Superbike ownership experiences in India: Ravjeet talks his admiration for the Yamaha VMAX

Velocitus Maximus– meaning “Unlimited Acceleration” in Latin lingo and the motorcycle we’re featuring today on our Superbike Ownership Experiences is nothing but an exhilarating abbreviation of the Latin word. With 200 wild horses packed into those V configured four cylinders- it can be well referred to as the Ford Mustang of the motorcycling world and one of the undisputed kings of the drag strip. Gentleman (and ladies too if reading), this time we bring you the iconic and the beastly Yamaha VMAX.

The lucky owner of muscular motorcycle happens to be our friend and member of A.C.E.S. Pune, Ravjeet Bomrah. A true blue Yamaha fan, Ravjeet is an electronics engineer by qualification and at present managing his father’s business at Ravjeet Engineering Specialties Pvt Ltd. With the business involved in manufacturing of gear finishing machines and tools for both two and four wheelers – automobiles have been in Ravjeet’s blood since childhood. But his heart has always tilted more towards motorcycle than cars and his love for bikes reflects in the number of biggies he has owned till date.

We bombarded Ravjeet with our usual set of questions revolving around the ownership of his VMAX to which he was more than happy to respond. So here we go

1) When did you buy this battletank of a motorcycle?
I bought the VMax in the month of June this year. It happens to be the tenth generation in the VMAX series.

2) And what all bikes have been under your ownership before the VMAX?
Most have been Yamahas- a 2008 Yamaha R1, 2012 Yamaha FZ1 with the exception to the lineup being the Hyosung GT650R and GT250.

3) Which other bikes do you presently own apart from the VMax?
A 2012 World GP 50th Anniversary Edition Yamaha R1 shares the garage space with the VMAX.

4) With the R1 already in the garage, then why the VMAX? Any other motorcycle you zeroed down on your purchase decision?
I have always eyed and admired the VMAX for its visual energy and radical muscular styling. I feel there is really no competition to the brute. An exemplary engineered embodiment of both of brawn and brains- this Yamaha is one of its kind and has been an iconic motorcycle since inception. I couldn’t even think of anything that could come close to the VMAX.

5) What is the best part you like about your bike?
To start with it has to be the sheer intimidating road presence of the motorcycle- it looks fast even while standing still. And it’s not just about the brutal horsepower- the latest electronic aids make the VMAX an absolute hoot to ride around. Even after these months of ownership, it’s pure Goosebumps when I go whack on the throttle.

6) And the worse part?
It does tend to take a toll on my patience when the service station does not have a particular part in stock. The lead time can go upto 2 months to procure and till the time the bike is confined under the parking cover.

7) What has been your longest ride?
Though I have clocked 1000+ kms rides on my other bikes, I still have to take the VMAX on a longer run. And with the monsoons still in place, I had to be content with weekend rides of approx 250 kms. I am eagerly waiting for the rains to end completely, so that I could roll the VMAX without the worry of getting dirty as cleaning these big bikes is a tedious task.

8) How has been the after sales experience?
After sales experience has been satisfactory and the Yamaha Factory Shop in Pune have attended to my VMAX and R1 very well indeed.

9) How much on average do you spend on service including consumables?
The first service bill of the VMAX including consumables came to around INR 7000/- which I feel is acceptable for a big and expensive motorcycle.

10) Having owned multiple superbikes, is there any independent service centre/ mechanic you would recommend to other owners?
My first recommendation would always be an authorized service station. Apart from that I would suggest the guys at Pune Aprilia who are extremely professional and service other superbike brands too. The suggestion for Pune Aprilia comes from the experience of my other superbiking friends who are very satisfied with their services.

11) Did you happen to procure parts for your bikes from some other source?
I have always stuck to Yamaha factory shop who have arranged all the needed spares for my Yamaha bikes.

12) What modifications have you done to the bike? What difference has it made?
Well, do I need to? With an extremely potent motor at the helm and a tech laden spec chart, I am more than happy to keep my bike in stock condition.

13) On the safety part, what makes up your riding gear?
An Arai Corsair Helmet, Alpinestars two piece leather suit, leather jacket, gloves and pants, AXO riding boots and I never forget to plonk an additional back protector when I ride.

14) Any cop issues as grey bikes are in abundance today?
With all documents in place, I ride with a peace of mind and till date never faced any problems with cops.

15) So which bike are you eyeing next?
I would love to replace my 2012 R1 with the upcoming 2015 R1. From what I have been reading about it, seems like Yamaha is all set to reclaim the lost glory in the litre class battle. But the VMAX will always stay- it’s irreplaceable!

16) Any tips on parking in public places?
Superbikes tend to attract the crowd and to be frank we are perfectly fine with people clicking pictures. Problem is when people sit on the bike in our absence to get themselves clicked. Even a minor spill would bring about a huge repair bill and might also get themselves injured in the process. I feel people should understand that these bikes are heavier than other motorcycles and should refrain from trying any such antics. So it’s better to keep the bike parked in your eye sight to keep a check on the overly enthusiastic crowd and best would be to carry a parking cover.

17) Any tips would you give to people yearning to buy a superbike?
The Spiderman’s quote of ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ befits superbikes perfectly well. With abundant horsepower at disposal, the owners should be considerate about their own safety as well others on the road too. And that control over that right wrist is an absolute must.

18) Whole-heartedly agree Ravjeet. And that brings us to the favourite question of the Indian automobile population- ‘kitna deti hai bhaisaab’? 😉
(Laughs) 85% of the people will ask you this question the moment they see you with the bike- other being the cost. They get into their own math telling me that I would have better off bought a luxury car or an SUV at this price. Anyways talking of numbers, though I hardly calculate the mileage of the VMAX, it does render around 8-9 kpl.

So that was it people! Hope you enjoyed reading Ravjeet’s ownership of the VMAX as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. It’s not regular in this part of the world to be reading about the badass Yamaha which is an extremely rare motorcycle to be spotted on the streets. We wish Ravjeet (or do we nickname him Rev-Jeet) the best of times with his Yammies and we look forward to the 2015 R1 under his ownership soon. Maybe we will bombard him with questions once again.