DJ, that bike looks damn fine to me. The old VMax was on my shortlist when I recently purchased my rockster, so those pictures were the last thing I needed to see. Recently darthrider's new speed triple has been catching my eye... but now this...
It's a shame I'm so happy with my Rock... for now.
Uh, I hope Yamaha refines the styling a bit. I too never cared for the overall shape of the original Max. I wish they would slap the V4 motor in the MT-01 chassis and sell it as the new Max.
Member #93, June 2002
'14 BMW R1200RT "Wethead"
'77 BMW R100/7 "Airhead"
Like it or not Yamaha might have a winner on its hands. The original Mr. Max sold well for twenty years. This revised version with modern HP numbers should spark some of those same buyers to buy a new version.
Will it be competition for the KR? It's hard to say. It will probably be heavier and not handle as well, but I suspect a lot of potential KR buyers aren't as concerned about handling as they are with sheer power.
The lower radiator is in a very dangerous place. I would hope that they have a better solution for a production bike.
The exhaust is just sexy.
I wouldn't buy one, but I would love to hear one from behind. the original Max has a very cool sound when the air gets flowing through the system.
Bikes are cool!
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.
From what I can see in the pic, it looks like with this total redesign that Yamaha may have solved all the problems of the original bike. Those were . . . . way too much weight, too flexxxy frame and too physically large a motor "package".
For me, after hearing one doing burn-outs in a parking lot with (obviously) aftermarket pipes . . . . . WOW . . . . they make the most radical, meanest, most powerful sound you'll ever hear in a M/C.
(old bike's) Handling improves a lot with HoleShot Performance frame braces installed. Power isn't much (112HP) for a 1200cc bike and the weight ensures it will loose to 600cc SportBikes. In it's day it was tough, but the old bike's performance never grew much and was beaten by the competition.
The new bike will get a following if the performance is way better. Definitely looks like BatMan's bike.
As much as i love the v-max that just looks to cartoonish to me, maybe if they got rid of that swoopy plastic crap and that stubby pipe. BUT...a vee four with one throttle body per cylinder and a modern fuel injected v-boost pump'n out 200hp! ooooh yeah baby!
Suzuki T500- learned on
Vmax- hang on
Klr650- muddy on
Softail- laid on
R1150R- moved on