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TMAX Opens Up a Whole New World
At a certain point in the development process Mr. Suzuki and his team wanted to test the model in the actual European road environment in order to build in specifically targeted performance levels. Traveling to Europe, they performed extensive tests with the cooperation of Belgarda. Then again this year, the final prototype was taken to Italy and Germany for yet another round of tests to verify that their target levels had been reached.
Throughout the project, Mr. Suzuki had held fast to his vision of creating a ride that offers "a different world" from conventional scooters.
"You just have to try it. The moment you turn the accelerator, take your foot from the ground and pull away, you are sure to feel that difference," enthuses Mr. Suzuki. "For one thing, there is none of the instability, the initial wobbliness or rear-end lift that you associate with conventional scooters when starting out. Secondly, there is the acceleration. This model covers 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds, which is about half the time it takes the Majesty. Thirdly, there is the cornering performance. You can cut the lines you want and feel that you are in complete control. By the way, the potential banking angle is a full 50 degrees, which is equivalent to a supersport motorcycle. The test riders were able to bank it so far they came close to scraping the main stand!" said Mr. Suzuki with a laugh.
When European importers gathered in May to test ride the 2001 models, Mr. Suzuki was told by one person that he had experienced the same type of excitement (Kando) that he had when the YZF-R1 first debuted in '98. "When I heard that I knew all our work had been on target," said Mr. Suzuki.
In Europe, the target customers will range from present scooter owners and mid-class motorcycle owners to people looking to a two-wheeler for the first time or returning former riders. To all these people, the TMAX is sure to offer a strong allure and the promise of real riding fun. Someday soon you, too, may have a chance to experience its "whole new world."
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| TMAX's early design
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