Its always been about comfort and performance with me, looks arn't that important, never cared how I look on a scooter.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

On my own old Yamaha Tmax 500 Mk3 I have added stuff to improve the bike:

1) A Garmin powered GPS mount to use my satnav from my BMW motorcycle. This could also be used for a "Carpuride" or "Chigee AIO-5" Apple Car Play screen unit for phone/nav integration (look them up, they look very good).
2) Heated Handlebar Grips.
3) Heated Seat Pad.
4) Dashcam (Front & Rear Cameras).
5) Tucano Urbano "Termoscud" bad weather blanket for winter riding.
6) Genuine Yamaha rear rack and top box - sometimes the underseat storage just isn't big enough.

All these items could have been included as standard by Yamaha during build, or the fixtures and wiring could have been added during build with the items as self-fit options from an accessories catalogue, or the items fitted as options during assembly.

Either way, they resolve a few shortcomings in design and improve the comfort/practicality of the scooter for year-round riding.

Yes, I suspect that a majority of us have added heated grips and topbox or other luggage solutions to our maxis. But I guess Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki love charging us absurd sums of money to fit them as options, unless we can find after market options. But how about all the things they could leave off? It strikes me that many scoots (and cars!) are becoming cluttered with over complicated and unnecessary technology that has a tendency to go wrong and costs a fortune to fix when it does. All these clever TFT screen thingies are very clever, but I never have time for more than quick glimpses at the speedo, and occasionally the fuel gauge/trip meter!

Mr Grumpy, couldn't agree more. My son bought a brand new Jeep and the radio has never worked properly, my sister in law bought a brand new Ford and the TFT screen and over things never worked properly. Both cars went back to the dealers more than once but haven't been fixed.

I find things like the temperature display, proper fuel gauge, range etc. very useful. I'd remove the rev counter for sure, but with a display you can have as many display options as you want to. If you wanted the rev counter back and a speedo in digital with a 50 point font you can do it if that mode exists. The Old Boys Kawasakymco J300 has the worst of all worlds, a clock with a tiny font and only in KPH . He had to buy a sticky overlay like it was 1973.

"Expensive when failed" is just about repair skill sets and production volumes. I'll take my chances fixing something like a mobile phone long before digging into some mechanical clock monstrosity. Parts prices on specific items are always 5% under the level you'd choose to solve the problem with petrol and matches, doesn't matter what they are.

Andy

Hi Mickey.

I'm afraid that for me none of the designs look desirable as either a serious motorcycle or maxi scooter. Of course we haven't been given the detailed specs of these bikes but it's doubtful that would make any real difference to my feelings about them. I've been riding for nearly 55 years on motorcycles & scooters so I know exactly what I'm looking for. Pretty sure it's none of those designs.

Thanks for posting.

Andym wrote: ↑Wed Sep 04, 2024 4:45 pm I find things like the temperature display, proper fuel gauge, range etc. very useful. I'd remove the rev counter for sure, but with a display you can have as many display options as you want to. If you wanted the rev counter back and a speedo in digital with a 50 point font you can do it if that mode exists. The Old Boys Kawasakymco J300 has the worst of all worlds, a clock with a tiny font and only in KPH . He had to buy a sticky overlay like it was 1973..

Andy

I had a J300SE from new in 2014 and it def had mph on it. I prefer "Kymasaki", by the way Lovely bike to ride, mind. Felt like a grown-up Runner and quite hooligan machine: it seemed to urge you to go faster... Shame Kawasaki never bothered to continue or develop it as it was quite a bit better than my mate's Downtown 300.

Having looked at all the designs, I don't care for what looks like minimum under seat storage and the bare ass Integra style rear wheel on any of them.

I think the display on my Mk3 Tmax is spot on.

It has everything you need to know, and nothing superfluous plus its easy to read like a car dash.

Pukmeister wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2024 8:17 am I think the display on my Mk3 Tmax is spot on.

It has everything you need to know, and nothing superfluous plus its easy to read like a car dash.

But the silly little rev-counter indicator is too small - impossible to read with a casual glance! However, a rev-counter on a CVT scoot isn't the most crucial thing! Quite honestly, the simplicity of the clocks on the original mk1 Tmax - simple old fashioned speedo, fuel and temp gauge dails - were pretty ideal. And the clock could be set with a couple of button presses, rather than the tortuous trip through the menus as on new ones!