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Found a great 'first bike' for my teenager! Yamaha Majesty 400

oldnslow

It's a way of life!
After months of research and shopping, I bought my 16 year old a '05 Yamaha Majesty 400cc scooter. It is his first 'street' bike. He has taken to this bike like a duck to water. I think I may have found the perfect first bike! It is a CVT transmission, so no shifting, so less things to detract his attention. It has plenty of pep. Its not some slug that can't get out of its own way, so its fun ride. It will easily cruise at 60 mph or is happy at 30 mph. It has fantastic disc brakes. Relatively low seat height. It handles better than I would have ever imagined. HUGE storage under the seat. (full helmet and his back pack or a basketball or another helmet....) The dual element headlight makes my R1100RT's headlight look like a candle compared to it. LED tail light and brake light. Servicing the thing is a snap. I changed the belt, two air filters, and put in different variator weights, cleaned the pulley surfaces all in less that 2 hours. The tires are cheap to buy. And...get this...he thinks it looks cool!:groovy. I will say, it is a sharp looking machine.

I will add this, he has about 8 years experience on dirt bikes, including some hare scramble races, so he is comfortable on a bike and with lots of things going on around him. He has crashed more times that I can count, so he also knows the results of making a mistake on a motorcycle. :hungover Nevertheless, he will be taking a rider course very soon.

I think these maxi scooters are a hoot!
 
Congrats to the young man. I was wondering if he was "straight stick" experienced, but since he's ridden dirt, he obviously knows the ins and outs of using a clutch and shifting.

Good to hear that he'll be taking a course. Honestly, I don't think there's such a thing as too much experience when it comes to riding on the street, or driving a 4-wheeled vehicle on the street, for that matter.

As I recall, Majesty's have a good amount of storage under the seat.
 
Nice:)

Encourage his safety and get the MSF done soon:). Its great seeing your young ones come along like this and you show it too, Dad. My two Daughters are 26 and 30 now, but got their own bikes too. My youngest at 26 took the MSF and soon after shopped the new F700GS, as she can afford it in here career. Its also a fine starter and she has just ridden her first solo trip on it away from home. My eldest girl(also MSF Grad) also started on the F650 years ago and were easy bikes to learn on, SO your Son will want to move up in a couple years, most probable. The 400 sounds nice, enjoy it, promote his well being as "traffic never equals" dirt riding experience. His education here is paramount to his long happy life riding bikes. I did the same thing when young, raced dirt mx and we had no MSF or much help of any kind. At 61 now, riding continually since my early teens, its been a great life. He has so much to look forward to:). Happy Trails, RandyGSA1200. Show him whats in his future:):):) GSA1200?
 
My father in law has a Majesty 400, has been enjoying it for 3-4 years. My son started on a Suzuki GS 500, the naked model. He never rode dirt bike, wanted to learn the clutch and shifting. Fun to share the hobby/sport with your kids!
 
I agree the Majesty is a great scoot and a good learning machine. But who thought "Majesty" was a good name? I know the Japanese manufacturers tend to have very different names for their home market bikes and cars (I once had a Datsun Bluebird - AKA "510" - but I guess someone figured out a "Bluebird" wouldn't sell in the USA) The worst ever bike name from Japan? The Marushin "Lilac" from the 1960s (actually a BMW rip-off) But I digress.

Great to hear you've got the lad on a sensible machine, not a CBR 1000 like some youngsters like to start off on (and sadly, end on) And dirt riding is the best training any rider can have. Congrats, dad!

pete
PS- My first bike was a used Zundapp Sabre 200. Cheap and easy.
 
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