Is a three-wheeled V-Max coming?

Is a three-wheeled Yamaha V-Max coming? Visordown has published patent drawings that seem to indicate as much, although we haven’t seen an actual source for these drawings.

Of course, Yamaha is already in the headlines for its three-wheeled Niken, a leaning three-wheeler that falls very much into love-it-or-loathe-it territory. That machine was powered by the three-cylinder engine from the MT-09 naked bike, and it seems Yamaha is trying that trick again. This three-wheeled take on the V-Max is just a recycling project, with the Niken’s front end grafted on a V-Max platform.

Again, we haven’t seen any official confirmation of this drawing, so it might not be the real thing. And even if it was, that’s no guarantee this concept would see production. However, if it’s a genuine patent drawing, it’s fascinating to think of the possibilities down the road with Yamaha’s leaning three-wheelers. Will we see the front end grafted on an R1? An R6? The sky is the limit …

For now, the V-Max would certainly make sense. While the V-Max is a legendary platform, it’s not known for its handling, and this would be an interesting transmogrification for Yamaha’s classic muscle cruiser. Would handling improve? It’s interesting to speculate. It’s also worth noting the original V-Max’s fans are now probably approaching the age where a three-wheeler is starting to become more attractive. If we really do see aging riders move from two wheels to three, then Yamaha is making a very smart move if the V-Max becomes available in a leaning trike configuration, because the cruiser competition doesn’t have anything like this on the market yet.