Motorcycle Sport & Leisure has been out to Austria for the launch of Yamaha’s hotly anticipated leaning multi-wheeler, the Niken. Hailed as a corner carving king, we’ve been putting it through its paces on some tight and twisty mountain roads, to see just how well the revolutionary bit of kit handles.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Blending ‘Ni’ (two) and ‘Ken’ (which can mean ‘sword’ in Japanese) – the word Niken draws inspiration from 17th century Japan when the two-sword style of swordsmanship – a katana in one hand and a wakizashi in the other – was first invented and employed. It proved truly revolutionary, and marked the beginning of a new era in combat.
With claims of razor sharp cornering and an aggressive muscular aesthetic – could Yamaha’s all-new Niken leaning multi-wheeler revolutionise the world of motorcycling in the same way? Yamaha claims it really hasn’t done any specific market research on who’s going to buy the Niken – but there are three main groups that they believe could well be tempted.
There are the innovators, who are always looking to get their hands on the latest tech; then there are the expert riders, who are looking for a tool to help them get the most out of riding. And finally, there’s function-oriented riders, who are looking for extra confidence and stability.
Given that it’s a high-performance machine, rather than a commuter or shopper vehicle, the Niken can only be ridden on a full motorcycle licence – unlike other three-wheelers available.
WHAT’S IT GOING TO COST?
It’s not going to cost as much as you might think – setting you back £13,499. Yamaha has been purposefully aggressive with its pricing strategy to try and convert as many motorcyclists as possible to the new design.
Denne historien er fra July 2018-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 July 2018-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.
