Support Events - World Superbike 2004 - Round 2

Let’s face it, around town scooters are a lot more practical than a full size motorcycle. They normally have excellent weather protection, offer plenty of storage and are easier to park. There is also little doubt that a lot of motorcyclists see scooters as a bit too feminine for their liking, their loss.

There is a huge range of scooters on the market at the moment with nearly every manufacturer offering a decent range of models. Yamaha offers quite an extensive range starting from the small 50cc Jog at $2549, through to the powerful 500cc T-Max model at $12499. The tuning fork brand also offers various models in-between, the latest addition to their range is the new Majesty 400.

As the name suggests this new model displaces 400cc and offers a dose of high tech thanks to an electronic fuel injection system feeding unleaded to a four-valve single. With a 14 litre fuel tank one would expect this scooter to go weeks between refills.

A v-belt automatic transmission system means there is no need for changing gears as drive is continuously variable. Just roll the twistgrip and drive is instantaneous.

Weather protection is something that Yamaha designers have take in to account when working on the Majesty. With large protected running boards along with a very large cowling and tall screen combining to keep the rider mainly dry in all but the wettest of conditions. Under the large seat Yamaha claim 60 litres of storage space, which equates to enough room to store two helmets or the contents of a mid-week shopping trip.

The 41mm forks are quite large for a scooter and should have no trouble in keeping the front wheel tracking true. Like many scooters the engine and drive system are one unit which is suspended as one rigid unit via a single shock absorber at the very back of the machine. No suspension adjustments are available front or rear on the Majesty.

The frame is part die-cast aluminium and part steel. At 197kg the Majesty is quite heavy for a scooter, but the reasonable 750mm seat height should help to make low speed maneuvering a simple enough task.

A 267mm single disc is clamped by a twin-piston caliper at the front of the machine while another 267mm disc looks after stopping duties at the rear.

A three binnacle nacelle houses an attractive instrumentation layout. On the rider’s left is a conventional 180kph speedometer while on the right is a 9000rpm tachometer also in the traditional format. Between the two resides an LCD which shows fuel level, engine temperature, odometer, tripmeter and a clock.

At $9499 the Majesty is by no means a cheap scooter but it does compare reasonably well on price for a machine at this level of specification.

Scooter sales are burgeoning, but mainly at the cheaper and smaller end of the scale. Larger scooters such as the Majesty and Suzuki’s Burgman etc. are yet to really sell in any significant numbers. However with the move to inner city living and limited parking opportunities, this segment of the market looks set to grow also.

SPECS

Yamaha Majesty 400
Engine: 395cc, four-valve, single cylinder
Bore x Stroke: 83mm x 73mm
Compression: 10.6:1
Induction: EFI
Starter: Electric
Transmission: V-belt, automatic
Final Drive: Belt
Wheelbase: 1,565mm
Seat Height: 750mm
Dry Weight: 197kg
Fuel Capacity: 14 litres
Tyres: Front _ 120/80-14; Rear _ 150/70-13
Suspension: Front _ 41mm forks; Rear _ unit swingarm
Brakes: Front _ 267mm single disc; Rear _ 267mm single disc
Price: $9499
Warranty: 2yr, unlimited km