It’s that time of year again; the Tokyo Motorcycle Show is just around the corner, and as a result, the Japanese manufacturers are starting to show off their more whacky concepts.
Last week, it was the Honda Bulldog; this week, it’s two Yamaha trike concept machines breaking cover. They’re both leaning three-wheelers, based around Yamaha’s existing Tricity platform.
One of the machines, dubbed the 03GEN-F, seems to be a sportier take on the Tricity, with aggressively sculpted bodywork, similar to what you’d see on a naked bike. The concept model doesn’t seem to integrate a larger engine, though, so gratuitous wheelies and burnouts are probably wishful thinking at this point.
The other machine, labeled the 03GEN-X, is probably more interesting. It takes the Tricity platform, cuts away extraneous bodywork, and adds spoked wheels. It’s as if a Tricity and Honda Ruckus and CT110 postie bike all had their DNA mixed together, creating a goofy hybrid that just might work. Scramblers are hot right now – could this be a way to make three-wheelers piggyback on that popularity?
You can see the concepts in the video below, and there are more photos in the gallery below that.
GALLERY
Check out all the pics that go with this story! Click on the main sized pic to transition to the next or just press play to show in a slideshow.
I hope they bring the Tricity – in any form – to Canada. I emailed Yamaha about it a few weeks ago, and the contact person couldn’t give me any info about if they will sell it here. But she said she’d pass on my interest to those who decide. 🙂 So if you really want to see Tricity here, please email them to express your interest!
I don’t know why, but I like these goofy looking, 3-wheeled leaning contraptions. I’d like to try riding one. Of course for a scooter adding a third wheel with a fairly wide stance between the wheels may somewhat reduce the nimbleness that scooters are known for in urban environments. But scooters that can hold themselves upright at a stop, and provide a more confident front end feel, might just be the future. OK, we’ve seem some production machines (Piaggio) already, so bring on more.
OK, that “X” version looks like a hoot.