YAMAHA NIKEN

[JonnyF]

47 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Interesting how many people talk bad about something without having any clue what they are talking about.

Can't lane split? Every bigger adventure bike is wider than the Niken, for example the Tenere 700, Africa Twin, and so on. If you can't lane split on these bikes I recommend you to get a Honda Click, this might be better suited for you.

 

I saw a Thai review about the Niken, they said that Yamaha is only bringing ten bikes to Thailand. Before thinking further about it you might want to inquire if you could still buy it or it's already sold out.

Nobody is talking bad, just giving opinions so Chill, Winston.????

 

Try lane splitting down lower Sukhumvit on one in rush hour and you'll see what I mean. Even my MT09 is noticeably worse than my other bikes due to the wide bars. Add another front wheel and even wider bars and you wouldn't be getting through normal sized gaps, and getting between the front bumper and rear bumper of 2 cars would be a serious issue. 

 

Plus you're paying an extra 300,000 Baht (thanks, Moose) for that additional wheel/fork. And if they're only bringing 10 in then I'd imagine spares for that front end are going to be sparse and costly.

 

I just don't see the benefit over a conventional motorbike. For 699,000 you could get something like a Thruxton R and still have enough money left over for a Tuk Tuk to satisfy that craving for 3 wheels ????.

[XB12X]

11 hours ago, canthai55 said:

FUGLY

Overly complex for very little gain, tire price doubled, can't lane split ...

Why would you want one ?

Want to ride a bike - buy a bike

Want a overpriced, overweight, complex, BUTT UGLY whatever ... fill your boots

Very little gain: far more grip at the front end.

Tyre price doubled: not necessarily. Load is split over two tyres, so possibly they'll last longer. maybe not, though.

Can't lane-split: yes you can. I'd be in the far north anyway, so not really an issue.

Why would you want one? Because I do.

Want to ride a bike - buy a bike: I have done for the past 250,000 miles.

[papa al]

Maybe better to inquire at Yamaha

that to a bunch of arm-chair, 

keyboard warriors. 

But, up to you.

[Don Mega]

1 minute ago, papa al said:

Maybe better to inquire at Yamaha

that to a bunch of arm-chair, 

keyboard warriors. 

But, up to you.

Considering the OP asked if anyone  here has purchased one how does "inquire at Yamaha" answer the OP's question... or do your seriously think Yamaha will divulge the details of customers that have purchased them ?

[XB12X]

4 hours ago, jackdd said:

Interesting how many people talk bad about something without having any clue what they are talking about.

Can't lane split? Every bigger adventure bike is wider than the Niken, for example the Tenere 700, Africa Twin, and so on. If you can't lane split on these bikes I recommend you to get a Honda Click, this might be better suited for you.

 

I saw a Thai review about the Niken, they said that Yamaha is only bringing ten bikes to Thailand. Before thinking further about it you might want to inquire if you could still buy it or it's already sold out.

Only 10, eh. Thanks for your help.

[papa al]

1 hour ago, Don Mega said:

Considering the OP asked if anyone  here has purchased one how does "inquire at Yamaha" answer the OP's question... or do your seriously think Yamaha will divulge the details of customers that have purchased them ?

No, no serious thinking going on here bro.

But Yam could maybe tell him

if they are available in Thailand.

Or not.

????

[OneMoreFarang]

8 hours ago, jackdd said:

Interesting how many people talk bad about something without having any clue what they are talking about.

Can't lane split? Every bigger adventure bike is wider than the Niken, for example the Tenere 700, Africa Twin, and so on. If you can't lane split on these bikes I recommend you to get a Honda Click, this might be better suited for you.

 

I saw a Thai review about the Niken, they said that Yamaha is only bringing ten bikes to Thailand. Before thinking further about it you might want to inquire if you could still buy it or it's already sold out.

Some people pretend they can lane split with any bike.

I guess the problem is the size of that lane. Because some bikes fit and others don't.

I have a Raider 150 and a Duke 390. They are both not wide and both handle well. But in Friday afternoon traffic the little Raider is a lot faster through the traffic than the Duke.

 

Now do I or anybody else have to try the Niken to verify that lane splitting problem? It's obvious!

And there is even a YouTube video about it - with a guy who claims it allows lane splitting... 

 

 

[XB12X]

There are also videos that show clearly that you can lane split on a Niken. It is no wider than any adventure bike. But obviously a little Raider would be better at it. I bet that Raider is a blast around the city.

[Don Mega]

22 minutes ago, XB12X said:

There are also videos that show clearly that you can lane split on a Niken. It is no wider than any adventure bike. But obviously a little Raider would be better at it. I bet that Raider is a blast around the city.

Dunno how wide an adventure bike is but this girls bike is near on 900mm wide... thats a lot of girth to be lane splitting with !!

 

Edited August 6, 2020 by Don Mega

[XB12X]

The handlebars are always the widest part. Obviously it won't lane-split like a a Yamaha Aerox, but it'll be just as good as a Yamaha Super Tenere. Anyway, there isn't much lane slitting to do in Chiang Rai.

 

Some girl if that's a girls' bike. Are your tastes the girthsome kind? 

[canthai55]

There is always one ...

Tricity - "This will be the next best scooter EVER ..."

How many do you see ... not many. Why - a solution looking for a problem.

Same as this Niken - 10 in the country.

263kg - 70 more than the MT09 it is shares an engine with. Weight is NEVER a good thing on a bike.

But if you want one go buy one. Be the first one on your block. Stand out in a crowd.

 

 

[piston broke]

11 hours ago, canthai55 said:

There is always one ...

Tricity - "This will be the next best scooter EVER ..."

How many do you see ... not many. Why - a solution looking for a problem.

Same as this Niken - 10 in the country.

263kg - 70 more than the MT09 it is shares an engine with. Weight is NEVER a good thing on a bike.

But if you want one go buy one. Be the first one on your block. Stand out in a crowd.

 

 

 

Tri-city was such a poor seller, Yamaha stopped selling it here - Maybe the buying public didn't want a problem solved that never existed in the first place..... ? ?

 

Niken will be pants in the real world, and once the novelty has worn off, you'll be looking at eye watering depretiation when you come to sell it, as Owners of Honda's ill fated NM4 Vultus, found out (thats if they could actually find someone to actually buy the darn thing)....

.

[XB12X]

On the other hand I could still have it in 14 years - I kept an R1100GS that long. Depreciation only matters if you sell too soon.

 

And as for standing out from the crowd, cantahi, I couldn't give a damn. Weight adds stability. The MT / XSR 900 are a bit flighty. 0-60 mph time for the Niken is only half a second slower and there's more shove low down as the crank has been beefed up.

 

I don't suppose I'll find one, though.

[JonnyF]

15 hours ago, XB12X said:

The handlebars are always the widest part. Obviously it won't lane-split like a a Yamaha Aerox, but it'll be just as good as a Yamaha Super Tenere. Anyway, there isn't much lane slitting to do in Chiang Rai.

 

Some girl if that's a girls' bike. Are your tastes the girthsome kind? 

As good at lane splitting as a Super Tenere? I highly doubt that.

 

[richard_smith237]

On 8/5/2020 at 2:31 PM, Don Mega said:

Well you are asking about a girls bike.

 

Girls bike? Sure ?

[richard_smith237]

32 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

As good at lane splitting as a Super Tenere? I highly doubt that.

 

 

I had the 155cc TriCity - It was no wider than the Aerox, lane splitting was no problem although it looked a little wider, the look was somewhat misleading. Obviously it was not as manoeuvrable as a skinny honda wave.

 

The Nikken clearly can’t lane split with ease in Bangkok traffic, but neither can the Tenere. 

I sometimes struggle on a BMW G310GS because the handlebars are an inch too wide on both sides. 

 

 

[Agusts]

It's not just the width of the bike that is the factor in manouverability in traffic, weight, length , size of tires , rake, etc... 

 

But this Niken looks just like something straight out of Transformers movies, I'm just waiting for it to run on and turn into something else... ! ????

 

And did someone mentioned 600+k baht price tag...!? Are you kidding, how many other bikes can you buy for that...! ????

 

Can I pay half and just get one wheel... !? lol ????

 

Okay, enough of silly comments, OP just go and buy it and enjoy it, if you have your heart set on something like that and can afford it, you shouldn't really care about any comments here...

 

Edited August 7, 2020 by Agusts

[2 is 1]

You may considering these!

 

[eisfeld]

2 hours ago, Agusts said:

And did someone mentioned 600+k baht price tag...!? Are you kidding, how many other bikes can you buy for that...!

Half an R-nineT in Thailand ????

[Agusts]

1 minute ago, eisfeld said:

Half an R-nineT in Thailand ????

You need to take that with you to the bedroom every night to protect it I guess...! Car is one thing but a bike could go on the back of a pick up truck in seconds and disappear...

 

I wonder what the insurance is for these bikes... !? Ah, nevermind, you guys can afford it...????????

 

 

[eisfeld]

27 minutes ago, Agusts said:

You need to take that with you to the bedroom every night to protect it I guess...! Car is one thing but a bike could go on the back of a pick up truck in seconds and disappear...

 

I wonder what the insurance is for these bikes... !? Ah, nevermind, you guys can afford it...????????

 

 

I never heard of big bikes getting stolen in Thailand actually. It's always the <deleted>ty small scooters because it's so much easier and no hopes of ever finding it. With something that sticks out it's much much harder. And good luck getting the Niken on a pickup truck in a hurry ????

 

The insurance for an R-nineT seems to be 34k per year from Roojai with a ridicolous 10k excess. Doesn't seem worth it to me.

 

I'd really love to experience the Niken one day. Very interested in how it feels.

[XB12X]

6 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

You may considering these!

 

Funny you should post these pics. I used to have a Reliant 21E van. What's more, after that, I had a Bond Bug. I was very young then, but it must be where I got the 3-wheel bug.

[moose7117]

7 hours ago, Agusts said:

 

And did someone mentioned 600+k baht price tag...!? Are you kidding, how many other bikes can you buy for that...! ????

 

Nothing worth owning.

[XB12X]

13 hours ago, moose7117 said:

Nothing worth owning.

A Yamaha Aerox 155 for running around the city is a good buy.

 

[jackdd]

On 8/7/2020 at 10:41 AM, JonnyF said:

As good at lane splitting as a Super Tenere? I highly doubt that.

 

 

You should scale the pictures in proportion, the Tenere has nearly 10cm wider handle bars:

 

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by jackdd

[OneMoreFarang]

On 8/7/2020 at 11:17 AM, richard_smith237 said:

I sometimes struggle on a BMW G310GS because the handlebars are an inch too wide on both sides. 

My Duke 390 handlebars were also an inch too wide on both sides.

I removed the weights on both sides and changed the mirrors and the problem was solved.

I was surprised how much difference that inch on each side made.