I was reeled in as well , I was working for a very wealthy man that bought toys on whim mostly vintage vettes and muscle cars
We had a Gen 1 in the warehouse that we both rode and I had done quite a bit of mods on , well off to bike week and saw the Gen 2
At the Yamaha expo at the speedway I did not get a chance to ride it but sat on it and started my research , got back and Mentioned
My findings to Rick and we drove to the local dealer to purchase one , well as many know back then the salesman looked at us and said
You can't just buy a V Max you have to "acquire" it and we can get you one in on order , Rick lost patience with that and I was bummed
Cause whet ever he buys I get to play with , got back to the warehouse and stated the search , We found an 09 in Tyler Tx and I was in the Silverado speeding to Tyler with a ramp in the back I brought my "lid" for the boss man said shake it down , I put 35 miles of smiles
On that 09 before loading it in the truck, Will I was no longer happy with my "boat anchor" K 1200 RS BMW and had a sales ad written in my mind before I got out of Texas , I was Bit and had the infection that follows , within a couple weeks sold my bike a raised the cash
And in the meantime joined the forum and got wind of an 09 coming up for sale in Alabama and my brother and I went and purchased it
27 thousand miles have passed and am still excited every time I see " Time to ride this is V MAX"

The Gen1 and then the prototype in Japan spinning around on its display and flashing the sexiest muscle & lines I had ever seen on a motorcycle. My 2007 never felt big enough for me, and once I started my research on the Gen 2 and how long it would be for me to have one, I became obsessed. Sold the 07 in 08, plunked down the deposit and waited 6 months for it to get here, paying on it every month till it was paid for before it arrived. Slickest thing I've ridden and would do it over again in a heartbeat

"There can be only one"...

I bought my dads 2000 MAX in the year 2004 after breifly owning a '97 Katana 600. (I couldn't ride it That position). MAX had 6,000 wiles on 'er when I bought it from dad. (two bros 4-1). Soon as I heard about MAXes Big Bro becoming available I put down a deposit and the rest is history. (had plenty-o-Great times with that 2000 WOW! Not long after I bought that 2000 I couldn't believe the respect That Bike got.

Easy.....The Gen1 I was 17 When the Gen 1 made its debut and said to myself. I want that for my HS Graduation. Of course my Mother gave me a look that would kill me quicker than even the V-Max could. With that I was like in Stalk Mode. Well (1997) 12 yrs later (thats 12 school years) I got my wish. I had my dream bike. Brand new. Never even ridden a motorcycle a week prior as I ordered it went to a motorycle riding course one weekend got my endorsement that monday and picked up my Max the next Saturday. Well fast forward 12 more years and here we are with the much hyped, anticipated, longed for, etc etc Gen 2. I remember like it was yesterday sitting on the button watching the counter count down......5, 4, 3, 2, It time to Ride THIS IS VMAX.

What do I see in 12 more years. (well if we make it past twenty - 12) Who knows, but if it has a V-Max badge on it. "I'm on it!"

Hey Bob,

Great story...your smiles will continue for a long time on the mighty Max!

As for me I was dreaming to buy a vmax ever since my brother sent me a photo of it prior to its release.. I was riding a Honda VTR 250cc at the time but had just started riding then my bro got the vmax...I couldn't stop smiling and I was not the owner! Lol then one day we were riding somewhere and my bro said: "You want to rise the mighty max?" I was like "nah too scary and big for me" then I thought to myself you only live once...so he pulled over in the highway and I got on...mind you he just installed the x-pipe one week before...he said be careful and have fun...I turn on the key and the engine just sent an incredible sensation though my body I was excited and scared at the same time...we were talking through the headsets and he was talking
me thought it...we needed to merge on the highway an I always had a problem merging with a 250cc bike...my bro then said "you are on a vmax...go for it when you are ready" I twisted that throttle and from that momen on I knew this was the bike of my dreams and I have to have it!!

I owned a '99 Vmax for 2 years before I traded it in for a Busa. I vowed that if Yamaha ever updated the bike I would give it serious consideration. Enter the 2005 Tokyo Motorcycle show.

thekneeslider.com/archives/2005/10/20/ne...om-tokyo-motor-show/

I went to the Chicago motorcycle show only to be disappointed that Yamaha did not bring the concept teaser bike. They did manage to bring it out in 2007 (may of been 06) and I immediately fell in love.. (although I was not impressed with the dual rear springs they had on the model at the time). So I waited.. and waited.. every few months I would do a search to see if there was any news.. but nothing. Out of sheer luck the last week of May in 08 I searched again and stumbled on this website. From what I was reading there reliable rumors of the bikes release. A few days later there were teaser photos all over the web. Oliver was also hinting to an event that he was invited to, on some aircraft carrier. June 3, 2008 13:00 CST it was official. The new Vmax!!!! But it was out of my price range. It took about an hour to convince my better half and at approx 14:45ish I was lucky order #93. Now to sell my Busa to afford a bike not seen, tested, or proven. Only teaser videos... Busa sold 2 days later.. =(

It was probably the longest 6 months of my life. If it was not for this forum, I would of been #%&^@%!




Nick

Well...
Back in the 80's, I was a kid in the back seat of my mothers 351 Grand Torino.
Once in awhile I remember noticing a different motorcycle across the intersection with these scoops.
Not that I was really into cars or bikes at 11 years old, but my attention to detail, somehow made me notice the motorcycle with scoops I'd see once in awhile.

Fast forward into my teens I admired the gen one Vmax, but could only afford lesser motorcycles.
In my 20's, I had 3 gen ones. Every 3 years I landed another Max, starting late 90's into Y2K

Well after so many years of being a Gen one owner, the talk among us enthusiast's were hoping for a Gen 2. It seemed as if it was never gonna happen. Yamaha didn't change the Vmax for over FN 20 years!!!

Well...my passion & great riding memories for the gen one, influenced my lust for the Gen 2.
Granted I've evolved as a motorcycle rider & prefer a bike that can multitask after going through all different kind of bikes over the years. A Vmax is just a bike I'll always have a thing for.
I might pick up another gen 2 in a couple of years.
Gotta buy a new boat soon & an old Corvette for the wife 1st.
Give me 3 years & I'll find a 2012 flat black in 2015 for a great price.

It all started back in 1985, I was in the 10th grade. Had a guy around here named Phil Ellis, who bought the first one in the county and when I saw it I fell in love from the beginning. Phil would race on the 3mile road at my house and whip everything that was there. The sound was amazing. I swore that one day I would own it. As we all know the Gen 1 had a bad shake at high or low speeds back then. One day while the boys was riding Phil came by them at over 100mph like a bat-out-of-hell (as I am told). Went around a curve the shake started and he lost control. Quadtro-from the neck down.
I new about the shake I felt bad for Phil, I was in school with his sister. But it never stopped me from the love I had for the vmax. It was something about the look, the sound, the way people tried to figure out what it was. Needless to say I didn't get to be able to buy one until 1997. I had never ridin one, and I didn't have to. I drove 4hrs to buy her brand new, brought her home finally got on her and off we went. My love for her was the same in 1985 as it was in 1997, nothing had changed but the desire to fall more and more in love with the beast. In 2006 I decided to sell my love. I was at a lost in my life.

It was a depressin time for me. I loved the max but I wanted more. It seemed that all was lost. I was hopin that yamaha would give us a updated version, and then in 2008 I just decided to type in and search new vmax.

THERE SHE WAS. To be honest with all of you I actually cried. For 6mos I read everything that was on the internet about the bike over and over again. I swore that one day I would own one. And in 2012 April 23, at 3:15 I signed the paperwork and brought old girl home. I rode her 2 miles and parked her in the garage. That night I cried again, another goal in my life had been fulfilled. I have owned 2 bikes in my life, both vmaxes. And as long as I live that is all I will ever own. I love it for it. Till death do us part.

Thanks Dannie (LumMax)

I saw that key holder and knew it was special. Just kidding, I wanted the best redlight bike I could get that can be ridden in a normal position. Also I am partial to Yamaha since I worked for them.

I really wasn't inspired to get the new Gen 2. I've been wait'n for this thing since it's been rumored year after year, and then they kept it secret pretty good. First word of it I went down and plopped my $1000 deposit down using my bill money and wondering how I was gonna save all my pennies until it came in. Oh, fuck the ol' lady is gonna kill me. Good thing it got delayed because I had to wait for uncle Sam to give me my cash back at tax time.

So no inspiration, Just anticipation.

Mike D

I did fall in love with my Gen 1 when I went to go make my first Big boy purchase of a new bike. I needed the new FZR600 deltabox, so I thought . Until I saw a Vmax sit'n right next to it at the dealers. I said I got to have that one!!! The dealer didn't want me to buy it. They said I'd kill myself on it. Ended up forcing the Sale with a good deal of $7000 for a brand new 1992. I left the dealers lot in a wheelie..... They finally realized I'm one bad azz biker..... I, on the other hand finally realized ....this thing is so bad ass I might kill myself on it!! The vmax demanded respect everyday or it would bite your hand...... I had some great times on my gen 1 and hope to respect and enjoy what the new gen 2 will do.... More power and less bite, But still needs respect!!