Yes, Yamaha Made A 400cc Scooter (And Here's How Fast It Can Go)

Yamaha Corporation is an interesting Japanese conglomerate. The company started as a musical equipment maker and later transitioned into making motorcycles. While the two businesses split sometime in the 50s, the company has done exceedingly well in both spaces. Today, Yamaha commands the same respect in the music world, as it does in the motorcycle industry. Automobile enthusiasts in the U.S. typically associate Yamaha Motor Company with its extensive lineup of motorcycles. However, the company also sells various scooters, especially in several countries across Europe, Southeast Asia, and Southern Asia.

From basic, entry-level commuter scooters to powerful maxi scooters, Yamaha's scooter lineup is varied and interesting. The company's scooter portfolio and naming scheme varies across countries with some models restricted to select markets. Yamaha's scooter lineup consists of machines with smaller 125cc and 155 cc engines, mid-tier scooters with 250 – 400cc engines, and high-end scooters featuring big 500-plus cc engines. Among the more popular scooter models from Yamaha's global lineup include the Yamaha Aerox (155cc) and Nmax lineup of small-capacity maxi scooters, mid-capacity maxi scooters from the Xmax lineup, and high-capacity scooters belonging to the Tmax series.

Currently, the highest capacity Xmax-branded scooter available from the company is the Xmax 300. However, not long ago, Yamaha also made a 400 cc Xmax, the last of which was released in 2020. This model, as of 2024, is no longer listed on Yamaha's European website, marking the end — at least temporarily — of Yamaha's 400cc scooters.

The Yamaha Xmax 400 was a mid-sized, 400cc maxi scooter manufactured by Yamaha starting in 2013. This model was launched seven years after Yamaha introduced the Xmax lineup in 2005. At launch, Yamaha positioned the Xmax 400 as an upgrade to the smaller Xmax 300. 

The Xmax 400 was a powerful scooter that used its 395cc engine to make 33 bhp of power at 7,000 rpm, producing its peak torque of 36 Nm (26.5 lb-ft) at 6,000 rpm. It had a 13-liter fuel tank and was relatively hefty, with a wet weight of 210 kg (462 lbs). While Yamaha never published official top speed figures for the Xmax 400, the scooter could easily attain triple-digit freeway speeds. Given how fast the Xmax 400 could go, Yamaha equipped the vehicle with a bevy of safety features. To begin with, it featured dual (267mm) disc brakes at the front and offered traction control as standard. Other notable features included an adjustable windscreen (using tools) and keyless ignition.

The 2020 model year Yamaha Xmax 400 remains the last 400cc scooter made by Yamaha as of 2024. The company stopped making these models after the new Euro 5 emission norms kicked in 2021. There is ample online evidence and discussions to suggest that you can no longer buy a brand-new Xmax 400 from a showroom. It is also pertinent to note that while the Yamaha Xmax 400 was never officially sold in the U.S., the company did sell another 400cc scooter to U.S. citizens in the past.

There is no denying that in the U.S., Yamaha predominantly focuses on selling its motorcycles. As of 2024, Yamaha only sells two scooters in the U.S. market; the Yamaha Zuma, an entry-level 125cc scooter, and the Xmax 300, a 300cc maxi-scooter, which has been on sale in the U.S. since 2014.However, those aware of Yamaha's long history in the U.S. might know that the company also sold a 400cc maxi scooter in the country. This model — called the Yamaha Majesty 400 — was sold in the U.S. between 2004 and 2014. 

Globally, the Yamaha Majesty 400 (also called the YP 400 in some markets) was part of Yamaha's broader "Majestic" lineup of scooters. This lineup featured other scooters with 150cc and 250cc engines as well. In the U.S. however, only the 400cc model was officially sold. The Majesty 400 featured a 395cc single-cylinder DOHC engine that made 34 hp of power at 7250 rpm and 36.3 Nm (26.7 lb-ft) of torque at 6,600 rpm. This scooter came with a 14-liter fuel tank and had a dry weight of 197 kg (434 lbs).

The production run of the Majesty 200 ended in 2014. Unfortunately, Yamaha did not replace the Majesty 400 with a 400cc model in the U.S. but instead chose to launch the Yamaha Xmax 300 in the country. As outlined earlier, outside of the U.S. Yamaha offered both these models — the Xmax 300 and the Xmax 400 — until the 400cc model was phased out in 2021.