muscle bike

heberhog

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Feb 4, 2012
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utah
when I was a teenager the V65 Magna was the bike I wanted.. It just did it for me... until the V-Max came out.. I haven't ever pulled the trigger on any type of muscle bike before but lately have circled back around to wanting one again. the new V-Max 1700 cc came out in 2009 I believe and has really caught my eye. I started looked around and also really like the Triumph Rocket 3 GT.

Anyone had any experiences with either of these bikes? Any others that I should be looking at? The Tenere is lonely...
 

Scoop47501

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I have ridden a V-Max 1700 and can say it's one mean bike. I can get similar speed out of a FJR but that is a totally different purpose bike.
As for the Rocket I knew a guy that had one and he had problems with it.
I would go with Yamaha reliability
 

MattR

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North Hampshire UK
I like the look of both the Vmax and the Rocket 3 but I can’t see the point of them? Is it just the looks? They don’t seem to handle and don’t go very fast. Is this like a Harley thing?


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heberhog

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utah
no, not like a Harley thing. I had a Harley don't want another one. I like the size of the Vmax and the rocket I also like the idea of having something that not many other people have or want...
I like the idea of an older bike.. I have a 1984 goldwing that I am refurbishing for some trips.
 

Cantab

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Christchurch NZ
I like the look of both the Vmax and the Rocket 3 but I can’t see the point of them? Is it just the looks? They don’t seem to handle and don’t go very fast. Is this like a Harley thing?


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HP and Torque by the bucket full would be quite fun i reckon, you dont buy one of these things for anything else.

 

Sierra1

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I had a friend that had the Rocket. He didn't have any problems with it. He went "darkside" with his. Made sense to me, seems like a straight line bike. IF I was going "muscle bike". . . . I would go VMax. I agree with scoop about the Yamaha reliability factor. I also think it looks more "bad ass". I've heard a Gen 1 Vmax with a Kerker exhaust. Sounded like a V-8 with a cam. But with 200hp. . . . I have to stay away from it. I wouldn't be able to not get stupid on it.
 

Saint rob

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Something else to consider is the Yamaha MT01, 1700 V twin with massive torque, they handle well too due to the R1 front end. If you could find 1, the MT01 SP had Ohlins as standard, but they are as rare as rocking horse manure and were about £4-5k dearer. I know they were available in Canada, but not sure if you got them in the US - how feasible is it to get one from across the border?
Mine is a keeper and pretty much everyone I've ever heard of who parts with them usually always say they regret the decision. It never fails to put a smile on my face as soon as I fire him up.
 
R

RonH

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I like the V-max, but seating area makes for too much bend of knees to reach the pegs, and sits too low to enable adding a centerstand which is a must, so for those reasons never highly considered one, plus lingering memory of that Honda V45 interceptor back in 1983 still has me leary of V4 engines. Really a cool looking bike though with a lot going for it, power, shaft drive, good looks. Bad colors most years though, as on the Super Tenere.
 

Cantab

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Something else to consider is the Yamaha MT01, 1700 V twin with massive torque, they handle well too due to the R1 front end. If you could find 1, the MT01 SP had Ohlins as standard, but they are as rare as rocking horse manure and were about £4-5k dearer. I know they were available in Canada, but not sure if you got them in the US - how feasible is it to get one from across the border?
Mine is a keeper and pretty much everyone I've ever heard of who parts with them usually always say they regret the decision. It never fails to put a smile on my face as soon as I fire him up.
I've considered one before, that instantaneous juicy torque is awesome but the running out of puff early put me off...mind you that was back in 09...ridden with a couple since then and understand them better I would like one with the S10.
50000km ones go for around 10K $NZ , 15 for an Ohlins if there any left / around.
 

Sierra1

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What? Nobody likes the Kawi Eliminator(s)? The 900 was a re-done Ninja. And, then they came out with the 1000. Both were meant as competition for the VMax. They weren't. They were fast, but the Vmax is whole different kind of animal; they didn't have that black magic called V-boost. I still like their look though.

I can't think of a better bike for the movie Ghost Rider.
 

Sierra1

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I hear from several people that they liked the VTX 1300 better than the 1800. They said it handled better. I can't say for sure, since I've never ridden one. I do like the looks of the 109.
 
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Scoop47501

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I like the V-max, but seating area makes for too much bend of knees to reach the pegs, and sits too low to enable adding a centerstand which is a must, so for those reasons never highly considered one, plus lingering memory of that Honda V45 interceptor back in 1983 still has me leary of V4 engines. Really a cool looking bike though with a lot going for it, power, shaft drive, good looks. Bad colors most years though, as on the Super Tenere.
The V-4's on the Royal Star series were very reliable. Not uncommon to see several 100K V-4's out there. One guy (Bob Tucker) had a Royal Star Venture with over 400,000 miles on it. No need to fear the Yamaha V-4
 
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