A Scooter with a purpose... (Yamaha Majesty YP250)

Member Name: casperdog777

Product:	Yamaha Majesty YP250
Date:	20/05/06 (2824 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good weather protection and nippy in town plus good for longer journeys too

Disadvantages: no hand weather protection (apart from gloves) only a 250cc

Update: December 2007 - The Majesty is a real workhorse; I have now done 8,000 miles on it. Basically the carb had to be cleaned and the water pump needed re-building, overall it has run in a very reliable fashion. A big plus is that it gets about 80 to 85 mpg and this is on a 30 mile daily commuting journey which is not slow, using major dual carriageways. If you are considering a commuter look no further. Mine is a 1996 model but Yamaha still make this model and it has been extensively upgraded.

The Majesty is a scooter that is logically and well put together. My model is a 1996 one which is still in lovely condition now (in 2006). This goes some way to justifying the hefty new price tag (£3,800 in 1996). It is the first of the 'super scooters'. Basically, it does all it is supposed to do. It has useful storage areas (three altogether), one of these is a place to store your full face helmet. In these days of rip off petrol prices 70 to 75 mpg sounds good to me. The ride is steady and measured. The belt drive allows effortless riding, but for those used to a conventional geared (motorcycle) it can seem strange at first when it de-accelarates. The 250cc water cooled single is nippy; it will see off most cars (up to 30 - 40 mph) and will quickly reach 30, 50 or 60 mph depending on the roads. Its happy to pootle along at 30mph easily, yet it will reach 70 mph on the bigger roads when you wind the throttle up. My one has 12,500 miles on it and it has had only routine servicing. Insurance for me (a 40 something) is very cheap and I managed to get it put on my exisiting bike insurance, as an extra bike, for just another £49 per year. One major plus point is the weather protection, your hands are the only thing not given protection, but this only matters in winter. In our wet UK climate I bought my Majesty to be my daily commuting hack, so my other bike (a Triumph Bonneville) only sees sunny days. When it rains you get good protection and emerge quite dry relatively. The Yamaha is a top ride and I would recommend it for all of its undoubted qualities. Comfortable, utilitarian and economical plus of course no parking charges and no traffic jams as it easily filters through bottle necked lines of cars and lorries. You can find scooters like this which have been lovingly looked after (like mine) for ridiculously low prices if you search around. Make sure it has a full service history too. Oh yes one more thing its fun! It is a cheeky little thing, which I immediately liked, its aerodynamic body is a super design and has not really dated in 10 years. A 10 out of 10 from me!

Summary: An economic and useful commuting and even touring scooter

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