T max?

[jasp]

I am thinking of selling my 04 GS1200 and have always had an itch for a Tmax.
It looks like I may be able to just afford a basic 530 or a well sorted 500. Is there a huge gap between them....it won't get huge miles and I guess I'm worrying about servicing costs on a later scoot . Are either easy to work on?
And to make it harder the honda X adv keeps popping up!
Any pointers?

 

[DC]

I had similar thoughts quite fancied the X ADV but at 11k ,wasn't in the budget, so rode the 350 ADV. fantastic machine, There was some long delays for delivery but I hear they are coming through quicker.

 

[Pukmeister]

I have a GSA1250 and a Tmax 500 Mk3.

I ride the Tmax daily 12 miles each way to work and back, plus shopping trips etc its a superb little bike and only costs me about £15 a week in petrol.

The Tmax is a simple enough machine to service and parts are pretty reasonable but you will need to invest in some special tooling (around £100) to renew the primary drive belt every 12,000 miles. The belts can be had from £70 for a Dayco to several hundred for an OE or a high performance Kevlar belt (such as those used in Tmax racing in Japan or Italy). I modified this tooling to also hold the clutch basket recently when replacing the clutch at 47,000 miles. It also needs fairly frequent oil changes at around 3500 miles as it has a fairly small oil capacity.

Due to its popularity in France and Italy there is good availability of new and used parts plus uprated stuff such as Malossi, Dr Pulley etc that can improve the pick-up and response such as new variator springs and weights, uprated clutches etc. Fowlers in Bristol do OE parts as do CMSNL in the Netherlands. Service kits can be had on eBay etc for sensible money, basically a full set of filters, two spark plugs and some oil. The biggest drama is the acres of interlocking body plastic that needs removal to gain access but you soon get used to it.

There is a good series of Youtube videos on Tmax mods and servicing from a guy called "49cc scoot" or something like that.

EDIT: try this for starters

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

All the T Max scoots are fun . The Early ones are really well built . The later ones are a lot of fun , from Mk 3 onwards ,. I have had most variants currently with a Mk 8 560 Tech Max . I love it , its quick it handles well and its so usable . Electric screen heated grips and seat cruse control , it is a fantastic bike . There is a lot of bodywork to remove for servicing . The 12000 mile service can be £800 as it involves 4 filters and the primary belt , that may include tyres . Love them though not as a replacement for a GS / GSA . I use mine daily and it is just easy to do so . Try one .

 

[jasp]

Thank you for the replies,All really useful stuff.....what years were the MK3 models, I think it maybe where I'm aiming.

 

[jasp]

I have a GSA1250 and a Tmax 500 Mk3.

I ride the Tmax daily 12 miles each way to work and back, plus shopping trips etc its a superb little bike and only costs me about £15 a week in petrol.

The Tmax is a simple enough machine to service and parts are pretty reasonable but you will need to invest in some special tooling (around £100) to renew the primary drive belt every 12,000 miles. The belts can be had from £70 for a Dayco to several hundred for an OE or a high performance Kevlar belt (such as those used in Tmax racing in Japan or Italy). I modified this tooling to also hold the clutch basket recently when replacing the clutch at 47,000 miles. It also needs fairly frequent oil changes at around 3500 miles as it has a fairly small oil capacity.

Due to its popularity in France and Italy there is good availability of new and used parts plus uprated stuff such as Malossi, Dr Pulley etc that can improve the pick-up and response such as new variator springs and weights, uprated clutches etc. Fowlers in Bristol do OE parts as do CMSNL in the Netherlands. Service kits can be had on eBay etc for sensible money, basically a full set of filters, two spark plugs and some oil. The biggest drama is the acres of interlocking body plastic that needs removal to gain access but you soon get used to it.

There is a good series of Youtube videos on Tmax mods and servicing from a guy called "49cc scoot" or something like that.

EDIT: try this for starters

Blimey! That's a load of fastenings!!

 

[Pukmeister]

Mk 1 is obviously the original with a single front brake disk. The Mk 2 is slightly improved with twin front brake disks for much better stopping.

The Mk 3 has 'gold spot' sumitomo calipers the same as the R6/R1 so its stops very well with decent pads, in my opinion it also looks a lot better than the Mk1/2 styling.

I believe the Mk3 Tmax was from around 2007/8 to 2011/12.

You only need to remove so much bodywork to get to the bits you are servicing, no need to strip the whole bike bodywork like in the video.

 

[Ash]

I love my 500.
Handles superbly, goes more that i thought a 500 scooter ever could go. Wooooosh..
Build quality is excellent.
The only thing I'd like is more MPG..

 

[richh]

I’ve had 4 tmax’s over the years.

I had a mk1. Then two mk2 blackmaxes.

Recently bought another mk1 as a cheap knock about.

Something about them for sure.


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[Pukmeister]

Top tip. Change the primary belt at 10,000 miles rather than the 12,000 quoted especially if an aftermarket belt (mines a Dayco with 10,466).

Mine just snapped whilst accelerating into the fast lane of M27, managed to coast/push it to the Marriot hotel in Cosham, awaiting recovery.

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[richh]

Oopsie.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

ouch hope you are sorted

 

[Pukmeister]

Bikes in bits, removing chunks of exploded drive belt and hacking off the birds nest of Kevlar string mangled around the secondary sheave. Had to hacksaw some of the Kevlar off it was welded solid. All cleaned up now and ready to reassemble but it got too dark in my garage to finish the job last night.

I’ll fit the new belt to it this afternoon and test ride.

Next time I'll save myself the hassle and just do the belt at 9,000 miles like I did last time. The book says 12,000 but with the Akra system fitted and a few Malossi and Dr Pulley parts for improved acceleration and kickdown (ahem, plus the way it gets ridden), the belt has a hard life.


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[richh]

How much is a belt?

If you've lost confidence in the bike, I'll take it off your hands

 

[Pukmeister]

A Dayco XTX1003 drive belt cost me about £75 from Germany when I bought it, although prices have now risen sharply. These are for micro cars but also fit the Tmax and are XTX rated so Kevlar/Aramid reinforced. I’m hoping to maybe find a snowmobile drive belt that also fits as anything motorcycle related seems to carry a price premium.

I fitted the new belt yesterday then test rode the bike today. It’s still a great bike but I’ve learnt my lesson from this and will change any aftermarket belt early at 9500 miles for peace of mind rather than push my luck. I have all the special tooling required but the clean-up operation untangling and cutting out Kevlar string added two hours to the job.

(OE Yamaha belts are rated for12,000 miles but at £170+ each they are a false economy in comparison).

If you are seriously thinking of getting a Tmax I can highly recommend them, especially the Mk3 with a hidden duplex chain in the swingarm rather than a rubber belt final drive.

Alas mine is not for sale, sorry.

 

[richh]

I've had 4 over the years.

Mk1, two Mk2 blackmaxes, then a long break, and just bought a cheap mk1 from Prof Plumb on here for a knockabout / winter hack.

Shakedown run tmoz. Been sat for about 7 years

 

[richh]

Well speedo doesn’t work.

Takes an age to coax into life from cold.

Oil light flashes.

Screen is tremendously noisy.

Goes into a tank slapper if not holding bars.

But it does go and stop I suppose


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[Pukmeister]

Carbs probably need a clean, maybe just throw an additive like Forte in the fuel tank and give it a good thrashing?

Oil light a concern, I assume you changed the oil and filter already?

Tankslapper could be just tyres and/or suspension needs looking at/replacing or steering head bearings need a grease and adjust.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

Tank Slapper - Check the front wheel for a buckle

 

[richh]

The forks are mega soft so I’m looking at rebuilding if I get chance. One of the seals is leaking.


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