Buying: MCN’s Neevesy reveals why the TMAX is so damn good
2017 Yamaha TMAX 560
Michael Neeves has been road testing with MCN for nearly 20 years. One of the most experienced testers in the UK, Neevesy races a BMW S1000RR in UK club events as well as an XR69 and a Katana in international Classic Endurance and flies (pre-Covid, of course) around the world assessing the latest machinery. So how would the man who’s ridden just about every bike since 2002 spend his cash?
“I get asked what my favourite bike is all the time, but it’s a hard one to answer,” says Neevesy. “Bikes like the Honda RC213V-S are incredible, but I don’t have a spare £150k, I have a soft spot for the GSX-R750 as a track bike, the Tuono V4 is my favourite all-round bike and I’d love an RD350LC or RGV250 – which I both started my race career and broke my legs riding! But what would I buy? A Yamaha TMAX! “I’d go for the latest generation, so 2017-on, as they are brilliant and a great antidote to my day job. The TMAX is so different it is refreshing to ride and I love the convenience you get from a big scooter – up until recently I owned one and yes, I had a topbox, scooter apron and heated grips and seat. Riding it always reminded me of being in Ibiza on holiday, cruising along the beachfront on a scooter, which is what you need on the A1 in December.
“The TMAX is a real sleeper of a bike and I’ve seen off an MT-09 through a set of bends and also taken it for weekends away - I rode mine to Paris as well as Le Touquet two-up for a holiday. And it is really practical, I used mine as a two-wheeled car. “They are quite hard to get hold of as owners never sell them. Practical, cheap to insure (unless you live in London), able to record 60mpg and great for weekends away – what’s not to like? Aside from snide comments about scooters from a few uninformed riders, that is.”