It all started with an email from my friend Paul Cain. We had been talking about getting big scooters for about a year (so we could save some gas money....). Attached to the email was a picture of a used 2005 blue Majesty at the Yamaha shop in Bloomington Indiana (Paul's hometown). Paul went on to say this was a great deal and that perhaps I would look into it. I was thinking, okay, why didn't he snap up this bargan? A few days later the salesman called me and asked if I would be interested in the scooter. Of course Paul gave him my phone number. I had purchased from their shop before and has been happy with the deal and service so I asked if they would be interested in a trade. The next day I rode down to see what we could work out and ended up making the trade.
I called Paul and asked if he would like to meet me for breakfast while the paperwork was being done and in a few minutes he showed up on his new red Majesty. Now I knew why he didn't get the the one I just purchased.
Paul and I belong to the HSTA, a sport touring association, and were planning to ride to a rally in Avon Colorado the next week. Paul said "why don't we ride the scooters?" and I said give me a couple of days to check out the performance and I'll let you know. After a couple of days my answer was yes let's do it.
We headed west on I-70 and got past St. Louis and decided to get off the highway and away from the trucks and take some state roads for a while. We stayed on the state roads until just before Denver, then reconnected to I-70 for the trip on to Avon. Avon is just a few miles from Vail and we stayed at the Christie Lodge which was the rally headquarters.
We made quite a splash when arriving at the rally on scooters, with most folks riding sport touring bikes like BMW 1200s, Honda ST1300s, Yamaha FJR 1300s etc. Not many sub-liter bikes there except for dirt bikes. Some people trailer and bring both road bike and dirt bike as there are many off-road oppertunities in the area as well as all the fine scenic byways over and around the Rocky Mountains.
We spent four days riding with friends and having a blast. The weather was great with no rain for the whole time. Every time we stopped people would ask about the scooters, especially when the saw the Indiana license plates. I don't know if anyone was converted but there sure was a lot of interest.
After the rally was over, Paul had to get home so started back with another group of riders. I hade a few more days so went up to Estes Park to visit with my sister who just happened to plan a trip there at the same time as the rally. To get to Estes Park, I took back roads up to the West side of the Rocky Mountain National Park and crossed over to the town of Estes Park, which is on the east side of the mountains. I took a couple days off from riding the scooter and went with my sister and her family on some jeep trails in the area. That was quite an experience. We took one trail that was quite rugged and was about sixteen miles long and after we passed a group of horse riders at the very beginning, didn't see another person until we exited the trail at the end.
We spent part of one day walking around the town of Estes Park which is very beautiful and has two streams, one going through part of the town and one going along the South side of town. It was very nice with all the water features, fountains, and flowers.
While wandering around town I entered the sign store and that is where I decided to get FJR 400 sticker made for the scoot. I had been thinking that Yamaha should be maketing the touring abilities of the Majesty so what better than an FJR 400 designation. I also thought it would arouse some curiosity and provide some intertainment and it has so far with a couple people on the way home saying 'I didn't know Yamaha made a FJR 400'.
A few days later, my sister and her family headed to Utah to do more trailing and I headed East via Alliance Nebraska and Carhenge. I took state roads most of the way up to Alliance and on across the Nebraska Sand Hills to Iowa where I got back on the Interstate to finish the trip home.
The Majesty performed far beyone my expectations in every way. It is comfortable, handles very well, gets outstanding gas milage with a low of 50mpg with a strong headwind in Kansas, to a high of 76mpg while leasurely scooting around the foothills one day. It will keep up with traffic on the Interstate and takes the buffeting from trucks, busses, and motor homes well.
As you can tell, I am very pleased with the Majesty.
Russ in Indy
I posted a few pix in the gallery.
P.S. Sadly I must report that Paul went to sleep on the way home and ran off the road into a ditch. He has a broken ankle and some brused ribs but will recover in time. He was wearing full riding gear at the time and no doubt it saved him from more serious injury. His Majesty held up well in the crash but lost the windscreen, GIVI trunk, and broke some plastic. It will most likely be totaled out by the insurance company.
I called Paul and asked if he would like to meet me for breakfast while the paperwork was being done and in a few minutes he showed up on his new red Majesty. Now I knew why he didn't get the the one I just purchased.
Paul and I belong to the HSTA, a sport touring association, and were planning to ride to a rally in Avon Colorado the next week. Paul said "why don't we ride the scooters?" and I said give me a couple of days to check out the performance and I'll let you know. After a couple of days my answer was yes let's do it.
We headed west on I-70 and got past St. Louis and decided to get off the highway and away from the trucks and take some state roads for a while. We stayed on the state roads until just before Denver, then reconnected to I-70 for the trip on to Avon. Avon is just a few miles from Vail and we stayed at the Christie Lodge which was the rally headquarters.
We made quite a splash when arriving at the rally on scooters, with most folks riding sport touring bikes like BMW 1200s, Honda ST1300s, Yamaha FJR 1300s etc. Not many sub-liter bikes there except for dirt bikes. Some people trailer and bring both road bike and dirt bike as there are many off-road oppertunities in the area as well as all the fine scenic byways over and around the Rocky Mountains.
We spent four days riding with friends and having a blast. The weather was great with no rain for the whole time. Every time we stopped people would ask about the scooters, especially when the saw the Indiana license plates. I don't know if anyone was converted but there sure was a lot of interest.
After the rally was over, Paul had to get home so started back with another group of riders. I hade a few more days so went up to Estes Park to visit with my sister who just happened to plan a trip there at the same time as the rally. To get to Estes Park, I took back roads up to the West side of the Rocky Mountain National Park and crossed over to the town of Estes Park, which is on the east side of the mountains. I took a couple days off from riding the scooter and went with my sister and her family on some jeep trails in the area. That was quite an experience. We took one trail that was quite rugged and was about sixteen miles long and after we passed a group of horse riders at the very beginning, didn't see another person until we exited the trail at the end.
We spent part of one day walking around the town of Estes Park which is very beautiful and has two streams, one going through part of the town and one going along the South side of town. It was very nice with all the water features, fountains, and flowers.
While wandering around town I entered the sign store and that is where I decided to get FJR 400 sticker made for the scoot. I had been thinking that Yamaha should be maketing the touring abilities of the Majesty so what better than an FJR 400 designation. I also thought it would arouse some curiosity and provide some intertainment and it has so far with a couple people on the way home saying 'I didn't know Yamaha made a FJR 400'.
A few days later, my sister and her family headed to Utah to do more trailing and I headed East via Alliance Nebraska and Carhenge. I took state roads most of the way up to Alliance and on across the Nebraska Sand Hills to Iowa where I got back on the Interstate to finish the trip home.
The Majesty performed far beyone my expectations in every way. It is comfortable, handles very well, gets outstanding gas milage with a low of 50mpg with a strong headwind in Kansas, to a high of 76mpg while leasurely scooting around the foothills one day. It will keep up with traffic on the Interstate and takes the buffeting from trucks, busses, and motor homes well.
As you can tell, I am very pleased with the Majesty.
Russ in Indy
I posted a few pix in the gallery.
P.S. Sadly I must report that Paul went to sleep on the way home and ran off the road into a ditch. He has a broken ankle and some brused ribs but will recover in time. He was wearing full riding gear at the time and no doubt it saved him from more serious injury. His Majesty held up well in the crash but lost the windscreen, GIVI trunk, and broke some plastic. It will most likely be totaled out by the insurance company.
