When it comes to getting from point A to point B, scooters would be the most logical option for urban commuters since they are relatively cheap to own and maintain, easy to operate and have low fuel consumption. Most scooters sold today already look great off the production line but if you like to stand out from the crowd, the customisation possibilities are practically endless.
Take this Yamaha TMAX for example. What started off as a plain maxi-scooter has turned into something that would give superbikes an inferiority complex. And it’s all thanks to the brains at Lobomotive, a famed custom motorcycle builder based in Barcelona, Spain.
Based on a 2011 model, this TMAX has undergone extensive modification to accommodate a customised rear frame and a Yamaha R1 tailpiece complete with a custom seat. As if that was not enough, most of the body parts including the front dash assembly and swingarm covers are made entirely from carbon fibre. By using the lightweight material, the company has managed to shave off 25 kg of excess weight.
Now let’s get to the list of equipment, which is equally impressive. To give the scooter a menacing stance, Lobomotive pushed the front and rear wheel out by a further 40 mm, with some help from a set of swingarm extenders. This consequently made some room for the 17-inch magnesium alloy OZ Racing wheels and the Michelin Power Cup Evo tyres.
As for suspension, the Spanish builder put their trust into the sophisticated Showa BFF upside-down forks at the front and YSS shocks with swingarm-mounted reservoir at the rear, which was purposely built for the TMAX.
The braking system comprises a double carbon disc measuring 330 mm at the front and a single 220 mm disc at the rear. Clamping these discs are Brembo GP4-RX billet aluminium calipers that come with nickel plating borrowed from MotoGP. Needless to say, these calipers cost a fortune.
Nestled in the aluminium frame, the 530 cc parallel-twin engine has not been left untouched. To gain more power, it has been given a full chain conversion with alloy sprockets and a new exhaust system containing Termignoni headers and Akrapovic parts. We don’t know how much power the engine now has but it is surely higher than what it originally makes which is 46 hp and 52 Nm.
