Length 2395 mm / 94.3 in
Width 820 mm / 32.3 in
Height 1190 mm / 46.9 in
Wheelbase
1700 mm / 66.9 in
Seat Height
775 mm / 30.5 in
Ground Clearance
140 mm / 5.5 in
Wet Weight
310 kg / 683 lbs
Fuel Capacity
15 Litres / 4.0 US gal
Consumption Average
15.6 km/lit
Standing
¼ Mile
10.9 sec
Standing 0 - 100km
2.7 sec
Standing 0 - 150km
4.9 sec
Standing 0 - 200km
8.3 sec
Acceleration
60-100 km/h
3.1 sec
Acceleration
60-140 km/h
6.4 sec
Acceleration
100-140 km/h
3.3 sec
Acceleration
140-180 km/h
3.2 sec
Top Speed
222.4 km/h / 138.1 mph
The 2010 Star VMAX features a striking, new Candy
Red paint scheme.
Yamaha V-Max vs Harley-Davidson VRSCF V-Rod
Muscle
V-Max vs V-Rod Muscle isn’t the first shootout
most people would think of. And that’s probably because on paper, the Harley is
comprehensively outgunned by the Yamaha. Mr Max is fitted with an almighty
1,697cc V4 that pumps out 200 horsepower at 9,000rpm and 167Nm of torque at
6,500 revs. The V-Rod Muscle pales in comparison, with its 1,250cc V-twin, which
only makes 122bhp at 8,250rpm and 110Nm of torque at 7,000rpm.
So is it over before it’s started? Is there no match-up here at all? Toff
magazine don’t think so and they’ve gone ahead and pitted the two bikes against
each other. Here are some excerpts from what they have to say:
The V-Rod, which isn’t exactly dainty, is still a lot smaller than the V-Max,
despite the two bikes having an identical wheelbase of 1,700mm. The Max is
significantly taller and wider and the difference is immediately apparent as
soon as you get on these bikes. The V-Max’s seat height is a challenging 775mm
while the V-Rod’s is a rather more accessible 640mm.
Seat height apart, the two bikes have very different seating positions. The
V-Max has a comfortable, upright seating position that’s ideal for cruising
along at a fast clip. The V-Rod Muscle’s footpegs make you stretch your legs
forward and its handlebars make you reach out much further ahead – it is, of
course, the traditional Harley riding position.
Both the bikes are formidable when it comes to orgies of acceleration. Indeed,
‘acceleration’ is what both these machines are all about. The V-Rod goes from
zero to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds while Mr Max pulverises the Harley, taking just
2.66 seconds to get to the 100km/h mark.
That the Yamaha dominates everything else in straight-line acceleration isn’t
surprising – its V4 engine is bigger and vastly more powerful than the Harley’s.
The Harley engine is more fuel efficient though, using 8.34 liters
of fuel over
100km, while the V-Max engine guzzles 9.6 liters
. [Then again, if you’re buying
either of these bikes for their fuel economy, you probably need to think again…]
When the traffic lights turn green, the Yamaha boosts ahead with a rare
vehemence – the sheer brute force, which pumps you forward regardless of the
speed or revs, is simply aphrodisiac. And yet, that V4 is also so smooth and
provides such linear, progressive power that pottering along at lower speeds is
easy.
The V-Rod Muscle’s engine also runs very well and unlike some other Harley
engines, it never gets rough and doesn’t vibrate at higher speeds. And it sounds
distinctive – a low, bass rumble compared to the higher-pitched scream of the
Yamaha V4. Also, the Rod’s five-speed gearbox is quite precise, if a bit noisier
than the Yamaha’s transmission.
On the move, the Muscle feels much more like a cruiser, the Yamaha like a naked
sportsbike. Despite its heft, Mr Max is refreshing handy, responding to rider
input promptly while cornering and yet remaining enormously stable in a straight
line, at very high speeds. The Yamaha’s suspension feels nicely taut and
isolates you from bumps quite well. No question, the V-Max is a masterpiece of
engineering.
The V-Rod, as you would probably expect, is not as competent around corners as
the V-Max, grinding out its footpegs much earlier. No, the Muscle definitely
prefers a more leisurely pace though that’s not necessarily a criticism.
Remember, the Harley does accelerate very hard from a standstill, looks sharp
and can handle almost any kind of riding that you choose to throw at it. It’s
just not as good as the V-Max, which has moved the bar up very high.
While the V-Max is definitely a more
impressive motorcycle overall, it’s also significantly more expensive – about
30% more – compared to the Muscle, which is an important factor. But keeping the
money factor aside, the V-Max, with its mind-numbing velocity, left an
incomparable impression upon us.
We are reminded that the 1985 Yamaha V-Max
motorcycle burst onto the scene as a fire-breathing, liquid-cooled V-4 power
cruiser that had no motorcycling peer. It was, in the words of Mr. Araki, the
Japanese project leader for the original V-Max motorcycle, an "American Hot
Rod."
Like the original heavyweight boxer, its unadorned muscle and aggressive
attitude demanded the attention of both motorcyclists and innocent bystanders. A
cult surrounded the V-Max, complete with bike-specific tattoos and endless
modifications designed to enhance both performance
and appearance.
However, the V-Max lost strength over the decades, as it became strangled by
ever-tightening emissions requirements. Newer machines were more powerful, and
lighter on their feet. Starting with the proverbial clean sheet of paper-and
armed with riders' preference surveys-the Star engineers set forth to return the
once mighty V-4 streetfighter to its rightful place of respect. The result: the
limited production 2009 Star VMAX.
Straddling the 685-pound brute is effortless as the
30.5-inch seat height is easily manageable, and thanks to Star's fixation on
mass centralization, it takes little muscle to lift it off its sidestand.
Despite a displacement boost of 480cc, the new 65-degreeV-4 is more compact than
its 70-degree predecessor. Like the original, the airbox is in the traditional
tank location,and the fuel tank sits under the seat. All of this is wrapped up
in a new aluminum chassis (frame, swingarm and subframe) with fully adjustable
suspension and, now, a single rear shock.
Awaken the VMAX, and you'll love the rumble of the big V-4, even though its
exhaust gases are routed through a 4-1-2-4 catalytic converter. The mufflers
flare out in classic hot rod style, and are as easily heard by the rider as by
admirers. Do not board this bike and twist the throttle if you crave anonymity.
Launch casually on the new VMAX and it's easy to forget that it has a shocking
almost 200 horsepower on tap. This 1679cc V-4 bruiser has finesse; the EFI is
flawless, so it is smooth and supple off idle. The seating position is a bit
sportier than in the past-the bars are higher and farther forward, while the
pegs have been moved back a bit and dropped just a sliver. This feeling of
control is confidence-inspiring, and the flat seat with its relatively tall tail
support locks you securely into the cockpit.
One of the storied attributes of the originalV-Max was its progressive powerband
called "V-Boost". Something of a faux turbo feel (delivered mechanically on the
original) it was never a hard punch in the gut, but it did give the rider an
enhanced sensation of acceleration, helping the V-Max deliver physically, what
it promised visually. Now, as the tach needle gathers speed, you will feel that
same punch of torque-the legendary V-Boost-at about 5,000 rpm, thanks to
computer-controlled wizardry and the Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake, which alters
the length of the EFI's intake tunnel.