Three-wheeled scooters aren't uncommon in big cities these days, but Yamaha has built the very first 'proper' motorbike with three wheels - and it looks absolutely crazy

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And now for something completely different. If you like the idea of a motorbike but would it a bit more… mental, then you’ve come to the right place with the Yamaha Niken. Revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show, this unbelievable lunatic’s wet dream of a Bat-bike takes the big-fun MT-09 as its base, but features a bizarre twin-wheel setup that mirrors those we’ve already seen on smaller, maxi-scooter-based machines.

Each 15-inch front wheel has its own twin suspension setup, with two upside-down springs on the outer edge of each wheel. A linkage between the two lets the bike lean; not quite as far as a regular MT-09 will, but far enough to be fun, in theory. It gives you twice the front-end tyre contact patch, too, and less chance of falling off in bad weather. This is no shed-built banger, with fully-adjustable suspension, traction control, switchable riding modes and a reliable, punchy 900cc three-pot engine. We don’t know whether it’s in the same state of tune as it is in the 113bhp MT-09, but we’d guess it might be detuned for a little more low-down torque.