The emperor's NEW CLOTHES

Yamaha’s TMAX Tech MAX has been the definitive sports ‘maxi’ scooter. For 2025, this ninth-generation version is better than ever

- WORDS: Phil West PHOTOGRAPHY: Yamaha

The king is dead - long live the king! Or something like that. Yamaha's imperious, long-reigning TMAX needs no introduction. Originally launched in 2001, it rewrote the maxi-scooter rules with a revolutionary approach of combining motorcycle performance with traditional scooter comfort and convenience. The result proved such a big hit (particularly on the scooter-mad Continent) the TMAX became not only the definitive 'super-scoot' but also inspired a whole family of Yamaha 'Max' scooters. And now, after eight different incarnations and a total of 400,000 examples sold worldwide (with 330,000 sold in Europe alone), the TMAX enters 2025 in ninth generation form as the most advanced and refined TMAX yet.

But first a quick recap: over those 24 years and eight previous generations the TMAX was continually updated and improved like no other maxi-scooter. The first major update in 2004 saw the original 40bhp engine swap from carburettors to fuel-injection; the third gen’ in 2008 brought revised styling and a larger 15inch front wheel; the fourth in 2012 witnessed the parallel twin engine grow from 500 to 530cc, 46.5bhp, and two variants, the SX and upspecced DX; 2017 and the fifth generation brought a new aluminium chassis and ride-by-wire which allowed electronic riding aids like traction control; the 2020 sixth generation saw a complete revamp with an even larger 560cc engine and Euro5 compliance; while the 2022 seventh gen’ got a fresh new style, massive 7" TFT dash and more.

Clearly, then, there was not much wrong with the old one as its regular updates and continued popularity attests. Which is why, for 2025, the updated and refreshed ninth generation TMAX features a variety of subtle revisions and equipment upgrades rather than wholesale change. Or, as Vincent Van Der Voort, Yamaha Motor Europe's product planner for its scooter range, told us at the new TMAX’s world press launch in Benidorm: “We wanted to make the best - slightly better.”