Cool video on how the new three wheel Yamaha Niken bike works

[Cruizin]

I bet that this bike just eats up potholes and bumps, with four front forks it must provide a pretty smooth ride. I can't wait until I can test ride one of these. 

 

 

[mjh937]

It seems like it will be a problem when that front end gets out of adjustment.  I would like to ride it, but have no desire to own one.  It is definitely an interesting concept though. 

[pegasus46]

If they are able to sell 10 of those monsters they will be lucky. Too big, too heavy, too wide, too expensive, too much.

[Cruizin]

I imagine that it will cost a pretty penny in the showroom. But look at the coin that people pay for Harley's and Can-am's.

 

It will need to handle corners really well. What I think about this bike is that you will be able to stay on the brakes while leaning in a corner, while on a traditional two wheeled bike, applying the brakes stands the bike up straight. That would be a positive.

 

Same principle as carving down the mountain on two ski's. More stability for high speed turns.

 

There has to be something special in the riding experience because Yamaha is going all in on this. 

[Cruizin]

But then again front tire changes will be expensive as hell. 

Maybe @pattonme will have a quadruple shock upgrade kit ready and waiting. 

[mjh937]

I wondered about upgrading those forks (are they still called forks in that configuration?).  I suspect it will be a while before the aftermarket figures them out, and then it will be at least twice as expensive.  I am getting less excited about the concept the more I think about it.  

[pattonme]

ha! one leg is empty (or maybe spring) and the other runs the oil. You can count on the Japs to get the suspension wrong. The number of bikes they've gotten right over 30 years is what, a dozen? We'll see.

 

I truly don't see the point of this engineering exercise aside from " we could". How about dusting off the hub-center steering or a Hossack design and figure out how to make it commercially viable (possible?). Or the tuned-flex fork blades idea from the MotoCzysz C1?

 

I would have thought putting the tie rods at axle-level between the 2 wheels (outboard) would have been workable and cheaper way to do it. 

[Beemer]

I've only low sided one time in my life and that's only because I didn't see the oil under the dirt in a sharp right turn at a light. I don't image the average person has low sided much more than that so for me at least, I don't feel I require extra traction up front. It's my opinion that if you ride smart you'll be fine on two wheels. I think this Niken is more a curiosity or novelty than anything mainly because the cons outweigh the pros.

[DewMan]

If I saw the screen blurb correctly it's limited to a 45 degree lean angle. so even with all that extra traction up front I don't see any deep knee dragging done on this overweight behemoth.

[bakamoto]

I gotta say I don’t think I’d want to own what but engineering wise it’s a masterpiece.

[rick]

3 wheels puts so many more potholes in play. 

[Cruizin]

6 hours ago, rick said:

3 wheels puts so many more potholes in play. 

But four tubes up front probably eats those potholes up. 

[rick]

7 hours ago, Cruizin said:

But four tubes up front probably eats those potholes up. 

True.  I was thinking of one of the biggest complaints of riding the CanAm  Spyder - straddle a hole with the front wheels, and then  hit it with the back one in the middle

 

At least the front wheels are a lot closer

 

The thing is sure cool looking. Sorta reminds me of the statement Yamaha made with the GTS1000. That bike was around for 6(?) years, but can't remember ever seeing one.

[fzar]

On 3/9/2018 at 10:50 AM, DewMan said:

If I saw the screen blurb correctly it's limited to a 45 degree lean angle. so even with all that extra traction up front I don't see any deep knee dragging done on this overweight behemoth.

I'm sure if someone was committed enough they could get it over more, put 1 front wheel in the air and get on the edge of the tyre. I'd be interested in seeing someone pushing the limits of 1 of these things.

[DewMan]

2 minutes ago, fzar said:

I'm sure if someone was committed enough they could get it over more, put 1 front wheel in the air and get on the edge of the tyre. I'd be interested in seeing someone pushing the limits of 1 of these things.

Agreed.  It would be interesting to see it's lap times  side by side with comparable 2 wheeled bike.

[shinyribs]

"But can it wheelie?"

 

Why yes. Yes, it can. 

 

[norcal616]

https://fj-09.org/thread/6629/niken-roll-beginning-more-rides

 

more info and pictures... it shreds tires

[Beemer]

This is just brain candy so don't get your panties in a bunch.

I'm all for technology but I'm just curious as to what people are going to say when the next adventurous company puts out a new "MOTORCYCLE" that tops the Niken by not only making a bike with the front end the same but also puts a second wheel at the rear > for extra traction!!!! Could that happen? When the company calls it a motorcycle will someone  stand up and yell, "congratulations, on your new sit on-top car or will the majority of people go along with it and say hey, it's new technology for bikes so don't knock it! I'm just wondering where extra wheels will lead the motorcycle world is all. I wonder if in 100 yrs. or so people will look back at the first two wheeled bikes and call them something other than motorcycles just so they can say they make real bikes. We'll all be dead by then so who cares, right? 

 

[norcal616]

19 minutes ago, Beemer said:

I'm all for technology but I'm just curious as to what people are going to say when the next adventurous company puts out a new "MOTORCYCLE" that tops the Niken by not only making a bike with the front end the same but also puts a second wheel at the rear > for extra traction!!!! Could that happen? 

Dodge Tomahawk...bout 10 made...

[Beemer]

1 hour ago, norcal616 said:

Chrysler Tomahawk...bout 10 made...

Well, hell's bell's!! They work faster than I think and a big LOL, they call it a motorcycle!! I say it's a car (edit: with handlebars) you sit on top of.

[norcal616]

I spent a little time reading translated reviews and I noticed a few things in common... Having an extra wheel up front helps soak up the road better than 1 wheel... Also it was more designed to offer another point of view/new sensations... I really wouldn't mind trying one but(maybe rent one out on vaction?) but dont see myself owning one quite yet... I would be put off by having to mentally track 2 front tires thru the potholes/road chatter since im so used to knowing where the front wheel is for line/rut placement... 

[Beemer]

1 hour ago, norcal616 said:

I spent a little time reading translated reviews and I noticed a few things in common... Having an extra wheel up front helps soak up the road better than 1 wheel... Also it was more designed to offer another point of view/new sensations... I really wouldn't mind trying one but(maybe rent one out on vaction?) but dont see myself owning one quite yet... I would be put off by having to mentally track 2 front tires thru the potholes/road chatter since im so used to knowing where the front wheel is for line/rut placement... 

Didn't look at it that way but it makes sense. Now you got me wondering if you encounter a pothole so big that you need to pull that front tire up to avoid a possible tragedy is it going to do it as easily as an FZ-09?

[thedriver1]

I enjoy the video acting like Ackermann steering geometry was some new, revolutionary thing. That was one of the first things I had to learn about when I started working on steering for my Formula SAE team. Definitely interesting to see how it was incorporated into the bike though.

 

I like it as a study in what's possible, but I see quite a few disadvantages for me compared to a traditional motorcycle, primarily the additional cost and complexity to effectively serve the same function. Gotta find a demo day to see how it rides though.