Rage for the Machine: Porsche-Inspired V-Max 1200

“Cross a street dragster with an exceptional car, you will have a refined beast…”  

Introduced in 1985, the original Yamaha V-Max (VMX1200) remains the most legendary muscle bike of all time — a V4-powered Rottweiler of a machine that took the title as the world’s quickest production bike, turning the quarter-mile in just 10.32 seconds.  Not only was that significantly quicker than any of the big-bore superbikes of the day, it remains within striking distance of today’s +1000cc sport bikes!

The secret to the 140-hp power output of the 1197cc V4 was Yamaha’s “V-Boost” system, which used a butterfly valve to effectively link up pairs of carbs at 6000 rpm:

“So, rather than be fed fuel and air by one carb, each cylinder is fed by two, effectively doubling (well, actually a bit less) the amount of fuel dumped into the motor. More fuel equals more power. Simple.” –Visordown

While the V-Max was all but unbeatable in a straight line, it was quite the ungainly brute in terms of handling and braking. Recently, our friend Tom Boissel of Cus’Tom Motorcycle received a unique request from a client: to splice the DNA of Yamaha’s V4 brute with that of a Stuttgart supercar, the Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive. As Tom says:

“Cross a street dragster with an exceptional car, you will have a refined beast…”

The result would be a signature Rage machine — the name given to the workshop’s series of full-blown customs. The inspiration for the overall shape and silhouette of the V-Max would come from Motocrew’s V-Max build, which we featured back in 2021, while the colors, details, and trim would come echo the Golden Yellow Metallic version of the exclusive 911 Turbo S edition.

Below, Tom gives us the full story on the transformation, from installing the V-Boost system left out of the early European-spec V-Maxes to swapping in much stouter Öhlins / Ducati Hypermotard forks and Brembo brakes to hand-shaping a steel tail section modeled after the Motocrew unit to the vast array of special “Rage” details. It was no small feat to graft the style of a modern sportscar onto a muscle bike born back in the 1980s, but Tom has pulled off the transition with incredible grace.

The level of detail is simply exquisite. There’s real carbon incorporated into the bodywork beneath the paint, while Laeticia from 0 to 9 Sellerie hand-crafted a saddle that echoes the interior of the 911 Turbo.

Meanwhile, “Rage” details abound, and the attention to detail filters all the way down to the use of stainless and titanium hardware. But this old muscle bike has kept its core character as a two-wheeled ground-pounder, and any such machine needs an exhaust note worthy of its power output.

“Custom-made stainless steel silencers coated in cerakote black give a melody similar to the V8 of old muscle cars…”

The details go on and on…we’ll let Tom give you the full story below. And don’t miss the videos, too!

In the Builder’s Words…

So here we are with a V-Max 1200 carbon from 2002, with just 4500 km.

My client’s request was to take inspiration from Motocrew’s V-Max café racer, by crossing it with an exclusive Porsche 911 series, on a low-mileage motorcycle, keeping the identity of the V-Max while adding the Rage signature of the workshop. It took me several months of research to find this rare gem with 4500 km, entirely original.

An analysis of the details of the Porsche (model limited to 500 examples) had to be carried out, then solutions had to be found to transfer them to the motorcycle, without falling into excess.

Before tackling the modifications the Rage badge obliges, it was necessary to increase the power; however, given the low mileage, it would be a shame to open the engine. So I focused on unlocking the beast via a V-Boost kit and new carburetor bushels.

The original 100 hp power gives way to more than 130 hp, which made the reputation of this motorcycle when it was released. (V-boost is a system which allows, thanks to valves, supplying each cylinder with two carburetors instead of just one, from 3000 or 6000 rpm depending on a switch.)

After a few V-Boost validation tests, I tackled the transformation part. Three points were major: The front suspension, the rear hull, and the details to be respected.

For the front of bike:
To best match the look of the Porsche, a front rim from a Ducati Diavel was modified to fit into an Öhlins fork from a Ducati Hypermotard SP, itself modified to be mounted on the V-Max frame.

The spoked rim made it possible to reproduce the golden yellow stripes of the Porsche rims.
I preferred to re-machine the Hypermotard’s tees than to make custom tees to give a more “natural” and sober style.

Brembo discs (330mm) accompanied by Brembo M40 monobloc calipers give a reassuring bite and quickly make you forget the V-Max’s reputation for poor braking. As on the Porsche, the Brembo writing is the same color as the bodywork.

The bronze steering column nut with stainless steel insert is a Cus’Tom detail machined in the workshop, housing in its center the Motogadget speedometer control button, which itself is situated in a small aluminum support made to measure in the workshop.

I kept the original brake and clutch controls and master cylinders, due to their impeccable condition and to keep the identity of the V-Max, just like the legendary rear rim with the Dunlop tire with white writing and its ventilated disc.

The second big part of the transformation work was on the manufacturing of the rear hull, which is a copy of the design of the Motocrew V-Max, which had to be reproduced via photographs.

I made this shell from 1mm thick steel sheet. The exterior shape is made up of seven parts formed manually with different tools (sandbag, pile, rolling machine, English wheel, different hammer and mallet…) and assembled by TIG welding. This took almost five days of work without cease. The choice of steel is justified for better strength.

Follow-up details:
The gold yellow color changes hue depending on the light inside or outside (from sober gold yellow inside to assertive bright orange yellow outside). It’s mixed with carbon details on the bodywork, with two frame orientations, one for each. Strip, laid in a chevron at 90°.

Bastien Soula, a former motorcycle rider and luxury interior painter, took up the challenge: He integrated real carbon fiber into the bodywork under the paint in order to have the most faithful reproduction possible. There was a long process of integrating the carbon so as not to feel any movement when touching the bodywork.

The leather work was carried out by Laeticia from 0 to 9 Sellerie in Ariége (like all the motorcycles from the workshop). The saddle is inspired by the design of the seats of this exclusive 911; the central holes were made by hand. There’s smooth leather, micro-perforated, invisible sewing, and hand stitching.

The rev counter unit has received a leather cover to imitate the Porsche dashboard trim.

The signature RAGE grips sewn in an X recall the seams of the hand-sewn steering wheel.

The red light reflectors on the radiator side covers were replaced with small aluminum boxes housing carbon plates, on which the “series” details found on the steps of the 911 were stenciled with the same font.

Gold yellow stripes on the rims and the integration of a Porsche 911 look headlight.

Stainless steel screws, titanium nuts, and a Rage finish on every detail.

And to guarantee a beastly effect from the V-Max, custom-made stainless steel silencers coated in cerakote black give a melody similar to the V8 with the crossplane tuning typical of old muscle cars (to be heard at the beginning and end of the video of the manufacture of silencers).

More Photos

Video: Build Process

 

Video: Fork Adaptation

Follow the Builder

Website: www.custommotorcycle.fr
Facebook: Cus’Tom Motorcycle
Instagram: @custom_motorcycle_tom_boissel
Youtube: @custommotorcycle8364

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