Meet the Yamaha VMax

Find out a little more about the history of the Yamaha VMax below, a bike that has received few updates for 22 years. Know more!

For 22 years, from 1985 to 2007, the Yamaha V-Max graced Yamaha dealers.

Over all these years, the V-Max has received only cosmetic changes and minor performance upgrades – a testament to the bike's original design.

The Yamaha V-Max is the original power cruiser. When released in 1985, there was nothing like it.

The bike was criticized by enthusiasts for its poor handling, but praise for its 1197cc V-Four, DOHC, and 70-degree 1197cc V-Four engine overcame any negativity and earned it early honors and later cult status. .

Coming from Yamaha's touring machine, the Venture Royale, the engineers worked on altering the cam profiles, lightening the pistons and increasing the strength of the connecting rods.

The most important performance feature, however, was the V-Max's "V-Boost" system.

The engine was fed by two banks of two 35mm constant velocity carburettors, each carburettor feeding one cylinder.

Between the two groups of carburettors was a butterfly valve connected to a small engine.

When the engine passed 6000 rpm, the throttle valve would open and allow the fuel mixture from both banks of carburettors to flow into a chamber that feeds all four carburettors.

The result, in the hands of a professional, was a power boost that revved up the Yamaha V-Max in less than 10 seconds.

In 2008, the Yamaha V-Max was noticeably absent from Yamaha's model lineup, only to be replaced by an all-new Yamaha VMAX in 2009.

The Yamaha VMAX featured an aluminum frame, fully adjustable suspension, a slipper clutch and ABS, but the big news, as with the original model, was the bike's engine.

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The new Yamaha VMAX was powered by an all-new liquid-cooled DOHC V-Four engine rated at 1679cc (an increase of nearly 500cc). Where the old bike made 120 horsepower, the new Yamaha VMAX made 174 hp and 113 lb-ft. of torque.

Since the new Yamaha VMAX was fuel injected and not carbureted, Yamaha had to come up with a new V-Boost system. Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I) and Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) were the replacements. At 6650 rpm, the YCC-I reduces the length of the intake rails from 150 mm to 54 mm in just 0.3 seconds.

The YCC-T controls the throttle valves by calculating input from a variety of sensors and calculates the best combination of EXUP setting, throttle position and ignition timing to deliver controllable power.

contrary to Yamaha Original V-Max, the new version doesn't go for a sudden increase in power, but uses modern technology to smooth and broaden the power delivery. At 174 horsepower, however, there's no shortage of power anywhere in the VMAX's rev range.

Source: Motorcycle