New V-Max: Test Ride Report

[Jamie]

Have been fortunate enough to have one on loan to me this pm. It had only ten miles on it. I lodged another 60 miles on it, one third each in city traffic, on the motorway and on one of my favorite mountain roads nearby.

Pros:
- Fantastic engine, both torque and power-wise. This thing flies between 4'000 and 8'000 rpm's. I did not push it to 9'000 on account of its being new, but it was eager to get there
- Silky-smooth clutch and gearbox
- Excellent brakes (the front discs are outstanding) and suspensions
- Surprisingly nimble roadholding, given its enormous weight (310 kilos "wet", which is not far from Rocket's territory).
- Both cagers and pedestrians stop to look at it, somewhat in awe... and seem to love it (a debatable "pro", perhaps)

Cons:
- Ridiculous fuel autonomy. Tank rated @15 liters per the Swiss homologation paper. That's roughly 3.2 gallons, if I am not mistaken. And that engine IS thirsty. In any case, the idiot light turned on at exactly 92 kilometers (a bit less than 60 miles).
- Surprinsingly (to me, at least) limited cornering clearance. I used up 95% of the rear rubber sides on the first hill climb, without trying. And the tip of my boots kept on rubbing the asphalt, although I kept my feet as high and rearwards as possible.
- Hard to read faux tank-mounted digital panel (speed, gear engaged and fuel level) . Only the revmeter is clearly visible.
- Bizzare aesthetics: A flood of black paint, different hues of bare metal, be it brushed or polished, brown-coated engine covers, etc. Not to mention the fugliest rear mudguard I have seen in years.

Summary:
- Am impressed, but not "sold". l'll stick to my '04 Green Machine

Best. Jamie

 

[Geek_Law]

Very nice report! Thanks for the write up. I've been VERY SERIOUSLY considering getting one of these for myself, but what I really want is the most nimble bike possible. I've converted my R3 into a full bagger with all the weight and lack of clearance that comes along with that. The idea of scraping in the corners on the Vmax makes me question if that's the right bike.

Sounds like I need to do what you just did and take one for a mean spirited test drive.

 

[cane corso]

V-Max

I have thought about one as well, I seen one at the bike show and all the pieaces that where differents blacks where all chromed and bolt was all chromed with a 240 tire and really nice chrome and black tires and had some chrome end caps for the exhauset the looked like a pair of guns on both side with a really nice custom black and silver paint job,it looked really sharp I kept on going back to look at it.
But they said price of the bike with the custom work was like $33,000 I thought it was a bit much.
But they say it has 200 hp what would they start getting with a supper charger or a turbo? over 300 hp? What do you guys think?
Do you think it would beat a Rocket off the line that has Jardine pipes and tune boy and K&N filters? When do you think it would leave the Rocket in the dust?

 

[Jamie]

Further to my report, I think the new V-Max engine is fabulous "as is". The rest of the bike is... disappointing. Even more so considering that over half a decade has elapsed since it was first rumored. I'd rather spend less dough than I would on a V-Max trade-in (given the stubborn fact that my Rocket is 4 1/2 years old with thousands of $ worth of enhancements which, quite franly, are worth zilch on the used market) and invest (so to speak) in the pursuit of the same RWHP as the V-Max. That is 180 to 190 ponies.

Which seems do-able, without a turbo or a comp. Am working on it

Jamie

 

[scot in exile]

Stock on stock the mighty V-Max WILL leave the Rocket not standing but it will beat the Rocket, once we get past the eighty mile mark then the Rocket will leave the V-Max

 

[britman]

Fair Analysis

Jamie,

Excellent write up. I say the aesthetics of the new Max is something you either find totally ugly or a thing of pure beauty. There is no middle ground. In that sense it is in the same class as the Rocket. Looking at the machine, you know it is fast and they apparently have gotten it to handle much better by design. It is over priced, impractical, and not universally accepted in the bike world. Would I still like to own one, **** STRAIGHT. Let's all hope the Rocket will be around in 20 years with the same cult like following.

 

[cane corso]

V-Max

so to have 180 t0 190 hp all ready, putting a turbo or supper charger would you get about 300 hp? With that much Hp already with a supper charger or a turbo charger would it just have to much power to ride and become dangerous?

 

[snuffcityrider]

Jamie,

Excellent write up. I say the aesthetics of the new Max is something you either find totally ugly or a thing of pure beauty. There is no middle ground. In that sense it is in the same class as the Rocket. Looking at the machine, you know it is fast and they apparently have gotten it to handle much better by design. It is over priced, impractical, and not universally accepted in the bike world. Would I still like to own one, **** STRAIGHT. Let's all hope the Rocket will be around in 20 years with the same cult like following.

I've rode one, and I want one...Still waiting on my stimulus package

 

[IMFASTTOO]

Super rocket

Further to my report, I think the new V-Max engine is fabulous "as is". The rest of the bike is... disappointing. Even more so considering that over half a decade has elapsed since it was first rumored. I'd rather spend less dough than I would on a V-Max trade-in (given the stubborn fact that my Rocket is 4 1/2 years old with thousands of $ worth of enhancements which, quite franly, are worth zilch on the used market) and invest (so to speak) in the pursuit of the same RWHP as the V-Max. That is 180 to 190 ponies.

Which seems do-able, without a turbo or a comp. Am working on it

Jamie

WE have an 09 VMAX and ran a 9.9 @141.85 1/4 mile but our modified ROCKET will run away from it with ease and it makes 240rwhp so dont worry about the VMAX you just have to do the mods

 

[Sidecar Flip]

WE have an 09 VMAX and ran a 9.9 @141.85 1/4 mile but our modified ROCKET will run away from it with ease and it makes 240rwhp so dont worry about the VMAX you just have to do the mods

That's not 'apples for apples'. Just like going out and ***** slapping a Harley isn't apples for apples.

Your (key word) modified R3 beats the (key word) stock V-Max. So, you modify the V-Max and it again beats the Rocket. I guess it depends on the depth of your wallet and your interpretation of performance and longevity.....

I'm a person who could care less about rapping a 1/4 mile. Too many cops waiting to lift your wallet among other less than nice things. I also suspect that the chances of pulling up next to a V-Max at a stoplight are about as rare as pulling up next to a Rocket.....it just don't happen all that often. Neither bike is a 'cookie cutter'

Now, where does all this end at? Compare apples to apples not apples to a watermelon.

So, the V-Max is ugly. So is the Rocket. That's what makes it endearing. It's different. The V-Max has a following as well, it's just not my cup-o-tea.