Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

jabcb · Post by **jabcb** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 5:43 pm

Yamaha video shows how it works:
https://youtu.be/HK21-4WZnWM

rodent · Post by **rodent** » Sat Mar 17, 2018 9:25 pm

Is it just me, or is that trike gayer than aids

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 3:14 pm

Gay? Not sure about that, but it sure looks ugly at the front end! It reminds me of a shipping container crane/lift.
Didn't Yamaha make a previous foray into twin front wheel design back in the early 90s?

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Sun Mar 18, 2018 3:23 pm

Nope it wasn't two front wheels i was thinking about. It was the GTS1000 which had only 1 front wheel but no forks. Memory gets a bit hazy as you get older

tz375 · Post by **tz375** » Wed Apr 18, 2018 5:07 pm

Piaggio has had a similar design scooter on the market for years and seeing them flying around Paris, you can see that two wheels at the front may be better than one.

jabcb · Post by **jabcb** » Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:00 pm

tz375 wrote:Piaggio has had a similar design scooter on the market for years and seeing them flying around Paris, you can see that two wheels at the front may be better than one.

Yamaha probably should hire a good Italian designer to do something about the Niken’s fugliness.

Post by **Alan H** » Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:11 pm

I suppose it answers a question that hasn't been asked........

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:15 am

Neither Piaggio or the Yammy look very manly. Perhaps they are aiming it at the female market.

tz375 · Post by **tz375** » Fri Apr 20, 2018 9:45 pm

I don't think so. They appear to be used extensively in cities like Paris where people use 2 wheels to commute regardless of the weather. And since a few cities still have nice slippy cobble stones, twin front wheels make for a safer ride - or at least it probably feels safer.

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:51 am

Ah, I see. A bike for pussies then! I was kinda close with my guess

tz375 · Post by **tz375** » Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:13 pm

I wouldn't call anyone that rides around Paris on a daily basis a "pussy". Those guys are seriously nuts. Have you ever been on the periferique in morning rush hour? They take lane splitting to a new dimension.

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:53 am

tz375 wrote:I wouldn't call anyone that rides around Paris on a daily basis a "pussy". Those guys are seriously nuts. Have you ever been on the periferique in morning rush hour? They take lane splitting to a new dimension.

Haha. Point taken!

jabcb · Post by **jabcb** » Sat Apr 28, 2018 1:03 am

Another official Niken video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a1KCPZ_TkU

Maybe Yamaha thinks it understands the European market a bit more than we do.
Online Niken ordering system for Europe goes live on May 17th:
https://niken.yamaha-motor.eu

sportston · Post by **sportston** » Tue May 01, 2018 10:27 am

Interesting bike. Just find it so hard to stop staring at the ugliness. Its like when you are a kid being told not to stare at the disfigured face of a war vet. Its so hard to look away!

jabcb · Post by **jabcb** » Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:22 am

More info here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/motorcy ... 5h#image=9

Dual wheel setup added 100 pounds. Allows for a 45 degree lean angle. Still can pop a wheelie.

Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

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Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end

Re: Yamaha Niken - the crazy leaning two-wheel front end