Yamaha spread the three wheeled vibe further with the introduction of the TriCity 300, a scooter that borrows some of the Niken’s engineering prowess by adding a similar set-up to the front of a 292cc scooter. What the new offering has, and the Niken does not, is Yamaha’s tilt-lock assist system that keeps the machine upright during low speed maneuvers like pushing it around the parking spots. Well that bit of news appeared to start a debate on Niken forums when some owners complained that the system hadn’t been introduced on the Niken while others stated they would not have bought a Niken if the system was included on that machine because it would have indicated that the Niken wasn’t really a motorcycle. A dividing rubber line appears to have been drawn between scooters and motorcycles dependent on their ability to fall over. Accordingly, a motorcycle should be able to fall over whilea scooter that can’t fall over is just what the engineer ordered.
We believe that no motorcycle should fall over. If there was some type of internal dynamo that kept every bike upright when parked too steeply at a curb, jostled around on the back of a truck or maneuvered into tight spaces in a garage, it would be an excellent idea. True, we also believe when riding a motorcycle every ounce of concentration should be devoted to keeping the rubber side down. But in that vein are not items like traction control, wheelie control, ABS, riding modes and hill assist specifically designed to keep a bike upright on its two wheels and not falling over? As one forum participant mentions, lifting a fallen Niken is a challenging task and three wheels will only make it more difficult.
Related Stories and Pages:
2017 Honda CBR1000RR SP
Neo, We have Been Waiting For You: Yamaha Electric Scooter
#346 All New or Kinda New?
Future Scooter, Smart Clothes
Yamaha EO1 – Electric Scooter
Honda Goes Electric – For Short Trips
Fixing Honda’s 2024 Motorcycle Line-Up – There’s Always Next Year?
2022 Honda NT1100 – The Opposite Approach