- Joined
- Mar 28, 2006
- Messages
- 4,220
- Reaction score
- 45
LOL... well Sean I believe your "low mileage" bikes will probably have a bit more engine wear on them than other low mileage bikes. :biglaugh:
Help Support VMAX Forum:
LOL... well Sean I believe your "low mileage" bikes will probably have a bit more engine wear on them than other low mileage bikes. :biglaugh:
Yep boats and motorcycles LOW miles or High miles nothing in between.
A friend bought a 5 yr old boat with 12 hours on it.
I sold my first NEW motorcycle with 18000 miles on it, it was about 18 months old.
My 05 had 6424 last week when I bought it.
It's only got 6553 now but it rained all day yesterday and the day before and I was tinkering with 2 of the other days.
I fell real bad about letting it set so mush and plan to solve that problem today, tomorrow, Sat etc.
albran
A friend bought a 5 yr old boat with 12 hours on it.
I sold my first NEW motorcycle with 18000 miles on it, it was about 18 months old.
My 05 had 6424 last week when I bought it.
It's only got 6553 now but it rained all day yesterday and the day before and I was tinkering with 2 of the other days.
I fell real bad about letting it set so mush and plan to solve that problem today, tomorrow, Sat etc.
albran
forestdaledave
Well-Known Member
My opinion....OEM seat sucks for comfort, fuel range is limiting, wants another gear for cruising, lack of storage. I went on a 17 hour ride two summers ago. The next day I couldn't hold a glass of water with my right hand. Stoplight to stoplight isn't far apart. A Goldwing it's not....Thank God....Other than that great distance Bike. :hmmm:
QuarterHorse
Well-Known Member
You keep stuff stock!?
There are faster bikes, rarer bikes, better handling bikes etc. Why even pick the 'Max!?!?!?
maxcruiser
Well-Known Member
In stock form, the vmax is a great engine with subpar chassis and suspension by today's standards. Set up properly, it can be a great light to light hotrod (streetfigther) or a very good highway cruiser or something in between.
I have never had or rode a bike with a really good stock seat and a vmax is no different.
For the factory, designing a bike for a certain category to be mass produced, results in a series of compremises. They have to build a bike that will (A) make a sufficient profit, (B) sell a certain quantity of bikes and (C), be approved by the upper management team.
Almost every bike owner will modify/upgrade their bike to the way they like it, ie; seat, exhaust, etc... and the japanese factories have recently realized this by offering a shit load of aftermarket accesories & custom parts to individualize your bike. Harley has done it with their Screaming Eagle brand for years and has been very successful doing so.
My bike is set up for highway riding and I have tried to address all of it's shortcomings, and I can say that it is a very good touring bike that still has attitude. I have done 500 mile days and 1000 mile weekends and not be any worst for wear. This year I am planning to get into the Iron Butt club (as long as my back heals) by doing 1000 miles in a 24 hour period (www.ironbutt.com) and be the first one to do it on a vmax!
The vmax IMO has lasted so my years in production because it appeals to so many people for so many different reasons and the factory did not have to change much year over year to sell them.
Mike
I have never had or rode a bike with a really good stock seat and a vmax is no different.
For the factory, designing a bike for a certain category to be mass produced, results in a series of compremises. They have to build a bike that will (A) make a sufficient profit, (B) sell a certain quantity of bikes and (C), be approved by the upper management team.
Almost every bike owner will modify/upgrade their bike to the way they like it, ie; seat, exhaust, etc... and the japanese factories have recently realized this by offering a shit load of aftermarket accesories & custom parts to individualize your bike. Harley has done it with their Screaming Eagle brand for years and has been very successful doing so.
My bike is set up for highway riding and I have tried to address all of it's shortcomings, and I can say that it is a very good touring bike that still has attitude. I have done 500 mile days and 1000 mile weekends and not be any worst for wear. This year I am planning to get into the Iron Butt club (as long as my back heals) by doing 1000 miles in a 24 hour period (www.ironbutt.com) and be the first one to do it on a vmax!
The vmax IMO has lasted so my years in production because it appeals to so many people for so many different reasons and the factory did not have to change much year over year to sell them.
Mike
Sorry, you won't be the first to do the Iron Butt on a Vmax. My friend Jim did it a couple years ago.
I ride with a group of "old" guys that have from 3 to 9 motorcycles each. Some of us have been riding together since 1969. Six of us have a Vmax as our "around town" bike since we have all gone to Sport-Tourers for trips. Three of us did a 3500 mile trip in a week in 2000. Myself and Jim were on Maxes and Ray on a Concours. We have also done 1500 -1800 mile trips over 4 day weekends on Maxes before the Sport-Tourers. This year Ray did ride his Max when we went to the Vintage Bike Event at Barber Museum. That was about 1600 miles in 4 days. He wanted to see how it was on a trip and said it was more fun than his Concours. Maxes can be great trip bikes if set up properly. The only real problem is the small gas tank range. However as we get older our "tanks" need emptying about as often as the Max needs filling :- ).
I ride with a group of "old" guys that have from 3 to 9 motorcycles each. Some of us have been riding together since 1969. Six of us have a Vmax as our "around town" bike since we have all gone to Sport-Tourers for trips. Three of us did a 3500 mile trip in a week in 2000. Myself and Jim were on Maxes and Ray on a Concours. We have also done 1500 -1800 mile trips over 4 day weekends on Maxes before the Sport-Tourers. This year Ray did ride his Max when we went to the Vintage Bike Event at Barber Museum. That was about 1600 miles in 4 days. He wanted to see how it was on a trip and said it was more fun than his Concours. Maxes can be great trip bikes if set up properly. The only real problem is the small gas tank range. However as we get older our "tanks" need emptying about as often as the Max needs filling :- ).
I live in North Idaho. so we only have about a 6 month riding season.. I don't ride in the rain and I teach school, so I dont have all day to ride. However I have a few good weeks in the summer. I bought my '99 with 10K last summer, rode 1500 miles back and forth to dialysis, riding was my high point in my life! Now I have a new kidney and outlook, ready to ride my ass off this season.
good luck to you cool
Rusty McNeil
Well-Known Member
A good seat, a decent windshield, (which is only on there on long trips) and better grips and I've put done Dozens of 8 hour days on mine.
Mine used to KILL my right hand, I installed a set of Kuryakyn Iso-grips, which most of the Harley crowd swear buy, and problem completely solved.
That's even with solid motor mounts which created a pretty healthy buzz in the handlebars.
No it's not a set up to be touring bike but it is capable doing it competently.
A magnetic tank bag, a fork bag for tools, and a set of throw-over saddlebags provide plenty of storage.
The need for another gear thing feels like it's still there but you just have to ignore it, 5,000rpm seems high, but then again redline is 9500. It's not hurting the motor any.
Rusty
Hey Rusty,
What kind and where did you get your throw over saddle bags?
Got any pictures?
Robbarrie
Well-Known Member
+1 on the saddle bags...I have to have the ones that won't be flapping around and still allow the wife to ride on with me. Don't mean to hi-jack the thread but since it was mentioned I had to post on it.....carry on.
vmaxride06
Well-Known Member
I was thinking about these from Aerostich.
http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=16156&cat=280&page=1
http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=16156&cat=280&page=1
depending on your muffler you use it may burn the bottom of the bags. Stock mufflers will probably be OK but aftermarket get hotter and sit higher.
Sean Morley
Sean Morley
vmaxride06
Well-Known Member
Did not think of that. Well that shoots that idea:bang head:. Thanks Sean.
Chris
Chris
Rusty McNeil
Well-Known Member
My bags clear the exhaust perfectly, they are slanted/curve up on the bottom and are made for sportbike applications. Heat has never been a problem at least for me, you couldn't burn yourself if you tried on my UFO cans, not even at the tips.
The pipes WILL will burn the crap out of you.
The side bags bags and the tank bags are By Nelson-Rigg, the tank bag is the "silver streak", the side bags match the tank bag but aren't the "silver streak" model, i don't know what model they are.
Attachments
Laxfan
Well-Known Member
I bought my 2000 last Nov. with 1,200 miles. The previous owner had back problems and only took it out a couple times a year. He said it had not only never seen rain but had never even been sprayed with a hose, he would take it out for short rides and just wipe it down with a wet cloth when he got home. Silly thing is 8 years old and looks like it just rolled of the showroom floor.
He did not want to sell it and was perfectly happy with riding it 50 to 100 miles a year but his wife, luckily for me, had other ideas for the use of her basement space.
He did not want to sell it and was perfectly happy with riding it 50 to 100 miles a year but his wife, luckily for me, had other ideas for the use of her basement space.
QuarterHorse
Well-Known Member
Nice helmet, I have the same one!
I may have to look into some of those bags, not sure if they'll clear my Kerker Can.
maxcruiser
Well-Known Member
Damn, I didn't find that info anywhere on their site :th_signs60:
Last time I looked was only a few months back.
Now you just burst my bubble :tantrum:
O'well, I guess I can be one of the next vmax's to do it. :biglaugh:
Mike
Mike,
Just checked with my friend and he did Key West, FL to Slidell, LA (1074 miles) in less than 24 hours on his Max but did not document it properly for the Iron Butt. He later did it on his ST1300 with the proper documentation. So you CAN be the first to do it officially on the Max!!! :banana:
maxcruiser
Well-Known Member
Alright than, I'm back in business - let's see if I can make this happen this summer :banana: Thanks for the follow up info!
Mike
Similar threads
