Yamaha V-Max: Yamaha's unforgettable V4 bruiser
In 1985, Yamaha’s brand-new 1,198cc, 70-degree V4 monster V-Max was an unapologetic two-wheeled hot-rod.
Chris MacMahan
September/October 2007
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The V-Max's big air scoops may be all show, but its 1,198cc V4 is all go. The factory like to claim 145hp for the liquid-cooled engine, but most tests put actual power at around 119hp. That's still enough to scoot the 596lb bike to 150mph.
Photos by Roland Brown
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Yamaha V-Max
Years produced: 1985-present
Claimed power: 119hp @ 9,000rpm (1985 test)
Top speed: 150mph
Engine type: 1,198cc double-overhead cam, four valves per cylinder, water-cooled 70-degree V4
Weight (dry): 271kg (596lb)
Price then: $5,299 (1985 model)
Price now: $3,500-$5,500 (1985 model)
MPG: 28-32
In 1985, Yamaha’s brand-new 1,198cc, 70-degree V4 monster V-Max was an unapologetic two-wheeled hot-rod. It was the undisputed king of the boulevard, and the most American bike ever to come out of Japan. Virtually unchanged 22 years later, it still may be.
The V-Max boasted unheard of road-burning acceleration, introduced Yamaha’s innovative V-Boost technology, and raised the stakes for the then-new “muscle-cruiser” category. Its looks, while jarring at the time, predated the styling of the BMW R1200C and Harley-Davidson V-Rod. From its headlight nacelle to its squared heads, V-layout and wide, low-slung wheelbase and fat tires, it’s an icon of motorcycling. It has enjoyed a rare 20-plus year production, has built a worldwide fan following with V-Max clubs from France to Japan, and still earns reverence and accolades from top motorcycle publications each model year.
This is a bike built for the moody loner. No factory repli-racer resplendent in rainbow hues … no weekend offroading with the kids. The V-Max is all about wicked attitude in spades, anti-social behavior and burning up the other guy in stoplight to stoplight races. The V-Max was a hooligan bike a decade before the term existed.
Inline out? The V4 revolution
When it was released in 1969, Honda’s air-cooled, inline-four, SOHC CB750 revolutionized motorcycle design and sales, offering riders a reliable, easy to maintain bike with aggressive performance and a smoothness American V-twins and British vertical twins simply couldn’t match. Almost immediately, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki released their own inline fours. So ubiquitous was the engine style that Japanese four-cylinder bikes as a whole were labeled with the unflattering moniker “Universal Japanese Motorcycle.”