FJ1200 vs. V-Max

[Lotsokids]

Seems like a lot of back-and-forth. I can't find a lot of vintage stuff like Jay Gleason's 10.32 1/4 mile run in 1985 (Motorcyclist magazine) setting a new record. My dad has an old Cycle World magazine that featured a test where they took a STOCK V-Max, only installed wheelie bars and chain drive, and got into the 9's.

I can tell you that I own a 1985 V-Max and a 1988 FJ1200. They both pull pretty hard, but at the drag track, and I think my FJ would win, but I can pull tree stumps with my V-Max. I know there are a LOT of factors to consider.

andyb sent me a private message that I thought was very interesting. I got permission from him to share it. Here it is:

I know you occasionally dragrace and own a Vmax.  I dragrace more than occasionally, and a friend has a vmax.  Guess where I'm going with this....  

We went to the track together.  My FJ is apart right now (getting a power transfusion, and hampered by time constraints, money constraints, and talent constraints).  

My best ever pass on the FJ was with it lowered at the rear and strapped at the front.  60' time was 1.710 (best is 1.686), 1/8th mile was 6.987@101.49 (best numbers ever were 6.984 and 101.82), and 1/4mi was 10.912@124.16 (best ET, best mph ever was 126.20 in unreal weather once).  I weighed about 205lbs without gear at the time.

My buddy weighs 175lbs or so, and owns a 93 Vmax.  It's been jetted slightly, has K&N-type (generic) filters (no airbox), a Dale Walker 4-2-1 exhaust, fancy paint, lots of chrome/polished crap, and a very heavy 170/xxxB15 rear tire (some modifications are required to make it fit, but it's still shaft drive, something about a spacer needing moved).  

With him on the bike, and a corrected altitude of 1100' (very good air for around here), his best time was 11.54 @ 119 I think.  I was able to take the bike, which feels VERY STRANGE to my sportbike-riding-butt, and despite my 25lb (these days) weight disadvantage, run a 11.67 on it.  I'm sure there's a bit more in it, and with proper practice I could go 11.30's on it.  I doubt that it can go 10.xxx as it sits, and it does run well.  A lighter, smaller tire would help a lot, as would racing (oxygenated) fuel, and that'd make it a close thing.

I just thought you'd be interested in knowing how the two compare.

It's really your riding style. My V-Max chips my teeth at idle with the nasty V4 and 4-into-4 exhaust. When riding it, I feel like the king of the road. The roar from the exhaust is seriously intimidating. But it's NOT for sport riding (cornering). I think I can actually feel my V-Max's frame flexing in the corners. That's where the FJ comes in.

The vintage magazines you find boast that the V-Max the untouchable 1/4 mile bad-boy.

One example of the FJ1100 against the V-Max:

Cycle Guide, July 1985
"Speed Wars III, The Saga Continues"

Yamaha V-max
10.610@128.20
150.76 MPH

Yamaha FJ1100
10.781@124.30
146.57 MPH

[1tinindian]

This has been an interesting topic of my own ever since buying my FJ.
A buddy of mine owned a 85? 86? Vmax at the time and he told me that what he knew from riding both (someone else's FJ) was that he felt the FJ would beat the Vmax in a heads up drag race.
I told him I thought that was hard to believe considering the reputation the Vmax has, but before we could try it ourselves, he sold the bike and it was destroyed in a fatal crash just days later.

Leon

Leon

[Lotsokids]

...he sold the bike and it was destroyed in a fatal crash just days later.

Leon

Yes. My dad said in our (small) home town, 5 new V-Max's were sold in 1985. Within 1 month, 4 were destroyed in a crash.
My guess for common factors would be: super powerful and HEAVY bike + inexperience + high speed = disaster

[1tinindian]

...he sold the bike and it was destroyed in a fatal crash just days later.

Leon

Yes. My dad said in our (small) home town, 5 new V-Max's were sold in 1985. Within 1 month, 4 were destroyed in a crash.
My guess for common factors would be: super powerful and HEAVY bike + inexperience + high speed = disaster

In this case it was a rod going through the bottom of the engine at 70 mph and oiling down the rear tire.
No helmets, riders girlfriend face-planted, he died from head injuries. She's f-ed up, but survived.

[Dan Filetti]

Yes. My dad said in our (small) home town, 5 new V-Max's were sold in 1985. Within 1 month, 4 were destroyed in a crash.
My guess for common factors would be: super powerful and HEAVY bike + inexperience + high speed (+ relative inability to corner -bike and new riders) = disaster

There, I fixed it for ya

Dan

[Pat Conlon]

I shudder to think of all the stupid things I did on my bikes in the 60's and 70's.... Wowser.
I started to wear a helmet (full time) when I returned from my tour of duty as a Army medic...
It's amazing I survived.... That could have been me.

[yamaha fj rider]

I remember when I bought my FJ. We were looking at the information from Yamaha and they had the FJ 11.03 and the vmax at about 10.5 in the 1/4 mile. This was for 93 model year. I worked with a fellow who had both. He said stock the FJ would take a stock vmax. His vmax was faster 1/4 mile than his FJ both were highly modified. Other than 1/4 FJ was long gone. 

Kurt