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Yamaha TMAX 2008
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07 October 2008 | |
When Yamaha’s original TMAX hit the road in 2001 it was a revolution, changing the scooter world overnight. For the very first time here was a large-capacity scooter that offered a mix of motorcycle performance and scooter functionality. The TMAX is an amazing fusion – a maxi-scooter that is big fun to ride on any kind of road – totally at home on city streets, on twisting country roads and in the motorway fast lane. So it was no surprise that so many riders fell in love with its blend of performance and practicality, discovering that one bike really can do it all. The 2008 TMAX features radical new sports styling with sleek, sculpted bodywork, eye-grabbing headlight design and remarkable new muffler design that accentuate the original model’s image of sports performance and sophistication and maintain the machine’s impressive compactness. The brilliantly avant-garde design retains the TMAX’s signature boomerang-shaped side covers and features elements of the ‘mass forward’ styling used in Yamaha street bikes and supersport bikes to emphasise the TMAX’s front-biased weight distribution that promotes excellent rider control. Lighter body parts also contribute to the 2008 model’s 5kg weight reduction, and the new bodywork improves stability in side winds. Of course, the new body keeps the weather at bay brilliantly, keeping the rider’s upper body, arms, legs and feet away from the wind and rain. And the new design windscreen is easily detachable to allow quick changes from the standard screen to a short sports screen (especially good for urban riding), which is available as an extra. The all-new aluminium frame allows the machine to handle, steer and grip the road like a sports bike. The new frame, which replaces the original tubular steel unit, is constructed from a mix of extruded aluminium sections and cast aluminium sections formed by Yamaha’s exclusive CF die-casting technology. The TMAX suspension settings have been retuned to complement the new frame’s performance. Complementing the new frame is a 15-inch front wheel (previous models featured a 14-inch front) which delivers a more stable and more comfortable ride, especially over rougher road surfaces. Both front and rear wheels are of a classy new hollow three-spoke design in aluminium alloy, just like you’d find on a performance sports bike. The new TMAX also features wider diameter front forks (43mm, up from 41mm) and a 5mm longer wheelbase (1580mm, up from 1575mm) for surer handling and stability. The result of these upgrades is a superbly neutral handling character that gives the rider that life-affirming sports bike sensation of controlling a machine that goes exactly where you point it, plus impressive stability at speed. The 2008 TMAX engine features a host of detail refinements designed to improve overall efficiency and therefore simultaneously enhance performance and environmental friendliness. Most importantly, engineers worked on the fuel injection mapping, air intake, combustion chamber and exhaust system to achieve a beautifully balanced engine with crisp throttle response and user-friendly power delivery that perfectly matches the chassis character and the fully automatic transmission system. The air intake improvements came courtesy of the aluminium frame, which allows the air cleaner to be mounted closer to the engine for increased intake efficiency. The latest TMAX also features a dramatic new sports muffler design that contributes to the 2008 model’s sleek, sporty styling and includes increased catalytic converter capacity for cleaner emissions.
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