V max rear end swap

[Yammy 08]

Thinking of doing the swap but would like some feed back on it.looking to get the most out of my rsv that i can.Usually run with mostly hd never have a problem top end ...but would like more out of hole pull.Have done upgrades this winter Rush pipes,k&n,full Barrnett clutch,rejeted and sync. carbs.open to any other ideas.its all about have fun...

[bongobobny]

Unless you are doing a lot of high speed highway riding you will really appreciate the swap out. The different rear ratio makes throttle response a bit better and makes 5th gear a useable gear for other than expressway riding...

[Seaking]

I've done the VMax rear swap a few years ago and really enjoy what it offers to the bike on back roads and on the highway. It brings your revs up by 500 rpm higher than the OEM rear, putting your engine in a sweet spot for power. The giddyup and go factor when dropping the hammer from take off is noticeable as well. I found my fuel burn is more consistent across the board as the engine is less likely to bog down doing hills riding in that higher rpm. The bike is more responsive in those higher rpms, yet doesn't seem to burn more fuel. My overall fuel economy has improved with the VMax rear.

 

To get a general feel of what a VMax rear swap would feel like, ride your bike in the 3700 rpm range on the highway in 4th gear.. (or riding at 100-110 kph in 4th gear), this is what the VMax rear feels like doing 110 kph in 5th. I enjoy the VMax rear on highways better than with the OEM rear.. But if you're the type who prefers to do 120-130 kph on the highway, you'll find the engine is turning a tad too high at those speeds with the VMax rear.. On the back roads, riding the bike at the higher revs will give you an idea of what it will feel like; more responsive in turns and hills with a lot less shifting.

 

While an OEM rear bike will cruise comfortably at a higher speed than a VMax rear bike, the latter bike will get up to the speed quicker. Personally, I prefer cruising at the speed limit and the VMax rear allows me to do that with better mileage (yeah even though the engine is turning at higher rpms).

 

I did a lot of trial runs before and after the swap to find out what the VMax rear swap will bring and found that I do prefer the swap even though it brings my comfortable riding highway speeds down some.. I wrote an informal article a while back about my findings that you might find informative.. I do a lot of highway road trips and I found the VMax rear swap suits my needs. Back roads touring is even better..

 

Overall, I found the swap made the bike more 'fun' to ride than stock.. Almost like it should have come from the factory this way...

[scuff]

Mmmmmm.............. That's very interesting.....I've owned a v-max for about two years now and am a member of the VMOA website... all the guys over there talk about swapping out their V-max dif for a Venture I've read the the venture dif actually has a lower first gear due to the venture's extra weight and the 5th gear is taller, the gears in between are all the same, I'm no expert just telling what I have read, I know this if you want a V-Max rear dif and your willing to part with yours you would have no prob finding someone over there to swap you and maybe even give you some cash, your venture rear diff is desirable to V-Max guys...Have fun with your swap....oh and P.S. if you really wanna go fast get a V-Max !!!!!!!! LOL

[Wizard765]

I'm not sure about this but the impression I had was that it is not a straight swam pumpkin for pumpkin. IF I'm right the swap is internal gears for gears. I believe the shock mounting or something is different.. Someone with more knowledge than me can chime in about the differences.. Please? I'm also considering this swap. I actually have a spare pumpkin from someone that triked...

[Seaking]

I'm not sure about this but the impression I had was that it is not a straight swam pumpkin for pumpkin. IF I'm right the swap is internal gears for gears. I believe the shock mounting or something is different.. Someone with more knowledge than me can chime in about the differences.. Please? I'm also considering this swap. I actually have a spare pumpkin from someone that triked...

 

You are correct that the pumpkin itself has to be modified to accept the RSV speed sensor. But once that's done it's a simple reinstall, just like the OEM one.. nothing else needs changing.. just need to have that sensor modification done to the pumpkin.

 

There's a shop in the USA that will accept your OEM pumpkin and send you a modified VMAx one in exchange. I paid for the modded VMax pumpkin but kept my OEM one to return the bike OEM should I decide to sell the bike later. There's a link somewhere in here where to pick up the VMax pumpkin..

[Seaking]

Mmmmmm.............. That's very interesting.....I've owned a v-max for about two years now and am a member of the VMOA website... all the guys over there talk about swapping out their V-max dif for a Venture I've read the the venture dif actually has a lower first gear due to the venture's extra weight and the 5th gear is taller, the gears in between are all the same, I'm no expert just telling what I have read, I know this if you want a V-Max rear dif and your willing to part with yours you would have no prob finding someone over there to swap you and maybe even give you some cash, your venture rear diff is desirable to V-Max guys...Have fun with your swap....oh and P.S. if you really wanna go fast get a V-Max !!!!!!!! LOL

 

I've had local VMax owners looking to take my OEM pumpkin away from me for their bikes.. If I remember correctly, the VMax rear diff has one less tooth on the gears than the RSV gears, so for the same speed riden, you're turning an additional 500 rpm on the RSV. The way they explain it to me is that with the RSV pumpkin on their VMax, they're dropping their RPMs for any given speed thereby getting better fuel economy and higher top speed. Dunno what it does for their acceleration though.. They feel it makes a VMax a better cruising / touring bike with the RSV pumpkin.. I'm keeping mine in case I sell my RSV and new owner doesn't want the VMAX diff mod..

[Yammy 08]

I do run 120 130 on the highway.....fuel mileage does not matter.Have been known to open it up at times so dont want to lose to much top end for a little more grunt out of the hole.Normally dont use fifth till i hit 120.

[Seaking]

I do run 120 130 on the highway.....fuel mileage does not matter.Have been known to open it up at times so dont want to lose to much top end for a little more grunt out of the hole.Normally dont use fifth till i hit 120.

 

A VMax rear wouldn't be suitable for you in that case.. you'd certainly find the engine winding up too high for what you're used to going at those speeds.. I have to ride close to the speed limit as I work off my driver's license and don't want to risk a speeding ticket so it really does suit my needs as the comfort speed is closer to the 108 kph range for mileage and useability of the engine.. Here in the Maritimes there are more hills and very windy than what I typically find traveling through in Ontario so the VMax pumpkin helps a lot here.. Compared to the OEM diff, I can leave it in 5th over a larger range without having to downshift to climb the hills around here with power..

 

Some people like it, others don't.. It caters to different riding styles.. For me, it's never been about going fast (speeding) but for the acceleration which I find the VMax diff helps.. You will certainly hit the rev limiter sooner on take off. I find it more fun than the OEM rear diff.

[pofarm]

I have the vmax gears in my 96 RSTC housing. I run 75-80 mph (120-130 kph) all the time with no problems. These motors like to be wound up! Pulling a trailer is a real joy with these gears. I can easily run 70 mph up and down hills without a bunch of up/down shifting like I had to do with the stock gears.

You can get the gears swapped HERE. Last I knew they charged $300.00 to swap the gears into your housing and $150.00 if you supply the RS housing and vmax gears. The differences in the housing are that the vmax has a shock mount boss that isn't used on the RS and the vmax isn't machined for the speedo sensor. I don't know if they will modify a vmax housing for the speedo sensor.

[bar836]

I have a V-Max rear that I would be willing to part with if anyone is interested. i ride more highway and liked the lower rpm. This pumpkin has been modified for the speed sensor.

[etcswjoe]

I have a V-Max rear that I would be willing to part with if anyone is interested. i ride more highway and liked the lower rpm. This pumpkin has been modified for the speed sensor.

 

Sent you an e-mail.

[MikeWa]

I do run 120 130 on the highway.....fuel mileage does not matter.Have been known to open it up at times so dont want to lose to much top end for a little more grunt out of the hole.Normally dont use fifth till i hit 120.

 

120 KPH puts you in fifth at about 75 mph. If you are running in 4th at over 100kph my feeling is you will still like the v-max differential. You will just be in 5th a little sooner (10%). The bike will be more responsive at highway speed. Torque on the bottom will be much greater and mileage at speed should be improved. With the v-max installed on my bike I hit the stock rev limiter just over 30MPH (48kph) in 1st gear, 60MPH (96.5kph) in second and 90 mph (144.8kph) in third. So you could still be in third at 120kph. I have never had the guts to hit the limiter in fourth (over 120mph - 193kph) let alone fifth. It winds up so much faster with the v-max, it is easy to hit the stock limiter in 1st and 2nd so that takes a little getting used to. As does the change in sound. You will also find fifth very useable from under 90kph all the way up to chicken feathers. Performance at high altitude will also be improved as will towing ability. Besides I like passing without having to downshift.

 

There have been a few who didn't like this conversion but most reviews have been positive.

 

There is a good article in the tech section on how to do the change and where to get, exchange, the pumpkin. I bought a cheap used RSV pumpkin on e-bay and sent that in for the exchange. So I still have my original. The actual swap takes about an hour.

 

Good Luck

Mike

[MikeWa]

I've had local VMax owners looking to take my OEM pumpkin away from me for their bikes.. If I remember correctly, the VMax rear diff has one less tooth on the gears than the RSV gears, so for the same speed riden, you're turning an additional 500 rpm on the RSV. The way they explain it to me is that with the RSV pumpkin on their VMax, they're dropping their RPMs for any given speed thereby getting better fuel economy and higher top speed. Dunno what it does for their acceleration though.. They feel it makes a VMax a better cruising / touring bike with the RSV pumpkin.. I'm keeping mine in case I sell my RSV and new owner doesn't want the VMAX diff mod..

 

It seems the V-Max bikes are a little to torquie and the Venture not torquie enough. Since the ring and pinions will swap out it is a good trade. For a very reasonable price you can have a third party swap the gears into your pumpkin for you. That way no drilling or modification of the housing is necessary. There is an article in the tech section.

 

Mike