The powered two-wheel world changed forever when Yamaha launched the original TMAX back in 2001. By being the very first machine to offer motorcycle performance with scooter comfort and convenience, this dynamic Sport Scooter has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of TMAXers all over Europe.
As the best-selling Sport Scooter in Europe every single year since its launch, the TMAX has been on an incredible journey, and along the way has established a truly iconic status among its legions of fans. Two decades after the introduction of the very first TMAX, Yamaha has created a special edition model that marks the outstanding achievements of one of the most loved and revered designs in the company’s history.
Featuring a range of exclusive equipment and offered in a unique new colour, the TMAX 20th Anniversary celebrates the continuing success of the world’s most successful Sport Scooter, and gives TMAX lovers the opportunity to own the ultimate edition of this truly remarkable Yamaha.
Before TMAX, anyone looking for a fast, comfortable and enjoyable way to get to work had the choice of a smaller capacity scooter or a geared motorcycle. Both of these options were fine for many customers, but neither was the ideal solution for a discerning group of commuters and leisure riders who specifically wanted a machine that offered the simplicity of a “twist and go” automatic scooter together with the thrilling acceleration and high speed stability of a sports motorcycle.
Recognising the gap in the market, Yamaha’s designers embarked upon the project to build the world’s fastest scooter in the late 1990s. Nothing was ruled in or out, and in true Yamaha style the company ignored conventional thinking and created a totally new kind of hybrid two-wheeler that successfully combined the advanced engine and suspension technology from a motorcycle with user-friendly scooter features. Equipped with a step-through chassis and wind-beating bodywork – as well as automatic transmission, luxurious seating and a large underseat storage space – the radical TMAX was a huge gamble for Yamaha, but it was a gamble that was to forever change the face of long distance commuting.
The rest is history, and in 2001 this innovative and exciting high performance maxi scooter was launched into a vibrant European market that had never seen anything like it before. Its unique blend of motorcycle performance combined with scooter comfort and convenience made long and medium distance commuting quicker, easier and more fun than ever before.
In fact the original TMAX was so far ahead of its time that there wasn’t even a category for it, and so Yamaha created the Sport Scooter class which has since grown to become the most important segment in the scooter business.
TMAX has maintained its immense popularity and has been the best-selling Sport Scooter every year since its introduction 20 years ago. With almost 300,000 units sold to date in Europe, TMAX is by far and away the most successful Sport Scooter ever produced, and is one of the most important models in Yamaha’s line-up.
As a tribute to the outstanding success of the TMAX over the past two decades, Yamaha is introducing the new TMAX 20th Anniversary. Only 560 individually-numbered units will be manufactured, making it one of Yamaha’s most exclusive special editions that is sure to be appreciated by TMAX customers all over Europe.
The key feature on this new model is the forged carbon bodywork that gives every scooter its own “fingerprint”. Unlike traditional carbon fibre which has a uniform weave pattern, each of the forged carbon fibre components used on the TMAX 20th Anniversary has its own individual surface finish that makes every one of the 560 units unique.
The distinctive boomerang body panels as well as the front fender and muffler heat shield are all manufactured from this strong and lightweight carbon material, giving the TMAX 20th Anniversary an even more dynamic look and premium feel – and yellow highlights on the boomerangs and fender are a reminder of the original model’s bright yellow colour scheme.
Manufactured from premium grade materials, the exclusive heated seat features yellow stitching to match the accents on the boomerangs and front fender, and a 20th Anniversary logo confirms the scooter’s exclusive status. Heated grips are also standard, and these feature special end grips that enhance this iconic Sport Scooter’s specification.
Each TMAX 20th Anniversary will be fitted with a numbered badge that confirms its exclusivity as one of just 560 units that have been manufactured as a tribute to the industry’s most successful and iconic Sport Scooter. Together with the unique “fingerprint” of the forged carbon bodywork, the production number gives every individual model its own special identity.