maximNikenGT

Note - once these are installed they cover the compression camping adjustment screws at the bottom of the suspension tubes. You will have to remove these to adjust compression damping in the future.

Saw a post from a fellow owner in the Niken Facebook group inquiring about how to address stone chipping away plastic from the mirror stems. Luckily I've not encountered this but was wondering if anyone has actually applied paint protective film (not graphics tape) to their bikes and how much did that cost? I am considering some film protection given how long lead times can be for Niken replacement parts in the USA. Given that they didn't seem to sell that many Nikens here.

Wanted to document a review of summer pants by Richa. Needed a pair of cooler (temp wise) wearing pants and jacket and picked these up on sale. Initial thoughts- XL sizing for 6' tall 190 pounds male is perfect, but the D30 knee pads seem too low. I flipped the pants inside out to see if the knee pads were removable for washing and noticed that they have individual hook and loop fasteners to adjust knee pad height in the legs is only in the knee pads. The hip pads are not D30 but some kind of thin foam that does not appear to be removable. Good hip adjustability via hook and loop fasteners as well as ability to expand leg cuffs to accommodate riding boots. There are also attachment points on the front via loop strap and a zipper edge along the rear to secure against the jacket equivalent of these pants. Now that I've confirmed fit is OK I'm going to Scotchgard the outside with water repellent before use. Once that sits in then I'll take the pants out for a shakedown ride and to see at what temperatures / speeds are the pants too cold for me and whether the additional breathability really becomes a major issue when I get caught in the rain.

Thanks for the screen grab - i'm very curious if they fit the <2023 Nikens...

Interesting aspect regarding the fog lights cannot remain on while high beams are on. When I took my bike in for inspection last year I remember leaving the fog lights off prior to starting inspection. It passed with no issues.

Just wrapping up a trip in Northern Italy operating out of Milan. Hit Milan, Turin, Lake Como, Varenna, and Genoa. Was struck by the popularity of all the MP3 Piaggios in Milan and then remembered that one of the highest country volume of Nikens in the world is Italy. One would prefer the smaller footprint of the MP3s in major cities like Milan where parking is challenging and the roads are more challenging for two wheeled vehicles due to the volume of railroad/metro tracks all throughout the cities. Three wheels are much safer on these kind of operating conditions.

Very helpful synopsis of all the variables that can affect motorcycle suspension tuning. These are the basic principles at play, which calls to my mind an analogy to cooking. The variables illustrated here are the cooking ingredients, but where the magic occurs is the recipe/dialing in of the suspension variables for a given track / riding use case. This is why race teams use test laps to make suspension adjustments to optimize the various variables.

Ran across this on the Bridgestone site where US tires must have minimum 2/32 in (~1.6mm) depth. Obviously one should replace them sooner if the tire doesn't feel safe to ride on.

I've not seen anyone in this forum post a longer side stand but do recall the Niken Facebook forum of an owner who did install shorter ones to accommodate lowering links: https://www.facebook.com/groups/358343504707298/permalink/1365437017331270/ I'm sure it can be done but I suspect that in doing so you may be trading one problem for another in that a longer kickstand might make the Niken more susceptible to being knocked over by wind gusts (assuming the upright angle of the bike becomes closer to perpendicular to the ground from the longer sidestand). With respect to the recent hip surgery, one thing I've been researching is whether an electrical actuator can be added to the GT's center stand similar to what the BMW K1200LTs have. This might be a more expensive solution in attempting to maximize your motorcycling fun by minimizing the effort it takes to swing a leg over the bike by allowing you to use the footpegs instead of the ground while center stand is deployed. Admittedly the Niken is a very tall bike compared to most. Closest thing I've been able to find is made by a company called Matt Risley Innovations who makes electric center stands for Harleys that might work with the Yamaha but would require customization. https://www.mricustoms.com/product-category/electric-center-stand/

Welcome to the group! Took me a little bit to recall what you were referring to and had to go look at my bike to jog the memory. The keys needed to unlock the panniers are SW MOTECH branded keys and should accompany the bike. Luckily my prior owner kept everything and made sure I had it all. Mine only has a number 53 on the key - not sure if that is a universal key code for the pannier mounting brackets but maybe that will help in case you need to get replacement keys made.

Was checking tread depth on my car tires with a Steelman tread depth tester and was good all around. Depth tester is green if you have >6mm, 3< yellow < 6, and red if <3mm for auto tires. Just for fun I decided to test my Niken tires and all three tires showed in yellow / borderline red for replacement on the depth tester. Fronts showed 4 mm of depth while rear tire showed 3mm depth remaining. I happened to have a brand new set of front replacement Pirelli Diablo Rossi tires and those showed 6mm deep tread remaining. So what should the actual tread depth (in mm) be for motorcycle tires before one needs replacing?

All in an attempt to expand motorcycling to a broader range of people. Wouldn't the world be a better place if more rode motorcycles?

Yamaha is trying to pioneer safety technologies in motorcycling through self leveling system.. https://global.yamaha-motor.com/news/2023/0327/newsletter.html Video of AMSAS in action

https://www.motorcyclesports.net/articles/kawasaki-continues-to-develop-three-wheel-drive-concept Additional patent filing photos by Kawasaki.

Had to look up what the Kawasaki Noslisu cargo bike was since I was not familiar with it. Came across this video (jump to 1:26 mark to actually see a very brief glimpse of the suspension that would be the inspiration for them). Also note that at 1:50 and 2:01 marks appears to show the noslisu with self leveling capabilities with and without rider. Later parts suggest that the noslisu parks without using a kickstand and utilizing a self leveling parking feature. Suspension front end engineering appears to be more like what Tilting Motor Works approach is with its conversions vs the Niken.

Stumbled across this site looking for accessories. How often do you all clean your helmet? Also this is the first time I've seen someone recommend applying carnauba wax to a face shield. Anyone attempt this? https://www.araiamericas.com/care-and-cleaning

Will check with original poster out of Spain.

This just in from a fellow owner. Mounting lights on the suspension directly to the bolts was clever. Personally like the stealthy look and if you have these style/size of lights this may be a potential mounting solution. One must be sure that the auxiliary lights in question aren't so large that they end up interfering with the front suspension clearance while leaning/turning.

What kind of tires are those?

I did test at the overflow tank but couldn't from the radiator inlet because the coolant level was too low to be picked up by the tool. The overflow blue coolant in the tank did test ok but I was already committed to replacing the fluid since I was at the 4 year mark anyways. Stock Yamaha coolant was a blue color and I swapped with Prestone lime green coolant.

Would be interested to see how big the rooster tails of water get kicked up by the stock Niken.

Alright - so finally had some time to work on the coolant replacement. I have one of those coolant testing tools that will measure the specific gravity of your coolant to determine whether it is of the appropriate mix/quality to meet expected freezing and boiling temperatures. The tool is especially helpful for dialing in the right mix of coolant to water if you live in climates where you might get abnormally low temperatures or unusually high temperatures. So detailed steps are as follows: Use eye protection and latex gloves. Coolant in your eyes is bad as is prolonged exposure to your skin. Also, immediately rinse off any painted areas that get splashed by coolant with water since coolant eats away at painted finishes. Set bike on level ground and use side stand. Use of side stand will supposedly help the coolant drain from the bike's pipes a little faster than if you use the center stand. Lay down cardboard/tarp and coolant catch tray under bike in case of spillage. Remove coolant drain bolt located on the bottom left-hand side at the bottom of the water pump cover. Be sure to place catch tray here. Some coolant will leak out upon bolt removal. Remove upper fuse box cover that sits directly behind the radiator cap on the upper right-hand side. I was a little surprised that you must remove this cover secured by both a push pin fastener as well as a 5mm hex bolt. If you ever have to add emergency coolant while you're on the road, you'd better have a 5 mm hex bolt and a paperclip or else you cannot even loosen/remove the radiator cap. Do not loosen the cap until you have removed the water pump drain bolt first. As soon as you remove the radiator cap about 2 liters of coolant will flow out the coolant drain bolt on the opposite side. Use same 5mm hex bolt tool as well as a TINY T5 Torx bit to remove the cover that secures the coolant overflow tank and cover. You can go ahead and empty out the coolant remaining in the overflow tank while you're waiting for all the coolant to drain from the drain bolt in step 4. Squeeze some of the radiator hoses to help drain any coolant caught in the hose bends. Note that the front of the overflow tank and the overflow tank cover have a slightly unusual front connector set up that utilizes a mounting bracket between the mounting hole of the overflow tank and the overflow tank cover (in comparison to the relatively straightforward mounting of the rear hex bolt fastener). This front connector also uses a VERY small T5 Torx bit head. Putting it back together was a little more detailed and took a bit more time vs. taking it off because of the specific placement as well as ensuring that the overflow drain tube didn't get caught/pinched by the rear hex bolt upon reassembly. Use a turkey basting looking syringe or pour 0.25 Liter of fresh coolant in the overflow tank. Fill level should fall between upper and lower lines. Put the coolant overflow tank and cover back on. Once all coolant has been drained, secure the coolant drain bolt back on using a fresh/new crush washer and tighten to 9 N/m with a torque wrench. Strongly suggest using a long neck funnel to add coolant to the radiator intake hose to help prevent coolant spillage and potentially impacting the paint. Unfortunately, the Niken's upper cowling is so big and curvy that it literally prevents you from putting a straight funnel overhead. Add coolant slowly until you reach almost 2 liters of coolant. When you finally top off the coolant intake, fire up the engine and let it idle for about 20 mins or until the engine reaches regular operating temperature (at least 140-165 degrees F) to let the coolant burp out any air pockets as well as allow the thermostat to turn on and run the coolant through the entire system. One has to hit the engine operating temperature to make sure that your engine temperature isn't fluctuating due to air pockets still stuck in the cooling system (toggle your engine temperature and see if it's jumping up and down). If you see weird engine temperature fluctuation then most likely you have air in the system that just needs to be burped out. After reaching engine operating temperature, shut off the engine and check coolant levels and determine whether any additional fluid is needed and top off as appropriate. Once you're satisfied that the bike isn't having wacky temperature readings because of air pockets stuck in the system and your coolant levels shows as being between upper and lower limits of the overflow tank, secure the fusebox cover hex bolt to 9 Nm with a torque wrench and put the push pin fastener. Dispose coolant at your local auto parts store/auto service shop for recycling. Coolant tester tool. Coolant tester - cold side markings. NOTE: Dark red/triangle needle pointing to freeze point temperature scales is your coolant level reading. The upper dark red/much smaller needle is used to make sure that you're reading the tool from an absolutely level position. Coolant tester - hot side markings. NOTE: Dark red/triangle needle is your coolant level reading. The upper dark red/much smaller needle is used to make sure that you're reading the tool from an absolutely level position. Anti-Freeze and Coolant tester tool is used to verify what your coolant will actually perform at (in terms of freezing and boiling temperatures) based upon its mix of coolant to water and its age/condition. The tool operates by measuring the specific gravity of the fluid being tested. You insert the pipe end into the fluid that you want to test. Make sure that it goes all the way up to the level indicated near the top of the tool and hold it perfectly vertical to see where the secondary big needle falls. Example. If you use this tool in regular 100% tap water, the needle will fall right at or below the FREEZE POINT indicated in red with white text above. Typically the needle should fall at the -10 degrees F / -23 degrees C for standard 50% coolant plus 50% distilled water mix. If you're operating in more extreme conditions then mix as recommended by the coolant manufacturer. Needed a long neck funnel to get the coolant in after removing the radiator cap. Left hand side picture of the water pump cover. Bolt to be removed is at the 5 o'clock position of the water pump cover in between the bottom radiator hose and the clutch cover. Location of right-hand side radiator cap which cannot be opened until you remove the fusebox cover directly behind it first. Hex bolt that secures the fusebox cover plate as well as the radiator intake hose. The coolant overflow and cover plate with its unusual front and rear mounting set up. Note front gap between overflow tank and the outer housing is intentional since a metal bracket MUST fit between the two at this point. This was not readily apparent when removing the housing and you'll find out reinstallation is a bit trickier as a result of this nuance. Also verify upon reinstallation that the hose that sits on top of the overflow tank does not get pinched by the rear hex bolt. Niken upper cowling is so big and curvy that you have to use a long-necked funnel of some kind otherwise you cannot pour coolant without making a huge mess. Now my OEMTools coolant funnel above comes with various sized caps to secure the filler tube to the radiator. Supposedly it's a size "C" cap. However, the size "C" cap that allows the long filler tube through was too narrow to fit on top of the Niken radiator inlet. Not sure if I have to bend the metal prongs on the OEMTools cap in order to make it work, but it did NOT fit mine with zero fuss. It's pretty late so I didn't want to wake neighbors by idling in my driveway/burping the coolant so will save that step for tomorrow. Burping the coolant is important because if you have any air pockets in the coolant system, what happens is that your engine will heat up these air pockets as you ride. The resulting engine operating temperatures will cause the air pockets to convert the air to steam which could trigger high temperature warnings when it circulates through the thermostat. The resulting high temperature signals could trigger high engine temperature warnings on your instrument display in addition to under very extreme scenarios (e.g. riding without any coolant/running pure water instead of coolant in your system) potentially triggering engine shut down to prevent catastrophic engine meltdown /cracking and a very large repair bill. Upper bolt securing the coolant overflow is a tiny Torx bit that I wouldn't normally carry as part of my emergency motorcycle tool set. The overflow pipes, overflow tank and overflow tank cover. During engine idling I added a little adapter to help control/prevent coolant air bubbles from bubbling on to the surrounding painted areas. After idling the engine up to an operating temperature of 170 degrees F, turned off the engine. Topped off the radiator intake with coolant and then capped the radiator inlet closed. Set bike on center stand to and put a light on the backside to check coolant levels and we're done.

Saw this article from Bauer, a maker for hockey helmets where they utilize 3d scanning tech to customize helmet fit for your head. Does any motorcycle helmet manufacturer currently provide 3d scanning and fit services? https://gizmodo.com/3d-printed-hockey-helmet-custom-perfect-fit-eos-1850155860

New video actually shows the new Niken GT kitted with some kind of fender extenders on the front (see 0:00:29 second mark) - don't know if these are OEM stock now but at least these will help combat the mud rooster tails that get kicked up front the original stock fenders.