Yamaha Niken
End of an era. Final thoughts, lots of memories
It's time for Mossy to say a fond farewell to the three-wheeled Niken.
After 7000 miles and nigh on 16 months, the time has come to record thoughts on my Yamaha Nik.en for the final time. As it always does when any era comes to an end, the occasion has prompted many thoughts and an overall assessment. might be a sad time, but it's been good looking back.
I've lived with several long-term test bikes during my time as a journo. None has come close to giving me some of the experiences the Niken has, though.
My time with the novel three-wheeler has been quite emotional on occasion, and I've very much enjoyed it.
The vast majority of feelings have been really positive, with a few not being quite as pleasant.
SOMETHING YOU CAN RELY ON
Chief virtue of the Yamaha is its real world everyday capability. It's proved to be highly versatile and has always been ready to cope with any journey . Whether that's been just down to Tesco's, or somewhere far more distant matters not, the Niken is always good to go, and guaranteed to do a top job (almost) every time. There are many things to praise it for, but the standout feature is undoubtedly its unique front end. The two -wheeled arrangement gives all the feel of a normal bike, but offers unbelievable grip, ensuring safer rides even on the most slippery roads. It's always put me at ease when I've ridden in foul conditions, and on a few occasions when I've found myself making headway along challenging, unfamiliar routes it's been especially reassuring. As a winter bike it has few rivals.
GREAT TO BE ON IN BAD WEATHER
As well as the extra security , the Niken's weather protection has been a boon. The much taller aftermarket screen gives superb prote ction, reducing neck strain at speed, and keeping me drier and warmer when the weather's less pleasant. It's far better than the standard item, which is way too small to be effective. My bike has been upgraded to GT spec and the panniers, heated grips and centre stand add extra versatility. Those panniers aren't the best, mind you. They're not the most secure, and water does trickle in when the rain's very heavy. I'd still much rather have them than not though, and along with the tank bag, they've certainly helped when I've taken a few of my longer runs away from home.
NOTHING'S PERFECT
The only real gripe I have when I ride the Niken in bad weather is all the muck that gets chucked directl y at my boots. Spend time on a muddy road and you soon look like you've been riding off-road. It's an issue I'd certainly have to look at if the Yamaha was mine. While I'm lamenting things, I can find myself getting frustrated when I'm trying to make progress in heavy urban traffic. The width of the three-wheeler's front end limits progress at times, and though extra anticipation and planning improves things, ultimately you just have to be more patient. I'd also like to get
a little further on a tank of fuel. You can get up to 200 miles if you're careful with throttle use, but 150 is more typical for me. As a fan of bigger fuel ranges I'd prefer the tank to hold around another five litres .
EVERYONE NOTICES, NOT ALL COMMENTS ARE KIND
The biggest thing I'd love to be different though, is something I realise can't ever be changed.
And that's the attitude of some people to the Niken. I've never ridden a bike that attracts as much attention. Just about everyone notices it and reacts to its unusual look. It isn't a bike for
shy and retiring types. But while most are intrigued by the three-wheeler, often wanting to chat and learn more about it whenever I park it for more than a few seconds, there's an anti brigade who I find either irritating or downright annoying, depending on my mood . Given all the dismissive negativity comes from bikers, it's a bit disappointing. Worse still, all the 'That's not a bike','What's the point in that?: or 'That's a special needs bike' type of comments all come from those whdve never ridden a Niken. I really do have to button my lip at times, and as anyone who knows me knows, that's not easy!
IT WAS ALL GOING SOWELL
I certainly got a lot of attention at Silverstone when I crashed the Yamaha. Having already done a trackday at Thruxton, where I marvelled all the more about just how impressive the front end grips, things were going really well at the GP track. I'd actually got to the stage where I could push it hard enough to feel the front two wheels beginning to drift which, believe me, takes a fair bit of doing. But then, after a rain shower I completely misjudged how wet one of the corners was and down I went. It was a reminder there's a grip limit to any bike, even ones you might have previously considered just about uncrashable!
After recently having new front Bridgestone A41 tyres fitted, the Niken's steering is back to its best, feeling super secure and trustworthy once again. That faith has definitely been helped during the time I've had the bike by the fitment of a stickier rear Bridgestone S22 sports tyre, which I've just swapped for another grippy Dunlop SportSmart Mk3. The standard rear A41 can't quite match the adhesion of the front pair, and the softer rubber provides a better balance.
SAYING GOODBYE IS NEVER EASY
It's a great shame I won't be able to spend another summer aboard the Niken as I'd love to add more miles to it. As it is, I'll be doing that on my next long-term test bike, which I'll reveal more of next time. I'm looking forward to my experiences on the two -wheeler, which I expect will offer lots of enjoyment. Though I also anticipate the experiences will feel much more conventional that those on the Niken. Like I said earlier, nothing comes close to some of the emotions the enigmatic three-wheeler generates. I might have ridden hell of a lot of machines, but nothing matches the Niken. What a bike.