Yamaha bet big on cruisers and touring bikes back in the 00s, but was not able to gain a foothold in a market that Harley owned, and still owns up to today. The failure clearly stung, and the response was swift. Several bikes got discontinued right away, but one was a little too good and hung around until 2020.
For the most part, cruisers age a little differently from other motorcycles. While there are certainly exceptions to the rule, cruiser styling doesn’t evolve quite as quickly as other segments, and when done right, can be timeless. Although some chrome-heavy bikes might offer giveaways like flaky or pitted chrome, others – like the bike in question – can look factory fresh no matter how old they really are.
Buying a used motorcycle always has an element of risk attached, so please do your research and proceed with caution.
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A Couple Of Powerful Alternatives
In an effort to redefine what a power cruiser really is, Honda brought out the Rune in 2004. The brand reportedly lost tens of thousands of dollars on each bike sold, thanks to all the bespoke parts that were used to build the bike. It is almost certainly going to increase in value one day, but for now, it remains accessible. For around the same money, you can have a late model Triumph Rocket 3, the largest displacement production motorcycle. But, even with all that displacement, it is not as powerful as this legendary Yamaha.
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The 2020 Yamaha VMax Ages Shockingly Well
Price Range: $16,000 – $20,000
We are only specifically calling out the 2020 model VMax because it has not been touched by depreciation yet. It was the last year the bike was produced, and it is pretty clear that buyers are still willing to pay serious money for one of these bikes. The truth is, any second-generation bike will be just as good and will cost less than half as much. The trade value is currently set at $16,050, but in the right condition, we suspect dealers will pay more. Retail value is still sitting at over $20k, which seems absurd when you take into account the fact that these bikes were selling for around $18k back when they were new. While they haven’t quite kept up with inflation, they haven’t exactly depreciated either.
The Most Powerful Yamaha Engine Ever Put In A Production Motorcycle
Power: 197 Horsepower
While the original V-Max made waves when it came out in 1985, it got the mother of all updates in 2009. One of the few things that held that bike back was its complicated V-Boost system. That was replaced with a more modern fuel-injected system that featured ride-by-wire and Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I). Just like the carbureted V-Boost system offered best-of-both-worlds performance, variable intake tracts help maximize torque at low revs with the longer intake tracts, and improve horsepower with the shorter intake tracts. While it might seem like it is just a different way to achieve the same objective, those V-Boost systems were not particularly reliable, and the newer bike makes significantly more power.
Not Your Average Cruiser
Its 123 pound-feet of torque is neatly distributed throughout the rev range, so it will certainly pull as hard as any modern cruiser from low revs. Unlike any other cruiser, it will just keep pulling. All the way up to its 9,000 RPM redline. With an output of almost 200 horsepower, it is not only the most powerful production cruiser, but it is also the most powerful production motorcycle Yamaha has ever made – albeit by a hair’s breadth. You might expect this title to belong to an R1/R1M, but the inline-four superbike makes 197.3 horsepower, and the V4 power cruiser makes 197.4 horsepower. Both are often rounded up to 200 horsepower for the sake of convenience.
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The Second Generation VMax Is A Desirable Motorcycle
While the original V-Max is reaching classic status these days, the second-generation bike is a thoroughly usable modern machine. While sparsely equipped compared to more modern bikes, it does have ABS and a slipper clutch, two often overlooked features that make a difference on a high-performance motorcycle like this. Obviously, it will appeal mostly to riders looking for a more back-to-basics experience. It makes no bones about the fact that it is all about its engine. This is a motorcycle you will buy for that gigantic V4 alone. As such, it is not a bike that will only appeal to traditional cruiser buyers, but anyone who is after a straight-line speed machine.
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Yamaha Needs A New Cruiser
Obviously, this is no track bike. It offers a laid-back – albeit neutral – riding position, and tips the scales at 686 pounds. The VMax is certainly no shrinking violet. She needs an experienced hand at the helm; novice riders will get caught out, especially on a canyon road where all that weight will be most felt. Novice riders already have the V Star 250, and the Bolt R Spec is a decent bike to step up to, but the only Yamaha options for more experienced riders can be found on the used market. Ever since Star Motorcycles flew south for the winter, this has been the case. The VMax left a big void in the lineup that Yamaha seems uninterested in filling. Which seems rather strange, because, judging by the appetite for the used VMax, there is most certainly demand.
Source: KBB