Here are more views and engine closeups of the new 2009 Vmax. The tach is now in the proper place, instead of the speedometer as in the original. These photos come from MotoRevue where they are citing specs of 1800cc and 210 horsepower, though until Yamaha releases the info, I can’t say those are official but they sound about right from what has been leaked so far.
Thanks for the link, Hugo!
More photos and link below:
Link: MotoRevue
David says
I ride an 88 max and was hoping to see more of a cruiser look for the 09 model. I’ve always wanted to throw my engine into a stretched long and low rat bike looking machine… maybe I’ll do that rather then buy a new one.
Matt in NC says
Overall I like it, but until I saw the shot from the rear looking forward, I couldn’t really figure out what didn’t really work for me.
It’s the bars and mirrors. The bars look like an anemic afterthought, and the chrome mirrors don’t fit at all with the brush finish of the rest of the bike’s metal.
Both those items would be first up for a change if I were to get one of these.
Oscar says
Wow that is one ugly bike, I’m sure its a mechanical marvel but the designers should have stopped hitting it with the ugly stick. The more I look at it the uglier it gets.
Dresden says
It is hideous. And I think that’s why I like it a bit more each time I see it. 🙂
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
Compared to the other bikes this is up against, (which dont have a 20 year heritage), the V-rod and the B-king, its beautiful. Funny i didnt realize till now that they all have similar names too..
I actually like this bike. i like the way the scoops and pipes match and seem to flow right through the bike, just like the air does. I like the bars, they arent goofy or extreme, just there. I also like 200 horsepower and the little butt guard to keep you from tearing your arms off when you accelerate. I dont especially like the useless second seat, flashy rear fender, small front tire or persistently right side up forks. In the end i would like to see people rip everything unnecessary off of this bike and turn it into the 57 chevy of motorcycling.
hoyt says
I hope the rumored price is overstated.
Good looking engine with engine mounts primed for a sporty, trellis custom frame
Matt in NC says
hoyt:”Good looking engine with engine mounts primed for a sporty, trellis custom frame”
Now that you mention it, this powerplant would be awesome in that 3-wheeler feature a while back with the Guzzi twin in it…
http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2008/04/29/blackjack-zero-moto-guzzi-powered-3-wheeler/
Just need a place for the radiator and an electric fan…
OMMAG says
Well it is not boring ….
Sometimes those machines that are viewed as being truly ugly and up being regarded as unique classics.
I never did like the V-Max from day 0ne but when I occasionally see one I do give a second look.
IMO – the only saving grace of the original was it’s power. But over the years that HP was beaten by many bikes carrying far less weight and being far more capable at just about everything.
Now if this new version is 200+ HP then it’s got something going for it but still … how much does that thing weigh?
Dorzok says
Hideous. Absolutely hideous. looks like the bastard child from a B-King and V-Rod. maybe they should rename it V-King or B-Rod or Nimrod. Don’t care how much power it has. If it looks like a Harluki i don’t want it. Major disappointment
Ride says
I think I just threw up in the back of my throat. Yuk.
kneeslider says
I’ll repeat what I said before, if you liked the Vmax in its original configuration, this will look fine. If you didn’t like it before, this will not change your mind.
Those who hate this one most likely were not planning to buy one anyway. If your preferred ride is a small nimble corner carver, this is not your bike.
On the other hand, if you like big horsepower, a great sound and hard acceleration, you may want to check this over closely, kind of an AC Cobra versus Lotus, both have their place.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
I ride a ducati monster, and i would love one of these.
davidabl says
The undersize front tire with all the bulk of the MC towering above
it makes it look like a kid’s “BigWheels” tricycle..
highspeedhamish says
Holy mine shafts Batman….
210 HP through a shaft drive???
Honestly, that does not appeal to me at all.
I would have to throw out the exhaust, bars and mirrors before taking it off the showroom floor. But I think the shaft drive would deter me from buying it at all.
Maybe MadMax Coversions will resurface and make a chain drive conversion once again..
Thanks for listening Yamaha… oh wait.
hoyt says
A shaft might be the most durable & reliable from a product warranty/corporate suit perspective.
Or are you concerned about the shaft torque affect on the rear wheel? (as opposed to a chain braking after repeated hard launches)
What’s the next closest production hp rating (not counting the Desmosedici)? 180-190 at the crank?
This still has a rumored 20-30 more hp. That is a big difference.
todd says
What’s wrong with a shaft drive? Sure the bike is ugly but a shaft drive can handle more power, makes less noise, and is virtually maintenance free. This bike is intended to be more of a cruiser, not a sport bike where you would care about the unsprung mass of the drive unit or slight jacking under acceleration.
As far as I know, Camaros and Cobras have drive shafts too.
-todd
Loomis says
Shaft drive is so eighties. Chains and belts is the future. There’s no such thing a pro drag bike with shaft drive.
Yamaha screwed up in my opinion.
hoyt says
“Shaft drive is so eighties.”
what ?
Ask the MGS-01 racers in the Battle of the Twins and the HP2 Sport riders in the Daytona 200 about shaft drive.
“so 80’s”
When was the last time you saw a VMax as a pro drag bike in a sanctioned class?
Loomis says
To: comment 18 hoyt,
There’s always a few exceptions to the rule. Shaft is out, especially for motors with transverse crankshafts.
JR says
Don’t love the look, but I like it. A true musclebike. It blows away the B-King, I saw one at the Yamaha/Suzuki dealership the other day and it looks like a cartoon in person.
That thing would be a blast to ride. Looks pretty comfortable too.
Sean says
Ugly, but in a very purposeful, Speed-Triple sort of a way. Not the kind of bike you take when you meet the in-laws, but the kind of bike you take out and scare the hell out of boy-racers. And hey! The twin rear shocks are gone!
aaron says
re: shaft drive
2 negative points regarding shaft drive:
1) a bike like the v-max should have joined the air/oil gixxers in “aftermarket frame heaven” with everyone and his dog able to tweak the motor into any and every kind of bike… shaft drive dictates the *output shaft to rear wheel* (distance/geometry) part of the design, so there is no easy way to shorten up the wheelbase (without converting to chain/belt drive or having a custom driveshaft made) hence the relative lack of wild v-max customs out there after 20 years of production
2) instead of a chain transmitting power directly from the output shaft to the rear wheel, you have to change the direction of power transmission twice. this robs horsepower… a bad thing when you’re selling a bad thing like the v-max based on the power figures. based on my observations (not scientific or even guaranteed to be correct) a chain bike loses about 10-12% of the rated crank horsepower on the way to the bike mags rear wheel dyno. shaft drive bikes tend toward a 15-25% power loss. hence an early 150hp R1 was rated in the low 130’s at the wheel, but the 145hp V-max usually posts 105-110 rwhp. that shaft stole 20hp, plus the ability to change your gearing.
(one other thing – no choice in aftermarket wheels, either)
aaron says
oops – nearly forgot to add this – I have a feeling many will love the styling once they’ve seen it in the flesh (myself included). I just hope the size is similar to the original – a giant bike would kill much of its appeal
todd says
One thing V-Max owners will still cling to, shaft or no; 210 horses baby, yeah.
This is the sort of customer that does not care how much or how the power gets to the rear wheel. He can open up another can of beer, throw it back and pat his belly in full satisfaction that his bike is the “most powerful” production bike this side of a Boss Hoss. Explain to him about power turning right then left and he’ll answer, “yeah, whatever dude… 210 horses. Schwing! Boo-Yah. Tell that to yo’ momma next time you come cryin’ home.”
My bikes have 35 and 50hp each and they’re most likely faster than this V-Max off the drag strip. But I could care less.
Schwing!
-todd
jim says
Some might be forgetting something…210 hp, detuned. There were rumors floating around that the engine was making around 290 hp when first tested. I would imagine that there will be quite a few aftermarket performance products floating around soon… it should make this thing very fun.
dave says
It’s ugly. period. Overdone. Like the B-king. at least the b-king looked alright in pictures. In person, it’s horrible. This thing will be an abomination in the flesh.
What ever happened to 2 wheels, a motor, seat, and handlebars?
These things don’t even really qualify as motorcycles anymore, with all of the electronics, excess b.s. and overdone “styling”… I could say more, but what’s the point?
Sean says
Aaron, you’ve obviously not kept a close eye on the streetfighter Vmaxii that’ve been snorting NOS and sporting twin-turbos for many years.
Donovan Brogan says
I’ve had a Vmax for over 16 years. My 1200cc nitrous injected,flatslide carbed V-4 will smoke nearly anything on the road. It truly is the ’68 Camaro of the motorcycle world. The Vmax is awesome because it was designed by Americans to be strictly a Musclebound looking 1/4 miler. Nothing is funner in a straight line and nothing is easier to get aftermarket handling and performance parts for. This New Vmax follows in it’s footsteps and will soon become a legend too…..in stock trim or Maxed-Out with aftermarket offerings. Smoke’em if ya got one!!!
Hugo says
Could I please have this engine in a MT01 😉
Andy says
Great idea Hugo! What about with an Funny Front End too!
John B says
When can i get one to park next to my 85 Vmax, nottin’ compares to the torque these things make. OOH-Rah baby… get some… 210hp! Before mods.
aaron says
@ sean
I’ve seen them, but I can only think of one company that tried to do a frame for the v-max (PDQ – the battlemax) but still didn’t end up with a complete bike – the show bike never got sorted out for the road.
I can also think of only one really cool custom v-max out there (lazareth) but this guy puts more work into his creations than anyone short of roger goldammer.
compare this to the gixxer – harris magnum, martek, spondon, steelhart, moko, egli have all sold frames for the air oil gixer 1100 motor that came out a year after the v-max and lived on through the bandit 1200
motor mods can be done to anything, chassis mods are tougher when the manufacturer makes design decisions that largely rule them out. best example of this was the original mv agusta fours – shaft drive was in place to prevent anyone racing them or “defiling” them through modifications.
Sean says
I’m not talking about full frames, the gixxer 11 is legendary for the number of frames it has inspired. The frames were built for better handling, though, to compliment such a tuneable engine. The Vmax isn’t a racebike, and it doesn’t need a frame that can carry it through the corners at an 85 degree lean angle. Why make a new race frame, when this thing is designed to simply go very fast in a straight line? Monoshock conversions and chain drive conversions are about the limit I’ve seen for handling mods on the old Vmaxii, because the money is better spent on nitrous, turbos, Wiseco pistons….
aaron says
what happens when the motor’s finished? there’s tons of gixxer turbo/nos setups on the web in stock frames, but when more money is found a new frame would be nice! (on a more personal note, I seriously considered a v-max engine for my project… the shaft drive proved to be the deal breaker)
as far as the looks go… I’ve just reconsidered. after a spin on a b-king at a suzuki demo ride yesterday, I no longer care how it looks! the v-max should do the same.
hoyt says
Good points about shaft drive hindering the custom applications (except if the owner throws more cash, time and/or effort at it.)
Aside from the challenges to customizing a VMax to reach its potential, I still think Shaft drive is not stuck in the 80s. In fact, shaft drive has yet to reach its potential (observers of late-model BMWs & Guzzis in the last 10 years will note significant improvements)…..
The future could hold lighter & smaller shaft hubs, more brands/styles of lighter aftermarket wheels, and perhaps…cassette-type shaft hubs/gearing that would allow easier setup for racing. That last point might be a stretch, but cassette-type gearboxes were a stretch not long ago.
hoyt says
“…as far as the looks go… I’ve just reconsidered. after a spin on a b-king at a suzuki demo ride yesterday, I no longer care how it looks! the v-max should do the same.”
Yes you do. 🙂
Just consider what Norm Wilding in his Mid-Missouri Motorcycle Customs shop has done with the Hayabusa motor.
hoyt says
shoot…forgot to mention, “Kawabusa II”, for those that don’t recognize Norm’s name
http://www.midmomc.com/kawabusaII.php
Tom says
I have a ’02 Vmax and think it is one of the best bikes I have ever owned. Regarding the new max, I would change the pipes and hopefully I can put forward controls on this new max (a must have) since I am 6’3.
Jed says
I just put down 1000 dollars and ordered mine. i already have an 06 max that i love and ride all the time.
I have two friends with v maxs here in utah, all of us love them. monster torque and power all over.
Looking at this bike, truly if you love the original, what can you not love about this one?
Belt driven has some advantages but they will never outweigh the benefits and dhrability the shaft has, ask bmw wigh tbeir hp2 bikes that are owning the enduro world. More durable and less maintenane.
this bike is going to be classic, go ans buy. they will go fast.
Randall says
I have owned about 12 motorcycles over the years, the last 3 being an 86, 98 and 93 max respectively. I’ve had all high-end sport bikes until my first max and though at first I simply appreciated the torque and persona of the max, after awhile I just plain loved everything about it.
My first glance at this bike caused some disappointment: I know those intakes are functional, but I loved the single scoop look, though fake on the old Max. I hope there is an aftermarket scoop that simply splits to each intake deep within its body to give that look of a single scoop that made the Max a Max.
Also, why in the hell did they not make the motor the focal point visually, again like the Max of old? The motor’s there, but you have to look for the damn thing because it’s just a big black nothingness with weird coppery color accents. What jumps out at you is the scoop and the tailpipes, not the motor. Have to have aftermarket highlights to make that engine pop more. Nothing too Vegas, but how about a little better contrast?
Everytime someone who walked up to me to comment on the old Max, the conversation always started with “look at that motor!” Come on Star, are you telling me no one in your focus group mentioned the lackluster appearance of the motor?
Maybe it looks better in person.
Bottom line, I am probably not going to be able to resist getting my fourth Max. I mean this is one bad boy, no doubt! But a few extra dollars will be reserved to redefine its appearance somewhat to bring those elements I appreciated about the old Max to this one.
Liz says
It’s one of the most radical-looking bikes I’ve ever seen: I agree with another poster — LOOOOOVE the S curve of the intake and exhaust pipes – it integrates the whole look. I don’t normally consider anything that isn’t Kawasaki but I’d like to see what this baby feels like. Especially if it can come with rear-set pegs so you can really ride it instead of just sitting on it.
Mad Max says
Got mine ordered, eat my dust Oscar and Dorzok. They said the Russians were coming but lighten up boys.Dave I think your looking for a vespa Bro. Really, the 2500 lucky ones can listen to the nasayers, knowing they wish they had ponied up and not listened to the old lady. It will be fun to put up to a light next to the old HD boys and say have a nice day ya’ll.
S.Moore says
I’ve owned a 1994 Yamaha Vmax since 2000, I was
really looking foward to seeing the NEW updated
2009 Max. Just saw it today at the INDY REDBULL
GP race. I have VERY little good to say, IMHO
its ugly as a doggie tur+ ! How dissapointing 🙁
They had one version there with all the optional
carbon fiber body parts installed, THAT thing
was __________________ sad looking.
Long live the 85-2008 Vmaxes, the new one looks like a train wreck
joe strummer says
to all you losers dogging the new vmax…you’re jealous cause you have neither the cash nor the balls to own one.
at least you girls know your limitations
davemccarter says
HI All,
Justa quickie, why so expensive and limited numbers . Dont understand the marketing ploy, the 5 P’S obviously not gunna work here but reliance on media frenzy limited numbers creating desire to those who know the Vmax history, but to a nubie like me, I like it; I cant justify 17k on the road price MMmmmmm
S.Moore says
For those of you who think it “may” look better
in person, your in for a shock. It looks MUCH
worse. I LOVE the engine and the HUGE tach…..
that’s about it. The price tag is for SUCKERS,
A FOOL AND HIS $$$ ARE SOON PARTED.
10Rider says
What an overrated pile. And it’s buttugly. My ZX will rip it a new one any day, any time.
marty says
have an old v-max and got the 09 and love them both
Yamaha Rider says
Marty, which do you like better and why?
Something doesn’t look “right” to me and I can’t put my finger on it, the rear to front picture tells me it may be the width of the tank (+ choice of bars). I’m not a fan of “dual-like” exhaust tips on motorcycles either but this one looks ok.