Compared to motorcycles, the best maxi scooters are easier to ride. They also come with features that make for a more enjoyable riding experience.
Multiple positions, upright seating, plenty of interior storage, and cup holders make maxi scooters a great alternative to motorcycles. Whether you’re looking to bop around town or head out on a longer, multi-day tour, you’re bound to find a maxi scooter suitable for the job.
Not only are they comfortable to ride, they’re just as fast as most bikes. If you don’t want to deal with the clutch and simply want to focus on the scenery, a maxi scooter is for you.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at the best maxi scooters currently available. Let’s jump right into it!
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Are maxi scooters any good?
Maxi scooters are amazing. They’re one of the best motorcycle alternatives, especially if you want to focus on the riding and scenery and not have to worry about the clutch and changing gears.
Maxi scooters are a bigger, beefier, more comfortable, and more powerful version of a standard scooter. They’re perfectly designed for touring while being great for commuting as well.
Compared to a motorcycle, you can actually relax on a maxi scooter while cruising in comfort. Many of them even come with amazing luxuries, like built-in heated grips, standard GPS, electronically adjustable mirrors, and more.
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced rider, these are a great choice for a number of reasons.
Can you tour on a maxi scooter?
Yes, that’s exactly what they’re designed for.
Not only are they good for commuting, but they’re the perfect ride for scooter touring.
The upright position, large storage capacity, great fuel economy, amazing comforts, and extra features make maxi scooters ideal for taking on your next touring adventure.
What’s the fastest maxi scooter?
Any of the scooters with more than 600cc of power are going to plenty fast for your riding needs.
This will include ones like the Suzuki Burgman, Honda Silverwing, and the BMW C650.
If the need for speed as what you’re looking for, these will definitely scratch the edge. All of the 600cc+ maxi scooters are great for long distance tours, highway riding, and any situation where speed is important.
What are the Best Maxi Scooters in 2023?
Now that you have a better idea of what a maxi scooters can provide you as a rider, let’s take a look at some of the best maxi scooters on the market.
It’s important to note that not all of these will be available in the United States, and vice-versa for Europe. Many of these models are released in Europe or Asia, as these are more popular markets for scooters.
It’s also a good idea to check your local use markets for some of these scooters, especially if production has stopped in your country.
With all that out of the way, let’s jump into some of our recommendations!
Suzuki Burgman 400 (Best Maxi Scooter Overall)
Topping our list as the best maxi scooter for most riders is the Suzuki Burgman 400. Many of you might be familiar with the Burgman 650, but in most cases the Burgman 400 is a better choice.
As it’s smaller than the 650, the Suzuki Burgman 400 is more nimble, easier to ride, and easier to control in low speed conditions. It’s also more fuel efficient while still being capable of keeping up on the highway.
The main drawback to the 650 is that it’s only available to riders with a full motorcycle license. Of course, this depends on where you’re from, but it’s still too much of a scooter that most people won’t need.
The Suzuki Burgman 400 is a practical way to get around town, commute, or even explore the countryside on multi-day trips. It comes loaded with practical features, heaps of storage space, and a thick, padded seat.
Under the seat you can stash your scooter helmet, change of clothes, groceries, or anything else you’re riding with. There’s even a useful 12v socket under the seat for keeping your devices charged.
The latest models of the Burgman 400 come fuel injected, liquid-cooled, and with ABS. They’re also equipped with a plush suspension, adjustable backrest, and stepped seating for easier two-up.
Thanks to the 13.5L fuel tank, you’re able to enjoy long distances between fuel stops. There’s also the belt drive, CVT transmission that’s fully automatic and easy-to-use.
The only drawback with the Suzuki Burgman 400 compared to the 650 is that it’s slightly less capable of two-up riding. In every other regard, the Suzuki Burgman 400 is a superior scooter and our recommendation as the best maxi scooter overall.
Honda X-ADV (Best Off-Road Scooter)
A lot of scooter riders were once stuck with two bikes – a scooter and an adventure motorcycle or dirt bike. Honda noticed what the market was missing and decided to create an adventure scooter.
They called it a crossover maxi scooter but it’s more of an off-road scooter that also has touring capabilities.
When the X-ADV was released it was well received and quickly grew into its own market space. Many Honda competitors are now offering their own versions of crossover or off-road scooters to satisfy this market.
Along with being suitable for touring, it’s also built to handle off-road conditions. It features a unique look, great performance, and unique capability that you didn’t find in scooters until this was released.
The X-ADV comes with a 745cc, Liquid cooled engine that puts out 58 hp. It has a 13.2 L fuel tank with a fuel economy of 3.6L/100km, offering a hypothetical range of 360 km.
Other worthwhile features include the five stage adjustable windscreen, storage space for an off-road helmet, long travel suspension, and an upright riding position. This is definitely one of the best Maxi scooters for touring, off-road riding, and adventure riding that you don’t want to miss out on.
Honda Silverwing (Best Cheap Maxi Scooter)
Sold between 2002 and 2013, the Honda Silverwing was a 600c beast of a scooter. Hailed as one of the best maxi scooters of all time, the Silverwing is perfect for commuting, touring, and day trips.
Before the release of the Silverwing, Honda’s biggest scooter was in the 250cc range. When it was released, the Honda Silverwing was the second full size Maxi scooter introduced in the United States.
A year later, the Suzuki Burgman was released and became a more popular choice. Despite that, the Honda Silverwing remains as an amazing maxi scooter, that tends to be relatively affordable on the used market today
Obvious for its size, the Silverwing is Honda’s fastest scooter. With a top speed of a 105mph, it will have no trouble keeping up on the highway or accelerating through traffic.
Equipped with a CVT automatic transmission, the Silverwing is liquid cooled and fuel injected. The main problem with this larger, 600cc engine, is that this scooter suffers from a mediocre fuel economy compare to similar size bikes or smaller scooters.
Despite that, the Honda Silverwing is one of the best touring scooters and seemingly designed for the open road. The scooter is equipped with an impressive 55L of storage space under the seat, more than enough for a full-face helmet and touring gear.
It even comes with two lockable cubby holes in the dash, a great place to store your wallet, insurance, and other accessories you want nearby. For easy maintenance, there is a built-in center stand as well as a side stand for parking.
Overall, if you’re looking for a touring scooter that’s comfortable to ride, easy to maintain, and super durable, it’s the Honda Silverwing you’ll want to check out. Unfortunately, these can only be found used as they’re no longer produced by Honda.
Kymco AK550
Kymco is a well-known brand, with a history of supplying scooter and motorcycle parts to Honda, Suzuki, and BMW. Their Kymco AK550 is a reliable and affordable Maxi scooter that’s competitive in price and value with the scooters from Yamaha, BMW, and Suzuki.
Compared to most other scooters in its class comedy Kymco AK550 has the lowest centre of gravity. It has been designed to give the vehicle a near 50/50 weight distribution for better balance and a more comfortable ride.
This design also helps to improve the handling capability. It allows riders to feel more planted on the road, especially in rough conditions.
Underneath the fairings is a newly designed, 550cc liquid cooled engine. This scooter features dual disc caliper brakes and an upside-down fork front suspension, for better agility and cornering.
With a fuel capacity of 15L, you’ll be able to ride for miles without stopping to refuel. It’s one of the most fuel efficient maxi scooters, perfect for both touring and commuting.
Other features worth mentioning include the keyless ignition control and gorgeous premium design. This is one of the best looking scooters, equipped with full LED lighting and an aggressive appearance.
With the dual power modes Riders can take advantage of a full power setting or rain mode setting. This helps change the power output and throttle response, depending on the riding conditions.
Lastly, the Kymco AK550 comes with a low seat height and comfortable ergonomics. Underneath the seat is plenty of storage space for a helmet, touring gear, or anything else you’re riding with.
Overall, the Kymco AK550 is one of the best maxi scooters if you’re looking for something affordable and reliable. The brand continues to grow and Kymco is slowly becoming one of the best scooter manufacturers.
Yamaha XMAX 400
The Yamaha XMAX 400 is another smaller maxi scooter that’s ideal for commuting, light touring, and urban riding. Thanks to the lightweight design, this scooter is easy to ride and fuel efficient.
The Yamaha XMAX 400 comes equipped with a safety boosting traction control system as well as ABS. These two features provide an extra layer of safety and control when riding in poor conditions.
Up front are a set of twin brake discs for optimal stopping power. When it comes to comfort, both the screen and handlebars are adjustable to provide riders with better ergonomics.
The styling of the Yamaha XMAX 400 follows the typical Yamaha scooter design. This includes a premium feel, LED lighting, and aggressive-looking angular bodywork panels.
As for the engine, the XMAX 400 comes equipped with a 395cc, liquid cooled engine. For ease of use, this scooter is fuel injected with an electric starter system.
Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with the Yamaha XMAX 400 as one of the best maxi scooters. Thanks to the lightweight design, the XMAX 400 is fun to ride, fuel efficient, and versatile for a wide range of riding conditions.
BMW C650 GT
The BMW C650 GT would be the top contender when it comes to the best BMW scooter. Although they haven’t been making scooters for long, BMW has done an amazing job right from the start with the impressive BMW C650 GT.
This is one of the most powerful maxi scooters on the market, making it a great choice for long distance touring or highway commuting. It comes equipped with a 647cc twin cylinder engine providing 60bhp of power.
Thanks to the well designed chassis, the BMW C650 GT gives riders a sporty handling and comfortable ride. The frame takes advantage of a hybrid design by using steel tubes and aluminum sections, which results in a stiffer and lighter overall composition.
This BMW scooter comes equipped with ABS and traction control, which helps to keep you safe when you’re riding in high-traffic or tricky conditions. The twin front brake discs offer plenty of stopping power to keep you out of trouble.
With the 160-wide rear tire, riders of the BMW C650 GT will enjoy ample grip. This also means there is a wide variety of different scooter tires available to choose from, depending on your preferences and riding conditions.
Whether you’re commuting or touring, it’s hard to go wrong with the 61mpg fuel economy from the scooter. Other features include an electrically adjustable windscreen, one key opening for the storage spaces and ignition, power sockets in the glove box, and a large under-seat area for storage.
There’s even an extensive dashboard that comes with a tachometer and large LCD panel. This provides a full rundown on the trip computer functions as well as the typical warning lights and information readouts.
The BMW C650 GT definitely isn’t one of the cheapest maxi scooters. However, if it’s within your budget, it’s hard to go wrong with the BMW C650 GT whether you’re touring, commuting, or trying to get anywhere in comfort and style.
Yamaha Tmax
The Yamaha Tmax is one of the most popular maxi scooters in Europe for a reason. Riders looking for a high-performance, comfortable, and sharp-handling scoot will definitely want to take a look at the Yamaha Tmax.
Between your legs on this bike is a 530cc, parallel twin engine that’s bolted directly onto the sharp handling sports chassis. While it’s not the most powerful, this engine makes 45bhp and is more than enough power to get you where you need to go.
What makes the Yamaha Tmax so unique is that it’s one of the lightest maxi scooters with a bigger engine size. It’s significantly lighter than the Burgman 650, which makes it more nimble and easier to control in all conditions.
Along with the reliable automatic transmission, this scooter comes with a “Sport” mode. This gives you plenty of more power and speed when necessary or if you’re looking to have a little bit of fun blasting through the corners.
The aluminum frame is what helps keep the weight down on the Yamaha Tmax. It doesn’t come with as much of a step-through design and takes on more of a motorcycle appearance.
This overall design results in a stiffer chassis and better handling, with the drawback being less weather protection and a slightly smaller footboard area. There is also less under seat storage and you’ll probably need a top box if you’re planning on carrying a lot of gear.
The latest versions of the Yamaha Tmax come with cruise control, heated seat, heated grips, traction control system, and an electrically adjustable windscreen. It also comes with a unique Center stand lock along with tracker and immobilizer functions to help prevent it from getting stolen.
It’s hard to go wrong with the Yamaha Tmax if you’re looking for a mid-range maxi scooter that offers plenty of performance. While it’s not that ideal for touring, it’s more than powerful enough for commuting or shorter multi-day trips.
Honda Forza 750
A list of the best maxi scooters on the market wouldn’t be complete without the Honda Forza 750. This is one of the most popular scooters from Honda, with a 350cc and a 125cc engine size available as well.
Since we’re talking about Maxi scooters, it’s the Forza 750 that’s going to be our focus today.
This is one of those scooters you get if you’re unsure whether you want a scooter or motorcycle. The Forza 750 offers motorcycle levels of performance with it’s 745cc, liquid-cooled, eight valve parallel twin cylinder engine.
This bad boy is putting out 50 hp and comes with some other features including ample under seat storage, a USB-C socket, three riding modes, a dual clutch transmission, and Hondas very own selectable torque control.
Not only does the scooter look great, but it’s a Honda so you can count on it for reliability and performance whether you’re touring, commuting, or cruising around at home.
With a 13.2 L fuel tank capacity and a fuel consumption of 3.6L/100km you’ll be able to spend a lot of time riding before stopping to fill up again.
You shouldn’t be surprised to see yet another Honda on our list here. It’s the Honda Forza 750 that we’d recommend you take a look at if you’re in the market for a big, comfortable scooter with plenty of features.
Some Maxi Scooter Questions, Answered
Are Maxi Scooters Good for Long Distance?
Maxi scooters are a popular choice for commuting and urban riding due to their ease of use and maneuverability.
They can also be a good option for long-distance riding and scooter touring. Many maxi scooters are equipped with features like larger engines, comfortable seats, and ample storage space, which make them well-suited to longer rides.
Additionally, the step-through design of maxi scooters can be more comfortable for riders who prefer a more upright seating position. Keep in mind that like any vehicle, the suitability of a maxi scooter for long-distance riding will depend on individual preferences and needs, but for many riders, a well-equipped maxi scooter can be a great choice for comfortable and efficient long-distance travel.
What is the Point of a Maxi Scooter?
The point of a maxi scooter is to provide riders with a comfortable and convenient way to commute and travel short to medium distances.
Maxi scooters typically have larger engines and frames than traditional scooters, which allow for higher speeds and more stability on the road. They also often feature comfortable seats, ample storage space, and other features that make them well-suited to urban riding.
These larger scooters can be a great choice for those who want the efficiency and maneuverability of a scooter, but also want the comfort and convenience of a larger motorcycle. If you’re looking for a practical and affordable alternative to cars for short to medium distance travel, maxi scooters are a great option.
What is the Best Maxi Scooter for a Tall Rider?
When it comes to choosing a maxi scooter, tall riders may face some unique challenges.
Some scooters may be too cramped or uncomfortable for riders who are taller than average.
However, there are several maxi scooters that are well-suited to taller riders. Here are a few best scooters you should take a look at if you’re tall:
Yamaha TMAX
The Yamaha TMAX is a popular maxi scooter that offers a comfortable ride for riders of all sizes. Its seat is adjustable, which can be helpful for taller riders, and it also has plenty of storage space for longer rides.
Suzuki Burgman 650
The Suzuki Burgman 650 is another great choice for tall riders. It has a large frame and a spacious seating area that can accommodate riders of various sizes. It also features an adjustable windshield and comfortable seats for long-distance rides.
BMW C 650 GT
The BMW C 650 GT is a luxury maxi scooter that is well-suited to taller riders. It features a comfortable seat and adjustable handlebars that can be raised or lowered to accommodate different riders. It also has a powerful engine and advanced safety features, making it a great choice for longer rides.
Honda Forza 750
The Honda Forza 750 is a newer maxi scooter on the market, but it’s already gaining a reputation as a great choice for taller riders. It has a roomy seat and an adjustable windscreen, as well as a powerful engine and advanced technology features.
Of course, the best maxi scooter for a tall rider will depend on individual preferences and needs. It’s always a good idea to test ride several different models to find the one that feels most comfortable and suits your riding style.
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