Yamaha Vmax « Have I got news for you?

re Lenina’s comment: I am after this bike:

It is in production since 1985 practically unchanged ever since. The normal unrestricted edition is 145LE out from the factory (just to mention: an average big family car is about a 100LE…) but this can be pumped up somewhere if the region of 160-200LE easily…

So what are they? They are cruisers or muscle bikes. Nowdays they are not that interesting cos most of the sport or speed bikes can do the same or even better performance but with much more better handling abilities. This one remained a cruiser you still can beat almost anybody on a straight road or in a drag race (exspecially if you got nitro on it hehe) but you must slow down before the corner comes or you are bumm…

The good thing in this bike though that you can enjoy the pleasures of biking and wondering around looking the scenery as you can’t go too fast (fast in motorcycle terms, not in car terms…) unlike a speed bike where the temptation to ride the bike on peak performance (both rider and the bike) all the time is so big that – well you have no time to enjoy the surroundings. In exchange you laugh full your helmet. On the other side though the Vmax is still well more comfortable than a speed bike (try to go for a bike tour with a speed bike you will understand what I am talking about…)

The picture above shows a standard factory bike. If you interested, google the bike you will find hundreds and hundreds modified Vmax’s. Usually the owners are very proud of them and everybody is trying to make them more personalized…

Anyway I know a guy who is selling his bike which is a Vmax. Argh it is very tempting but so much money. These bikes keep their prices very well.

And yes next year what everyone was waiting for, the new Vmax is due. I read a few blogs and forums about it and quite a number of people said oh well the new one is not the same. Well I think it looks stunning just like a bike from some cyberpunk world but I have to admit that on the technical side the new Vmax doesn’t offer much more than the old one (bare in mind that the old one is a more than 20 years old construction)

lenina Says:

September 9, 2007 at 9:10 am

so how much is the one that is being sold? Will you get rid of your car once you have a bike? Was your entire license transferred to a British one, including the motorcycle category?

The bike I most fondly remember is one a friend of mine owned in Rome. It was a BMW and I think it looked similar to this one here: http://www.emersonmotorworks.com/images/DSCN1906.JPG

Anyway, it was very nice and comfortable while being powerful (you realise from my descriptions that I know fuck all about bikes). I sat on the back while he rode through Rome and some surrounding villages, I think it was February so very cold!

andraco Says:

September 9, 2007 at 9:33 am

Well the starting price is £3500… The thing is that it is possible to buy much more better value bikes but this is a Vmax. I am still forcing myself to be sensible and go with the sensible choices.
I do have licence for everything (yep British one) cars, lorries, bikes.
I will not sell my car. A bike is a luxury unfortunately. Very few people are using it every day. Winter is out of question you can cripple yourself within 2 years if you do biking regularly in cold weather.
The BMW what you showed is an oldie one, nice bike though. The other big dream bike of mine is an off road touring BMW which is also very expensive but the thing is with BMW’s that once you bought a decent one you do not have to worry about it for a very longtime they are very very good bikes.

And yes it is clear that you know nothing about bikes but it is cute to see the enthusiasm…

Staying on the clear mind side, I will try not to make sudden actions such as buying a bike right now regardless how tempting it is. But I will follow a much more sensible approach and my GF advise (you know, she is a responsible German girl… lol) and not to buy anything in this year, but build a bigger shed, look for bikes properly and then buy it next year b4 spring (to get the bargain bikes b4 the season)