Just make up for lost years now!

No_Max wrote:
Next story in the making: Italy 2012. 5 weeks and counting!

I was on the hunt for a new ride last summer and was seriously considering an FJR1300, but just wasn't ready to go for a full-on sport touring bike (plus the FJR just lacked the "cool factor" that I was looking for). Then I went on my first Vmax group ride (after owning a '98 gen1 for over ten years) and saw the gen2 in person for the first time and KNEW that's what I wanted. To be honest, I was excited about the release of the gen2 (finally), but I wasn't sure that I liked it all that much from the pictures I had seen. It looked SOOOooo much better in person that I came home and started my search for a used '09 and stumbled upon this forum. Four months later I drove down to St. Louis to buy my new ride from a former member of this site.

Side note: Sad day yesterday... sold my gen1 (for too cheap, but it had to go - just didn't have room for it and didn't like the idea of it sitting outside all summer while I tried to get a few extra hundred $$'s out of it) and it was tougher than I thought it would be to watch it being ridden away by it's new owner. She was a good, solid reliable bike and I hope the new owner likes it as much as I did. Believe it or not I had the very same stupid grin on my face after my first ride on the gen1 as I did (and still do) on the gen2.

Scott.

I regret the fact that I forgot to get a picture of them side by side...

This thread is epic ! I love to hear your stories. It make me feel like a part of a community ! So many different ways to get to the same event. Same emotion , same desire, same feelings.

Mush

Being a Gen 1 owner for years I took a yamaha survey (90's I think)that asked what changes/improvement I would need to see in a new model for me to buy it. I filled out the questioneer and thought to myself that they would never take it that far. However if they ever made it and it had everything I asked for I would buy it. Many years later I looked at the specs sheet for the New 09 and ordered it.

I had a Kawasaki Eliminator ZL900 back in early 90's. Fast bike, 6 gears. I met a guy on a Vmax one day and we went at it a few times. I could get him from a stop but he would pass me by the time I pulled the clutch for 3rd. Then he started doing wheelies at a roll where I knew I couldn't. Then he left a city block long snake while banging second. I bought a 99 Vmax and rode it for 10 years. Had a blast on it and learned what it's capabilities were. When I started reading about the new Vmax with the improvements they were going to do I was hooked. I couldn't do the prepay & wait because at the same time my profession was going thru a dip. I didn't even know if I would have a job by the time it arrived so I took my chances and waited. April of 09 comes around and I was still working and saving. Well I started calling around and I found 2 dealerships within close proximity of my house. Neither had seen the showroom floor yet. Went in and looked at it and closed the deal. I got an extra 500 off for putting it on a Star credit card and had 90 days same as cash. I had saved enough by April that I planned to pay cash. I paid it off on day 80 just to use thier money intrrest free. With the knowledge I had from my 99 I tried the same things and quickly found out that this new Vmax is different as night and day to my old one. I am still in awe of this machine. Not to mention the comps I get almost every time I ride. No Regrets.

i was 20 years old and was making 9 dollars an hour and living at home. decided it was time to upgrade my gen 1 to a gen 2! went and bought one completely financed and got laid off the next day. literally the next day.

scraped money everywhere i could find it to make the payments and finally got a new job a few months later. if i could do it over again i wouldn't change a thing.

a >>>few<<< other bikes may have more top speed but no other bike is as special and feels as good as one of these.

I only had 7 yards to mow back in the 80's(pre-teens) and waz spending that on enduro's and dirtbikes. Always loved the muscle and looks of the 'big bikes'. I salivated over this V65 magna this little rich redneck had. He let me ride it once.....went 115mph on it for the first time ever...infection.

There werent any maxes around where i grew up, yet i waz AWARE butt, I waz still berming in the dirt.

So...forward a few decades, and I had been totally oblivious to the Gen2....had a couple Hardleys, a katana, ninja, .. yadda, yadda. I had gone over to this grocery store to buy a $1.00 knife to cut some cheese for crackers at work. Saw the Gen 2 blown up all over this motorcycle mag, center stage. Gave this chiropractor whiplash az i waz inadvertently walking buy. Caption said, 'ITS HERE'. I had MAJOR movement.

Gave them $1,000.00 within 24 hours. All over a damm dollar knife to cut cheese....

Come on Doc.. You expect us to believe that story? You didn't really need a knife to cut the cheese..

Good question Capt.

Great topic, and some ripper stories of how the Vmax got a hold of each of us.

From a mining and farming background, I loved anything with grunt. If it had a motor and could be fanged around the paddock or our dirt tracks, It had my undivided attention. Had heard about the Gen1 Vmax and the write ups about it, unfortunately at that age and career position, never was determined enough to save up enough dough for one.

About 12 years back, I saw a pic/artists impression in a magazine of a new Vmax that Yamaha were going to develop...It looked tough and mean, and packed with grunt!


I was impressed so much, showed the picture to my offsider (workmate) and stated "I GOTTA GET ME ONE O' THEM!" (Yelling over the sound of the drill rig)

Fast forward about 8.5 years and I googled Vmax, This site came up as one of the forums where I viewed some pics and stats of a Gen2 Vmax.

I was Hooked!

The bug had bitten me hard! My missus wasn't too fussed about a new bike but she said "Go on, get one then, You deserve it!". WOO HOO!

If I hadn't been so well informed from this website I may have missed out on getting an 09, Never had feelings for a machine like I have for the Mighty Gen2 VMax.

Pokey.