[goodideadave]

I just rolled over 150 miles today on my Majesty. I started riding it to work this week. It has been 38 degrees at 8 am each morning this week. The lined, armored pants that match my jacket haven't arrived yet, so I am wearing rainsuit pants, and I arrive frozen from the waist down, yet
strangely happy. Plus, as an added benefit, I get to park right next to the building instead of a ten minute hike across campus. Suh-weeet.

The Majesty owner's manual says to avoid "prolonged" running of the engine over 4000 rpm for the first 600 miles. So does anyone know how Yamaha defines "prolonged"? More importantly, does the Majesty have a counter somewhere on it's embedded computer engine controller that counts the number of times an engine was run over 4000 rpm? Not that I ever run it over 4K. Nope, not me.

I'm new to riding anything with two wheels and an engine, so I don't know
motorcycle customs. I have noticed that riders of motorcycles going in the other direction kind of wave at me by taking their left hand off the clutch and holding it down at a 45 degree angle. Or the last few people I passed going the other way were all signaling for a stop. Or is that the signal for "wiener bike"?

Does anyone else have a hard time closing the trunk (boot?) with a full face helmet or two in there? I have a Scorpion helmet, but it's not size XXL. It's supposed to fit. You have to fiddle with it a bit or it won't latch.
And speaking of the trunk, there's a sticker in there that says the weight
limit is 11 pounds. What's up with that? My lunch alone weighs 11 pounds. What are the consequences of a 12 pound load down there?

Has anyone come across a mesh net or other tie down that will fit well on
the passenger seat? The grab rails on the back don't fit any of the bungees or tiedowns I found at Target.

New product idea: an MP3 player that mounts on your scooter handlebars and holds audio files of a big Harley engine being revved. When you touch the play button, it booms out the BLADDAM BLADDAM BLADDAM sound at about 500 watts. I got this idea this morning on a packed California freeway. I was being too timid to lane split (looked pretty darn narrow to me), and was riding in the center of the lane. I hear BLADDAM BLADDAM behind me, and dive left. Here between the cars comes a guy on a big Harley, it looked much wider than the Maj. As he approaches a car, he just pulls in the clutch and revs the engine. The drivers hear the boom behind them, and most move over. We got no clutch, therefore no BLADDAM BLADDAM. If any of you actually implement this idea, I get 10% of the net.

Second fuel up: 147 miles, 3.11 gallons. 47 mpg. About half the distance riding 2-up around our suburb with one or another grinning small boy.

 

[gpsnut2003]

hi, welcome aboard.

i know that you will love your new majesty !
I know we all do.....

as for the great engine break-in debate........

many of us here subscribe to the info to be found here.

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

please note that this info contravines (SP?) the info in many (including yamaha's) owners manuals. read the info there and decide for yourself.

also note that many people do not agree with these methods either.
i personally rode the first tank or two easy, then just rode like normal, with the only exception that i did not ride for long periods at fixed speeds.

now with nearly 8000km (5000mi) on it since new and no problems. does not use a drop of oil or water.

jason.

 

[calgary2800]

Welcome.

My most sincere advice is for real and I use it all the time.

When I am going at good speed and the light turns yellow being close to red, I 90% of the time will run it, ticket be dammed.

It is much safer to just endure a ticket than have your scooter lowsiding with you all over the road. Bikes at good speed stopping for a sudden red takes skills to stop, especially for a newbie. I think you should practice timing going for it at yellow instead of full braking and lowsiding the bike.

 

[aa6vh]

Greetings and welcome to the forum. I remember the weather there quite well (I graduated from HS in Elk Grove, many years ago). Do you ride when its foggy?

I had problems latching the seat down as well. Discovered that if I press down on the middle of the seat (where your butt rests when riding), it will latch much more easier. I will also press down there when unlocking, seems to make the unlock smoother as well.

Exceeding 11 pounds might initiate the Majesty's self destruct sequence. Or maybe not. Seriously, I wouldn't carry really heavy lead bricks there as it would upset the bike's balance, but other than that, don't worry about it.

Most bike riders are a friendly sort, and will wave. I do notice a tendency for some Harley riders to only wave to other Harleys. I will wave to everyone unless I need to maintain my grip on the handle bars (and I gotta work on that death grip).

Enjoy the ride.

 

[goodideadave]

Thanks, all. Lovely to be here. Lovely to be riding. It got to almost 70 degrees today. I woke up feeling blah and under the weather. I had early meetings and then a dentist appointment midday, so just said to heck with it and drove my car in. After the dentist, I swung by home, dropped the 4Runner, geared up and zipped back to work on the Maj. All better!

I noticed between today and yesterday I blew through four yellow lights. It occurred to me at the first one that I can't see behind me. In my car I can see directly behind me in the rearview mirror. On the Maj, I don't know if someone is four feet from me, so even if I think I can stop, I better keep rolling.

I had a flashback to my Basic RiderCourse this afternoon. Remember the exercise where you are making a sharp turn and have to stop? I did that on a four lane divided street this afternoon, only for real, with cars and everything. I could hear the coach saying, "Stand the bike up if you can and then brake", so I did. Worked like a charm.

aa6vh, when were you in Elk Grove? I am sure you would not recognize the place. We haven't had Tule fog since I've had my scooter, but I am sure it will be back.

 

[myhrdly]

Hi,
I too have a scorpian helmet. It is a medium. I have no trouble closing my trunk. I too push down in the middle of the seat and it latches!!

I used to own a Harley. Just recently traded it for a slot car track! But that's another story!!! Yes, alot of Harley riders will not wave to anything but Harleys!! I myself will have to anybody that waves to me. I don't care what kinda bike it is, even a 10 speed!!!!!!!!! :shock:

I'm from Sacramento, and in a couple of weeks I'm going to be comuting to Folsom everday to work. So you never know we might cross paths someday!! I'm the charcoal silver Maj.!!!

 

[Blexcroid]

I'm new to riding anything with two wheels and an engine, so I don't know
motorcycle customs. I have noticed that riders of motorcycles going in the other direction kind of wave at me by taking their left hand off the clutch and holding it down at a 45 degree angle. Or the last few people I passed going the other way were all signaling for a stop. Or is that the signal for "wiener bike"?

Not at all!! That is the "motorcyclist's wave". It is truly polite and should be returned if you can safely remove your hand from the handlebar. (It took me several weeks before I was comfortable taking my hands off the bars). The wave is a way to acknowledge that we are all on two wheels and not in a cage; a sort of fraternity greeting, if you will. You also can nod to acknowledge the greeting, if you cannot remove your hands.

Does anyone else have a hard time closing the trunk (boot?) with a full face helmet or two in there? I have a Scorpion helmet, but it's not size XXL. It's supposed to fit. You have to fiddle with it a bit or it won't latch.

I cannot get my small Arai or Schuberth helmets to fit in either position very easily, in fact, the Arai won't go at all. I called Yamaha about it and encourage you to do the same. You may want to try facing the helmet forward, then try it facing backward. The main reason they usually dont fit is that your helmet may be riding up on the "hump" in the middle of the depression for the helmet. The width of your helmet may be so narrow as to cause it to sit more elevated and thus the trunk will not close. Be careful with slamming the boot, as my Yamaha dealership cracked the vents on my Arai trying to prove they could close the trunk!!

Has anyone come across a mesh net or other tie down that will fit well on the passenger seat? The grab rails on the back don't fit any of the bungees or tiedowns I found at Target.

I purchased a mesh net with METAL hooks instead of plastic and had to reform a couple of the hooks very slightly. I found the net at a motorcycle sho & I've also seen them at loads of rallys. You do have to do the mojo to hook them the first couple of times, then you will learn how to 'twist' them to get them on. I also recommend removing the little tip covers and gluing them on using some GOOP! or other silicone-based adhesive. They can get lost easily whilst putting the net on and off, leaving the bare metal wires that can scratch. The little bit of GOOP! has made them solidly attached. :wink:
Hope this helps!

 

[myhrdly]

On the small helmet issue. Is it possible to put a towell in the bottom helmet area, to raise the helmet up a little? It wouldn't really hurt anything and you would have a towell in case of a mad sprinkler :toothy2: !!!!

 

[Blexcroid]

On the small helmet issue. Is it possible to put a towell in the bottom helmet area, to raise the helmet up a little? It wouldn't really hurt anything and you would have a towell in case of a mad sprinkler :toothy2: !!!!

Gee, the towel would be nice after skinny-dipping at Hippie Hollow, but wouldn't help with this problem. Unfortunately the towel would raise the helmet even further. The helmet is sitting too "tall" and that is why the seat lid hits the helmet when it closes. On the narrower helmets the ear-to-ear diametre is too narrow to allow the helmet to become completely seated down on the little oval "hump" in the middle of the helmet stowage spots. The hump needs to be narrowed to accommodate helmets with a narrower inner diametre. FYI - The outer diametre and height of the shell is usually identical for a particular brand of helmet and the sizing is done by adding additional padding to the interior of a small helmet. This alows them to use only one outer shell mold. The same is done to make a helmet narrower; same shell, just more padding, making it too narrow to allow the helmet to be properly seated down in the space. All Yamaha needs to do is make the hump in the helmet area a bit narrower (about an inch) and the Arais, Scorpions, and Schuberths will fit just fine.
Like the windscreen, it was an "engineering bungle" on the part of Yamaha-- an annoyance, but not a show-stopper.

 

[goodideadave]

Hey Kim,

Elk Grove to Folsom every day? That is certainly ambitious. I went up 99 to Hwy 50 at rush hour last week, and it was solid steel on the transition ramp. I didn't feel it was safe to lane split, and ended up stopped dead among 3,000 cars and trucks for a good five minutes. I suddenly had this realization, "Good Lord, I am standing on the freeway during rush hour!" :shock: Gave me a moments panic.

A friend of mine gave me the lowdown on "the wave" yesterday. He says two fingers refers to "keep two wheels on the road" and one finger, well, it means the same thing as it does from a car driver.

Thanks, Blex, I'll look for that mesh when I next go to my gear shop. It's becoming a real jigsaw puzzle fitting stuff inside when I end up dragging it all into the office with me.

Oh, and I checked, and it turns out I do have a size XL helmet. With that size head, you'd think I were smarter...

 

[myhrdly]

Hey Kim,

Elk Grove to Folsom every day? That is certainly ambitious. I went up 99 to Hwy 50 at rush hour last week, and it was solid steel on the transition ramp. I didn't feel it was safe to lane split, and ended up stopped dead among 3,000 cars and trucks for a good five minutes. I suddenly had this realization, "Good Lord, I am standing on the freeway during rush hour!" :shock: Gave me a moments panic.

A friend of mine gave me the lowdown on "the wave" yesterday. He says two fingers refers to "keep two wheels on the road" and one finger, well, it means the same thing as it does from a car driver.

Thanks, Blex, I'll look for that mesh when I next go to my gear shop. It's becoming a real jigsaw puzzle fitting stuff inside when I end up dragging it all into the office with me.

Oh, and I checked, and it turns out I do have a size XL helmet. With that size head, you'd think I were smarter...

Luckily I don't have to do any Freeway riding to go from Sacramento to Folsom!! I can go straight down Madison Ave. Then turn left on Natomas, then turn right into the parking lot of Raley's!!! I could go Bus. 80 to 50 to Prarie city rd.!

I don't have to worry so much about traffic, my travel times are 5am and 11am. Not much traffic at those times, besides most people are going in the oppesite(sp) direction!!

Kim

 

[gruntled]

Welcome.

My most sincere advice is for real and I use it all the time.

When I am going at good speed and the light turns yellow being close to red, I 90% of the time will run it, ticket be dammed.

It is much safer to just endure a ticket than have your scooter lowsiding with you all over the road. Bikes at good speed stopping for a sudden red takes skills to stop, especially for a newbie. I think you should practice timing going for it at yellow instead of full braking and lowsiding the bike.

My biggest concern on the yellow light issue is if I stop will the person behind me stop? There really isn't a good answer, all you can do is try to be prepared & if possible leave yourself an escape route. The poorly designed rear view mirrors don't help. I have replaced mine with after market mirrors that are at least a little better. You do have to be aware of what's going on all 360 degrees around you.

 

[calgary2800]

Welcome.

My most sincere advice is for real and I use it all the time.

When I am going at good speed and the light turns yellow being close to red, I 90% of the time will run it, ticket be dammed.

It is much safer to just endure a ticket than have your scooter lowsiding with you all over the road. Bikes at good speed stopping for a sudden red takes skills to stop, especially for a newbie. I think you should practice timing going for it at yellow instead of full braking and lowsiding the bike.

My biggest concern on the yellow light issue is if I stop will the person behind me stop? There really isn't a good answer, all you can do is try to be prepared & if possible leave yourself an escape route. The poorly designed rear view mirrors don't help. I have replaced mine with after market mirrors that are at least a little better. You do have to be aware of what's going on all 360 degrees around you.

Run the light, the Majesty does not have sportbike quality brakes. If a cop pulls you over, explain the problem and maybe get off easy.

 

[RonStewart]

Means you have to ride with one eye on your mirror - not as easy on a Majesty as it is on other bikes. Stoopid majesty mirrors.

 

[goodideadave]

Yeah, I realized pretty quickly that I can't see behind me unless I tuck in my right arm, drop my right shoulder, and tilt my head right. Then I can kind of see behind me. When riding with my one and only, I usually lead, and I want to make sure I am not leaving her behind.

I had a bad moment Wednesday. I was approaching an intersection with the light green, and it turned yellow. The intersection is just after a slight curve. I was about to blow through it, but the traffic on my right was coming off of a freeway (Hwy 99 in front of Costco on E. Stockton Blvd), and as soon as it turned yellow the cars started to surge forward across the crosswalk. So I straightened out the curve, stood up tall, said a little prayer, and squeezed the brakes. She stopped on a dime. I don't need no stinkin' sportbike brakes.

To paraphrase the Prayer of the Ancient Mariner:

Oh, Lord, your freeway is so vast, and my scooter is so small...

 

[Braden]

We could have a whole thread about getting rear-ended. I saw one happen once, and heard another tale from a friend on his Harley. In both cases this was in broad daylight, at low speeds, where the motorist never seemed to register that the bike was right there in front of them.

The trouble with the car behind you is that the scooter does not block his forward field of vision, and so in some subconscious way he feels that since he can see where he's going he can continue, never mind if you happen to be between him and what lies ahead. Whenever I stop in traffic, I work the brakes to make the brake light flash on and off. You've got to get the attention of the people behind you, who aren't looking at you, but at the car in front of you.

Most scooters have very good compression deceleration, meaning that they slow down significantly just by letting the throttle drop. This can actually be very dangerous as the car behind you has no warning that you're getting closer, and because there is only one tail light, the tail lights down get further apart in a motorists field of vision as he approaches you, the way they do with a car. I feel scooters (if not all bikes) should be designed with a "decel" light which would be a flashing red whenever there is a sudden vaccum (rapid throttle release, or downshifting on a regual bike). Then the steady read when the brakes are applied.

b
t

 

[Blexcroid]

Yeah, I realized pretty quickly that I can't see behind me unless I tuck in my right arm, drop my right shoulder, and tilt my head right. Then I can kind of see behind me. When riding with my one and only, I usually lead, and I want to make sure I am not leaving her behind.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to attach the mirrors to the END of the handlebars (bar-end)? We used to have them in the 80's when I raced bicycles. It would get the mirrors out to the side more lateraly to view around you. I think they're still available. . . .