Guest JGorom Posted April 17, 2008 Share #1 Posted April 17, 2008 I recently posted a comment regarding my first ride of the 2008 season and how happy I am with my V-Max rear end exchange. Anyway...some interest developed and I have decided to post some of my comments over here for others to see and add to. I know others here have also done this exchange, including Don (Freebird) and with this being the start of the riding season for most I thought others might like to hear about this exchange. Well this is a most unusual year for me. Usually my first ride of the season here in Western New York the temperatures are in the high 30's to mid 40's. Today the temps seemed to be in the mid-60's to low 70's and this is the first year I waited so long to get in my first ride of the year. Put on about 115 miles and the bike purred like a kitten. She was put away with stabil and the octane seemed just fine. I filled up and found that I got around 36 mpg (riding her hard). I did the VMax swap out so I was pleased with the mileage because I hoped on the Thruway and rode around 70-75mph. I took it up to 100 mph a couple of times to make sure the plugs stayed clean and the gas burned fast. The VMax swap out is the absolute best performance improvement you can do for the Venture with a modest investment! The V-Max swap out is taking the rear end gears from the V-Max and putting them into the Venture. There is a vendor who is listed here "Blue Ridge Mountain Sportmax" from the Eastern Pennsylvania area who specializes in doing this. The gearing in the V-Max, when placed in the Venture will lower 5th gear (not as high) and add more torque in all the lower gears, which improves two up riding and towing a trailer. Many of us believe that this is the way Yamaha should have went in the first place. Interestingly, many V-Max riders prefer the Venture set up as it gives them a higher 5th gear. A few of us here, including our host Don (Freebird) have done this swap out. Blue Ridge will sell you the rear-end (with the appropriate drill out for your speedo connection) for around $300.00 with you sending him your Venture rear-end gears as a core exchange. My daughter lives in Pa. about 15 minutes from John's shop (Blue Ridge Mountain Sportmax). John is an interesting fellow, specializes in V-Max's and custom bikes. After talking to John and others about the swap-out the wife and I visited our daughter for a week last Labor Day and I had John perform the swap out. The difference was night and day, best improvement I have ever seen on a bike, plenty of power and torque in all gears, no problem two up in hills or while towing...ride improvement was considerable and no more lugging while running through small towns. There are links here to Blue Ridge Mountain Sportmax...but here is their site address... http://www.rmsportmax.com/ Everytime I hop on this bike now I am satisfied and impressed with this improvement! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamahamer Posted April 17, 2008 Share #2 Posted April 17, 2008 Thanks for the post I'm planing on doing the swap this year I look foward to the change. I ask my dealer about it and he can't even get the gears without buying the whole rear end......about $700 soo sportmax will get my $$$$$$$$$$$$ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted April 17, 2008 Share #3 Posted April 17, 2008 I feel the same way about it. I still haven't been able to put as many miles on it as I would like to but so far, I absolutely love the change. To me, it is how this bike should have been geared from the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegscraper Posted April 17, 2008 Share #4 Posted April 17, 2008 If you happen to be a machinist or have a friend who is, this can be done for a fraction of that cost. Get a rear gear housing unit from a V Max and machine out the spot for the speedo sensor. The original one can be used as a pattern, and then sold off. I have a grand total of $5 in this swap. Y'all might also like to know that the whole rear end housing will just fit in a USPS flat rate box, shipped anywhere in the country for $9 and some change. USPS loses money on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmnChode Posted April 17, 2008 Share #5 Posted April 17, 2008 I would love to do this....But I really don't think I can convince the wife to let me spend $300 to make my already quick bike even quicker hehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamahamer Posted April 17, 2008 Share #6 Posted April 17, 2008 I would love to do this....But I really don't think I can convince the wife to let me spend $300 to make my already quick bike even quicker hehehe Mine wants a pull behind camper........told her it won't pull unless we change the gears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Props Posted April 17, 2008 Share #7 Posted April 17, 2008 What kind of mileage did you get pre-mod if you were into the throttle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 17, 2008 Share #8 Posted April 17, 2008 .......told her it won't pull unless we change the gears. Good Move !!! Congrats on this Idea, almost as good as " Safety Chrome". My Hat is off :cool10: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted April 17, 2008 Share #9 Posted April 17, 2008 Yep, Yep.. I am gunna do it... yep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JGorom Posted April 18, 2008 Share #10 Posted April 18, 2008 What kind of mileage did you get pre-mod if you were into the throttle? Not much more...maybe 2 mpg more at best (i.e. 38 mpg) prior to the swap out when I was heavy on the throttle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted April 18, 2008 Share #11 Posted April 18, 2008 I have no way of confirming this (unless there's a code or part number somewhere I can check) but I'm pretty sure I have a Vmax rear end in my '87. I came to this conclusion after querying what other's RPMs with a first gen were at various speeds and gears. Overall, my RPM's were markedly higher, which to me would indicate a different gear ratio. I do know that this '87 has a lot more get up and go than my '85 did and if I drive it sanely, I get around 45mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 18, 2008 Share #12 Posted April 18, 2008 I have no way of confirming this (unless there's a code or part number somewhere I can check) but I'm pretty sure I have a Vmax rear end in my '87. I came to this conclusion after querying what other's RPMs with a first gen were at various speeds and gears. Overall, my RPM's were markedly higher, which to me would indicate a different gear ratio. I do know that this '87 has a lot more get up and go than my '85 did and if I drive it sanely, I get around 45mpg. The only secure Way to determine which Final Drive you have, is to count the Numbers of Turns made on the Input made in Reference to Numbers of Turns the Output Spline has made. If you turn the Drive Shaft 9.9 Times to reach exact 3 Turns on the Output, it's a Venture Ratio. If you need to turn 11 Times to make 3 Turns on the Output, it's a Vmax Ratio Drive. The Vmax Riders mostly change the to Venture Drive, because they put in other Wheels. 17 Inchers to be precise. This makes the Circumference of the rear Tire smaller than the standard Tire. Which elevates the RpM on any given Speed by nearly 500 RpM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JGorom Posted April 18, 2008 Share #13 Posted April 18, 2008 What kind of mileage did you get pre-mod if you were into the throttle? Today I filled up my tank again after putting another 166 miles on. I rode this time a bit more normal...which for me is a bit hard at times and a bit conservative (i.e. posted speed limits). I got 38.5 mpg! Here's some additional comparisions. Before the VMax modification I would get around 40-44 mpg riding conservatively (no fast starts...staying within the speed limits...using the cruise a lot). Riding like I rode today (prior to the change out)...a bit hard and a bit conservatively...I would average between 38-40 mpg. And riding hard I would get between 36-38 mpg (prior to the VMax modification). After the VMax modificatiion I would get 38-40 riding the bike conservatively (no fast starts, staying within posted speed limits, using cruise). And riding like I rode today (bit hard...bit conservative) I averaged 38.5 mpg today... Riding hard...like I did the other day (after the swap) I averaged 36 mpg. Basically these first two tanks of gas this Spring confirm what I saw last Fall. I am getting about 2 miles per gallon less after this swap out than before. To me the overall performance improvement I am seeing is worth this minor loss of mpg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Props Posted April 18, 2008 Share #14 Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks for the info... have had my 89 for about two months and have put a couple thousand miles on her with and without the trailer. Coming off an 1100 Virago I have been impressed with the git up and go from a bike that weighs almost twice as much... but would always welcome another little bit of torque. Really concerned about taking big chunks out of the mileage though. Your experience with this mod is great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 18, 2008 Share #15 Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks for the info... have had my 89 for about two months and have put a couple thousand miles on her with and without the trailer. Coming off an 1100 Virago I have been impressed with the git up and go from a bike that weighs almost twice as much... but would always welcome another little bit of torque. Really concerned about taking big chunks out of the mileage though. Your experience with this mod is great news! On a 1Gen, the Vmax unit fits Bolt on. No Speedo to hassle with. All you need to do is to undo the Shock Bolt which the Vmax Drives comes with nowmally. Just turn it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted April 19, 2008 Share #16 Posted April 19, 2008 The only secure Way to determine which Final Drive you have, is to count the Numbers of Turns made on the Input made in Reference to Numbers of Turns the Output Spline has made. If you turn the Drive Shaft 9.9 Times to reach exact 3 Turns on the Output, it's a Venture Ratio. If you need to turn 11 Times to make 3 Turns on the Output, it's a Vmax Ratio Drive. The Vmax Riders mostly change the to Venture Drive, because they put in other Wheels. 17 Inchers to be precise. This makes the Circumference of the rear Tire smaller than the standard Tire. Which elevates the RpM on any given Speed by nearly 500 RpM. hmmmmm... now if only I had known this when I had it all apart.... I'll check that next time tho...if I take it apart again before I sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 19, 2008 Share #17 Posted April 19, 2008 hmmmmm... now if only I had known this when I had it all apart.... I'll check that next time tho...if I take it apart again before I sell it. I'm sorry, nobody asked me before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilvrT Posted April 19, 2008 Share #18 Posted April 19, 2008 I'm sorry, nobody asked me before You'd better be sorry!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeeze Posted April 19, 2008 Share #19 Posted April 19, 2008 You'd better be sorry!!! i AM !!!! :sign20: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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