A White Tmax like Funky's!

[SkuTorr]

(Here is the review I posted over here where they've never seen a 530...)

THE REVIEW:

Okay, first remember we were comparing a STOCK 2012 Tmax 530 to my MODIFIED 2009 Tmax 500 with 16.5gm Dr. Pulley sliders, sintered brake pads, shorty brake handles and Pirelli Diablo tires. (My Tmax was a PIG compared to what it is now with those few changes...)

1.) OFF THE LINE:
The 530 CLUTCH has been upgraded, and grabs a bit quicker than mine does, so it pulls ahead. Also, having a drive BELT vs. a Dual Chain System eliminates slop and hesitation. Once we are rolling they are pretty close. 5-30mph the 530 gets maybe a length on me. Slight advantage to the 530.

2.) OVERTAKING:
Cruising at 45 and punching it to 70, the bikes are about dead even! My 500 "downshifts" a bit better to a lower gear ratio and higher RPM with the Dr. Pulleys, so I'm up higher in the horsepower band then the 530.

3.) BRAKING:
The 500's are AMAZING; the Stock 530's ALMOST as good. (We will be putting the SAME EBC sintered fronts on the 530) Advantage to the 500.

4.) HANDLING:
Not even CLOSE. The 500 is great, almost like a motorcycle. The 530 IS A FRIGGIN" MOTORCYCLE! Turn-in, response, balance, side-to-side, bumpy road surfaces, etc., the 530 is just BETTER across the board. The MK3 Tmax refined the Tmax; the MK4 530 PERFECTED it!

And then there are all the other improvements:
Upgraded PROJECTOR Headlights, rear super-bright LED brake light, tighter rear bodywork so the passenger's legs don't HIT at the ankles any more, protective CF look surface finishes where your feet bang into the glossy parts on the 500, MUCH IMPROVED WINDSCREEN which greatly reduces buffeting and actually directs cooling air on you, and a NASTY new look!

So. Yamaha redesigned the Beast to be an upgraded, modified and improved Tmax...from the FACTORY.

Once it's registered, a few mods are taking place:
1.) 16gm Dr. Pulley Sliders (should be a ROCKET!!!)
2.) Swap-out the Yoshimura 77 from the 500 to the 530. The bigger injectors/cams/valves/etc. on the 530 should allow the computer to do a re-map to improve even more with the change...and SOUND how it LOOKS!
3.) EBC sintered pads for the FRONT brakes. (They upgraded to a HUGE rear rotor and need LESS friction there...)

Can't WAIT to compare it to a BMW C600!!!

[MrGrumpy]

Interesting comparison.
The mk4 variator arrangement is interesting. When I first rode the mk4 I was surprised that whilst overtaking acceleration was hugely better than the mk3, they hadn't gone in the same direction to achieve this that Malossi and other after market people did, by making the engine rev higher. When you twist the throttle to overtake, the revs on the mk4 barely seem to rise, but it powers forward, giving the impression of a diesel engine.

Personally, I've yet to spot any improvement due to the final belt drive instead of the previous chain drive. The whole idea strikes me a whole non-improvement.

Handling - interesting view. My feeling is that whilst the mk4 handles supremely well, the mk3 was more fun somehow as it was a bit more responsive. The mk4 just does what's its told. However, the mk4 has lost the bounciness of the mk3 over the bumps, so rides somewhat better.

[SkuTorr]

Found out exactly why they redesigned the back end to a belt drive, with a lighter swing arm and wheel.
though the total vehicle weight savings was only around 10 pounds or so, the drive weight at the rear decreased by 35%!!!

yamahatmaxl-a-2011y007 - Copy.jpg

yamahatmaxl-a-2011y006.jpg

Rather than go the Malossi route and up the RPMs to the Torque Peak (which the Dr. Pulley sliders also do...) they lowered the engine torque peak by 1,000 RPM. That's why it feels diesel-like...

yamahatmaxl-a-2011y001.jpg

[MrGrumpy]

Still not convinced by the claims for the belt drive...I can't tell the difference in riding. OK its maintenance free until it goes wrong (or even gets a stone in etc) - we've no idea yet whether its will last the life of the scoot or wear out. The maintenance free bit is also dubious as the new arrangement makes it a lot harder to take the rear wheel in & out, so it takes longer with potentially higher bills to change tyres. The maintenance of the old chain drive was hardly problematic - check the oil level at minor services and change the oil at major services! Even I might have been able to do that!

[michaelphillips]

Still not convinced by the claims for the belt drive...I can't tell the difference in riding. OK its maintenance free until it goes wrong (or even gets a stone in etc) - we've no idea yet whether its will last the life of the scoot or wear out. The maintenance free bit is also dubious as the new arrangement makes it a lot harder to take the rear wheel in & out, so it takes longer with potentially higher bills to change tyres. The maintenance of the old chain drive was hardly problematic - check the oil level at minor services and change the oil at major services! Even I might have been able to do that!

I thought the rear belt was 24000 mile change , when I read it, prob read it wrong knowing me

[MrGrumpy]

I thought the rear belt was 24000 mile change , when I read it, prob read it wrong knowing me

There is no official figure - it is claimed to last the life of the scoot. However, I have seen mention of a hidden 24,000 mile figure. Wouldn't like to imagine how much one would cost...

[SkuTorr]

Still not convinced by the claims for the belt drive...I can't tell the difference in riding.

Difference from what? A MK3 Tmax? My brother came by today on the Tmax530 to do a bit of comparison riding on our favorite local twisty, that I just happen to live on. We did an hour back and forth through VERY familiar territory, trading bikes back and forth.

His bike still feels like a more responsive, refined version of mine. Much better planted in the back on rough stuff, and just feels "lighter" across the board. It needed much less hand pressure on corners, and power out of them was lag-free.

If my MK3 Tmax was still stock, the differences would be HUGE between them...

[MrGrumpy]

Still not convinced by the claims for the belt drive...I can't tell the difference in riding.

His bike still feels like a more responsive, refined version of mine. Much better planted in the back on rough stuff, and just feels "lighter" across the board. It needed much less hand pressure on corners, and power out of them was lag-free.

Yes I agree to an extent - but is any of that down to the belt as opposed to the old chain? I don't know. The mk3 was somewhat bouncier over the bumps than the mk4, so I assumed that this much be due to a revised shock absorber. Though its now been a year since I rode my mk3, my impression was that the mk3 was actually lighter to ride than the mk4. My initial impression of the mk4 was that it was rather more rigid than the mk3 and actually felt quite like the BMW C600.

Of course, this assumes that there aren't any difference between UK, USA and Canadian spec Tmaxs, which there could well be.

[tmaxrobbo]

Had a look at an ABS spec T Max today , that back end looks complex . Do you have to take all the back end off to change the rear tyre ?

[SkuTorr]

It's the same as any motorcycle with a belt drive, but more work than the old "pull out the shaft and drop the exhaust" method on the MK3.