V4 Beast from Lord Drake Kustoms…
Back in the early 1980s, Yamaha wanted to develop a two-wheeled hot rod for the American market. They sent the project’s team leader, Akira Araki, stateside for research.
“According to V-Max legend, he achieved a kind of satori while watching midnight drag races on a bridge across the Mississippi… He set out to create the motorcycle equivalent of a V-8 muscle car. His goal was to create nothing less than the quickest and fastest production motorcycle ever over a quarter-mile.” -Mark Gardiner, Motorcycle.com
Araki and his team would do just that, creating a 140-hp V4 “power cruiser” that would remain the fastest-accelerating production bike for years. Today, the original V-Max 1200 is nothing short of a modern icon. Lately we’ve been seeing more custom workshops tackle the big V4 cruiser.
Recently we heard from Francisco Ali Manen of Lord Drake Kustoms (LDK) with a different project than what we’re used to seeing from his Spain-based workshop: a 1992 Yamaha V-Max 1200.
When this VMX1200 reached the hands of the LDK team in Vélez Malaga (Spain), it was in a fairly acceptable mechanical state. However, the owner wanted to give it a new life and more modern look. Though it’s now considered a vintage bike, the V-Max is still a beast in terms of power and acceleration, and Fran decided that in addition to changing the aesthetic appearance, the bike’s performance could be improved, most notably the suspension and brakes.
He and his team started by completely disassembling the bike. First up was the front end, where they installed an inverted fork with dual brake calipers and a new front rim with matching discs. The modern brakes and forks are a serious upgrade in terms of braking and stability, which were never V-Max strong points.
Next, a tracker-type handlebar and LED headlight were installed. As final details on the front, a metal fairing and minimalist front fender were handmade at LDK.
A lot of work was done at the rear. The entire subframe was reworked and a new tail unit and integrated seat has been hand-crafted, removable thanks to the original opening mechanism for access to the gas tank. The tail is reminiscent of the one on Motocrew’s “Urban Fighter” and Cus’Tom Motorcycle’s Porsche-inspired V-Max — surely an inspiration for this build.
New Öhlins shock absorbers were installed in the rear, a handmade license plate holder made by LDK, LED indicators, new modified exhaust pipes, and a Motogadget digital speedometer / odometer, among other details.
As for the finishes, the design brief called for the bike to remain simple without flashy paintwork, highlighting the muscles and lines of the V-Max itself. Consequentially, the bike was painted matte graphite gray and black, and the seat upholstered in imitation alcantara.
The result speaks for itself: a historic V4 beast transformed into a newly modern V-Max that looks and performs better than the original…and can still run with all but the most powerful muscle bikes on the market.
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Great bike, congratulations. I had the occasion to rent one for a week end in the early 90’s. A bit too short to tame this heavy beast but it was fun.
Pretty much OK except for the headlight.
It spoils a great job well done.
My thoughts exactly. Tracker headlight is no bueno.
I was in Spain at St Tropez in 1992 and remember these bikes vividly. In particular one that had everything strippable removed and replaced with MX. Plastic guards etc, slick tyres and the rider had a helmet with a golf ball like outer finish. It looked like a real beast.
For the life of me, I can’t understand why, whenever somebody builds a custom one of these, they don’t drop-kick those stupid cartoon fake air scoops on either side of the “tank”. I love everything about these bikes, but I can’t stand those damn things.
I had an 89 gen 1. not for the feint-hearted! I did re-build the front with bigger forks and twin pot brakes. (the originals were pitiful) the down-side was the miniscule fuel tank! still what muscle bikes dreamed to be!
The 1980s v max was a bike I could not stand. Puny not at the par or the size of bike and the power of the VMAX, most of all after a couple years of owning them tap tap tap tap, sound like you need it oil constantly, or bad valves, didn’t affect the bike but I could not stand that tap tap tap. Several friends had them when they had wrecks and they did because of the front ends and the braking system but I really really like the new VMAX V4 Powerhouse. I had a Yamaha Maxim loved it when the best bikes I ever had a bit small love that shaft drive, only downside I had an accident broke my exhaust the deal was instead of being inserted screws into the heads they were on as part of the head , broke one of my screws off from dropping my exhaust took it to the Yamaha they could not even fix it they tried to tap a new hole and went sideways attempted to drill two or three times ended up giving the back away pretty much. Love the 80s models eliminator was my favorite. I think Yamaha is making a comeback with the new Vmax V4. Way to go Yamaha.
How much for a new VMAX
I want one
The Wmax seat looks so my better. This one “meh”, VMAX is not for faint of heart. Only problem, well, not the only one, is that most other bikes seem fairly slow even though they may be easier to ride, I’ve had and modified a few others, but always sell them because of that. Put a Dynojet Stage 7 in the carbs and some more free flowing pipes and they really get scary.