his dad and I put on your helmets, so he grabs a bucket for his helmet. We laugh and give him a bicycle helmet. He then goes out to the drive to get on the bike, and as he does twists the throttle. The bike falls over, as does the boy, lesson learned. It was a little bit of watch Dad, and try something on my own. He wasn't hurt serious, nor could he have been as all the proper precautions were taken without over doing it.

Remember, these aren't horses or wild animals, they're machines. Machines that you yourself control, nobody else. If you have a good head on your shoulders your fine. It's ignorant people that seem to ruin it for everybody, when they are the only ones that should be punished.

Just my opinion, take it or leave it. :D
 
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