34 KIWI RIDER

WORDS & PICS: Big Dave

Yamaha refers to the VMax as its ‘Legen-dary Muscle Bike that achieved cult status soon after it launched in 1985’.

And the vehicles certainly have bred a ‘peppy’ band of enthusiasts over that period of time.

In fact you probably know a Max fan. They will extol the virtues of V-tech and the brutish power that placed the bike at their pinnacle of motorcycledom.

I wasn’t one of them. ‘Fast in a straight line’. Even my XS1100s tipped in better than an early Max. But all that has changed.

Thanks to Peter and the crew from Yamaha NZ, the Ed and I were fi rst to have a serious fang of the new 200bhp beast at the Meremere drag strip.

STRIP JACK

We met up outside the strip and they tossed us the keys for a ride around some of the local back roads fi rst.

Hoping aboard was very big-man friend-ly. Knees rest against the air intakes, but not uncomfortably so, and the rest of the layout is what a large bike should be.

Also more comfortable than the original is the way the machine handles.

With 200hp and 166nm of torque on tap, (Dave, Dave, Dave, that’s 147.2kW and 166.8Nm. Ed) the distances between corners close in very quickly, and with a good 1700mm between the wheel centres, there’s absolutely no disguising the fact, it’s one big motorcycle.

But cornering clearances were refresh-ing and steering and chuckability also surprised somewhat. The Ed and I decided this was largely because bike suspension and geometry have come a long way since 1985. To the point where New-Max punted through the corners quite rewardingly (for a fi rst jaunt).

MAN IT HAULS!

But it was on the strip that it blew our doors – not to mention my jacket – off at about 200km/h. I kid you not. I left the collar open and at the end of the run the zip simply couldn’t take it any more.

Though he was under strict instructions not to put too much stress and strain on what in effect was a brand new bike, the Ed gave it a series of very rapid and impres-sively squirmy launches, but I just took off like I was at the traffi c lights, kept the throttle pinned up to the end of the strip, changing before the prominent change light started glowing…and I still found myself travelling well in excess of 200km/h as I fl ashed across the fi nish line.

Man it hauls!

The surge through the gears is quite sensational.

Where a lesser-powered bike’s push diminishes through the taller gears, the symphony of torque and power the New-max conducts continues to surge waaaay into fourth and beyond.

It makes quite a lovely noise from the four stumpy exhausts as it goes about doing it – which you can hear for yourself as the Ed videoed a standard launch for our web site. Links are on the front page.

The styling, marketing and presenta-tion of the bike is all about the drag strip. From the prominent gear change light and integrated self-timing system, to the local launch venue.

The strip is certainly the place to enjoy the high performance aspects of the bike. It is simply wickedly fast.

A quick jaunt through the Waikato seemed to indicate that the bike will be very pleasant as a roadster too.

Watch this space. KR

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QUICK FLICKBike: Yamaha VMaxType: RoadsterEngine: Liquid-cooled DOHC 16-valve V4Frame: Diamond-shape aluminiumWheelbase: 1700mmFuel tank capacity: 15lSeat height: 775mmKerb weight: 310kgRRP: $33,850Test Bike: Yamaha Motor NZ Ltd

MAXIMUM ATTACK

There’s no doubting new VMax model’s impact, both visual and visceral, with a look and feel like that of original (short, stubby) model crossed with a Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Bike is BIG in every sense but genuine 200hp power output means it has the power-to-weight ratio of a bike half its length and girth. Fit and fi nish are just as impressive with incredible attention paid to even the tiniest of design details.