Road-testing the Yamaha YP 400: What constitutes a big scooter may be debatable. In the distant past we have seen models such as Heinkel's 1954 175cc Model 102 A1 and Vespa's PX 200 which were considered big.
Today many manufacturers offer big scooters - among them are Aprilia's Leonardo 300ST, Gilera's Nexus 500, Honda's 582cc Silver Wing, Malagutis Spidermax GT500, Piaggio's X9 500 EVO, Suzuki's Burgman 400 & 650's and Yamaha's YP400 Majesty and XP500 T-Max.
But it was Yamaha's 250cc Majesty which set the ball rolling in recent years. When it first appeared it was correctly predicted that, in performance terms at least, the distinctions between scooters and motorcycles were about to get blurred. In fact, given the increased use of faring on conventional motorcycles, it can be hard for the non-enthusiast to tell the difference at first glance.
Now Yamaha's 250cc Majesty has been replaced by a 400 version, actually a 395cc, 4-stroke. In appearance it remains true to the smooth, sculpted Majesty lines which make it, in terms of looks, one of the smoothest machines around. With its quite tall, effective screen and substantial faring it provides a high degree of rider protection from the elements. The seat is comfortable from the riders point of view, although some pillion passengers might find the seat width a bit excessive. The mirrors are good and there are both side and centre stands.
There is a trip-catch on the left hand, rear brake lever which serves as a hand brake, useful when parking on a slope. Instrumentation is very full and clear.
The fully carpeted under seat stowage with its automatic light provides 60 litres of luggage space and is capable of holding two, full-face helmets. Because of the compartments shape a degree of ingenuity is needed to use its full capacity. In the front scuttle there is also a smaller, 10-litre sized compartment.
The machine's construction is thoroughly conventional. It contains nothing hi-tech by today's standards beyond fuel-injection and a catalytic converter, virtually essential to meet today's more stringent emissions regulations, making for a thoroughly well-proven build. The liquid-cooled four-stroke, fuel-injected, 395cc single cylinder engine produced 25kw at 7,250rpm and 37nm at 6,000rpm. This is sufficient to provide real world performance. On our test ride we had no difficulty holding a genuine 85 to 90 mph in typical UK motorway conditions. The steering seemed a trifle twitchy at first but we quickly got used to it. This is less of a criticism, more a fact of life and true of any relatively small-wheeled machine. Wheels are 14" at the front and 13" at the rear.
The wheels are cast alloy, the silencer is stainless steel and there is an engine imobiliser.
The engine felt a little rough compared with some other big-bore scooters as a result of a little more vibration that one would expect. The suspension is a little on the firm side which does help the machine's stability both in cross winds and at motorway speeds.
Both acceleration and braking are good. Given the constant velocity transmission, with no power loss due to gear changes, an automatic machine has a built-in advantage in terms of acceleration. This makes for thoroughly satisfactory performance in traffic conditions.
Although there is an increasing trend for the front and rear brakes to be linked, on the Majesty 400 they remain un-linked, but this is not likely to worry experienced riders. The twin 267mm discs on the front and a single 267mm disc at the rear are well up to the machines performance.
All told, there's nothing exceptional about this machine. It does exactly what it is supposed to do and it does it well. Like virtually all scooters, it is essentially a utility machine more likely to be bought for its inherent advantages in the commuting role and urban environment. There it could not fail to live up to expectations.
In terms of price, anything appreciably larger would cost around €3,000 more and provide very little more by way of performance or comfort. At €7,520 it is a fraction cheaper than its only true rival the Suzuki AN400 Bergman at €7,650.