The MBK Evolis was a French scooter of the 1990s that carried two different machines under one name. The original Evolis of 1992 was a small 50 cm³ two-stroke, while the name was later reused in France for much larger scooters built by Yamaha.
MBK Evolis at a glance
| Maker | MBK, France |
|---|---|
| Production | 1992–1998 |
| Engine | 50 cm³ two-stroke |
| Also sold as | Yamaha Zest |
| Later use of the name | MBK Evolis 125–400, sold elsewhere as Yamaha X-Max |
based on one source: there is no English article on the Evolis, and the Italian page is short, so this article is shorter than usual.
History of the MBK Evolis
The 50 cm³ Evolis (1992–1998)
The Evolis was produced by the French maker MBK from 1992 to 1998 as a 50 cm³ scooter with a two-stroke engine. Because Yamaha had become the owner of the French brand, the same machine was also distributed under the Yamaha name as the Zest.
A name reused for bigger scooters
After the small Evolis went out of production, MBK kept the name for machines of a different class: scooters of between 125 and 400 cm³ sold in France as the MBK Evolis and in the rest of the world as the Yamaha X-Max. The two Evolis generations therefore have nothing in common beyond the badge.
Design and features
- French-built 50: a small two-stroke scooter of the 1990s.
- Two badges: sold by MBK as the Evolis and by Yamaha as the Zest.
- A name that moved upmarket: later applied to the 125–400 cm³ X-Max family.
MBK Evolis versions
- MBK Evolis 50 (1992–1998): the original two-stroke scooter.
- Yamaha Zest: the same machine under the Yamaha name.
- MBK Evolis 125–400: the later French name for the Yamaha X-Max.
The Evolis belongs to the same French range as the MBK Booster and the MBK 51 moped. More machines are in the MBK collection.
Video: Test of the Yamaha X-Max 125 and MBK Evolis 125
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- MBK Evolis, Italian Wikipedia: production years, engine, Zest and X-Max names
