I’ve ridden the Yamaha NMAX as far north as Sagada, Mountain Province, and as far south as Oslob, Cebu. Yet, in its 7 years of existence in the local market, I haven’t really gotten the chance to take it to my favorite destination – the coffee shop.

On a busy, drizzly Tuesday afternoon, off I went to a nearby Starbucks (about 7 kilometers from my place) feeling like a total poser.

I didn’t expect to enjoy the ride more than the caffeine buzz.

Like a boss

I was on my way to the coffee shop to meet my boss, actually, but being on the saddle of the Yamaha NMAX felt like I was the head honcho, the one in charge. Its relatively tall seat allowed a commanding view of the road ahead and the precise handling made me feel like I was always in control.

Couch on wheels

Quite frankly, it was more comfortable to be straddling the Yamaha NMAX than sitting on one of those bar stools in an over-priced café.

While the NMAX doesn’t have a flat floor board, it does have a pair of step boards that extend to the front. You could ride with your legs stretched out cruiser-style.

With a flick of the wrist

The Yamaha NMAX has decent amount of grunt on tap at any rev range, thanks to its Variable Valve Actuation (VVA). The 155 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-valve mill produces 11.3 kW and 13.9 Nm.

The light drizzle that afternoon made the usually dusty Ortigas Extension a wet, slippery mess but I kept the NMAX’s traction control on and whacked open the throttle with reckless abandon.

Taller wind screen, please

The Yamaha NMAX’s wide leg shield did an excellent job of keeping my pants and sneakers dry when riding on wet conditions. However, the tiny wind screen meant I was on my own when it came to keeping my top spotless.

I suggest you maintain good distance from the vehicle in front to avoid road spray.

Look Ma, no keys

Well, you do get a little remote switch which you can keep in your pocket and this allows you to operate the NMAX without having to use a conventional key.

This is a very convenient feature especially when you wear riding gloves. This also significantly lessens the chance of you accidentally locking the key inside the under seat compartment.

Yamaha very kindly lent us this latest iteration of the NMAX in Dark Petrol colorway so we could try and live with it for a couple of weeks and learn what the fuss was all about.

Maybe we’ll take it to a tambike session and brag about the silent starter motor of this scoot. We’ll keep you posted.