2009 Yamaha TMAX Scooter reviews

I recently sold my Burg 400 dog and unimpressive HD 883 Iron. I picked one of these up and I have to say this bike is pretty cool. As with most scooters, low end lacks real get up and go, but this bike really shines in the mid. Roll on the throttle at 4-5k rpm. and you will have to hold on, which is exactly what you need for powering out of the twisties, huh, go figure. Lighten the rollers in the variator and you just might unleash a monster. Show less

5 out of 5 Stars! I have over 800 miles riding on my TMAX. It is a joy to ride - lots of speed and pick up when you need it. It's perfect riding and standing balance, almost can keep my feet up at 0 mph. Ride with your feet down (like most scooters), forward like a motorcycle, or back like a sport bike. It has the comfort of a touring bike and looks and pickup of a sport bike. Hard to believe it is a scooter until you do not have to change gears. I am getting around 50 mpg. city and country driving. There are lots of lockable, under the seat, lighted storage, plus two unlocked glove boxes. It's quality built and has a nice design. It rides a second rider with no effort. My next bike will most likely be another TMAX. Show less

I never been on any other bike with a better tight cornering ability than the Yamaha Tmax. My former bike was a Yamaha FZ6 and the Tmax has a better balance and cornering ability than it has. I can go faster, tighter and with more confidence around the tightest hairpin curve than any sport bike crotch rocket out there! I can lose any crotch rocket behind me on any curve. Yea, the crotch rocket riders will make fun of my Tmax cause its a scooter, but they can't catch up to me on any curve! After the crotch rocket riders make fun of my Tmax, I tell them they have a nice bike, too bad they can't ride it! Show less

This bike is simply phenomenal: The perfect cross between sportbike performance and handling with scooter comfort. I am only 120 miles into ownership, but I can't get the smile off of my face. This bike performs and handles better than a Ninja 250 I've owned and is far more comfortable and manageable than a Suzuki GSX650F. I've ridden all with no shifting. You won't win any high speed races with high end sportbikes, but this bike is surprisingly fast at normal city and highway speeds. It's a great commuter. Yamaha hit a home run with this one. Show less

I have owned my Tmax for nearly a year. It has all the comfort and power of a small cruiser motorcycle with better wind and weather protection than most bikes. I was in the market for an automatic motorcycle but found the few on the market very high priced. The Tmax is as close to a crossover bike currently available on the market. It has the power and handling of a sports bike with the convenience of a maxi-scooter. The CVT transmission is very responsive. A flick of the wrist and you leave other vehicles behind. Finally it's a lot of fun to ride! If you are tired of shifting a motorcycle and looking for a long distance capable ride you can't go wrong with the proven quality and reliability of Yamaha's new Tmax. Show less

I am a new rider. I have never owned a motorcycle or a scooter prior to buying my TMax, so I cannot give a comparison review. However, I can honestly say that this is a great bike for beginners. It has plenty of power for the highways and is quite nimble in local traffic. It is a lot of fun to ride. The storage space below the seat is adequate, but I do not see how anyone can fit a full face helmet in there. I have a three-quarter helmet and can just barely get it in there. The seat may look like it would not be comfortable on a long journey, but it is. There is plenty of leg room, and the handlebars are far enough away that your arms are comfortably extended. The stock windshield was a bit short for me, and even at 25 MPH the wind in my face was pretty intense. I bought the large Givi winshield (Givi calls it a spoiler) for my TMax. What a difference! It is six inches taller that the stock windshield, but the top of the winshield is still below my line of sight. However, the extra height and the angle of it prevent all buffeting. There is only a nice breeze that comes in contact with my head, and it is much quiter while riding even on the highway. If you are over 5 feet 10 inches I highly recommend buying the tall Givi windshield. It also costs less that the Yamaha touring windshield for the TMax. I get a lot of compliments on my TMax even from regular motorcycle riders. Some are looking at buying one themselves. Show less

The Tmax is an absolute blast. At 500 cc's I can keep up with my Hubby's 650. Weight was a little hard getting used to and then bam after practice it's very easy to hold up. I love the 4 gallon gas tank, the high windshield, and the throttle that takes off with very little twisting. The brakes are great and I love that they are adjustable. Overall, I would recommend this scooter very highly. Show less

Well I have to say that the 2009 TMax is honestly the best looking and most fun to drive scooter out there. I have owned other scooters as well. The 500cc engine has plenty of smooth power and makes it a breeze in traffic for passing or keeping up with the flow of traffic. The TMax has a very nice ride overall. The suspension is very tight and cruises with no vibration or noise. I would highly recommend this scooter to anyone in the market for a fun, easy-to-ride, gas-and-go scooter. Show less

This scooter is really a certified c-rocket in disguise. It has speed, handling and maneuverability on par with or better than any street bike out there; but you don't feel like you have had a trip to the gym after you ride. You can relax on this machine and really enjoy the ride and comfort or you can leave cycles in the dust at intersections, the way I occasionally feel compelled to do. Show less

This is my fourth scoot; 1 150, 2 250s, and this 500. The TMAX is a complete departure from the typical scoot-world. A real show stopper, conversation invoker and ego booster (yeah, even old guys have egos). On the road it is stable, quiet, comfortable, and really quick with very respectable mileage. It is probably the only scooter that can keep me from buying a motorcycle and that alone will preserve my marriage. Yamaha really got this one right. Show less