Yamaha TMAX 500

Tmax problem – Hello, I have a 2004 Tmax 500 that has no compression, put a bore scope in plug holes, everything looks ok. Figured it has to be valves, but unusual for both cylinders to have no compression. Is it possible the Cam Chain has slipped and the valves are bent. Show details

top heavy & too tall – Good fun to ride but feels too tall & top heavy, not good if you have short legs like me. So I am chopping the Sh 1t out of it just as I planed to do when considering the purchase. lowered the seat height by about 4 inches, relocate and redesign the fuel tank, then nothing else fits back so it's a major modification job. But Just like most bikes… Read more

they need some tlc to make them better.

If you are long in the leg and don't mind being up high and you are just not inclined to change things then the T MAX is great ( boring) but great for the average bloke wife two kids and all that crap.Bla D Bla!

Amazing machine, doubters beware, this is a surprise package in the good sense – Ok so for those of you who don't know the secret......here it is. The Yamaha T-Max 530 ABS is the Ferrari of scooters and like no other. The wolf in sheep's clothing. How many times have I taken off at the lights next to sports bikes and left them behind only to be questioned at the next set of lights..."Mate, what the f##k is that?" Super… Read more

comfortable riding position, low centre of gravity(which means you can slide through traffic at very low speed without your feet down or wobbles), super stable at speed, great breaking power, good storage, really comfortable for pillion passengers, well protected from wind and rain and I could go on. I'm 52 and have ridden motor bikes since growing up on the farm. I never thought I'd ever ride a scooter until moving to France and seeing the Tmax. For around the city I would never go back to a bike and when I go cruising with mates in the bends and open road, nobody gets away from me (it's actually funny). Even at its top speed of around 185Km/h it doesn't budge. I had a 2008 Tmax 500 prior to the Iron Max 530 and I have never been let down by these machines. Ad an Akrapovic exhaust and it sounds so sweet.

Simply brilliant!

Really nice to ride, really expensive to maintain – I loved my TMax, but servicing costs are a real killer, presumably because of the amount of plastic that has to be removed and the general engineering involved in getting that much power into a scooter. This is the perfect commuter vehicle, with plenty of power, excellent handling, and room under the seat which makes life simpler, if only it were… Read more

easier to service. You can keep the costs down by doing a lot of it yourself, but it's not like working on a naked bike. If I win the lottery I'll buy another one.

You have been warned! .... the TMax fever – It doesn't matter how well it handles, how big the brakes are, or even what color it is if doesn't start! Mine has the terminal condition ' T Max fever. On anything but a cool day after a short ride the residual heat trapped in all the plastic body panels causes the fuel pump to shut down. You'll have to wait were ever you may be for it to cool… Read more

down. This may take up to 2 hours with out the application of a bag of ice and longer if you can't find shade. Really can mess up your day, like my 70s Fiat used to do.

Yamaha Australia have wished their hands of the issue, even though there was a recall in Japan and dealers in the USA and some European countries fitted, on demand, a modified pump Issued by Yamaha.

It's not a bad around town scooter or a boat anchor.Steer well clear. It will let you down.

unreliable. poor manufacturer back up. expensive

Good – It's a great machine for the riding I do, which is mostly commuting with some weekend fun and ocassional longer distance touring. 500cc is overkill for the commute but I've ridden it Brisbane to Newcastle and back and loved every minute. I also take it into the Blackall Ranges every couple of months to enjoy the twisties. Retirement is only 5… Read more ·  2

years away and that will see less commuting and more touring, so might change to a cruiser, but until then I'm sticking with the TMax. A nice compromise between power, handling and economy (5.5l/100km on the commute). Very practical commuter with auto transmission and plenty of under-seat storage; takes full-face helmet, jacket and gloves. Handles well at all speeds, nimble enough for tight parking, sits on 110kph with plenty in reserve. A nice punchy engine with no vibration issues. Engine revs a bit high at 110kph; 5,000rpm or more depending on hills. Not a drama, just sounds a bit busy. Could use an over-drive to calm things down a bit. V-belt change every 20,000km at $850 on top of the other scheduled servicing was a rude shock unless you do it yourself, which I don't.