The V-Max was specified and styled in California, with a brief to be the meanest, hardest accelerating production bike. It is an animal: the clever V-Boost intake system fed the hungry 1,200cc V4 through a single carburettor at low revs, then a valve opened just below 7,000rpm and the cylinders could breathe through two carbs. The result was a ferocious power kick, and I just added an extra wheel.