SPYSHOTS: Yamaha NMax 155 Turbo testing in Malaysia – no, it isn’t actually turbocharged

Spotted road testing on a Malaysian highway is the upcoming Yamaha NMax 155 Turbo. In the spy shots sent in by reader Zayn Ziddane, the NMax 155 Turbo was seen heading northbound on the North-South Expressway.

Despite its name, the NMax 155 Turbo is not actually turbocharged. What Yamaha has done is add a little electronic wizardry to the NMax 155 in the form of the Yamaha Electric CVT (YECVT).

What this does is give the NMax 155 rider a choice of two modes — ‘S-Mode’ for “sport-touring” and ‘T-Mode’ for “town commuting.” S-Mode adds an electric boost to the NMax 155, allowing for quicker acceleration momentarily.

There is also ‘Turbo’ Y-shift that gives the rider three levels of power delivery – ‘1’ for low, ‘2’ for medium and ‘3’ for high. Activating Y-Shift is done with pressing a button on the left handlebar pod, giving instantaneous change to the NMax 155 Turbo’s power while accelerating or decelerating.

While some might cry foul at attaching the ‘turbo’ moniker to a vehicle that does not have one installed, be reminded Porsche saw fit to add a ‘Turbo’ to the electric Taycan Turbo GT. In any case, Yamaha intends the incoming NMax 155 Turbo to have a definite performance advantage over the current model NMax 155.

Expect the NMax 155’s power plant to remain the same, with a 155 cc single cylinder VVA engine with electronic fuel injection. Yamaha has also made a whole host of changes and improvements to the NMax 155 Turbo.

This includes a TFT-LCD screen with Bluetooth connectivity and on-screen navigation using the Garmin Street Cross app. There is also two-channel ABS and traction control as standard equipment, as well as a 25-litre storage compartment under the seat.