I'm very pleased with the Thundermax at 2K miles.

I started with the PCIII and Fuelmoto's tuned rush slipons....Then I switched to the thundermax and retained the tuned Rush pipes.

I am doing backflips and the Snoopy dance now!....I absolutely love how the Tmax manages the engine compared to the PCIII. Mileage has gone way up and the bitch has got lots more grunt.

I'm guessing the new PCV with autotune is as good as the Tmax, tho.

The Tmax software is very powerful, but not user friendly. I had to print out the 200 page manual and put it in a binder, then sit back and read it all the way thru several times while I played with the unit to finally learn how to make it work for me.

Zipper's support is beyond excellent. The software contains an 'email home' feature where you simply click and it reads the module and then posts it to Zippers support team for them to examine....Next day they email a reply with suggestions.

The software also collects and stores all the changes it makes to base map as it tunes to your bike. That's a really cool feature because it lets you actually see how it adjusts itself to any changes due to seasons and loads or riding style.

I'll never pay for a dyno again, and I will never be 'locked in' again to a fixed map that can't react to the world as I pass thru it.

I'm fixin to buy one for my Sporty too.

 

i had one but the bike would use alot of gas (got about 32 mpg on the highway) did this happen to you maybe i did not give it time i took it off at about 500 miles. i am happy for you.

 

I have over 7000 miles on mine now and agree totally with oinker. Yeah as mentioned the gas milage suffered at first but as the software learned my riding habits and tuned to optimal performance it has been nothing but pleasure.

 

I understand the low mileage thing.....Both my PCIII and Tmax were fuel hogs at first. They are performance oriented items, you know? And performance takes lots more fuel.

The open loop PCIII can be tweeked for better mileage but best done on dyno and dyno pulls get expensive fast, so using dyno to wring addition MPG from PCIII has much delayed payback.

The auto tune devices however allow you to set desired A/F ratio where you want it in the RPM ranges, and then the closed loop wide band sensors get it there. You don't need a dyno to make those changes as you can read what the sensors are doing and make changes as/where required.

No one yet makes a decent performing device where you simply plug it in and forget it. The Tmax requires you invest lots of time at first. It has a steep learning curve where you need to really study the manual and fiddle with it-Kinda like Microsoft and their older versions of Windows where we had to be computer experts vice simple users just to operate a PC and keep it operating reliably. The Tmax requires lots of initial time and effort, but then it's really sweet and you can forget about it.

 

That sounds like my SERT. I printed off the tuning manual for reading while sittin on the john, and almost fell asleep..........


Why all the reading involved and playing with it? I thought they were a plug and play? I gave some serious thought to getting one myself and tossing the SERT in the drawer. I hate the thought of being at the DYNO's mercy for every upgrade.

 

It's because the Tmax is so very flexible and their software is so powerful that you must invest lots of time with it at first.

It really is cutting edge tech, but not for the casual rider who wants a cheap and simple fix. Those guys are better off buying dealer flashes and living with an 'almost' tune.

The next level of rider will be happy with an aftermarket fueler and a canned map and still have an 'almost' tune, or he might even invest in a dyno and still be stuck with a 'fixed' map that only performs when subjected to same conditions bike experienced while on dyno.

Sorry to hear you bought the SERT. You are now joined at the hip with your dealer and his expensive dyno-you need him and that's what he wanted....and if you remove it, you can't sell it cause it's forever married to the VIN of the bike it's first installed on....Not sayin the SERT is junk, but it's a bad choice if you don't want to continue paying the dealer for dyno time and maybe want to sell it later.

 

Well, yes I did buy it (a year ago) and I got it for a good deal. Haven't paid a dime for dyno time as of yet. I linked it to the bike and made a few "tweaks" myself and the bike runs great. But yes, I don't like the feeling of being "owned" by a dyno tuner. And the SERT will be sold with the bike, if and when I do sell it, but it may be a relic by then.

Just looked at the website, WOW, $900............ If I get serious, maybe I'll look for a good used one.

How easy was the removal of the HD module and install of the new Thundermax? I have the 02's so that may be a little more of a pain.

 

I'll double post here and try to explain what I think is going on with Zippers and their Thundermax.

We all know Zippers has been around for years where they built a solid rep as a company who offered real performance and reliability in a "package" format....Yep, Zippers had it going on until HD decided to switch to fuel injection, huh?

As folks bought fuel injected HD's, Zippers market began to shrink, so they decided they needed to get up to speed or die......The Tmax was Zippers choice solution.

Zippers bought Tmax from Thunderheart, and then invested lots of bucks improving it so they could offer it as part of their hammer packages and also use it to tweek full performance from their shop builds.....

Tmax software was never designed for us home improvement types, it was designed for shop techs who specialized in extreme engine science and who spoke that language.....

It was first offered to Zippers dealers and installers where it was only available if they installed and tuned it....Zippers then discovered Dynojet was eating their lunch with their retail to the public PowerCommanders so they decided to make the Tmax available to all as a retail item....At that point, Tmax took the lead because it was the only closed loop device that exceeded the performance of the PCIII, but it was still too complicated for the average do it yerselfer....Zippers answered that problem with exceptional support where they even warrantied it no matter who owed it.(Tmaxes sold, were determine to be too hard to understand or make work properly and were resold...still lots of that going on)

In the mean time, Dynojet, who can claim that they make almost every dyno installed, decided to do the autotune thing too.....So they released their PCV device to compete with Zippers..........So far Zippers retains the performance lead with a better device, but Dynojet owns the market due to their many dealers and the fact their dealers all use Dynojet dynos and are all already trained and familiar with DynoJet products and software.

DynoJet will eventually win the sales battle because they are so huge and can outspend Zippers, but Zippers for now owns title to the very best fueler made because unlike the PCV, the Tmax can handle a supercharger, turbo and/or nitro providing you can speak it's language.

 

Hey guys just got off the phone with thundermax. For those of us with 09 or 08 fly by wire, there is not a thundermax available yet. They say that they have already developed the unit but that it has not gone into production yet (expect it to be out soon). There is however, a waiting list for when the unit goes into production. During my research I have found that thundermax is going to be the best option in my opinion. It is going to give the fly by wire system better throttle response due to more readings per second along with all the other features that thundermax offers. After reading up on the PCV it looks like you will be paying almost as much in the end for the PC unit with both O2 sensors. Then you still have to find a place on your bike to hide it. For those of us with the ABS option it is going to be more difficult. I am on the list and will be waiting to join the ranks of thundermax owners. Will post after trying it out.

 

Install was super easy (I'm assuming from your O2 comment that you have an '07). Took me about 1/2 hr or so. They give you wire ties for the sensor wires. Just route the front wire along the frame with the rest of them. The back one is super easy. Plug in, initialize and go.

BTW, Shooter64 (forum member) and Fuelmoto both sell these at pretty good discounts from retail.