Three wheeled motorbike

[GingerNinja]

Yamaha just revealed the production of the concept from a while ago. Not pretty but I admire their bravery for bringing it to the market - be interesting to see how far it'll actually lean! It's essentially the MT09 900cc triple with a funky front end. Here's the Niken:

[Deuteronomy]

Disappointing that it's got three wheels yet still needs a kick stand.

Also, ugly.

[CJ+]

I know nothing about motorbikes. I have never so much as ridden pillion.

What is the benefit of the additional front wheel?

[Deuteronomy]

I know nothing about motorbikes. I have never so much as ridden pillion.

What is the benefit of the additional front wheel?

I'd guess at better brakes and grip.

[S1K]

Looks weird. How much more does it weigh and will the extra weight at the front make it plough on in a turn or will the extra rubber compensate? I saw quite a lot of three-wheeled scooters in Spain earlier in the summer. The police there use them. Scooters aren't about pin-sharp handling though are they?

[GingerNinja]

I know nothing about motorbikes. I have never so much as ridden pillion.

What is the benefit of the additional front wheel?

I'd guess at better brakes and grip.

Exactly this. Twice the contact patch for better braking although the added weight might reduce the effect somewhat. But mainly it's about the extra grip - with just one smallish contact patch on the front, it's not uncommon to have the front end wash out on less than ideal surfaces. This will certainly reduce that hazard immensely, and also help with really crappy streets that have huge potholes etc.

[GingerNinja]

Looks weird. How much more does it weigh and will the extra weight at the front make it plough on in a turn or will the extra rubber compensate? I saw quite a lot of three-wheeled scooters in Spain earlier in the summer. The police there use them. Scooters aren't about pin-sharp handling though are they?

No mention of the weight penalty yet. It shouldnt be too bad with the handling, but I imagine it'll feel quite odd and require a bit more oomph to get it leaned over due to added mass and tyre resistance.

[S1K]

It'll need to have powerful suspension pushing down to make the outside wheel in a turn do any work. Maybe the damping system on the two sides are linked together somehow. It'll be interesting to read a full article about how it works and how it rides.

[Deuteronomy]

It'll need to have powerful suspension pushing down to make the outside wheel in a turn do any work. Maybe the damping system on the two sides are linked together somehow. It'll be interesting to read a full article about how it works and how it rides.

Looks like it's cantilevered from one side to the other.

[S1K]

Why is the rider wearing a Star Wars Stormtrooper outfit?

[Deuteronomy]

Why is the rider wearing a Star Wars Stormtrooper outfit?

More sort of Tron wannabe?

[Darthdeathdealer]

Love these.

A9E80FED-3A09-4764-9D45-F3CA2C438830.jpeg (65.92 KiB) Viewed 1941 times

[desertweasel]

So I've ridden a Piaggio MP3, a 500 or possibly 400 and it was a couple of years ago.
PROs:
You don't get caught in tram tracks
much better over slippery cobbles
stands upright at lights etc
can be ridden on a car license (in portugal)
very natural feel once it got moving
Braking felt way better than normal scooter

Cons, definitely bigger and heavy and a bit weird when you first start riding it
Kinda slow for a bike that size but maybe all these big scooters are slow

Matey who owned it loved it for the commute but he only had a car license so it was this or a 125, also some of the advantages are really specific to Lisbon

[GingerNinja]

I test rode the MP3 500 last year as thought the three wheels might be a solution to my wonky leg problem. It wasn’t and it didn’t help that it weighed 250Kg!