Thank Goodness For The Majesty

Photographer: Loren Henning 

After last week's get-off, getting to and from work was a challenge. An immobile left knee and swollen ankle made piloting my usual ride—a normally comfortable Kawasaki Versys—unbearably painful. Even with all its legroom, the Versys put too much of a bend in my injured knee, and I didn't have the ankle strength to flick the shifter with my toe, so I ended up shifting with my heel instead.

This wasn’t going to work.

Why not drive, you say? I don’t have a car. My wife does, but she uses it every day to get to work and school. I went bike-only more than 8 years ago, and this is the first time it’s been a problem.

Thankfully, there was a solution to my mobility problem lurking in the shadows of Motorcyclists's "bike cage." Scanning the herd for a more suitable steed, the tan leather of the Yamaha Majesty's seat caught my eye.

Yes! A scooter was exactly what I needed.

Never has the simplicity and totally vanilla performance of a scooter been so appealing. The Majesty is great for all the practical reasons Zack so thoroughly explored in his "Practicality Check" feature (May, MC), but for me it had the added benefit of letting me keep my injured left leg resting comfortably on the Majesty's floorboard all the way to work.

I know a few people that ride scooters because physical handicaps keep them from being able to handle “real” motorcycles. We’ve also gotten quite a few letters over the years from readers who have switched to scooters or trikes like Can-Am's Spyder after being disabled by an injury or illness. Which is to say we should resist the urge to judge fellow riders based on what they ride. We don’t know their situation or personal limitations.

I’ll be healed up soon and look forward to getting back on something with a gearbox and enough horsepower to get out of its own way, but I’ll remember that the Majesty was there when I needed it.