Three-wheelers are generally associated with scooters and motorcycles that aren’t very powerful or everyday-friendly. Well, Yamaha broke the stereotype in 2018 with the presentation of the first generation Niken, which has now been reborn in the GT version with many improvements.
It’s important not to confuse the Niken with a three-wheeled scooter, as there are few, if any, similarities. And we’re going to talk about everything Yamaha has rethought to make the Niken GT a more touring bike, from the 30-liter rigid side cases, to the 70 mm adjustable front screen, but also this model’s fantastic ability to put a smile on your face on winding roads. And there was plenty of that in Sardinia.
HEART OF MARATHONS
The Niken’s three-cylinder engine may be the same CP3 that we tested in the Tracer 9 GT+, but it has internal modifications that allow it to behave differently and appeal more to fans of long stretches. The crankshaft has been modified and made 8% heavier, in order to create more inertia so that the engine is more relaxed, and we feel that we have a looser CP3 on the open road. It has also been tilted forward 5 degrees and internally revised to positively influence the bike’s agility and stability. With 42 cc more than its predecessor, the new Yamaha Niken GT now has its maximum torque 1,500 rpm earlier, providing better acceleration.
However, due to its 270 kg in running order, we felt that this bike should benefit from more torque in the mid-range – even in Sport mode – even without changing the maximum power. Vibrations were also felt at high revs, much to blame for the new heavier crankshaft, becoming noticeable from 7,000 rpm onwards, where this CP3 wants to show all its soul. That wouldn’t be such a highlight, were it not for the approximate rpm at which we drive at around 140 km/h.
A perfect compromise has not been achieved, since a longer ratio will take away even more from this bike’s responsiveness in the mid-range, something we’ve mentioned as a point for improvement. Even so, we are well aware of the potential of this engine and Yamaha will certainly gather all the feedback so that in the near future they can reach a compromise where vibrations are not a problem.
THE MAGIC FRONT
In cycling terms, the Niken GT is now more balanced, largely due to the revised rear shock absorber in conjunction with the frame – which has had to be modified for the new engine positioning – which now conveys more confidence and offers greater stability in applied riding and added comfort when traveling. And balance really is the watchword, since Yamaha claims that the weight distribution is 50:50, with a rider weighing 75 kg. But the star of the show is the LMW system, which still makes you wonder about the laws of physics when you ride this bike. After the first somewhat strange sensations, you get the hang of it and start to gain unbelievable confidence in attacking corners with this bike. The stability we have in the most diverse situations while leaning over is great, and the front end is much farther away than that of an ordinary bike. We even felt – in certain situations where the angle of inclination was higher – that the front wheel on the inside of the bend was protesting a little, but the outside wheel didn’t seem to mind too much, keeping the Niken well attached to the asphalt.
The irregularities in the road are absorbed almost imperceptibly, without us ever losing track of what is happening in terms of grip limits, and this is also due to the front system – which is truly a fantastic piece of engineering on Yamaha’s part; and we’d need another 4 pages to explain it. Even so, it’s important to bear in mind that the approach to trajectories has to be a little different from a two-wheeled bike, and we even have to steer this Niken GT a little differently – almost using the outside wheel as the “center” of the bike – not only because of its weight, but also because of the way the front end behaves when cornering, often requiring us to be more aggressive on inclines and trust the two wheels to do their job. However, braking is a great help and can be a resource to use, as it’s very effective, and with Niken’s front system we have some freedom to brake in the middle of a corner with the bike leaning, even if it’s not the ideal situation.
TECHNOLOGICAL JOURNEY
We have to start with the instrument panel and say that the navigation, within the menus and settings of this new 7″ TFT panel from Yamaha, really deserves praise. With a small 5-way joystick, we can do everything very intuitively and without question, allowing us to immediately get in tune with this side of the Niken GT. The information displayed and its layout are equally well designed, offering excellent visibility in any situation and the information you need, while always being able to consult more in different menus. We can also integrate Garmin maps at a cost of €5 per month, which could be a good addition for travelers. Travelers who will certainly be pleased with the very generous and comfortable seat, as well as the effective protection of the adjustable front deflector.
The passenger seat is also quite generous – we won’t explain how we managed to test this – and the standard 30-liter rigid side bags allow for very generous luggage storage for two people. But back to the technological side of things, this bike also has three different riding modes – Sport, Street and Rain – which are noticeably noticeable, and in RAIN mode the bike reduces its power by 18% to make it more user-friendly, all through a new electronic throttle. The Niken GT also has cruise control as standard, something that will be indispensable for travelers, and a bidirectional quick shifter – also standard – which is very effective, and which I would say is indispensable for those looking for excitement at every turn.
THE UNICORN
At the end of the day, the Yamaha Niken GT is a unicorn in the desert. And Yamaha knows it. The target audience for this bike is extremely specific and it will never be a sales queen, but that’s not the point. The Niken GT is, in 2023, a very fun bike to ride and is capable of offering anyone – whatever their level of riding – beautiful moments of pleasure and long, non-stop kilometers. It’s true that there are details that Yamaha should pay attention to in order to perfect this bike, but the whole thing was very pleasing and left smiles on the faces of everyone present. And who wouldn’t want a unicorn in their garage?