Trike

Yamaha has become the latest big name to launch a trike on to the market. As you can read on page 6, the all-new Yamaha Niken is effectively a bike with twin wheels at the front. ‘Niken’ means ‘two swords’ in Japanese – the idea being that you can carve through corners with your twin-blade front end. I have to say the Niken looks like it should be a lot of fun, bringing a true motorbike experience to the trike market: it looks like a bike, sounds like a bike and leans into corners like a bike. And you get on to it like a bike (unlike the step-in, scooter-based Piaggio MP3). Since the distance between the front wheels is only 410mm, you need a bike licence to ride one. While the…

After Yamaha showed a concept trike in 2015 (the MWT-9), the Niken – which means ‘two swords’ – becomes the first production trike from the Japanese brand. Revealed at the recent 2017 Tokyo Motor Show and at EICMA in Milan, it’s based on the popular MT- 09 bike, taking its aggressive design and giving it extra front-end grip. The Niken is designed to lean into corners, like the Piaggio MP3, but unlike the scooter-based step-aboard Piaggio, you straddle the Niken like a motorcycle. It also has the power of a proper bike, using Yamaha’s existing 847cc liquid-cooled in-line triple engine, although the crank and fuel injection have been updated for use in the trike. Also standard are a six-speed transmission with electronic quick-shift and slip-assist clutch. Two 15-inch wheels up front are…

Built on Tamiya’s T3-01 platform, the Dancing Rider has two sections: a front compartment housing the battery and RC equipment, and the rear with the motor and gear casing. Front fork suspension uses an integrated coil spring, while the rear end also houses an adjustable spring. A steering servo allows the entire front section to lean left and right to effect turns, while a support arm can return it to upright if it tips over. The 1/10 scale model is a self-assembly kit and includes an RS-380 motor. It requires a 2.4 GHz R/C system and a Tamiya 55105 LF1100 battery pack. The price is £99.…

We don’t really do mobility scooter type machines in Trike magazine but Toyota’s latest three-wheeled concept does look pretty funky. The i WALK is a “compact mobility vehicle for use in pedestrian areas” and can drive itself if needed, “increasing people’s range of movement,” says Toyota. It has three wheels, a variable wheelbase, can rotate on the spot, is shorter than an average human stride and narrower than your shoulder width. The ability to change its own wheelbase according to vehicle speed increases stability when driving and stopping. The all-electric i WALK can travel for up to 12 miles on a single charge.…

A simple posting on Facebook says: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are sad to announce Weston Customz is now closed. Thank you to all our customers and the magazines who have supported us over the years. The end…” Issues with Maz’s business premises and her worsening health have led her to close the workshop’s doors after more than 40 years in business. Maz built vast numbers of trikes over the years, many of which have been featured in Trike magazine (such as Dee’s Alfa trike, pictured). Her considerable talents, generous spirit and willingness to take on difficult tasks will be sorely missed.…

The Cord Model III has been announced by Cord Automobiles, some 50 years after the last Cord model was produced. The Cord Automobile Company trademark and rights were put up for auction in 2014 and were acquired by Craig Corbell. Two years later at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Corbell announced plans to produce a new-generation Cord but few expected it to be a three-wheeler. “There isn’t a high-end luxury option for three-wheel vehicles,” says Corbell, “and we wanted to capture that with the Cord Model III.” The Model III seats two people side-by-side, and is claimed to “combine classic styling with passenger comfort” as well as being “spacious enough to accommodate people of all shapes and sizes.” It has two front wheels and one rear wheel, which Cord says, “allow it…