YAMAHA has just revealed this surprise new 2018 model, a large-capacity, three-cylinder, leaning three-wheeler called the ‘Niken’.
Little has been revealed in the way of details but it is almost certainly the production version of the very similar-looking MT-09-powered three-wheeler concept shown three years ago, then called the MWT-09.
That means the three-cylinder engine in question is the 847cc one from the MT-09. The close-up shot of an engine cover is a giveaway, featuring the digits ‘CP3’, the name given to the MT-09 plant.
The Niken was revealed early this morning at Japan’s Tokyo Motor Show, also the venue for the debut of the MWT-09 concept in 2015.
Full details are to be revealed in Milan, Italy, on November 6.
Yamaha’s press release on the Niken said: ‘This large-displacement Leaning Multi-Wheeler (LMW) is powered by a liquid-cooled, in-line, three-cylinder engine. This model is equipped with LMW technology to reduce the effects of changing ride environments and to deliver a high feeling of stability when cornering. It achieves excellent performance for spirited and sporty riding on various road surfaces and the capability to freely carve through the continuous corners on winding roads. The body design makes full use of the unprecedented front-end suspension mechanism, pairing 15-inch front wheels with dual-tube upside-down forks that visually accentuate the machine's sporty performance and create a high-quality look and feel at the same time. New Yamaha NIKEN. Ride the Revolution.’
Yamaha also released the following limited specifications:
Length x Width x Height = 2,150 mm x 885 mm x 1,250 mm
Engine type = Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve
Cylinder arrangement = In-line, 3-cylinder
Fuel supply system = Fuel injection
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