Woody's comment:
"What you have is the OEM vmax side rails. The riser is virago."
may need clarification for someone less-familiar w/Gen. 1 equipment, bits and pieces. The VMax never came with the tall sissy bar/backrest pad. That was an OEM option, sold through the parts counter. The low, single piece grab bar was what came stock.
The optional tall sissy bar/backrest was three major die-cast pieces. A left and right grab bar, and the upside-down hoop w/the backrest upholstered pad. Eliminate the hoop, and you can substitute a die-cast Virago lower hoop. You may need to trim the Virago lower hoop a bit, where it bolts to the VMax backrest left and right grab bars. The trimming is nowhere you will see it, and it's quick and easy. Interestingly, I've seen Viragos using the same piece as the VMax tall sissy bar/backrest hoop. Make one piece do duty across more than one bike, less inventory!
No, the Virago L & R side grab bars are unique, they do
not interchange with the VMax.
I was just at a friend's shop, he's a retired Ford dealership mechanic, and he wrenches on exclusively H-D's, he won't even
talk about Japanese bikes! I've know him for nearly 50 years.
He has what appears to be one of the HFT roll-about lifts, and he had an overlay/underlay frame for it, which greatly increases the footprint of the lift, I didn't ask him, but I suppose it's for lifting dressers and providing less chance of a sideways tip-over. I'll try to get a pic of it next time I visit.
We were dropping off a '80 80 cu. in. Low Rider my Bike Week friend has owned since new, he has a head gasket leak and brought in the bike, w/a Cometic upper cyl gasket/seal set for service. He says it doesn't have any base of cyl gasket issues, I'm not a H-D expert, but I'd think that if the pressure is relievedby removing the cyl heads, you'd want to replace base gaskets. However, if the cyls have separate lower flanges where they bolt to the crankcase, which I think may be the case, then I suppose you could leave them alone: 'if it ain't broke, don't 'fix-it!''
My buddy is getting ready for Daytona Bike Week, we're staying on the ocean just north of Bellair Shores, which is north of where US-92 intersects State Rd A1A. We're nearly 40 years attending together a few exceptions for family events and we skipped the last two years because of COVID. Sadly Joe (Joachim) Raulf of Boxenstopp is deceased, that was a good place to visit to catch-up on things VMax, and to see the guys who showed up, like Marcus and his Tourmaster engine 1500, and Finger lakes (NY) Ron09, who does the 'sensible thing,' and spends the winter a snowbird, in FL. Steve Jasse at Iron Horse I think was having health issues, he used to allow the forum members visiting the Iron Horse Saloon to have preferred parking. Lots to see and do there. We like to attend the auction and parts swap meets, but skip 'Spider's Swap Meet,' too-expensive and it's H-D-centric. The short track national race is one we like to attend, and occasionally we've watched the 200.
Here are memories of past Bike Weeks, one of my favorite Yamaha V-twin.
One year when they had the big auction at Stetson University in Deland, and I ran into this guy, who is it? You'll get it right if you used to watch a lot of two-wheels programming on the old
Speed Channel.
A very-young, very-talented Richard Klamfoth, his record speaks for itself. Back in the early days, when they ran one leg in the sand, along A1A, next-to the ocean. Sadly Dick Klamfoth has passed away.
I got this t-shirt signed years ago during the AHMRA vintage bike races. Again, most of the signatures are from racers who have died. There is also master mechanic for Honda's motorcycle Grand Prix program, and also the Formula 1 car program. This is the back of the shirt, so
Nobby Clark is on the left shoulder.
Don Vesco, champion Land Speed record-holder on a Yamaha streamliner.
Don Castro, another champion on a Yamaha. He won the Daytona 250cc roadrace at Daytona in 1974, among others. He was also a successful flat tracker, winning the 1973 San Jose Mile again on a Yamaha.
Eddie Mulder another flat track and desert racer winner.
Jody Nicholas, an AMA National roadrace multiple winner in the 1960's. He also won a National flat track race at Ascot Park.
That's '
Niner' Daytona 200 winner gary Nixon by the right shoulder.
The Usual Suspects, at Boxenstopp, before Joe, the proprietor died. Jim, Ron, Marcus and yours truly.
