Back in 1985 when men where men and torque was king, the original Yamaha V-Max kicked off a whole new class of motorcycles with its brutal mid-range power and overabundance of torque. There were minor upgrades over the years but for the most part it was left largely unchanged-including the less than notable handling.
Star Motorcycles launched a reinvented 2009 V-Max in a cloud of smoke and rubber aboard the flight deck of the USS Midway in San Diego, and the spectacle was approapriate. With a huge 1679cc V4 motor packed in a newly designed cast aluminum frame, the reborn bad boy is not for the weak at heart or wrist.
In order to keep the bike compact, the redesigned engine uses both chain and gear driven camshafts. Yamaha's Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) sportbike technology for increased mid-range and high-end power has also made its way into the mix.
Helping to put the power to the pavement is a redesigned chassis that uses the engine as a stressed member of the frame. A slipper clutch helps control the claimed 197 hp and 123 ft lbs of torque-that's right, nearly 200 hp!
Huge 52 mm oxidized titanium coated forks hold 320 mm wave-type disc brakes that include ABS. Rear suspension utilizes a single shock with a link-type cast aluminum swingarm.
Keeping with the hot rod heritage is a multifunction single gauge that displays the speed along with a huge tachometer and shift light. An additional gauge pod mounted on the tank handles the rest of the information duties including odometer, clock, trip, fuel gauge, gear position indicator, temperature, mpg, intake air temperature, throttle valve opening angle, stopwatch, and countdown indicator.
With a limited run of only 2,500 units, a sell out is all but certain.
Interested buyers should head to the local dealer between now and October 31st and plop down a $1,000 deposit against the $17,990 price tag to guarantee a bike.
For more info check out
http://www.starmotorcycles.com.
Specs:
2009 Yamaha V-Max
MSRP $17,990
Engine: V4, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valves per cylinder, 1679cc, 197HP, 123 lb-ft torque
Suspension:Front 52mm fork, fully adjustable
Rear Monoshock, fully-adjustable
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 66.9 inWeight: 683 lbs (wet)
Tank capacity: 4.0 gal
Contact: http://www.starmotorcycles.com