2020–2021 · Scooter · Buyer's Guide
City Commuter Done Properly
Most scooters are built around the storage bin. The TMAX 560 Tech Max is built around a proper motorcycle chassis: an aluminum twin-spar frame, an upside-down fork and a liquid-cooled 562 cc parallel twin that makes 48 hp and 41 lb-ft. The twin drives the rear wheel through a CVT and a belt, so there's no clutch and no chain to look after. The Tech Max trim comes with cruise control, keyless ignition, an electrically adjustable windscreen, a center stand and a preload-adjustable rear shock. ABS, traction control and ride modes are all standard. That's Yamaha's usual trick of putting real engineering where you'd expect a plain appliance.
Day to day, it's easy to live with. It slips through traffic without any fuss, gets 49 mpg and runs out to 110 mph. That's enough for a city commute that ends on the freeway and still leaves the weekend free. It's a durable machine that doesn't ask much in return. The honest caveat is weight: 481 lb (218 kg) wet is a lot of scooter to push around a tight garage. Also know what you're paying for. Navigation and the luggage system cost extra, and there's no TFT, smartphone link or USB port. If you want a connected gadget, look elsewhere. If you want a well-built scooter with real composure, this is it.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 48 hp (35 kW) @ 7,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 41 lb-ft (56 Nm) @ 5,250 rpm |
| Displacement | 562 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-15 |
| Rear tire | 160/60-15 |
| Seat height | 31.5 in (800 mm) |
| Wet weight | 481 lb (218 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15 L) |
| Top speed | 110 mph (177 km/h) |
| Fuel economy | 49 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Connectivity
Lighting
Safety
Over the years I've heard a lot about the TMAX 560 Tech Max: in the paddock, over coffee with owners, at club nights, and in the messages riders send me. The pattern is steady. Owners love how it pulls and how it steers. Their complaints are about fit, long days in the seat and the price.
Riders most often single out the engine. They describe strong, linear acceleration with very little vibration, which makes the city feel effortless and keeps long highway stretches relaxed. The CVT gets similar credit for smooth, shock-free drive in stop-and-go traffic. Owners also say it corners with a precision and stability you wouldn't expect from a scooter. Several point to the 2020 suspension retune, saying it soaks up bumps without wallowing, even when ridden briskly.
The complaints come up less often. Shorter riders say the broad seat and floorboards spread their legs and make flat-footing hard. Some owners report lower-back fatigue after several hours in the saddle and put it down to the forward-control posture and upright backrest. Then there's the price. Riders count the Tech Max among the most expensive maxi-scooters you can buy.
Where this Yamaha TMAX 560 Tech Max pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Top speed
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the TMAX 560 Tech Max is actually built for.
Commute through the city all week, then point it at the ridge roads on Saturday. It's solid and composed out there, but it's a scooter first, with no phone link on the dash.
Made for Bay Area Ridge Roads · San Francisco / Bay Area · Skyline Boulevard / Alice's Restaurant
If the job is getting across a crowded city every day in any weather, this does it with storage, shelter and 49 mpg. Just make sure your parking spot can handle 481 lb.
Made for Austin · Los Angeles · Miami Beach / Miami
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2014–2016
City Speed With Maxi Soul
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
