Was gonna say, I’ve got a 78 CX 500 I’ve just finished rebuilding from the frame up. A rare bright metallic blue :) beautiful bike, has its quirks but an amazing highway and town bike
Excellent comments Mossy have had my Niken for 2 months and done nearly 4,000miles and agree with everything you say from the good to the bad. The Niken is different and that's exactly why its a great bike to own. Its got a front end that gets more attention than a Page 3 model and as you say gives you great confidence in the corners. Well done to Yamaha for sticking their necks out and putting it out there.
Great review thanks guys. Big respect to Yamaha I haven’t ridden one but a I think it is fantastic and other manufacturers should stop being so safe and following the crowds and dare to be brave like Yamaha have done, well done Yamaha 👍🏍
I wish that Yamaha had made the GT version even more tourer like, shaft drive, and stereo system, the dash area looks like it could contain speakers already. I ride year round, having another contact patch up front appeals to me, what with diesel spills and other crap on the roads.
I've bought a few bikes that upset people and I have to admit quite enjoyed the negative attention, but as you say an "Electric Niken" would really get the net curtains fluttering.
Personally love to ride one but I just wonder whether Yamaha have made the same mistake that they made when they brought out the GTS in the 90s. Given I always prefer to stay on a bike when riding it rather than sliding down the road extra grip sounds good to me. Yep good description of Mossy a legend as he has ridden so many bikes over the years. Much respect to him.
I rode this bike in the launch in Spain...in the mountain roads where I ride every weekend...it was a blast. The pace you can maintain if you trust the bike is amazing...I would buy one but it would have to be through one of those programs where you have it for three years and then you can return it to Yamaha. Resale is a mistery.
I've ridden my Tricity 125 here in northern Thailand for 4 years now. Compared to other 125 scooters it's very heavy, slower (weight fault) but it handles brilliantly on these very twisty mountainous roads. No ABS at time of purchase available, but should 1 wheel slip (heavy rain), then the other maintains grip and steering. I agree with the commentators, it's the rear wheel that will give first when going daft. This certainly indicates just how much grip and stability is afforded by the 2 wheel configuration. One reason for low sales figures here, Thais use scooters mainly as a work tool. The complexity, is considered too delicate and expensive should it need repairing. And why buy 3 new tyres when you can get scooters with 2 wheels! I do see their point, this might be a consideration for Western buyers also? But what a fun scooter to ride, albeit a scooter of course. I'd love to ride the Niken here but Thai road-users make it very unsafe to ride more than 70 mph. Big bikes here are wasted unfortunately. Which is why my Yamaha XJ900S is still in UK.
Just think - you enter a wet roundabout with a lovely scenic rainbow hue and scent of diesel without fear; there ARE advantages to this vehicle! I speak as a Honda CBR500R rider.
What is really cool about this platform to me is the possibilities in so many directions. I would really be interested to see how it would perform in an adventure bike set up that wasn’t intended to be a tight trails rig, but rather something that optimized trips like the Dalton Highway or those remote areas of Australia. Then on the other end, dress it out as a high payload touring bike and get the storage down lower with some angled bottoms that match the lean angles a bit so the center of gravity loaded gets pushed around down low. This design is an opportunity to do some really interesting things at a point in time when folks are a bit more inclined to try out interesting technology if it’s presented with some real show and tell. Until I actually saw Chris and others in the vids REALLY pushing this bike on the track, as he stated, just talking about that cool design does nothing to inspire confidence. Showing folks the REAL capabilities is what would get them to give it a go. On something like this for a company, it’s got to be all in. Elon Musk went all in when he discovered a concept that he KNEW would work well for a great deal of folks. This design could satisfy those that see a bit more stability just by looking at it and become more willing to learn to ride. There is really something here with this and I feel it is far beyond the shallow minds (unintentional as it may be because it’s different) only seeing and extra wheel intended to answer a question that was never asked. Well, I can tell you, there are PLENTY of tire companies asking the question, “How can we get more grip and bite on the front end of the bike. Why is that question less valid when asked by a bike manufacturer and they answer it with a second front contact surface?? This could be where it starts in the creation of a new class or segment of bikes that offers some unique riding experiences sitting on top of and not inside of the mode of transport. I love the idea if you haven’t guessed. I would never give up my HD Road Glide or my GS1250R Adventure. EVER!! But this I think is something that will be added to the stable simply because it appears to be an impressive technological addition to the riding experience. Bought the Can Am but sold it. Cool, but not my thing to not be able to lean. Chris Moss telling me the front bite impressed HIM like that being is he is one of the most critical detail slasher out there?? I want one, lol. EXCELLENT conversation. Made me feel like I was sitting right there with you two but was eating the entire time and didn’t say anything. Not like my big ass mouth would be closed if I WAS in fact sitting there, lol. Very nice job on this one. Chris is the man. 👍🏻😎👍🏻
One thing that I found impossible to get my head around when I sat on it was the fact that you can’t see the forks or front wheels, you can only see bodywork and dash, I know that it doesn’t effect the way it performs but it’s one of those weird mind tricks where normally you can just look through the dash area and see the suspension under you
to be fair i would like to strap my camping gear to this for a few days just to see how it handles and feels , if they did an adventure version that would be interesting :)
When the Niken first came out I was impressed with the technology and style. Yamaha was testing the limits then and more so now with their 4 wheel, 500cc bike that was recently shown at a bike show. They are redefining a motorcycle. As for the Niken, I thought it was placed in the wrong category.....it should be slightly revamped and made an ADV bike. Give it a few more inches clearance and some off road tires and it could handle all the other ADVs handle. The front end would not wash out on wet and muddy areas as easily, it has cruise control, the engine would handle sections of long highway rides at highway speeds
You mentioned that it was selling well in the US, I have yet to see one, either in a dealership or on the road. I live in Florida and would love to see one and test ride one. But, according to the local dealers, you have to buy one before you can see one. Stupid plan if you ask me. Looks great..... very curious about the beastie.
So true John, they lost the plot with the Niken, I bought the Tracer 700 waiting for the T7 to arrive then the Tracer 900 GT after all the delays. Now I will stay with the Tracer.
This bike has 1 major issue. If you’re shopping for a bike (& most people would only have 1 bike) then this won’t be top of the pile. To pick this means _not picking_ an R1, or a KTM duke, or a GS, or a Fireblade, or something from Triumph etc etc etc.
All yamaha has to do is have a track day with the Nikens and a few sporty 2-wheelers and compare lap times, being that they keep bragging about the front end grip.
I live the nikken. Its my dream coming closer to fruition. 1300cc lay down speed cycles Going through turns faster and harder because the center of mass is lower and more balanced. As well as the front getting double the traction.
Fundamentally I buy a bike with my heart first and then with my head. If it does nothing for me visually then there's no point in going any further and having a test ride. But if you have no aesthetic sensibility and are completely about function over form then this could be great for those people.
I don't know how it rides, but the front end looks way too busy for my taste. I'm surprised at the way it appears to handle, I wouldn't have thought you could get a knee down on the thing. I guess I'm just too old school, two tires is enough for me.
This video is just part of the series. Try this: www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocial/reviews/bikes/long-term-test-bikes/yamaha-long-term-test-bikes/yamaha-niken-long-term-review-final-report
I bought a new GT three months ago and love that it's radically different and a dream to ride. It also gets a lot of attention with people coming up to me to chat and taking pictures of it - all positive to date.
Great vid, very entertaining, interesting & thorough. Sticking Rossi & some carbon bits on it isn't the answer for me. I get the point, but it's not that type of bike. It seems like it's selling point could be the ultimate all weather mega tourer but I think Yamaha have missed a trick on the design. It needs a 25-30 litre tank, a proper adjustable screen & better brakes. With the size of the front end they could incorporate all of these features without any real increased disadvantages. I just don't think you can cut corners on a bike like this because of the skepticism it will no doubt face. I think it has to be great & offer something more than unique looks, novelity & front end grip to win people over. For me it should be marketed as it's big & looks like this because it can do X,Y,Z that other tourers can't. If you said it can do 300 miles on a tank in real comfort with a big payload & it's really hard to crash, what's not to like. It's about marketing & perception. Personally I wouldn't write it off but it currently seems to be the answer to a question nobody asked. For me it needs to do something different, almost special, because it's different, & Yamaha need to update it & shout about it if they want to sell it.
I bought a GT last year and my mates are not happy….maybe one or two of the other dwarves, but definitely not happy. Mainly because the cornering capability of the Niken is astounding. And 200kph + is more than enough (considering the speed limits locally) 100% right on needing a better rear tyre (OE squirms all over the place under hard braking into corners) - sorted with a Michelin RP 6, and that glorious engine. I thought it was ‘weird’ when I first saw it and then took one for a test ride - then bought one. QED. Previous bike was a CBR, and although I miss the inline 4 ‘shriek/wail’ when tortured near red line, the sheer character on the CP3 and cornering capability has ensured that I have never regretted buying the Niken. And the burbling pop overrun is addictive. Did I mention ‘outriding’ my mates? (And some of them are better riders than me) Haa! Love this bike, character, very ‘different’ and capability. Absolute slam dunk, Yamaha.
It was so great to be sitting at the table with you guys and listening to you discuss the bike and your experiences with it. At the end though, I was afraid that Chris wasn't going to get his second sandwich :-). great video and thanks for sharing.
I bought one without a test ride based on the reviews, especially the Bennetts review with a bunch of riders at a track somewhere and haven't regretted it. I fit the mentioned profile of "anxious in the wet" and the Niken goes a long way to reducing anxiety. Keep the posts coming.
@Max Pain just like a Porsche. I like Porsche. It still has behaviour that sometimes catches even experienced racing drivers. Look up how Paul Walker died... Doesn't make Porsches or the Niken a bad thing, but it's a characteristic you need to be aware of.
Great video! I agree with you about the Niken, and it's hard to describe, but you did better than I did after my 30 minute demo ride a few weeks ago. My first comment to the leader of our group afterwards was, that ride wasn't long enough and didn't have enough curves! One thing that added to my initial unease was that I was on my tip toes at a stop (damn 29 inch inseam!). In the end I felt much more at ease with the tall seat, because of the extra wheel. I would sooner spend $17,000 on a Niken GT than a bigger, more powerful standard or sport touring bike. I happen to love the look and sound of the Niken. My biggest gripe was excessive buzz from the engine that had my hands numb in 20 minutes! I've also ridden 2 different Zero electric motorcycles and enjoyed them much more than I thought. Didn't get to take it into much traffic, but one draw back was the thing was too quiet. I surprised one or two drivers! The weight, acceleration and braking were very good. Suspension was a bit stiff, even with my 260 lbs on it. Still both the electric bike and Niken are very appealing, if unusual versions of the motorcycle. What a time to be alive!! People really do need to demo these bikes before passing judgement.
The only thing ugly about it is the sea of matte-black powder-coated shit. Paint it in a nice retro red and white, with all the ancillaries colour-coded accordingly, and it would be stunning.
I’ll admit to being sceptical, but two things have made me consider one. This video. And watching them in use by marshals on the Giro d’italia this year. The confidence they showed descending mountain passes, in the rain when trying to keep up with pro cyclists was impressive. Thanks for the review guys 👍
I admire Mossys thoughts on this. Especially when he said lets go back to drum brakes. Trouble is, people don't like change. I like them, its different and unique. What will the reaction be like when its all electric??
Riden it twice as i was very close to owning one and its a good bike and your right, you can utterly take the piss in the corners. For me not buying one it came down to the same reasons as many other bikes. I thought the build quality was a little on the shakey side, im a tall guy and it felt like i was leaning back on my spine when i was riding it... and honestly i dont like the engine, but im told im pretty much the only person on earth who doesnt like the cp3 lol.
I don't know, I look at this ugly ass thing and I just go MEH... It's not that I hate it, I don't. But I don't like it, either. I do appreciate the engineering that went into it. And I can appreciate the fact that it will provide a tad more grip, which would come in handy in adverse conditions no doubt. I owned a Spyder, so I know a little bit about 3-wheeled vehicles. But as much as I liked that Spyder, in the end it just didn't do it for me and I got rid of it. Do I think that this machine is a step up from the Spyder? Yes, I do. I will say that I thought the Spyder was better looking than this toad. But I understand that looks are very subjective, also. It may not do it for me, but I'm sure there are many others that love the look. The triple engine is good, but I would like to see a bigger triple that was built for this machine in there. I own a triple, so I can attest to how good they are. But mine is a 1215cc, and it rocks. This one is good, but pushing all that extra weight around is going to undermine the experience. But then a bigger engine might overwhelm the platform, so perhaps the 847 is appropriate. To be a decent touring machine it should have a bigger fuel tank. And I have heard that the brakes aren't very good. Mr. Moss has as much as said so. I look at that front end with those scooter tires and I just cringe. And I think of all that extra maintenance (read $$) that front will demand. So... In summary, it's an interesting machine to be sure. I don't hate it; in fact I don't even dislike it. But I don't like it either. And I sure as hell won't spend 18 grand on a machine that I don't like. So I'm not even going to try it. It's not worth my time. I'll keep my proper motorcycle, thank you.
Holy sh... This man is just brilliant! What an interesting, funny and 'educational' talk with him. And I'm interested in that bike too. I will rent it for a weekend soon. Just to give it a try.
First of all I'm a "76" also 👍 Now that it's been a year, did you rent or try one yet?? I really like the idea of the thing but I've only been riding for 6 months and don't have enough experience to know better... Let me know what you think kind sir 🙈🙉🙊
I'm slowly but surely being swayed towards giving the Niken a test ride; I've watched a lot of video reviews and read a lot of written reviews and every reviewer has been amazed by the bike's abilities. Most have some reservations as well but these are generally about the look of the beast and I quite like 'different' or the tank range or the slightly more awkward filtering due to weight and width. My situation is that I'm living abroad but plan to return to the UK in early 2023 and just hope the Niken is still in production as my concern would be buying one only to find that service support starts to wither away. Mind you, if it is seen as a dud and Yamaha stop production, there should be a few bargains tucked away in dealers' rear yards. Thank you for yet another very insightful and balanced review and great to have Chris Moss on with you. Much appreciated even if it has taken me a couple of years to catch up!
I’m genuinely surprised and a bit saddened that it won’t stand up stationary without the stand. It appeals to me in so many ways, but I’m a bit short in the leg and I loved the thought of pulling up to lights or a jcn and keeping both feet on the legs.
Check out the revised Niken coming in 2023. 890 CC, slightly different engine angle/revised chassis, larger radiator, YCC-T (drive by wire), TFT display, and on point with your comment - revised seat and padding for easier reach to the ground. The different side panniers look cool too. The Niken GT appeals to me too. It's becoming an obsession. All the best.
It might be a very capable, fun, eye opening bike, but the first thing I look for in a bike is looks. Shallow, but I need pride of ownership, to enjoy cleaning it, to look at in the sun it while having chips at the coast. That last look after putting it in the garage. The nikkon, I'm afraid, is ugly, first and foremost. I don't particularly like the looks of the MT series because they look messy but the bodywork and stance of this I could never love no matter how good it was 😕
People hate on this bike because it's not 2 wheels. They've never rode it because it's expensive and not available in all markets but they just know they hate it because they are all motogp riders who will make Marquez look like your daily typical squid. These are also the same people that think TCS and ABS are absolutely unncessary shit that manufactuerers throw on to jack up the prices of bikes. With proper technique(again theyir riding skills far exceed those of motogp riders) you don't need ANY of that shit. They never account for the sudden change in road surface or the sudden moron who decides to pull out in front of you. Or any other emergency situations where this bike(and all the TCS/ABS systems) will most likely save their asses from falling or dying because they are riding gods.
Great video. Right up to the MT10 engined comment. I'm one of them. I want a faster bike. As mentioned. Its a heavy bike. No i've not ridden it. However, more power, sexier styling. I'd have one. I really like it. @bennettsbike
People dont hate the bike. They hate the idea of the bike. Most who hate it dont even know how it works. Those who have ridden it however have found it's a really great machine, and it's nothing like most people think it is. It really feels like a 2 wheel bike. You cant even tell the difference other than the front is wider and weighs more. It rides and handles just like a 2 wheel bike. It requires a kickstand. It's not a spider.
I think it looks futuristic, would I get one probably not, but I wouldn’t take the piss out of someone who had one. but then a lot of motorcyclists who ride in a certain group ie, adventure riders or Harley riders, don’t seem to want to even acknowledge other groups of motorcyclists, we are a strange bunch. I like mossy and his straight talking, a good review btw.
it just looks so fucking stupid is why I can never ever buy it. you admitted it yourself, it looks like a mobility scooter. liking the way something looks is JUST as important if not more important to some.
The first thing that crossed my mind the first time I saw a Niken (apart from, WOW!) was Yamaha's other sport touring experiment, the GTS1000, with its forkless hubcentric steering. It really was quite revolutionary as it alleviated suspension compromises with steering under braking and acceleration. Unfortunately, it was deemed to be too expensive to mass produce so it was scrapped. Also unfortunately, I feel as though the same will eventually happen to the Niken.
I also thought about the GTS1000. James Parker, who designed the front end of the GTS1000 said in multiple interviews that Yamaha built the front end stronger than it needed to be and therefore it was heavier than it needed to be. It therefore became too heavy and the GTS1000 ended up being a heavy GT/sports tourer. BMW did a better job with Telelever in mass-producing a 'new' front suspension design, mainly because it 'looked' like a traditional suspension system and BMW could price in the cost of that new suspension into the bike because BMW owners were willing to pay for the technology.
I admire Yamaha for often pushing the boundaries. The same conservatism in the market killed the Yamaha GTS1000 and any front end that doesn't at least look like forks.
I took a shot of one last year and was really impressed but the confidence it instilled. I like to try one around the NC500 or touring through Europe. But would I own one as my only bike ????? No.
Some people like bobbers, others like baggers, some people like suoer bikes, others like nakeds. The problem with the niken is that it doesn't fit alot of peoples taste in bikes.
Motorcyclists are some of the most conservative people that I know. If a bike doesn’t fit a certain look or expectation then they will just hate on it. Stupid really.
Makes me laugh all the riders who slag it off on how it looks. when you ask them "Have you ridden one", 90% of the time you get a no. They're happy to stand and bitch about it but won't open their minds enough to ride it. I've about 9 hours total ride time on the Nikken and i love it.
it is a fascinating idea. The thing I still want to know is why? Your comments here emphasise this. You agree that you only feel the benefits if you ride like a nutter as it gives you fair warning before it lets go. Is that a sound basis bike for building a production motorbike?
As I get older and want to keep riding into my 60, 70s I think is style is an awesome idea. Sporty but safe. Even if they take this to full touring bikes.
