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It’s Trike Jim, but not as we know it!
The Yamaha TricityWell after over 30 years as a biker I have finally ridden a trike, but one with a twist: The twin wheels are at the front, not the back. This is not a traditional trike, fitted with a huge engine, a conventional front end and a back axle from a rusty old Jag. Nope this is a 125cc twist and go scooter! Yamaha are touting as a super stable and super easy to ride commuter machine. The Piaggio MP3 got here first with this layout a few years and they have sold well on the continent. However in the UK the concept has not gained a huge following. The big difference here is that Yamaha Tricity does not stand up on its own whereas the Piaggio will. Apparently this means you can ride it on a CBT, which you can’t on the Piaggio.
Different approaches to the same problem
Two very different approaches to the 125 commuter bike
I deliberately rode my conventional Suzuki 125 to the dealer to pick the demo bike. I thought it would make for an interesting comparison and so it proved. I rode the Yamaha for about an hour covering about 30 miles on a mix of urban and country roads. Once under way you forgot the twin wheels layout and just rode the thing. It was fine and could just about be persuaded to crack 60 mph. The moped was very secure when cornering and extremely stable at low speed. This where the twin front wheels really come into play.
The clever bit at the front that moves the twin front wheels in unison and blesses the bike with superb low speed stabilityThe bike is inoffensive and for local running it is comfortable and easy to use. But here is the nub…It is £3500 to buy…that is pretty expensive when consider you can pick up a conventional twist and go 125 moped for around the £2000 mark new. The extra stability at slow speed just isn’t worth the premium to my mind, and I was glad to get back on board my little Suzuki for the short ride home. Interesting experience though….
Thanks to Kidderminster Motorcycle mart for the use of the demo bike
The Piaggio alternative (I have only ridden the 500):
Good write up as usual.
Is Tarzan doing their sign writing. “Me test”
To me it looks like a solution in search of a problem.
To me it looks like a solution in search of a problem.
I think you maybe right, but it was VERY stable at slow speed which would be good for beginners
It seems that Yamaha are building on the three wheeled concept..check out the ‘Niken’….very radical looking bike
More details here:
https://www.yamaha-motor.eu/uk/products/motorcycles/niken/niken.aspx#gallery=image|image=/uk/binary/2018_YAM_MXT850_EU_DNMG_ACT_001_03_gal_worlds_full_tcm230-719884.jpg
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