"Interesting" concept motorcycle.

Imagine the stoppies you could do with this otherwise ugly, pointless hunk of garbage.
 
Weird. Guess it'd be interesting corning.
 
What is the point? Similiar concepts have been tried but none have gotten past the prototype phase as far as I know.
 
Can you remove the extra front wheel ,when you learn how to ride?
 
Only thing I can imagine, is that Can-Am and other trikes were selling enough units that Yamaha wanted something to compete. Being able to actually lean into a corner may be a decent selling point against those who were considering a trike/Spyder.
 
Hmmm... I think Yamaha ripped off the design from Piaggio and their MP3.

With twice the contact patch on the front end, it seems that having the front end wash out during cornering is unlikely. Though i can foresee a lot more "high sides" (rider goes over the top of the bike) as the rear end comes around with power application and then suddenly grips.
 
rtk11 said:
Hmmm... I think Yamaha ripped off the design from Piaggio and their MP3.

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Or licensed it. We saw a ton of MP3s when we lived in Italy.

The angle of the pic probably makes it look taller than it is. I always thought the MP3 looked pretty damn gangly, but the cantilever steering worked out pretty good for Piaggio in a 500cc European version.
 
ktup-flyer said:
My first thought was old people. All the non-millennials around here ride Spyders, Harley’s, and Goldwings. I don’t get the point.
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To have fun on a motorcycle and feeling the wind on your face? Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about owning most Harleys or Goldwings, but they have a market. If I was riding 1,000 highway miles in a weekend (or even in a week), the Goldwing is hard to beat for being smooth on the road, comfortable for hours, and versatile as a grand touring bike. Good for a spirited run through the hills? Eh, I'll likely pass. The Spyder serves a great niche: people who don't ride enough to be proficient or who don't have the strength to center a 650lbs+ bike, and people who like the idea of motorcycle riding, but fear the idea of only being on two wheels. I say, whatever gets people out and enjoying the sport of motorbiking is fine with me. Some guys only ride Harleys, some guys think a crotch rocket is the only way to go. Different strokes for different folks.

As for me, I wish Yamaha would just update the appearance and fuel tank size of the VMax and I'd be fine.
 
rtk11 said:
With twice the contact patch on the front end, it seems that having the front end wash out during cornering is unlikely. Though i can foresee a lot more "high sides" (rider goes over the top of the bike) as the rear end comes around with power application and then suddenly grips.
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This. The advantage I see is being able to charge the front end HARD, and not worry about pushing it. It can be hard to save a front end slide; with this, you'd always (?) save it, you just might not make the corner as intended.

This would allow for superman-level riding of pushing the front, without the worry of losing it from doing so.

Now, having said that, I don't know if it's worth it either. I was thinking about ice racing with it. You'd have zero fear of pushing the front, and who cares if the back comes out? The question remains; "Is it worth it" though, with the added weight and friction...
 
SoonerAviator said:
To have fun on a motorcycle and feeling the wind on your face? Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less about owning most Harleys or Goldwings, but they have a market. If I was riding 1,000 highway miles in a weekend (or even in a week), the Goldwing is hard to beat for being smooth on the road, comfortable for hours, and versatile as a grand touring bike. Good for a spirited run through the hills? Eh, I'll likely pass. The Spyder serves a great niche: people who don't ride enough to be proficient or who don't have the strength to center a 650lbs+ bike, and people who like the idea of motorcycle riding, but fear the idea of only being on two wheels. I say, whatever gets people out and enjoying the sport of motorbiking is fine with me. Some guys only ride Harleys, some guys think a crotch rocket is the only way to go. Different strokes for different folks.

As for me, I wish Yamaha would just update the appearance and fuel tank size of the VMax and I'd be fine.
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My intro to 2 wheels was motocross when I was 6 or 7, so maybe I'm different from your typical rider, idk. A Superduke/FZ-09/Supermoto is more my style, maybe a VMax/Diavel if I'm going to be on the highway a lot. I think it's just the sound and nostalgia for the Harley dudes. I'd for sure take a Spyder over a Harley/Goldwing trike any day if I didn't have any other options. The corners are most of the fun for me, and it doesn't look like you're going to be dragging any knees on this thing.
 
Not a big fan myself. I like that motorcycles are single track vehicles. I doubt this would be good for lane splitting in CA.
 
Feh. Yeah, they design scooters like this, and that's fine. I see them around. Scooters are supposed to be slow. Sportbikes are supposed to be fast, which is why they have big powerful engines on lightweight chassis. So ask yourself which weighs more, an extra wheel and forks, or a kickstand.
 
steingar said:
Feh. Yeah, they design scooters like this, and that's fine. I see them around.
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Piaggio builds 3 wheeled scooters (MP3).

piaggio-mp3-430-0208.jpg


And they build 3 winged airplanes (P180)

300px-Piaggio_P-180_Avanti_Rennes_2010_%28cropped%29.jpg


I wonder whether they ever considered building a trimaran?
 
I can't seem to copy/paste the photo of that scooter. It is just Fugly, IMHO. Evidently too Fugly to copy/paste!

-Skip
 
The spyder trike is scary to ride if you are a motorcycle rider; they steer "backwards", like a snowmobile. You turn the front end the direction you want to go. On a motorcycle, you point the front end away from the direction you want to go.

I test rode a Spyder, and was fine for a while... then I reverted to automatic behavior, and almost steered off the road.

It was fun, but if you ride a motorcycle, not a natural-steering vehicle. If you ride a snowmobile, I think it would be fine.
 
StevieTimes said:
The spyder trike is scary to ride if you are a motorcycle rider; they steer "backwards"
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OH. MY. GOD.

A friend wanted me to try a Spyder, so I took it up a section of the blue ridge parkway. First corner I got to I nearly shat my pants! I push left to go left and the thing heads for the right side ditch. No bueno! It took almost every ounce of brianpower I had to get that thing back to him in one piece. After 30 years and > 500kmi on two wheels, countersteering is just far too ingrained.

They'll be fine for folks who are used to cars, snowmobiles, PWCs, etc., but downright dangerous for a motorcyclist. If I ever get to the point where I can't be on two wheels, I'll be looking for a nice Miata or similar.
 
I'm interested in the geometry of the thing.

It seems like it would be lean-limited not by tire grip or hard parts of the frame (like a normal motorcycle), but by the amount of suspension available. Lean far enough, and the inside suspension will bottom out. I've bottomed out a normal motorcycle fork in a turn before, and the instant loss of traction wasn't pretty as I came off and it cartwheeled into the infield. So how this works when the one side bottoms out is something to consider. Loss of traction on the inside tire means more load on the outside tire, which is not on the centerline of the bike - force vectors would be interesting.

However, generally the increased contact patch should be an advantage to traction.

Also, we've now doubled the unsprung weight on the front end. Handling would probably be heavier.

What if both sets of shocks aren't set up identically and have a little different preload/damping/etc.?

Actually, along that line,if the shocks are set up with progressive spring and damping rates (I thought that was pretty standard), then each side being compressed a different amount would cause the outside shock to be effectively softer than the inside one, resulting in more compression on the outside shock for a given bump. Not sure what effect that would have.

My head hurts.
 
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RussR said:
I'm interested in the geometry of the thing.

It seems like it would be lean-limited not by tire grip or hard parts of the frame (like a normal motorcycle), but by the amount of suspension available. Lean far enough, and the inside suspension will bottom out. I've bottomed out a normal motorcycle fork in a turn before, and the instant loss of traction wasn't pretty as I came off and it cartwheeled into the infield. So how this works when the one side bottoms out is something to consider. Loss of traction on the inside tire means more load on the outside tire, which is not on the centerline of the bike - force vectors would be interesting.

However, generally the increased contact patch should be an advantage to traction.

Also, we've now doubled the unsprung weight on the front end. Handling would probably be heavier.

What if both sets of shocks aren't set up identically and have a little different preload/damping/etc.?

Actually, along that line,if the shocks are set up with progressive spring and damping rates (I thought that was pretty standard), then each side being compressed a different amount would cause the outside shock to be effectively softer than the inside one, resulting in more compression on the outside shock for a given bump. Not sure what effect that would have.

My head hurts.
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Yeah. It is a head scratcher trying to figure out what would happen when you did this instead of that. First thing that went through my head is losing the rear end if you rode too hard accelerating out of a turn. I wonder if it has somekind of 'traction control' system. Didnt BMW experiment with that?
 
luvflyin said:
Yeah. It is a head scratcher trying to figure out what would happen when you did this instead of that. First thing that went through my head is losing the rear end if you rode too hard accelerating out of a turn. I wonder if it has somekind of 'traction control' system. Didnt BMW experiment with that?
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Almost all of the major bike manufacturers have a TCS available on a lot of their bikes. BMW was probably one the first to make it so widely adopted across their lineup.
 
luvflyin said:
Didnt BMW experiment with that?
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Many bikes now have active traction control and ABS, and some bikes now have "cornering" ABS. Full stability control is not far behind. TC isn't that big of a thing for me, but I'm a firm believer in ABS for motorcycles.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Whywhywhywhy.
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Their site gives 8 reasons, which seem to translate to "I'm scared -- can you sell me a bike that won't fall over and kill me?"

https://global.yamaha-motor.com/about/technology/chassis_hulls/005/

What Are Eight Benefits of the LMW Mechanism? Yamaha LMW vehicles are intended to let more people than ever enjoy the fun unique to riding a motorcycle. Here is a brief look at the benefits they offer in different types of riding conditions.

Going over uneven surfaces
The independent suspensions for the two front wheels and the LMW mechanism function together, so that they work to absorb changes in the level of the road surface or shocks from the road.

Riding on cobblestones or rough roads
The independent suspensions for the two front wheels and the LMW mechanism function together, so that they work to absorb the shocks of cobblestone streets or rougher road surfaces well, thus providing a comfortable ride.

Riding over wet manhole covers, cobblestones, tram rails or sandy road surfaces
Even on slippery surfaces, if one of the LMW vehicle’s two front wheels (right or left) loses grip, as long as the other wheel maintains grip, the risk of a fall due to front-wheel slippage is reduced.

Cruising
An LMW vehicle provides light, agile and sporty handling, creating a confidence-inspired feeling of stability from the vehicle’s performance for a whole new kind of riding enjoyment.

Cornering
Yamaha’s unique LMW mechanism enables the two front wheels to lean in unison with the chassis and follow contour changes in the road surface well, creating a clear feeling of stability. When turning or cornering even on slippery surfaces, if one of the LMW vehicle’s two front wheels (inner or outer) loses grip, as long as the other wheel maintains grip, the risk of a fall due to front-wheel slippage is reduced.

Braking
Even during straight-line hard braking, the front wheels on an LMW vehicle are difficult to lock up, thus reducing the risk of a fall due to front-wheel lock up. The two front wheels on an LMW vehicle provide excellent grip and can thus deliver stronger braking force.

In crosswinds
Even in sudden crosswinds, an LMW vehicle has little machine fluctuation because there are two front wheels, thus bringing the rider a clear feeling of stability.

Running at slow speeds
Because there are two front wheels, there is little machine fluctuation and a clear feeling of stability when riding at low speeds.​
 
Zeldman said:
So millennials can say they ride a big boy bike now.....
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They can't claim that anyway cuz this ain't no big boy bike, it's a trikey. :)

We have plenty of trikes already, this is just a new fad to increase sales. I'll stick to two wheels, they're cooler. :)
 
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Three wheels only make sense if they are holding up two wings.
 
BigBadLou said:
We have plenty of trikes already, this is just a new fad to increase sales. I'll stick to two wheels, they're cooler. :)
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Ok, how about a Harley Davidson with 4 engines on a trailer being pulled by a car with 2 engines and 4 blowers..???

 
Zeldman said:
Ok, how about a Harley Davidson with 4 engines on a trailer being pulled by a car with 2 engines and 4 blowers..???

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I think it telling that neither of those "vehicles" are shown moving under their own power...
 
2 Wheels=motorcycle and motorcycle license. 3 wheels no need for extra training, test or license. Ask Governor Arnold who wrecked his motorcycle with a sidecar. No motorcycle license and no need for one (3 wheels).
 
cgrab said:
2 Wheels=motorcycle and motorcycle license. 3 wheels no need for extra training, test or license. Ask Governor Arnold who wrecked his motorcycle with a sidecar. No motorcycle license and no need for one (3 wheels).
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The main debate is regarding legal interpretation of what it requires for safety and training. Autos have to have ABS/airbags/TPMS/rear-view cameras/crash crumple zones/etc. due to government mandate. Motorcycles are exempt, which is why there's debate about the grey-area between 2-wheel and 3-wheel variants like trikes, Spyders, Slingshot, et. al.
 
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