"http://www.youtube.com/v/pA4_aqxpAFw&hl=en&fs=1"
STEP-THROUGH SPORTS BIKE: Yamaha's official promo for the TMax emphasises its sporting credentials.
When we rode the original Yamaha TMax in December 2001 it was the first scooter motoring.co.za had reviewed with serious sporting credentials - partly thanks to the muscular delivery of its 499cc, DOHC parallel-twin engine and partly because it was the only scooter on the market with decent rear suspension.
But time marches on and Yamaha's überscooter has had a major upgrade for 2009 - starting with a die-cast aluminium frame (Yamaha claims it's the first one on a scooter), that uses the rigidly mounted engine as a fully-stressed member and the pivot pin of the (new) cast-alloy swing-arm passing through the rear of the engine case a la Ducati to maximise chassis stiffness.
The BS30 carburettors of the
But, thanks to the inherent precision of piezo-electric spritzers, fuel consumption is about the same as the earlier model at 5.22 litres/100km - not too shabby for a 221kg scooter with a belt-drive, single-speed transmission that tops out at a genuine 168km/h and yes, Cyril, that figure includes performance testing.
Chassis dynamics have also been upgraded with 43mm forks replacing the previous 41mm units, 15" rims in place of 14" and superb monobloc Sumitomo callipers on 267mm floating discs.
Rear suspension, as before, is by pull-rod monoshock under the transmission. It's not adjustable, even for preload, which meant the factory boffins had to get it right first time - and they did.
The initial movement is supple and compliant but as soon as the rear end squats a little under the weight of a pillion it firms up, preventing bottoming on all but the bumpiest roads and retaining a modicum of inherent stability.
In Japan big scooters are marketed as weekend getaway platforms (single-speed tourers, if you will) rather than inner-city commuters so the TMax is a seriously big machine with luxuriously spacious accommodation and a lot of storage capacity under the seat and in dual (sadly, non-lockable) glove compartments in the legshield.
Underseat storage is accessed by turning the ignition key anti-clockwise, at which point the seat rises majestically on its dual gas struts and the luggage-compartment light comes on.
SUMPTUOUS ALL-DAY COMFORT
Raising the seat also allows access the mounting points for the little "bum stop" at the rear of the rider's seat - I say "points" because it can mounted in any of three positions to allow for riders of different sizes.
The seat itself is wide and deeply padded, providing sumptuous, all-day comfort for rider and pillion, but it's a bit wider than ideal at the nose for comfort when stopped or paddling in and out of parking spaces, emphasising the TMax's intended role as a cruiser rather than an inner-city commuter. Sure, it'll do that - but no better or worse than a big touring bike.
The front styling is reminiscent of Yamaha's big FJR1300 sports-tourer(no accident, that) but the rear is pure tourer, with a sumptuous pillion seat and big grab handles on a broad tailpiece that slopes up to an integrated tail light/indicator unit above a bulky tailpipe and 160mm rear tyre.
The slightly overlapping, chrome-bezelled instruments are deeply recessed in a car-type binnacle and tell you car-type things such as speed, fuel level and coolant temperature. The rev-counter is a narrow liquid-crystal bar graph which, I must confess, I largely ignored since it always hovered round the engine's torque peak of 6000 rpm whenever the TMax was pulling hard - that, after all, is how CVT transmissions are supposed to work.
NOT A MILK FLOAT
And it likes pulling hard - there's enough torque that this 221kg sofa on wheels will accelerate lustily anytime you give it a handful of throttle, even at open-road cruising speeds, so overtaking is never an issue.
The automatic centrifugal clutch is also set up to stay engaged until rear-wheel revs drop to walking pace, making this one of only a few single-speeders with meaningful engine braking.
A "third piston" counterbalancing weight cancels out almost all primary vibration from 499cc parallel twin, although there's some interesting thrumming through the chassis on the overrun to remind you that you're not riding a milk float, and some insistent buzzing through the bars over 145km/h.
But that's about all the feedback you get: the deep, bat-winged legshield and tall screen provide as much protection as the fairing of a full-dress tourer and I recorded the same top speed whether sitting bolt upright or crouched inelegantly over the handlebars.
It was fun trying, though, and the TMax ran reassuringly wriggle-free in either posture - although I expected nothing less, given its 15" rims and rangy 1580mm wheelbase.
WELL TUCKED IN
I also expected slow, rather vague, steering, given the Yamaha's length and weight, but it turned in promptly and neatly on request and held its line through the high-speed handling section of our standard test route, which includes a left-hander that goes on for close to 1400m.
The rear end - which is where most of the weight is on a scooter - would wallow gently when hustled beyond its limits, more in protest against the indignity of it all than in any ill-mannered attempt to spit you off.
Below floor level the body is narrow, its protuberances well tucked in - the side-stand will protest occasionally in spirited cornering but you'd have to work hard to touch anything down on the right.
And when you need to stop that long wheelbase minimises weight transfer while one- piece Sumitomo callipers scrub off speed with effortless authority. Mostly I just used the front brakes, as I do on sports bikes, but a couple of times I tried the conventional scooter protocol of using both brakes together, balancing one hand against the other (that's why scooters have both brakes on the handlebars, Cyril), and it was like running into wet cement.
I managed to avoid locking either wheel but I can only applaud Yamaha's decision to offer anti-lock brakes on the TMax. Order them on yours, especially if you plan on riding in the rain.
VERDICT
The TMax tries to combine big-scooter comfort with real-world sportbike performance. It's still too long and too heavy but, of all the big Japanese single-speeders, it's the most responsive and by far the most fun to ride.
Price:
R91 115.
SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Cylinders:
Two.
Capacity:
499cc.
Bore x stroke:
66.0 x 73.0mm.
Compression ratio:
11.0:1.
Valvegear:
DOHC with four overhead valves per cylinder.
Power:
32.0kW at 7500rpm.
Torque:
46.4Nm at 6500.
Induction:
Mikuni electronic fuel-injection with dual 31mm downdraught throttle bodies and 12-hole injector nozzles.
Ignition:
Digital electronic.
Starting:
Electric.
TRANSMISSION
Clutch:
Automatic centrifugal multiplate wet clutch.
Transmission:
Constantly variable transmission with double-cog belt. Final drive by chain.
SUSPENSION
Front:
43mm conventional cartridge forks.
Rear:
Horizontally-mounted monoshock.
BRAKES
Front:
Dual 267mm floating discs with Sumitomo four-pot, monobloc, opposed-piston callipers.
Rear:
276mm disc with single-piston floating calliper.
TYRES
Front:
120/70 - 15 tubeless.
Rear:
160/60 - 15 tubeless.
DIMENSIONS/WEIGHT
Wheelbase:
1580mm.
Seat height:
800mm.
Wet weight:
221kg.
FUEL TANK / FUEL CONSUMPTION
15 litres / 5.22 litres/100km.
TOP SPEED
168km/h (measured)
MANUFACTURER SUPPORT
Two years unlimited distance warranty.
Bike from:
Yamaha SA.