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[MKW]

Help me out guys and gals.  I have been considering the Thunder Max with autotune but have a few questions:
1. Is this really plug and play that I can do in my meager garage or do I need a shop to do it for me?
2. Will I need to change my head pipe secondary to the O2 sensor locations given that I have a 2010 V&H pipe?
3. How much work with be needed to fine tune it once installed?

I'm looking to make the switch to gain better throttle response, hopefully cooler temps and keep from doing repeated dyno runs as I add to the motor.  Any comments appreciated.   

[mjb765]

I have no experience with the T-Max so I can't answer questions 1 & 3...however as for the exhaust pipe question..you need a headpipe with bungs located up high--close to the cyl head (2009 location) If you are using a headpipe with your stock 2010 O2 sensors, they will be the smaller sensors and they will be located down by the transmission. So....no--your pipe will not work with a T-max. Some companies ship pipes with provisions for O2 sensors in both locations--if that is the case then you got lucky.

[guppytrash]

I have the tmax on my 09 and like it.
1. It is very simple to use and it is not difficult to install.
2. you need 18mm O2 bungs in the 09 location
3. As much as you want or as little as you want to tune.  It is as simple as letting the system make adjustments using autotune and then you can apply those adjustments making them your new base map.

You will notice immediately how quick the bike starts with the tmax.
Throttle response is improved huge. 
As far as cooler...from everything I have looked at it will run cooler than a leaned out motor.  That being said...it is still an air cooled motor and if you are sitting in traffic with a 110 it will get hot...I don't care what tuner you use. 
Customer service was horrible after the sale.  But that has CHANGED!  They got rid of the problem employees and I have had outstanding support the last three times I called.
All in all I am happy with mine.  Gas mileage will go down.  I get about 30 to 35 now.

[mjb765]

I have the tmax on my 09 and like it.
1. It is very simple to use and it is not difficult to install.
2. you need 18mm O2 bungs in the 09 location
3. As much as you want or as little as you want to tune.  It is as simple as letting the system make adjustments using autotune and then you can apply those adjustments making them your new base map.

You will notice immediately how quick the bike starts with the tmax.
Throttle response is improved huge. 
As far as cooler...from everything I have looked at it will run cooler than a leaned out motor.  That being said...it is still an air cooled motor and if you are sitting in traffic with a 110 it will get hot...I don't care what tuner you use. 
Customer service was horrible after the sale.  But that has CHANGED!  They got rid of the problem employees and I have had outstanding support the last three times I called.
All in all I am happy with mine.  Gas mileage will go down.  I get about 30 to 35 now.

Glad to hear Zippers is getting better customer service..that was always a big problem for them. Just out of curiousity....are you having problems that you needed to call them more than 3 times?

[guppytrash]

Yes I was having a surging problem that I thought was a problem with the tmax. 
Turns out I found an exhaust leak.  Once I replaced the exhaust header gaskets all has been good. 
Randy was outstanding in helping to diagnose the problem. 

He also took a look at my current map and told me all is good. 

Just rode 2500 miles to Sturgis and back and bike ran fantastic.

[mjb765]

Yes I was having a surging problem that I thought was a problem with the tmax. 
Turns out I found an exhaust leak.  Once I replaced the exhaust header gaskets all has been good. 
Randy was outstanding in helping to diagnose the problem. 

He also took a look at my current map and told me all is good. 

Just rode 2500 miles to Sturgis and back and bike ran fantastic.

Glad to hear you got it worked out

[Ironhorse]

Customer service was horrible after the sale.  But that has CHANGED!  They got rid of the problem employees and I have had outstanding support the last three times I called.

Oh really, when did that happen? Is James Ramsey gone? He's the one that needed to go if you ask me. He was was helpful as screen door on a submarine. What's the name of the guy you worked with the last three times? I'm not being a smart ass and trouble maker, but I gotta tell you that over the years my experinece with Zippers Tech support was awful. I was fully expecting them to subcontract tech support to Pakistan. Hell I'd venture a bet to say that support from Pakistan would be an improvement.

[guppytrash]

Yep James is gone.  I talked to Randy and could not have been happier with the way I was treated.

Seems they got the message.  I told Randy they have lost a whole lot of customers because of their lack of support.

His response was we are well aware of that and all the necessary changes have been made. 

From my personal experience I would say the support I have received lately is as good as any place I have done business with.

I know there is a lot of haters on this particular subject and I was beginning to be one of them, but I give them credit for taking action.

[Twolanerider]

I have the tmax on my 09 and like it.
 Gas mileage will go down.  I get about 30 to 35 now.

Poor base maps, or at least base maps that don't match the bikes as well as Zippers would tell you, has been a long time Thundermax issue.  A significant decline in fuel economy is a tuning/map issue.  So even though the bike may feel like it's running well in the overall it could be doing better.  If it's inefficient it's probably also leaving some performance on the table.  Maybe not that you'd feel in the seat of your pants; but it's there.

[Twolanerider]

Oh really, when did that happen? Is James Ramsey gone? He's the one that needed to go if you ask me. He was was helpful as screen door on a submarine.

If Ramsay was your only source of poor support you did better than many Mark.  It was systemic with them; and for a long time.

[sadunbar]

Oh really, when did that happen? Is James Ramsey gone? He's the one that needed to go if you ask me. He was was helpful as screen door on a submarine. What's the name of the guy you worked with the last three times? I'm not being a smart ass and trouble maker, but I gotta tell you that over the years my experinece with Zippers Tech support was awful. I was fully expecting them to subcontract tech support to Pakistan. Hell I'd venture a bet to say that support from Pakistan would be an improvement.

X2   

[JDOFLHRIDER]

I would like to say I love my T-max .I believe you can use their maps and have ok results. My tunner has the advanced programs for tunning the Thunder maxs and bike runs awsome . Fuel mileage works 2 ways ,he has my T-max set by throttle posission knowing that at different ones mean different things so If I want to go pull hard and go and If fuel mileage is wanted short sift and keep throttle in forward possision. If I ride under 70mph 40-47 mpg pulling trailer ethenol mixed gas does make mileage change.But when on throttle 70mph plus 35-40mpg . Like anything else no 2 things same fine tunning makes for awsome results just find good tunner.T-max takes less dyno time so that offsets price and you will love the results.

[guppytrash]

For Twolaner and sadunbar.

To be fair to MKW when was the last experience you had with a thundermax?

Are you currently using a tmax and if so on what year bike?

[Twolanerider]

For Twolaner and sadunbar.

To be fair to MKW when was the last experience you had with a thundermax?

Are you currently using a tmax and if so on what year bike?

Yesterday when I rode the Road Glide.

Have always and repeatedly said the ECM itself offers real promise and capabilities we never had in a stock ECM.  The company has been an untenable and unapologetic pain in the ass with arrogance only slightly smaller than the Greenland ice shelf.  T-Max has also had regular issues with base maps being not all Zippers would have you think they are cracked up to be. 

In summary if you've got a good tuner who will actually use T-Max to dial you in to get started it's a fine tool.  Otherwise don't count on it dialing itself in with great precision and/or do count on spending a good bit of time doing boring and monotonous data runs yourself if you do want it really dialed in.

[sadunbar]

For Twolaner and sadunbar.

To be fair to MKW when was the last experience you had with a thundermax?

Are you currently using a tmax and if so on what year bike?

Myself - three years ago...

And with a riding companion - the past two months - as he struggles to obtain anything approaching reasonable fuel mileage with a basically stock bike.

The downfall with the T-Max has always - in my opinion - a lack of experience with it by the tuning guys.....and horrible customer service provided by Zippers (the only supplier who has ever outright lied to me).