2020 Yamaha TMax First Look
Engine increased to 560cc
The Yamaha TMax is getitng a displacement bump up to 560cc, and a new Tech Max variant. Unfortunately, the new TMax does not appear to be coming to the U.S., which isn’t entirely as surprise as it has only made sporadic appearances here since it first debuted in 2001. In Europe, however, the TMax has been immensely popular, with Yamaha selling more than 275,000 units in total.
The 560cc two-cylinder engine displacement comes thanks to a 2mm increase in bore to 70mm. According to Yamaha, the new engine increases maximum power by 3.5% and maximum torque by 6%, while weighing just 1% more than the previous engine.
The new engine is also Euro 5 complian t, thanks to a reshaped combustion chamber, larger 27mm intake valves, and revised intake and exhaust valve timing. Yamaha also repositioned the 12-hole fuel injector to the underside of the inlet tract, now allowing fuel to be sprayed directly into the back of the intake valve for improved combustion efficiency. Also helping make the TMax compliant is the new two-into-one upswept exhaust that employs front and rear catalytic converters that use platinum and rhodium elements.
Other engine updates include a revised cooling system with a bigger radiator, new air ducts, and a new plastic resin chain tensioner. Yamaha also fine-tuned the traction control system.
The TMax offers two engine modes: a sportier mode for the open roads and an urban mode offering gentler power delivery. Yamaha also changed the CVT to provide the equivalent of higher gearing at a given engine speed than the previous TMax. Yamaha claims this offers better acceleration and a smoother feeling when cruising.
As with the previous TMax, the engine is separate from the swingarm, adopting more of a motorcycle-type chassis design than a typical scooter with the engine integrated with the swingarm. This allows Yamaha to employ a link-type monocross rear shock. Up front, the 2020 TMax uses a 41mm upside-down fork, further adding to its sporty character.
Yamaha updated nearly every piece of the scooter’s bodywork, but it is still recognizably a TMax with the same boomerang-shaped side cover.
The underseat storage is lockable and waterproof, and Yamaha claims it can fit one full-face helmet or two jet-style helmets.
Other features include new LED turn signals, a new T-shaped tail light, a center stand locking system, keyless ignition and a monochrome TFT display between the two analog dials.
The 2020 Yamaha TMax Tech Max offers a few additional creature comforts. The Tech Max comes with a smartphone app that provides GPS tracking for added security, a geofence facility alerting you if the scooter has left a specified area, and other features.
The Tech Max also comes standard with an electrically-adjustable windscreen, cruise control, adjustable rear suspension, heated grips and a heated seat.
The 2020 Yamaha TMax will be offered in the lighter Icon Grey color and the darker Sword Grey. The TMax Tech Max will be offered in Sword Grey and a Tech Kamo color option, both with gold color forks to visually separate them from the regular TMax.
Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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I really wish Yamaha would bring these back to the US. Japanese build quality, so perhaps that addresses the corrosion issues I hear befall Vespa scoots. And Yamaha's technology is completely home grown, unlike BMW's. Sorry BMW, but you can't charge me premium pricing while farming out the manufacturing to a budget supplier.
It is ridiculous that the TMAX is not in the American market. This would be the perfect bike for my purposes and I can't even get it here. A fantastic city commuter with the ability to easily get on the big road without winding it out, weather protection, and storage. Why the heck isn't this bike available in the U.S? >:-[ Grrrr