The big-block three-wheeler launches in
New Zealand this month, priced at $23,999,
which is roughly $9500 more than some
Kiwi retailers are charging for the MT-09
that donated the powertrain. The extra
dollars do buy quite a lot more: extra
fork tubes, multiple alloy Ackermann
suspension links, alloy tie-rods to tie the
steering yokes to the handlebars, the
secret s irrel st ff that eeps the t in
15-inch front wheels tracking a path that
strictly maintains their distance apart
(410mm), an extra 120/70 front tyre and
wheel, a lower, longer seat than the MT-09,
+o
Powe!ul triple motor; front end grip
for days; very capable in the wet
Increased costs; heavy; not good if
you don’t like a"ention
and an extended alloy rear swingarm.
All that extra hardware adds 60kg of
mass, and Yamaha arranged the Niken so
there is perfect 50:50 front-to-rear weight
distribution once the rider is aboard. That
was mostly achieved by moving the rider
backwards by 50mm when compared with
the MT-09 (hence the tie-rods between the
handlebars and the headstock).
he payoff is a
per cent increase in
front tyre grip according to Yamaha, and
stopping distances are reduced by 20 per
cent thanks to the doubling of the amount
of rubber reaching the road up front.