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Yamaha YP500 T-Max motorcycle review - Riding

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Yamaha T-Max (2001-2011)

Detail	Value
New price	£8,299
Used price range	View Yamaha TMAX 500 bikes for sale to see current asking prices
Engine size	499cc
Power	40bhp
Top speed	100mph
Insurance group	9

	MCN ratings	Owners' ratings
Overall
Engine
Ride & Handling
Equipment
Quality & Reliability
Value

MCN overall verdict

If you want to tour occasionally, a Deauville 650 does it better. If you want to commute, a YP250 Majesty is probably all you'll ever need. So where does that leave the maxi-scooter Yamaha YP500 T-Max? Good fun to ride, but just too expensive for most urban riders sadly.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Yamaha YP500 T-Max's twin cylinder 40bhp motor is a gem and the auto transmission makes commuting along urban motorways a joy in stop-start traffic. Car drivers cannot believe they've been overtaken by a scooter doing 70mph plus.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Yamaha YP500 T-Max has a sturdy chassis, bit like a cut down motorcycle really, and the beefy 38mm forks, plus monoshock rear end help keep it handling on the sporty side, until the sheer weight of the thing starts some misbehaviour if you push it. At 197kgs the Yamaha YP500 T-Max is as heavy as a Yamaha Thunderace 1000.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Yamaha YP500 T-Max's underseat storage space is plentiful, but you can't fit hard panniers to this scooter if you fancy touring - just a top case. Useful features on the Yamaha YP500 T-Max include an adjustable backrest for the rider, reflector beam lighting, optional wind deflectors and higher screen. Outstanding brakes and comprehensive dashboard too.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

You can tell straight away that Yamaha wanted the Yamaha YP500 T-Max to set a new standard in sporty maxi-scooters when they built this one. It's a classy looking vehicle. Many French and Italian riders choose a Yamaha YP500 T-Max instead of a second car and do 10K miles per year on `em.

MCN rating
Owners' rating

The Yamaha YP500 T-Max is an expensive machine and the truth is that many 500-600cc class roadster motorcycles, or 250-400cc scooters can cover all the commuter/weekend fun bases nearly as well as the Yamaha YP500 T-Max, for substantially less cash. You can get better fuel consumption out of some 600cc bikes, that are just as fast as the Yamaha YP500 T-Max. Find a Yamaha T-Max for sale

Insurance group: 9

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2001: Yamaha YP500 T-Max launched.

None.

Specifications

Top speed	100mph
1/4-mile acceleration	secs
Power	40bhp
Torque	34.2ftlb
Weight	197kg
Seat height	795mm
Fuel capacity	14 litres
Average fuel consumption	45mpg
Tank range	130 miles
Insurance group	9

Engine size	499cc
Engine specification	4 stroke, parallel twin, auto
Frame	Steel diamond type
Front suspension adjustment	None
Rear suspension adjustment	Preload
Front brakes	282mm disc
Rear brake	267mm disc
Front tyre size	120/70 x 14 in
Rear tyre size	150/70 x 14 in

See all Yamaha TMAX 500 motorcycles for sale

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£7,295

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£6,999

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25450 miles

£3,150

Yamaha
TMAX 500

5997 miles

£5,999

Yamaha
TMAX 500

8812 miles

£4,995

Owners' Overall Rating (5 reviews)

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Black Max

johnlich

Average rating

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Ride and Handling
Equipment
Quality and Reliabilty
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Engine

Mine is a 2007 Black Max on which the fuel pump packed up a year after the warranty expired. Flitwick motors and Yamaha sorted this out between them - at no cost to me. Good service. The scoot has been a delight and has handled my commute in all weather over 4 winters. As many people have remarked the screen doesn't work for a rider of my height (180 cm) making progress at 70 mph tiring. The price has gone up by £2000 since I bought mine which i think is a bit steep for a fairly simple parallel twin.

02 October 2011
Mk1

Woodyfjr

Average rating

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Engine

I always fancied a having a TMax when they 1st came out and I finally got a 2001 model which is a delight to ride I have been told the Mk2&3 are even better which is hard to believe and I do prefere carbs over FI anyway.

20 April 2010
One for those that ride...

dannyzac

Average rating

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If you want to cover lots of miles in all conditions and on british roads and arrive fresh, then this is the machine for you...

10 December 2009
Are we having fun yet?

rog5150

Average rating

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Ride and Handling
Equipment
Quality and Reliabilty
Value
Engine

Swapped a Buell for a Scooter! Crazy experiment - maybe? But I'm now doing 3 times as many miles so I'm very happy I took the risk! Power, er well it's not bike but 100 plus and Okay. Handling is fab, stable, good ground clearance (without wife on back), good unlinked brakes, turns very well. Best thing is I use it all the time because its so damn usefull, ace in traffic, weather protection and storage - two wheel car that splits traffic- works for me.

04 June 2009
An expensive and unreliable pile ...

teesee03

Average rating

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Engine

With shoddy manufacturing quality and inaccessibility of most of the engine, this machine is designed to be an expendable item. The starter motor was the first thing to go. Yamaha UK were as sympathetic as you might expect - ie not at all. The cam chain tensioner has now failed after 8000 miles, wrecking the engine, and the machine is now beyond economic repair, after only 4 years. An absolute disgrace.

31 October 2008

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bros647 says

Superb scooter

I've had a couple of these early Tmaxes and they are a superb scooter. The design is brilliant with the engine situated centrally and not hanging off the side like most maxi scoots. This is why the Tmax is so evenly balanced and handles so well. They have no real inherrent faults and achive very high mileages reliably. Well worth a punt.

06 January 2011 12:41