The Yamaha V-Max 1700

What’s it like to ride an earthquake?

It’s not every day you get to swing a leg over a bike that’s both legendary and a bit of a unicorn. So when our mate James Snuggs mentioned he had a Yamaha V-Max 1700 in his garage, we did what any self-respecting biker crew would do – rugby-tackled him and liberated the key.

By Glenn Foley. Pics by Black Rock Studio

V-Max. The name alone has weight. This is the bike that threw the rule book out the window when it came to muscle bikes. I had the 1200 back in the ’90s and early 2000s – bought it new, rode it for 200,000 hassle-free kays, and eventually sold it. We called it The Hinge… mainly for its unique cornering style.

Then in 2008, Yamaha went mad scientist on it. They didn’t just bore it out – they reinvented it. A new 1700cc motor, a chassis that could actually behave in corners, and brakes that could stop the Earth’s rotation: twin discs up front with six-pot R1 calipers. You might even recognise it – Nic Cage’s demonic ride in Ghost Rider 2?

Yep, a V-Max 1700.

It was also the first big Japanese bike to bust through the R200K barrier – pricier than a brand-new Hayabusa at the time.

The Muscle Under the Metal

The heart is a 1679cc, 65° V4 punching out a claimed 200hp (197.4bhp) at just 9000rpm. Yamaha nicked plenty from their sportsbike tech shelf: YCC-I adjustable intake funnels, R6-style ride-by-wire, and forged aluminium pistons running a high 11.3:1 compression.

The frame:

All-new cast aluminium diamond with a die-cast extruded rear subframe. Suspension was pure bling back then – fully adjustable 52mm inverted forks with TiN-coated tubes, and a rear monoshock with remote preload and full rebound/compression adjusters.

Brembo brakes with wavy discs came stock, as did a trick info-centre on the “tank” (it’s actually a false tank – the 15L fuel cell lives under the seat). The aluminium intake covers? Hand-finished. James swapped the original bars for ProTaper MX ones after a tumble.

The dash is a mix of old-school and digital: analog tacho, digital speedo, LED shift lights, plus the info-centre showing throttle position, MPG, and even a stopwatch.

James’s bike isn’t exactly factory anymore – Stealth hand-made pipes, LED intake rings, fender eliminator, and a Marius Lloyd Racing tune that wrung out that 200hp and 181Nm of torque at Gauteng altitude. It even has a pair of air-horns that are louder than those pipes for when you need to tell traffic to make way…

The Ride:

We met James at Bidon Bistro in The Cradle on a bright Highveld morning. Our DL800 with its Black Widow slip-on was sounding smug – until James arrived. Imagine a thunderstorm being kicked in the ribs – that’s the V-Max’s idle.

After coffee, photos, and much bike banter, it was time to see if the legend lived up to the hype.

At 310kg, it’s a proper lump. First gear snicked in, throttle rolled open, and suddenly the horizon was coming at me like it had a score to settle.

This isn’t some gentle Sunday glide. It’s riding an earthquake that’s trying to rip the road up behind you. Whack the throttle and before you can say “my ears are bleeding” you’ve doubled your speed – and it’s still pulling.

Corners? Surprisingly tidy for something this big. Lean in, hold the line, and it just goes. And every straight is an excuse to drag race invisible opponents.

Fuel range? Let’s just say James can get from Randburg to Harties on a tank. Getting back… that’s another story. But honestly – if you’re worried about fuel bills, this isn’t your bike.

The V-Max 1700 is a rollercoaster with handlebars. If you ever get the chance to ride one – grab it. And if you spot a clean used one, buy it before someone else does.