Mega-Max For 2008?
MEGA-MAX FOR 2008?
ROUNDUP
HANG ON, MR. MAX, help is on the way. Twenty-two years after its introduction, the original bad-ass muscle machine looks like it's about to get some long-overdue luvin'. Clues have been piling up, albeit in subtle ways. After
years of frustrating non-action on Yamaha's part, hope for a new-and-improved V-Max was given a shot in the arm at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, where a medieval-looking concept Max was rolled out, but with little fanfare and next to nothing in the way of technical details. The bike, dark and evil like something out of Lord Vader's garage. was curiously unfinished for a concept machine. No turnsignals, no seat padding, no passenger
pegs, no instrument faces, not even faux headand taillight decals. “It was really just a design exercise to see how a future V-Max might look,” said a company insider.
The bike then went back under wraps, leaving V-Max fans hanging, maybe never to be seen again?
Nope, it popped up last December at the Cycle World Show in Long Beach, this time in the Star division’s booth. One change from Tokyo. Gone were the Yamaha badges on the V-Boost intake trumpets, replaced with the stylized Star compass logo. Another indirect clue? A trial balloon in black and chocolate and purple nitride? Was the spin-off cruiser line getting the public ready for a new
per form a nee fl ags h i p?
Nobody at Star is talking, only letting on that a new VMax-if it even exists-is “down the road aways, some where on the horizon.” But we did some digging. It’s obvious that in silhouette, at least, styling has not strayed too far from the original two wheeled hot-rod theme. That’s entirely on purpose.
“The V-Max is an iconic ^ machine,” said , —. ti
our source. “No matter what, you have to maintain the soul of an icon.’
What about engine size? A Any mention has been ƒ/! curiously absent. Surely, Mi the V-Four will be \
bumped up from its cur1 rent 1198cc and aceompa* nying 110 rear-wheel hp.
“Bigger,” we were told.
That's it? Bigger?
C’mon!
“Bigger, meaner and nastier.”
Ho-ho, that’s &
more like it. |y'
Certainly, the w'%
stacked rads jutting out in front of the engine give a clue that some serious horsepressure is expected. And who knows what kind of fly-bywire, variable-intake-horn trickery is hiding behind those trademark sweeping alloy breathers?
So, is a new era of muscled-up tire-smokers upon us? Suzuki s new B-King seems to suggest that it is. So does an increased interest in NHRA dragbike racing. Perfect timing, then, for Mr. Max’s second act bigger, meaner and nastier than ever.
David Edwards
