Posted April 6, 2006   Email   Print

Yamaha Morphous: Twist-and-go style for two that looks like nothing else

By Lance Oliver

Want to meet new people and strike up conversations with strangers?

Park a Yamaha Morphous outside your local coffee shop, sit back and wait for the questions. They'll come. I know, I tried it myself.

One long-retired motocrosser turned ex-Harley rider who now prefers the beach bum life told me the Morphous looked "like Devo's limo." A life-long dual-sport guy stopped to stare and asked if it was styled to look like a land-based personal watercraft. Both swore their comments were meant to be positive.

Yamaha is banking on the Morphous' swoopy styling to draw buyers. Turn signals integrated into the bodywork, LED taillights, and the futuristic-looking LCD gauge display are a few examples of the lengths the Yamaha styling department went to with the Morphous.

But the Morphous also busts categories in terms of function.

Most scooters in the United States these days fall into one of two classes: the small, urban runabouts, usually 150cc or less, or the highway-capable commuter scooters, with engines of 400cc and up. The Morphous, with its 250cc single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine, lies somewhere in between.

Unlike the smaller scooters, It's got enough zoom to handle the highway-speed stretches that are sometimes unavoidable in U.S. urban areas. But perhaps the biggest advantage the Morphous has over its smaller siblings is its ability to share the fun by carrying a passenger.

Can it haul the mail? Given its size and length, the Morphous has less underseat storage (above) than you might think. The rear trunk (below) is handy for small items.

Both rider and passenger get low backrests, and the passenger also has grab rails and plenty of room. Plus, the bigger engine means the Morphous can still flow with traffic even with two people aboard.

While rider and passenger accommodations are generous, the Morphous offers less space for hauling your stuff than I expected, given its length (the wheelbase is 3 inches longer than Yamaha's FJR1300 flagship sport-tourer). If you bring home the groceries on this scooter, you'll have to do some creative packing.

The Morphous offers a generous glove compartment in front of the rider, underseat storage that even has a light for nighttime use, and a locking trunk. Unfortunately, a full-face helmet won't fit in either the trunk or the underseat, carpet-lined helmet bin, though an open-face helmet will squeeze in. There's also a small tray under the seat. Altogether, it adds up to lots of storage for small items, but less room for large items. You might have to cut that loaf of French bread in two to get it home.

For motorcycle riders, the Morphous' twist-and-go simplicity takes a little getting used to, at first, but then it becomes addictive, especially in city traffic. Scooter riders, on the other hand, already know and love what I'm talking about. No clutch-hand cramps here. When there are 25 stop lights between you and your destination, scooters start to make a lot of sense.

The V-belt transmission works seamlessly for smooth takeoffs and stops. Just twist the throttle and once the revs rise above idle, the Morphous pulls away smoothly. Acceleration is good enough to keep you ahead of most everyday urban traffic. On a brief highway sortie, I saw an indicated 75 mph and the Morphous wasn't done yet. But I was, as I was running out of open road.

No skimping on brakes. The Morphous offers hydraulic discs front and rear. The brakes have a rearward bias, which probably works best with a passenger aboard, and makes sense given the scooter's long wheelbase. But without a passenger, the front brake felt a little weak and the rear was somewhat grabby.

The low seat height means anyone can get both feet firmly on the ground, and helps maintain the scooter's long, ultra-low styling theme. Taller riders may find leg room is limited, as a result. For me, the low handlebars placed my hands less than three inches above my knees, with my feet tucked in a normal riding position. The solution is to use the Morphous' long length and ride it like a cruiser, with your feet propped up on the long floorboards ahead.

Overall, the Morphous exudes quality fit and finish and attention to detail. Everything is integrated. Nothing seems like an afterthought or looks out of place.

I could go on about fuel economy, practicality, passenger-friendly ergonomics and such, but honestly, In the end, this is one of those machines that either instantly grabs you or it doesn't. The Morphous is really about style. If you buy one, just be prepared to have lots of conversations with strangers.

2006 Yamaha Morphous
	Engine	249cc, liquid-cooled 4-stroke, 4-valve single
	Bore x stroke	66.0mm x 73.0mm
	Carburetion	Fuel injection
	Transmission	V-belt automatic
	Brakes	Single disc, front and rear
	Tires	120/70-13 front 130/70-13 rear
	Dry weight	408 pounds
	Seat height	25.8 inches
	Wheelbase	63.6 inches
	Fuel capacity	3.7 gallons
	Colors	Galaxy Blue and Raven
	MSRP	$5,199

© 2006, American Motorcyclist Association