YAMAHA 90 HP VF90LA V MAX SHO OUTBOARD MOTOR

Description

This is a new Yamaha VF90LA for sale, the In-Line Four V MAX SHO 90 with a 20 inch shaft. It comes in the factory crate, and we ship it worldwide. If you have a bass boat, a flats skiff or a light aluminium rig rated for 90 HP and you want more speed and punch than a standard 90, this is the motor. Yamaha calls the VF90 a class leader in torque, top speed and efficiency, and it is also one of the quietest 90s on the water, which matters a lot when you are sneaking up on fish.

Below: the full specs, who it suits, how to set it up, and how to order. Ready already? Send us a message for a delivered price.

Yamaha VF90LA V MAX SHO Specifications

That is what you get with every Yamaha VF90LA for sale on our site. New, never run, full paperwork.

What the Code Means

V means V MAX SHO, Yamaha’s performance line. F means four-stroke. 90 is the horsepower. L is the 20 inch shaft. A is the version. So the VF90LA is the performance 90 with a long shaft and remote mechanical controls. If you need the 25 inch version, look at the VF90XA page.

Why a Performance 90

A lot of boats are rated for 90 HP and no more. Smaller bass boats, aluminium bass rigs, flats skiffs, some bay boats. If you own one of these, you cannot just bolt on a bigger motor for more speed. The capacity plate sets your limit. So the question becomes: how do you get the most out of 90 horsepower?

That is what the V MAX SHO 90 is for. It uses the same 1.8 litre block as the standard F90, which is big for a 90 and makes strong torque. Yamaha tuned it for performance and gave it the V MAX SHO treatment. The result is a 90 that pulls harder out of the hole and runs faster on the right hull, while staying quiet, smooth and economical.

For a bass angler with a 90-rated boat, that is exactly what you want. The Yamaha VF90LA for sale here gets you to your spot quicker without breaking the rules on your capacity plate.

Quiet Running Means More Fish

This gets overlooked, but it matters. Fish feel vibration and hear noise through the water. A loud motor idling up to a spot can spook them. Yamaha says the VF90 is one of the quietest 90 HP outboards on the water. When you idle in or kill the motor and drop the trolling motor, you are making less of a scene. Over a season, that can mean more fish in the boat.

It also makes long days more pleasant. You can talk to your partner at cruise. There is no smoke drifting back into the boat and no two-stroke smell on your hands and clothes.

Boats That Suit the VF90LA

• Fibreglass bass boats rated for 90 HP
• Aluminium bass boats and modified-V fishing rigs
• Flats skiffs and technical poling skiffs with a 20 inch transom
• Light bay boats where speed matters
• Fast runabouts and light family boats rated for 90

Check your capacity plate and measure your transom. If the boat allows 90 HP and the transom is about 20 inches tall, the Yamaha VF90LA for sale here should be a good fit. If your transom is about 25 inches, you need the X shaft.

On the Water

Turn the key and it starts. Fuel injection means no choke and no fuss. It idles smooth and quiet. Push the throttle forward and the boat comes up on plane quickly, without the long stern-down wallow you get with a weak motor. Keep the throttle down and it keeps pulling.

Exact top speed depends on your boat, your load and your prop, so I will not promise a number. What I can say is that owners who move to the VF90 from a standard 90 or an older motor usually notice better hole shot and a stronger top end straight away. That is the reason people search for a Yamaha VF90LA for sale in the first place.

Setting Up for Speed

A performance motor shows its best when it is set up well. Here is what to pay attention to.

Prop. This is where most speed is gained or lost. Stainless props are the norm on bass and flats boats. They hold their shape and grip better when the motor is mounted high. Some designs favour hole shot, some favour top end. You want the motor to reach its full throttle range of 5,000 to 6,000 rpm with your usual load. Expect to try a couple of props.

Mounting height. Raising the motor reduces drag and adds speed, until the prop starts to blow out in turns. A jack plate makes this easy to fine tune, and lets you raise the motor in skinny water.

Trim. Learn it. Trim in to get up, then trim out gradually until the boat runs free and fast without porpoising.

Weight. Keep heavy gear forward where you can. A stern-heavy boat is slow.

For more on the range, have a look at Yamaha’s V MAX SHO In-Line Four page. Their prop guide is useful too. Or tell us your boat and we will suggest a prop to ship with your Yamaha VF90LA for sale.

Fuel Economy

Performance does not mean thirsty. Yamaha says its In-Line Four V MAX SHO designs are up to 40% more fuel efficient than traditional carbureted two-strokes. Electronic fuel injection meters fuel precisely. On a long tournament day or a long run across a lake, that saving adds up. It also means you can carry less fuel and save weight, which helps speed.

Electrics

The 35 amp alternator handles a typical bass boat starting battery and electronics load. Trolling motor batteries usually charge from an onboard charger at the dock, so plan for that. With a compatible Yamaha digital gauge, the VF90 also supports variable trolling rpm, so you can set idle speed in small steps.

Weight

At 353 pounds, the VF90LA is light for a four-stroke 90. On a small bass boat, every pound at the transom affects how the boat sits and how fast it gets on plane. The VF90 keeps that in check. If you are replacing an old two-stroke, the difference is small enough that most boats sit and run fine. Check how the boat floats at rest and move batteries forward if needed.

Rigging

The VF90LA uses mechanical remote controls, which keeps rigging simple and affordable. You will need a Yamaha mechanical control box, throttle and shift cables, a wiring harness, a key switch, a gauge, steering, a fuel line with a water-separating filter and a good marine starting battery. If you are replacing an older Yamaha, some of that may carry over.

Have a Yamaha dealer or qualified mechanic do the install. On a performance boat especially, a good setup makes a big difference. They will set the mounting height, adjust the cables, set up the steering and test the motor on the water. Warranty terms depend on your country, so ask your local dealer once the motor is registered.

Break-in

Ten hours. Start slow, vary the rpm, no long full-throttle runs until it is done. The manual in the crate has the details. After the break-in, change the oil, filter and gear lube. Then go and enjoy the Yamaha VF90LA for sale you just bought.

Maintenance

• Flush after every trip, especially in salt or brackish water.
• Check the tell-tale every time you start.
• Change oil and filter on schedule.
• Change gear lube each season and check it for water.
• Replace the impeller on schedule.
• Check anodes often.
• Keep fuel filters fresh and use good fuel.
• Grease fittings and steering.
• Pull the prop now and then and clear any fishing line.

Fishing line around the prop shaft is a common cause of gearcase seal damage on bass boats. A quick check every few trips saves a lot of grief.

Tournament Anglers

If you fish tournaments, you know the value of getting to your spot first and getting back on time. A quick, reliable motor matters. The Yamaha VF90LA for sale here gives you quick hole shot for blast-off, good speed on the runs and the reliability to start every time. A jack plate and a well-matched stainless prop help you squeeze out every bit of performance.

On a 90-rated boat, it is one of the best ways to be competitive without breaking the horsepower rule.

Flats and Shallow Water

On a flats skiff, the VF90’s quiet running and strong low-end pull are big advantages. You can get up on plane in shallow water without digging the stern in. With a jack plate, you can raise the motor to keep the gearcase off the bottom. Just watch your tell-tale and gauges, because the water intake needs to stay in the water to keep the motor cool.

Repowering an Older Bass Boat

A lot of good bass boats are out there with tired old two-strokes on the back. The hull is still fine, but the motor smokes, drinks fuel and is getting hard to keep running. The Yamaha VF90LA for sale here is a popular repower for those boats.

Check the transom for soft spots. Plan for new controls and a Yamaha gauge if your old ones are from another brand. Check the fuel tank and lines, because old fuel systems often hold water and varnish. Then hang the new motor, set it up right, and the boat will feel like new. Owners who do this tell us the difference in noise, smoke and fuel use is huge.

VF90LA vs Other Options

VF90LA vs F90LB. The standard F90LB is a great all-round motor for family and work boats. The VF90LA is for people who want more performance on a light hull.

VF90LA vs VF115. If your boat is rated for 115, the VF115 V MAX SHO gives you more speed. If you are limited to 90, the VF90LA is the fastest way to stay within your rating.

VF90LA vs VF90XA. Same motor, different shaft. Pick by transom height.

How to Order

1. Send a message through our contact page.
2. Tell us you want the Yamaha VF90LA for sale, how many and where you are.
3. Add any props, controls or parts.
4. We send a delivered price.
5. You confirm and pay.
6. We ship with FedEx, UPS or USPS and send tracking.

See our refund and return policy and terms and conditions before you order if you like.

Shipping Worldwide

We ship to buyers in the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. The motor travels in its factory crate with tracking. Import duties and taxes depend on your country, so check with your customs office ahead of time. Inspect the crate when it arrives and photograph any damage before signing. Keep the paperwork safe for your local Yamaha dealer.

Who Buys From Us

Bass anglers, flats guides, tournament fishermen, dealers and anyone who wants a fast, quiet 90. If you need more than one Yamaha VF90LA for sale, tell us the number and we will quote them together. Read customer feedback on our reviews page and more about us.

More Yamaha Outboards

Browse the 90 HP Yamaha range, all Yamaha outboards, or the shop. Our blog has more tips, and Yamaha’s official site covers the whole range.

A Day on the Lake With the VF90

Picture a normal tournament practice day. You launch before sunrise. The air is cool and the lake is flat. You turn the key and the Yamaha VF90LA for sale you bought last month fires up instantly. No choke, no cranking, no cloud of blue smoke drifting over the ramp. You let it idle for a minute while you strap down rods and check the livewell.

You idle out of the no-wake zone. The motor is so quiet you can hear birds on the bank. Once you clear the buoys, you push the throttle down. The bow lifts for a moment, then the boat levels out and you are on plane. You trim up a touch and the boat frees up and runs. A few minutes later you are at your first spot, miles across the lake, while the guy with the tired old motor is still halfway there.

You shut down, drop the trolling motor and start fishing. Hours later, after a dozen moves, you head back. Wind has picked up and there is a chop. The motor pulls the boat through it without fuss. At the ramp, you flush it, tilt it up and go home. That is what owning a good performance four-stroke is like. It is why the Yamaha VF90LA for sale gets so much interest from anglers.

Choosing a Prop, a Bit Deeper

Since speed is the point of this motor, prop choice deserves a little more space. Here is how I would approach it.

Start with what your boat builder recommends for a 90 on your hull, if they have a recommendation. That gives you a baseline. Run it with your normal load, fuel and gear, and note your full throttle rpm. If it is in the range of 5,000 to 6,000 rpm, you are in the right ballpark.

If the motor does not reach 5,000, the prop has too much pitch or too much blade area for your setup. Drop down in pitch. If it bounces off the rev limiter, go up in pitch.

Next, think about what you want. If hole shot is the priority, because you fish shallow or carry a lot of weight, look at props with more cup and blade area. If top speed is the priority, a higher-pitch, lower-drag design may suit you, as long as the motor still reaches its range. If you run the motor high on a jack plate, choose a prop designed to hold in surface-piercing conditions.

Finally, test properly. Same load, same weather, same stretch of water, and note rpm and speed for each prop. A few runs tell you a lot. We can supply a prop with your Yamaha VF90LA for sale and help you work out a starting point.

Looking After a Performance Motor

Performance motors spend more time at high rpm than family boat motors. That puts more demand on oil, cooling and fuel. A few extra habits help.

Change the oil on time, and do not stretch the interval. Good oil protects the engine at high rpm. Use the oil Yamaha recommends in the manual.

Keep the cooling system healthy. Flush after every trip, change the impeller on schedule, and always watch the tell-tale. Running high on a jack plate in shallow water can starve the intake, so be alert.

Use good fuel. Buy from busy stations and use the octane in the manual. Fit a water-separating filter and change it on time.

Let the motor warm up before running hard, and let it idle for a short while before shutting down after a long high-speed run. Small habits like that help any engine last.

Owners who do these things get years of strong running out of their Yamaha VF90LA for sale purchase. Owners who do not often end up with a motor that lost its edge early.

Resale Value

Bass boats with a well-kept Yamaha on the back are easy to sell. Buyers know the brand, and parts and service are easy to find. Keep your service records and a simple log of hours and work done. When it is time to move up to a bigger boat, a clean, documented Yamaha VF90LA for sale listing will attract buyers fast.

Spare Parts to Order With It

If you live far from a Yamaha dealer, it makes sense to order a few spares with the motor. A spare stainless or aluminium prop and a prop nut kit, engine oil and an oil filter, gear lube with new drain plug washers, an impeller kit, a set of spark plugs, fuel filter elements and a couple of anodes. That covers the first season or two. Many overseas customers add a kit like this to their Yamaha VF90LA for sale order so they never have to wait on small parts.

Tell us what you want and we will price it all together with the Yamaha VF90LA for sale, ship it in one go and send one tracking number. It keeps things simple, and you will not lose a weekend of fishing waiting for a filter.

Dealers can do the same thing in bulk. If you plan to sell or rent boats with the Yamaha VF90LA for sale on the back, ask for a parts package sized for the number of motors. We will put it on the same shipment as the Yamaha VF90LA for sale units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Yamaha VF90LA new?

Yes. Every Yamaha VF90LA for sale on our site is new, in the factory crate.

What does V MAX SHO mean?

It is Yamaha’s performance line. SHO stands for Super High Output.

What shaft length is the Yamaha VF90LA for sale here?

20 inches.

How much does it weigh?

The Yamaha VF90LA for sale here weighs 353 lb, or 160 kg.

Is it good for a bass boat?

Yes. Bass and flats boats are what it was made for.

Do you ship worldwide?

Yes, with FedEx, UPS and USPS.

Get Your Price

If your boat is rated for 90 and you want the most speed and punch you can get, the Yamaha VF90LA for sale here is a great choice. Send us your country and how many you need, and we will come back with a delivered price.