justplainbill Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 TMS (https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/2018-niken-key-features-of-corner-carving/) posted news that the third Yamaha video on the Niken was to be released April 19th 2019 (now embedded in the article. ) and supplied more details on the Niken's electronics. Most interesting to me is the the standard cruise control can only be engaged from 4th gear and higher at speeds of 30 mph (50 kph). But the biggest revelation of the TCM article is this: "As NIKEN is an exclusive new 3-wheel motorcycle – for which a high interest has been shown already – Yamaha will be opening an online ordering reservation system on 17 May 2018 at 10:00am CEST at http://niken.yamaha-motor.eu " Since it's a yamaha-motor.eu site, we can assume the Niken will be released to Europe before the USA. That should give Yamaha time to take care of the teething problems that usually accompany initial release models, so those of us in the US can buy fully sorted Niken's. And we will have the benefit of seeing how riders adapt to the three wheel leaning riding experience. (Yes, I am breathing heavily and my eyes are glazing over....) April 30th, 2018, Motorcyclist magazine released video on YouTube of Zack Courts oogling and touching inappropriately, a production model Niken at the Austin Texas Circuit of the Americas. https://youtu.be/yIwp55YAzjg Watch the text overlays for new (to me) facts - such as that the CP3 engine is "revised" (updated fuel injection and crank design), the bike has a 4.8 gallon fuel tank, and traction control that can be turned off. Zack said he will be riding the Niken as soon as possible. Expect a ride report soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 I'm jealous of the fully adjustable suspension! '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duhs10 Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 Cool concept.. wouldn't mind riding one, will most likely never buy one. Also I think it's counter intuitive to have an "online reservation" because of high demand... more like go online and reserve one so that we have a better idea of how many to produce. '15 FJ-09 w/ lots of extras... Fayetteville, GA, USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizin Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 Very interesting bike and I cant wait to hear from the brits about the handling on this thing. Yamaha FZ-10 Forum Yamaha FZ-07 Forum Yamaha Ténéré 700 Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruizin Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 Pre orders for Europe. Makes sense as bikes sell a lot more there than here, allows Yamaha to get a new bike closer to being profitable before launching it here in the USA. Plus, if it is a hit in Europe everyone will read about it here from our friends over there and start wanting one here for themselves. I look forward to learning of the MSRP on this as well as test riding one. Yamaha FZ-10 Forum Yamaha FZ-07 Forum Yamaha Ténéré 700 Forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcal616 Posted May 1, 2018 Share Posted May 1, 2018 Im waiting for the 1st video of a Niken pulling a wheelie... 2012 wr250f - C-class 30+ age group 2015 fz-07- Hordpower Edition-80whp 2015 fj-09- Graves Exhaust w/Woolich tune by 2WDW @120whp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supporting Member betoney Posted May 2, 2018 Supporting Member Share Posted May 2, 2018 The initial design might be a bit off-putting to some 2-wheel "purists" but I applaud Yamaha for stepping outside of the box and designing something a bit radical. I hope this encourages other manufacturers to push the envelope with some innovative designs, there's nothing worse than stagnation. I would love to take it for a long test ride on some mountain/canyon twisties. ***2015 Candy Red FJ-09*** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted May 2, 2018 Share Posted May 2, 2018 Something like this is the ONLY way I could get my wife on a "motorcycle". Of course I could get her a Can-Am spider but I don't really like those '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justplainbill Posted May 9, 2018 Author Share Posted May 9, 2018 Nine minute video on YouTube by Reaper Tran Anh Thien, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j4pj0UwwiI It starts with clips from the Yamaha promotional video of Niken ripping around corners, transitions to walkaround at a show (with awful music) and finally at about the 8 minute point, footage of Niken being wheeled around outside and being started and revved repeatedly. No voice over and only a few titles (in English). Unless you have a specific interest in some physical aspect of the Niken, I'd skip to minute eight of the video: I found that part somewhat interesting and fresh. Nothing really new, it's just that the bike is outdoors, in the real world, and you watch it being easily pushed around by a man, then started. The engine sounds like every other FJ/MT/Tracer 900 we've ever heard. Still, this is less contrived than anything else I've seen about the Niken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Watching that video, I'm starting to believe that it will counter steer. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrickjs5 Posted May 9, 2018 Share Posted May 9, 2018 Man, that thing is wild! Whether or not it feels like a two wheeled bike while steering is indeed the big question. Engine sounds about the same as our FJ-09s. Does it balance well without a foot/kickstand, or is it not designed to do so? I can't tell from the video and haven't done enough research to know. It seems like it should be able to. In the video, they roll the bike so slowly and carefully it's hard to say. Obviously they don't want to drop it in front of all those cameras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justplainbill Posted May 10, 2018 Author Share Posted May 10, 2018 Watching that video, I'm starting to believe that it will counter steer. I think you're right...because of the narrow track between wheels, the Niken still uses motorcycle physics to steer (by counter steering). I watched Yamaha's Niken technical video number two -- then had to study up on the Ackerman principle (an outside wheel travels further than the inside wheel while making a turn) and Ackerman steering which uses a carefully engineered steering mechanism to allow the outside wheel to travel further without scrubbing the tire or making steering effort more difficult. Even having done that, I can't really understand how Yamaha's version of Ackerman steering works. (Maybe that's why I'm not a mechanical engineer.) Here is the video: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted May 10, 2018 Share Posted May 10, 2018 Neat video. I'm now convinced it will counter steer. It would be interesting to ride. '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koth442 Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 I just noticed this was a pretty old video (Nov '17) so apologies if its a repost. [video src=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyPQtjReJ9Q] '15 FJ09 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivabign Posted May 16, 2018 Share Posted May 16, 2018 Would love to take one for a spin, and I applaud Yamaha for taking a chance and making the Niken. This might be a nice option for people that because of age or a handicap maybe don't feel comfortable on a bike anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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