Well, I went today and tried my hand at the drag strip again. Last go round I started at 11.7 and finished the 4th and 5th passes at 10.8

Today I started at 11.1 and finished at 10.39 at 132.04mph
I'm still running 60ft times at 1.73 up to 1.87 so I have a lot more work to do.

James(Kawasakijockey) coached me about the burnouts and helped me get better results.

I asked James to ride my VMax and see how it rides.....Man I'll let him tell the story..... But I should have videoed it..LOL!

I'm going to run again next Sunday and should do even better. I KNOW this bike can do 9's...I just have to find the skills! My ability to get consistant is better and I just need to launch a little better and improve my 330ft times.

I am having a blast! James did a 9.13 !!!!!!!!!! on his ZX-14

The VMax draws lot's of attention going down the strip!

I will hint that James lofted the front end up in the first 3 gears going down the strip, and the bike was still spinning the rear tire will he was in the air!

Congrats !! !!!


May be a while for me but i too hope to improve my Times. Better launching is the hardest Part, but alse the biggest Gain lies in there.

sfcrick wrote:
MAYBE you should be coaching JAMES

I need to learn where the powerband is, I'm shifting at 9000rpm through each gear. I'm sure I may do better if I shift where it's the strongest...like maybe at 6500-7000rpm?

I should let the engine work better and maybe that could get me faster at the top-end?

I'm going to program the shift light to help me do that.

Anyway.....I never see how the WarHawk Vmax looks going down the strip. BUT James really made the bike look so good and it ran like a Monster!

I'm getting faster almost every run.....so 9's are only .40 seconds away for me.

you cut like .5 this time out..that really good. A 10.39 is good,but you can get in the 9's.. If I can get my map right in time for my test and tune night I want the 9's BAD!!! Give us a hint.. What did James run??

James has his SUPER QUICK ZX-14, and he's always running 9.13 to 9.17 every run, he's better than a Railway schedule....ole # 254 will be here at the rail station in 9.13 seconds folks....

But he never has rode a new VMax, and it's not quite like his ZX-14. He launched...clutch lever slipped past his fingers and suddenly engaged. It hit hard and the front end came WAY UP in the air! He was drifting to the inside while trying to shift up on the back wheel, but the back wheel was still spinning the bike to the left!

Once he had the front end down it pulled up again after the rear wheel stop spinning and it got a grip. THEN AGAIN IN 3rd!

Needless to say I was holding my breath.....

But he pulled it through and had one heck of look on his face when he motored back. His second run was much better and he really liked the bike's power.

I have watched him run and am very confident in his skills so I have no problem letting him ride my bike. He can ride it whenever he wants.

But just like me, he and I have to figure out the best way to launch, and when to shift. The bike has the power...for sure, but it's gonna take some getting used to on the drag strip. It ain't ever gonna be a Gxr or 14..... but it's something to see and hear a 680 pound VMax roaring down the lane!

Lot's of guys were certainly interested in the bike.

sfcrick wrote:
KEEP PRACTICING WE BEAT EVERY STOCK busa and 14 we ran so far

>> But he never has rode a new VMax, and it's not quite like his ZX-14. He launched... <<



I wish I was there to see it! My son and I are hoping to do some
drag racing this year, I am enjoying the story of your adventures
at the strip!

Rick is much too nice of a guy to actually say that I looked like a monkey humping a football on the first pass.lol
First,I made a drastic rookie mistake..by not dry-hopping the bike after the burnout. Secondly, the clutch lever adjuster should have been set by me,for me, before I ever launched the bike. I was coming off the lever at launch and I was at the end of my fingertip grip when it slipped away.
I made 3 passes having never raced a v4 bike, ever. Actually, have not ridden a v4 since 1987 and it was a Max. It doesnt make torque in the same manner as an inline4 and that torque monster liked to lift the wheel high. In 3 gears! Gotta figure the clutch out. The last run was a 10.50something and that was not even close to what I am sure I can run on it with about 10 or 15 passes. I want one of those bikes!

Very cool!!!

Mike D

kawasakijockey wrote: