Full test of the 2022 Yamaha NEO’s Scooter | Visordown

Coming July 2022, the new electric Yamaha NEO’s is aimed at urban riders looking for freedom from public transport and to save some pennies.

Nippy, nimble and easy to use, the NEO’s is the ultimate commuter scooter for those of any size, age or skill level (within reason. You will need a CBT at least). In the days of ever increasing fuel prices, public transport costs and with city centres closing to traditional vehicles, getting to and from work and uni can be a nightmare. The design is based on the iconic NEO’s and comes in two colours - milky white and midnight black (to match your coffee).

With a top speed of 47 kph (30mph) the NEO’s thrives whilst weaving in and out of traffic. More pleasurable than the tube, less nauseating than the bus, this scooter is twist and go. And with jet helmet underseat storage (which wouldn’t fit my lid, but it would fit bread) and a wide foot base, there is plenty of storage for spare clothes (wear riding gear!) and shopping.

The equivalent of a 49cc petrol bike, it has a top speed of 30mph, so you won’t be breaking the sound barrier, but we can all admit how fun it is to filter through standstill traffic.

Price

PCP representative examples at 20% and 25% deposits:

Power and torque

What this scooter isn’t missing is torque. Don’t let the low top speed fool you, a slip of the wrist will have you hurtling forward. It has strong torque at low rpm and lasting acceleration across the entire rev range. It may not go quick, but it is quick to get there.

Maximum power: 2.5kw @ 400rpm

Nominal power: 2.3kw @ 424rpm

Maximum torque: 136Nm @ 50rpm

Engine, handling and weight

The Excitation 3 phase synchronised motor runs almost silent (like most electric vehicles). At 55db it is quieter than a car and slightly louder than the sound of rain. But just because the top speed is 30mph doesn’t mean you can forgo your earplugs, even cyclists get hearing damage.

The handling was soft and light, and it held corners well. This was my first go on a scooter (I’ve only ridden geared bikes) and it felt fun and easygoing. I relaxed quickly. The 13-inch tyres felt smooth over cobbles and uneven road surfaces (I aimed for potholes to test) and it was easy to get up curbs or avoid oblivious pedestrians.

The electric engine meant it had better low-speed controllability, so if U-turns and low-speed manoeuvres are your nemeses, then you’ll find them significantly easy on this.

It weighs 90kg without a battery and each battery is 8kg.

Brakes

The NEO’s has an integrated drum brake system. The front brake is a hydraulic single disc brake, whilst the rear brake is a mechanical leading trailing drum brake. There’s no ABS, but as long as you’re paying attention (and not daydreaming, then forgetting you’re in Europe and that they drive on the other side of the road) then you’ll be fine. I was fine, the handling on this is very good.

Comfort

We were riding all day and nothing seized upon anyone, and there was nearly 40 years difference between the oldest and youngest rider. Even the tallest found that he didn’t have his knees in his armpits. At 5ft 6 I found it was like getting on and off a chair. It is also designed to be comfortable for both when two up.

Equipment

The display shows you the battery, the trip length and what mode you’re in. There are two riding modes - Standard and Eco, designed to extend battery life. Turtle mode only kicks in when the battery is on low charge (about 20%). This is to preserve range, and it will kick in before it switches over to the second battery.

However, if you want data such as lean angle, acceleration, average speed, top speed, brake power, elevation and total distance, then you will need the Yamaha MyRide app. It connects to the scooter, shows where it is parked, you can track your ride, share on social media or add photos to each journey. You don’t have to have the app, but it is recommended.

Charging and range

Now onto the bit that everyone wants to know about electric vehicles…

The removable, Lithium ion battery takes 8 hours to be fully-charged from empty, and 4 hours when the battery is between 20% and 80%. It comes with a standard three pin adapter so you can charge from home or work.

Based on Yamaha’s testing the range is 22.9 miles in Standard mode, 23.9 miles in ECO mode. This does decrease if your throttle is constantly on stop.

The NEO’s takes up to two batteries, but it only uses one and a time and you get 42.2 miles in Standard mode. This is an additional cost of £980 RRP.

2022 Yahamha NEO’s verdict

The NEO’s is ridiculously fun and if I still worked at my last place of employment then I would want one. My old commute was an 18 mile round trip (10 if I went the short way), but in a car could take two hours to get home. My bike was easier, but the width meant I couldn’t filter on the short route. Plus with petrol prices I was still paying out more than the monthly PCP.

My biggest complaint is the speed and range. I’m used to having a lot of power to get out of danger and I struggled to adjust to a vehicle that was limited. I also found the range rather restrictive. The way we were riding meant we all used the second battery and our range was shorter than Yamaha’s tests.

However, this vehicle is not aimed at me. If your commute is within the range I would recommend seriously consideration. If not for you, for your children. This is a great vehicle to break them into two wheels. As I mentioned, it was my first time ever on a scooter and it was easy to use, felt secure and (more importantly) it was fun! Really good fun. Even the veteran riders of the group were giggling away like a bunch of school children.

2022 Yamaha NEO’s specification

Full specification can be found on the Yamaha website

KIT CREDITS

Helmet: Ruroc ATLAS 4.0 - Joker Edition

Jacket: Knox 

Trousers: Hood Jeans

Gloves: Furygan Jet Lady D3O