A big, do-it-all scooter

Riding the new Majesty 400 is fantastic! This scooter proves to be a simple, user-friendly machine that's equally at ease in the city than on the highway. The riding position, comfort, power and easy road manners make it possible to effortlessly cover hundreds of kilometers.

The Majesty 400 is much more versatile than small-displacement scooters.

Made to ride
Introduced in Canada in 2005, the Majesty 400 targets baby-boomers and two-wheel enthusiasts looking for a versatile and easy-to-ride machine. Advanced and intermediate riders will find something to like. The same holds true for beginners who have recently acquired their rider's license and made their marks with a 250-cc motorcycle. They will quickly adjust to the weight of the Majesty, particularly in city traffic and on byroads.

Tough, well-designed chassis
The open, step-through, backbone-style, aluminum and steel frame design makes it easier to get on and off the Majesty. The rear upper portion of the frame utilizes Yamaha's controlled filling die-cast technology for improved strength and reduced weight: engine, transmission and suspension components are all attached to it. The front hydraulic fork does a good job of absorbing the majority of bumps and potholes. Meanwhile, the dual-shock rear suspension offers a decent amount of travel, although the shocks are not adjustable. This machine features 5-spoke wheels (14 inches up front and 13 inches in the back). I especially liked the two stands, which are easy to engage, including the middle one (the Majesty, after all, weighs 197 kilos).

Thanks to a specially-designed windshield and a cradle-type frame, the rider usually benefits from excellent wind and weather protection. My 2007 tester, however, was accompanied by hissing noises beyond 100 kph, while a comparable 2005 model had proven remarkably quiet in this regard. Maybe an inadequate windshield adjustment was at fault this time around.

Comfortable
The excellent riding position is definitely a strength of this Yamaha. The well-designed backrest is ideally supportive at all times. The seat is wide and padded enough for long rides. The floorboard design allows you to vary the position of your legs and feet, depending on riding conditions. The perfectly placed handlebars further improve the riding position.

The instruments and controls, meanwhile, are intuitively positioned and I liked their overall layout. For instance, a small coolant temperature indicator is integrated to the fuel gauge. Yamaha also added an outside air temperature gauge, not to mention two indicator lights to serve as maintenance reminders: one for the oil change and another for belt wear. However, when the sun shines directly at the instruments, they become pretty hard to read.

At idle, you can easily rest the tip of your feet on the ground. That said, a larger floor scoop on each side (like the Suzuki Burgman 400's) would allow the rider to find a more comfortable stance.

The instruments are harder to read when the sun shines directly at them.