New Yamaha 3 wheeler.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by sendler

The Yamaha is not self upright.

I have managed to hold up motorcycles for 20 years. My current ride is a BMW R1200RT

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

If it's not self-upright, it doesn't seem to make so much sense at all, even though the extra grip might still help a little.

Originally Posted by woodsrat

I guess my frustration with this bike is that they used telescoping forks.

I also disliked the telescopic forks. They look kinda pointless in a reverse trike.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

If it's not self-upright, it doesn't seem to make so much sense at all

Why does it need to be self supporting to make sense?

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

Why does it need to be self supporting to make sense?

Because this is usually the most frequent argument that drives some people to consider one instead of a conventional motorcycle. Well, for me the possibility of an increased luggage capacity and safety to haul the dog along are the main reasons why I consider one, plus some eventual ease to fit some all-weather full enclosure which wouldn't be so effective if I had to keep 2 holes on the floorboard to put my feet on the street while standing at a stoplight for example.

[JSH]

I believe a lot of people are missing the point of a leaning trike like the Piaggio MP3 or Yamaha’s Niken. The idea is to keep the motorcycle feel and riding experience while greatly reducing the change of crashing if the front end momentarily loses traction. Just a momentary loss of traction on a conventional motorcycle causes the front end to slide out and the rider to crash.

I know, I’ve done it 3 times in 21 years of riding. The first two times I brushed myself off, picked up the bike, and continued on the way. The 3rd time nearly killed my wife and I and it was more than a year before I could walk normally again. Maybe that is why Yamaha’s design is so appealing to me

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

The setup used in the MP3 still seems to make more sense.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

The setup used in the MP3 still seems to make more sense.

Piaggio's design is patented so Yamaha can't use it. That is why they are using pairs of forks instead of struts and do not have a locking feature. Yamaha's design also allows the bike to lean farther than Piaggio's design.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Yamaha seems to be looking after a more "sporty" approach anyway. But the Piaggio still seems safer/more comfortable for a commuter, which is what a tricycle is usually seen. Motorcycles on the other hand have a much more diversified marketing approach, from the mopeds and scooters to the supersports. Well, in the end it seems easier to convince a scooter owner to try a MP3 than to convince some die-hard traditional motorcyclist to give the Yamaha a chance.