We've seen the images floating around for a while now. Finally we have a respected sportbike journalist reviewing it.
Surprise! Yamaha's Niken Does Wheelies And Rides Like A Regular Motorcycle
All the most important Niken questions, answered
https://www.cycleworld.com/surprise-yamahas-niken-does-wheelies-and-rides-like-regular-motorcycle?CMPID=ene053118
(https://www.cycleworld.com/sites/cycleworld.com/files/styles/500_4x3/public/images/2018/05/yamaha-niken-max-lean.jpg?itok=pP7y5h8d&fc=50,50)
I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet... But your kids are gonna love it. - Marty Mcfly
I counted a few times, and it looked like summer between 18-22 more pivot points/bearings....
then they said this in the review:
"Despite the added mass of the front end and all those extra pivots (by my count there are 27 additional bearings!)"
oh wow... and that doesn't count the 2x wheel bearings, 2x fork bushings, 2x fork seals, 2x brake lines etc
so basically take the simplest design of the telescoping fork, and BMW it.
I don't see any grease fittings on it... soooooo .... yup that's a week of teardown/replacement with hunting down -you-know-they're-all-custom-size-bearings- and paying out the nurse if you ever find them all...
I'm seeing a great lease, but a terrible ownership Outlook.
Personally I think it's an interesting exercise in design. It really don't look that bad. I just fail to see the point. So who exactly is it aimed at. It's a 3 wheel but without the low speed stability. It's a motorcycle but with an extra wheel.
Where's that head scratchy emoji?
Well to me it kinda suxs. Let us take something relatively simple, like the telescopic forks, that has just a few moving parts and change it into a complex piece of equipment that has 5 times(or more) the moving parts for absolutely no reason at all except because we can. ::)
I say we throw some knobbies on it and make a scrambler. I bet it's a blast on dirt roads with double the front contact patch. You would have a really planted front that won't wash out. Just pin it and grin.
I feel like Ari did a great job in the article. It's not for everyone but I think it's a very cool concept and sounds like a fun bike. If I had plenty of disposable income, I believe I would buy one. I really hope Yamaha does some demo rides. I'm intrigued and want to ride it for myself.
I hate it.
https://youtu.be/86jbnMOAcy0
Quote from: Mulley on June 02, 2018, 03:55:25 PM
I say we throw some knobbies on it and make a scrambler. I bet it's a blast on dirt roads with double the front contact patch. You would have a really planted front that won't wash out. Just pin it and grin.
I feel like Ari did a great job in the article. It's not for everyone but I think it's a very cool concept and sounds like a fun bike. If I had plenty of disposable income, I believe I would buy one. I really hope Yamaha does some demo rides. I'm intrigued and want to ride it for myself.
Oh, I would ride it...nothing better than R.O.P.B. (Riding Other Peoples Bikes ;) on demo days I'm hell on wheels :D ) but would I buy one? Very seriously doubt it. A lady I work with had one of those other bike/trike thingies with the 2 wheels out front. When I asked her "what made you get one of those" she replied that she always wanted a motorcycle but had trouble balancing it at a stop. From that videos and others, from what I understand, I have the impression you still have to balance at a stop. Most other folks I have met who own 3 wheelers have had some type of physical problem that had kept them from owning/riding a motorcycle or had a severe injury, like a damaged/missing/amputated leg. Once again, from what I got from that video and others, they couldn't ride it.
I see a very limited market for the Niken and after a few years I will not be surprised it goes away. You are right about one thing and it goes along with what I said about those 3 wheelers that showed up in the 80's.(Remember those?) If they would have put the 2 wheels out front, it would have been better...but the best is still a 2 wheeler. ;) ;)
I just wish Yamaha would use that same (or even 1/3 of the) time and energy for filling in the dual sport gap between 250cc and 1200cc....for the love of Pete.
I still hate it.
https://youtu.be/byEGjLU2egA