Test Fleet: Yamaha Niken
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure|September 2019

Visiting Silverstone on the Niken helps Mossy understand it even more, and learn what others think of it

Test Fleet: Yamaha Niken

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.

This story is from the September 2019 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2019 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOTORCYCLE SPORT & LEISUREView All
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin

Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
BMW R 12 nineT
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

BMW R 12 nineT

Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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

time-read
2 mins  |
October 2024
Portuguese Perambulations
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Portuguese Perambulations

Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2024
Highway to Heaven
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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...

time-read
9 mins  |
October 2024
Battlaxes at the ready!
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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

time-read
6 mins  |
October 2024
Ducati Riding Experience
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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...

time-read
7 mins  |
October 2024
Four pot flyer
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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?...

time-read
8 mins  |
October 2024
Eastern adventurer
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

Eastern adventurer

With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry

time-read
10 mins  |
October 2024
First Time Lucky?
Motorcycle Sport & Leisure

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.

time-read
9 mins  |
October 2024