TAKE IT TO THE MAX

With a range of updates, an all-new 560cc engine and two model variants to choose from, Yamaha reckons its 2020 TMAX is better than ever before. We’ve been out to Portugal to see just how good it is, taking the chance to put it through its paces in every type of weather and every type of road possible

- Ross Mowbray

YAMAHA TMAX 560

Our European cousins love a big scooter. If you go to Paris, Barcelona or Rome, they're everywhere you turn, either splicing through traffic or crammed three abreast into a parking space. And it seems they love Yamaha’s TMAX more than most. But for some reason, there seems to be a reluctance amongst the British biking community to get on board. We could probably argue the reasons for that all day. We could talk about the division between hard-core motorcyclists and classic scooter riders, or we could blame the lack of young people getting on two wheels – and we could even have a bit of a whinge about the weather. But let’s forget all that for a minute. Just because punters in the UK haven’t snapped up the TMAX with the same enthusiasm as our pals from across the channel, doesn’t mean they’re not a serious bit of kit and well worth your attention.

Everyone I’ve spoken to who has spent time on a TMAX is enamoured with Yamaha’s flagship maxi scooter. Embittered bike journalists love them, city commuters love them, and now, after spending the day bombing along a range of roads in and out of Lisbon in Portugal, I love them, too. You see, there’s a reason for their overwhelming popularity on the continent.

Alright, so at first glance the 2020 TMAX might not look altogether that different from the previous generation machine. But beyond a handful of minor styling tweaks, including its revised front end and some new lights, there’s actually plenty to get excited about, including an all-new engine, upgraded suspension and a bunch of top-notch technology.