Visiting Silverstone on the Niken helps Mossy understand it even more, and learn what others think of it
Heading off to Silverstone isn’t new to me. Over the years I’ve done many laps around the famous track on a number of different bikes. However, riding the circuit on a Niken was likely to be in total contrast to anything I’d ever done there before.
Yamaha was using Silverstone as a base for its annual dealer event. The dealers had the chance to come along and ride most of the bikes in the range, especially the Niken, as over 30 of the three-wheelers were available to try on both road and track. As someone who’s done lots of miles on the bike, with a very obvious affection for it, Yamaha had invited me along to be a bit of an ambassador. I was looking forward to it all. Not only would I get to see what the Niken was like when ridden much harder on track, but I would also have the chance to gauge reaction from those completely new to it.
Regular readers will know I’ve ridden my three-wheeler on track before, at Thruxton. I was really impressed by how well it performed. But looking back, I was in the early stages of learning about the Niken, which I’ve discovered is something that takes quite some time.
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE
Arrival at the track highlighted the importance of the event. There were a hell of a lot of Yamaha bikes and people present. This was clearly a big corporate occasion for the bike firm, and the emphasis on promoting the Niken was obvious. Not having ridden there for quite a while, I asked for guidance on the best way to lap from ex-racer Ian Cobby.
He’s an instructor at the track and with his talent and experience, turned out to be of great value. Following him for a while proved very useful.
Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2019-utgaven av Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.