The Yamaha Tmax is one of the best scooters on the planet and has a massive following in Europe with large owners clubs such as Tmax Club Italia which have several thousand members and put on several rallies and rides a year.
Fitting a variator is one of the best upgrades you can make to an automatic scooter because a performance variator broadens the speed range at which the engine is at maximum performance. In simple terms a performance variator will usually boost performance at low speeds – for better acceleration from standstill – as well as providing a useful boost to high speed performance.
Malossi have just released an updated version of their MHR Multivar for Yamaha T Max and supplied an interesting graph to show how their new MHR Multivar Next (art. 5117802) compares to the old one. According to the supplied graph they have made a big improvement in RPM stability.
The RRP is € 188.49 + VAT
Explain the graph!
The key to obtaining best performance from CVT transmission is to maximise the speed range where the engine rpm is held stable.
This Tmax 530 dyno graph shows a test of speed (horizontal) vs engine rpm (vertical scale). The wider and flatter the curve then the more stable the engine rpm are being held. You can see from this graph that Malossi are trying to hold the engine between 6,000 and 7,000rpm, presumably because that is where they have found the engine to be most efficient.
You can alter the rpm at which the variator shifts by changing roller weights (2 sets supplied). Heavier weights run the engine at lower rpm and lighter rollers run at higher rpm.
What is impressive about these results is the width of the stable section. If the Malossi Multivar MHR Next performs as well as the graph suggests then it should be a worthwhile upgrade.
Text: Sticky
Technical specifications
- Further widened gear range (especially in low gear)
- Improved shifting linearity
- Hard anodized – black
- Modified roller ramps allow greater rpm linearity while maintaining maximum power
- Case-hardened and ground machined steel sliding bushing
- Hardened, ground machined, chromed steel hub
- New single-piece rollers with a better performing compound
- Supplied with two different roller sets and two shims in order to change the number of revolutions of the gear curve of your vehicle perfectly adjusting its speed and acceleration
The graph shows the plots of two multivar variators.
How do they compare with the standard set up?
In my limited experience (Malossi and Polini variators tested on a MK1 Tmax) the original Yamaha (and most maxi-scooter) variators offer a much more progressive and timid launch from 0-30mph. Performance variators massively increase pull-away off the line and then a modest boost through the remainder of acceleration. For this specific set-up I’m afraid I can’t answer.