I find the Yamaha Niken to be the most intriguing motorcycle (and I use that word loosely) to debut for the 2018 model year. It is probably the model I most look forward to riding this year, from all of those that debuted at this year’s EICMA show (riding the Ducati Panigale V4 S didn’t suck, however).

What Yamaha calls a leaning multi-wheel (LMW) vehicle, this three-wheeler promises more stability than a traditional motorcycle, while still providing the rider the same amount of fun.

Take one look at the Niken though, and you can tell that the Yamaha engineers were quite busy in making it all work as planned. An elegant solution, this is not. But, the Niken is still fascinating from an engineering perspective.

Thankfully, Yamaha has taken the time to explain more clearly just all the technology that has gone into making the Niken lean, steer, and move like a motorcycle…despite having an extra wheel on the front-end.

We can expect more LMWs from Yamaha in the coming years, with a third model already teased by the company’s president. Whether it will be three wheels or four is up for debate, however.

But, one thing is certain, the Japanese brands are looking into ways to redefine the powersports industry, and vehicles like the Niken might be the answer. Time will tell. Until then though, here is some more info on how Yamaha is making the Niken work.

Source: Yamaha USA