In Yamaha’s extremely long lead up to their new V-Max, they had a display at the Tokyo Motor Show titled “The VMAX Awakens Need 6.” There was a highly stylized video with a rear tire smoking and a 3D profile artwork of a new V-Max, or rather, parts of the bike in a semi assembled state.
I found a video and grabbed these screenshots from a Japanese website showing the Tokyo display. It’s not very clear but you get the idea.
Here are Yamaha’s words:
Two years have passed since Yamaha presented an object representation of a new VMAX at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show, and during this time we have continued development efforts aimed at constantly higher goals in the quest to create a new VMAX that will exceed your expectations. That New VMAX is on the verge of being born from the model of Yamaha’s “rider-machine communication†ideal. This work of art based on the theme of “Awakens†is a symbol of our determination to bring that New VMAX to life.
At the display they use words like “Soul. Machine. Electrified.” and “The machine with an evil spirit.”
In conjunction with the display, they have launched need-6.com, which is a flash intensive website of multiple sections and pages with lots of explanation of how the new V-Max transcends Maslow’s 5 step hierarchy of human needs with a totally new emotional need, “Need 6.” The site is very verbose, pictures, sound and it goes on forever but unfortunately, there is nothing about the bike. More is coming soon.
The new V-Max may turn out to be an incredible bike but after the constant promise of coming soon which has been going on for years, some of their biggest fans are getting a little tired. If the wait is worth it, the long delay will all be forgotten but Yamaha is setting everyone up for disappointment if they don’t deliver a spectacular bike, it’s a process that makes their own job more difficult.
I hope the new V-Max is all they are building it up to be. I’ve heard it’s “coming soon.”
Link: Need-6
Link: video of display
Chris says
did I just pop a couple tabs of acid, or is this “Need-6” web-site marketing a motorcycle?
GenWaylaid says
Need 6, has V-4? They better be careful with that slogan or people will think they’re promising extra cylinders.
OMMAG says
PigIron – You said it!
This bodes poorly for Yamaha.
aaron says
1800cc with variable valve timing??? wowsers! I’m guessing it’s got 150rwhp. of course, it should have 180ish if it wants to beat out the b-king, but what can ya do?
btw: if it comes as promised, would this be the first variable valve bike in north america?
PigIron says
The current generation Honda VFR has a VTEC engine.
aaron says
the cam timing stays constant, so I don’t count the VFR. somehow I wrote variable valve in my post, not variable valve TIMING…. sorry for the confusion –
rumour has it that the next blackbird will have variable cylinder activation… hopefully better than the old 4-6-8 caddy version!
aaron says
need 6 is a perfect slogan for a flagship bike… maybe Suzuki will hijack this one for the stratosphere! or Honda for the EV06!
jimp says
looking at the picture (very top), the wheelbase looks very long.
Thomas Myers says
Yamaha VMAX at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show Oct 2008
“The VMAX Awakens Need 6.â€
Please look into to and study and compare the VMax pictures of the cylinder head and please tell me, are my eyes deceiving me? Is the intake track flowing right into the intake CAM, if so please tell me I am not crazy and please compare it to the Coates CSRV Engine? If they got the licensing for this Cylinder Head Technology and put it into Full production across their whole model range of products, Motorcycles, Dirt Bikes, ATV’s, Out Board Marine Engines, Etc. production, Say Good by and Rest in Peace to the other Motorcycle Manufactures of the world. The CSRV Engine Just has so many High Technology and Unbeatable Performance Features and Benefits, that I do not know how any other Manufacture could Compete Long Term with them?
No More Poppet Valves at just 22% Efficiency per dollar of Gasoline, You would have a 40 to 60 % Efficiency per dollar. The CSRV Engine has a Normally Aspirated Inlet Air Speed of 450 ft, Per Second, CFM. It eliminates all the moving parts of a normal valve train down to 2 moving parts that just rotate with 90% less friction loss then Valves. The Engine Rpm would only be limited by piston speed, with a proper Bore & Stroke Ratio, Rpm is unlimited, even more so then and far cheaper then a Desmo valve train, Pneumatics valves, or Futuristic Electric Solenoid Operated Valves. CSRV Also does not Need Oil Lubrication to the Cylinder Head and therefore far less Heat to the oil to break it down because it runs on sealed Carbon Ceramic Bearings, this could allow Oil change intervals up to 50K miles. No valves to adjust or maintenance. Please Everyone Check out their website for far more advantages, then I could write here. You wont regret the Information you will find on there, it was very exciting for me, I have followed then for years, and its good to no that an American Company has Invented something like this. I believe, His small Company Could Help save the American Auto Industry if they Implement his Licensing for their line of Cars and Trucks, Myself I would be excited to purchase a sports car with this product in it. But I would Love The Vmax First, and would be First in line at my local Yamaha store.
Thomas Myers
Pembroke Pines, FL
kneeslider says
Thomas, you may be on to something there. If you compare the motorcycle heads on the Coates website with the image of the V-max heads above there is a certain similarity. Interesting.
jimp says
…at this website is listed some of the patents for the vmax. It gives a better look at the cylinder heads and the cams that it uses.
http://www.v-max.us/home.htm
Max/GUAM says
“Comming Soon, Need Six, Rider Machine…, Soul, Machine, Electrified, The Machine With An Evil Spirit”… did I miss anything? Seriously…with all the ‘motor shows’ and who knows what else Yamaha’s been showing, saying and oh… those rumor(s) too, all I know for sure(after waiting yeeeers) is the new vmax better be ahead of those pesky sport bikes. You know, the one’s that weigh about two-thirds of the vmax’s weight? I know i know, it may not be fair putting the vmax up against sport bikes(straight line, that is), but that’s the kind of reputation we’re talking about… right? You see, I recently raced one of those sport bikes(1000cc) on a quarter mile,w/my vmax of course, and lost by one-second. Darn, not only can those bikes turn on a dime… straight line too? Uhhhh! So… IF the new ‘Star Vmax” is NOT FASTER than those light-weights…,at least a straight line run… well then I’ll have no choice but to switch to a light-weight. Believe me,it won’t be easy,I love my vmax,but I want bragging rigts,I want it FAST. May the fastest production bike WIN!
Chip Adams says
Ok Yamaha, one thing every single one of us on here agrees with is regain the 1/4 mile king title!!! The rest is small stuff, you can’t please everyone… Personally, change the rear end, I want a seat so I can take wife for a ride and scare her. Keep shaft drive, hide extra radiator or just make one big one, and make scoops functional! Make as light as possible, yet make it pleasant and functional to ride, while maintaining the the status of “MEAN, FAST, HELL AND BACK MUSCLE CAR BAD ASS LOOK”…
Brandon B says
the old vmax is a 5 speed the new one is a 6 speed with aprox 215hp at the crank. its going to move