After putting 8000 miles on my poor little Honda Reflex Chinese Knockoff, I have come to the decision that with the amount of riding I have been doing, I just can't afford to keep it running. The Chinese Scooters are great for people who ride on the weekend for a couple hours, or back and forth to work, but I am completely and utterly hooked into this. I got in because it saves gas. That was the whole root of the thing at $4.00 a gallon you tell me that you WEREN'T looking at alternatives and dreaming of something Hybrid or Electric, the Bus Routes, Carpooling, Selling the SUV, etc. The whole Nation was! I had to do something. It was driving me into financial crisis man! Well anyways, my decision was a cheap Chinese Scoot. I had done ALL the research, knew the positives and negatives, etc. Well all that was mainly from people who didn't ride near as much as I did. When I came back from Gasoline Rally with Black Betty in a rented Uhaul truck, I knew it just wasn't working. I always had little issues which I was willing to work with, but eventually they drag you down. The seat lock wouldn't fasten. The brakes squeeked. The muffler guard rattled, I had to clean the carb, set the idle, it was neverending. I decided I would rather ride.So this year, I searched and searched craigslist, ebay, cycletrader, high and low until I could find something in my meager price range, but still a good reliable machine, with a little more power than my old 250cc. I looked at the Kymco Xciting500, the Suzuki Burgman400, and the Yamaha Majesty (also 400cc). This Scarlett 2008 Yamaha Majesty with only 300 miles on her was what landed in my lap (and in my price range). She will do just fine. The pictures do not do her justice. I want to do some rides this year. There is the Iron Butt Association where you can ride 1000 miles in 24 hours (called a Saddle Sore 1000 - appropriately!) and I want to try that. I also have a couple rallies I want to attend in Cincinatti and again in Indianapolis.
I have come to realize this is just who I am.
1 comment:
Hi,
Wanted to say hello after first seeing your link and posts on Get Scootin'. Found your blog and am very interested in following your time on the Majesty. I'll be paying attention, curious about what your experiences are with it after your Roketa.
I'm an old motorcyclist, just started scooting last year. Bought a Genuine Buddy 125 used (pink, I ain't proud) and loved it, but had to sell it because of quick $$ issues, then replaced it in late September with an '04 Helix.
Your comments about the amount of time you're spending on two wheels really hit home, since that was a huge factor in my choice of the Helix. I have other, larger motorcycles and didn't feel that I needed a bigger machine; still don't. However, if I had to have one machine (sometimes that is very tempting), it would choose exactly as you have, a 400 Burg or Majesty.
Ride safe and I'll be paying attention. Doug
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