2019 YAMAHA NIKEN GT
FIRST REVIEW
P80
"H
opefully, we get some rain." I've never uttered that
phrase before, let alone at a motorcycle launch.
But the Yamaha Niken GT is not a typical motorcycle,
and precipitation plays right into what Yamaha wants you to
expect from their new Leaning Multi-Wheeler (LMW).
The premise is simple, but you'll have to agree with it from the
beginning for Niken to make any sense: more confidence equals
more fun. This machine is not about getting your knee down at
unheard of speeds or about automatically keeping you upright at
a stop. Instead, the two front wheels are designed to give you
extra courage in sporty touring situations. Is the road wet? Is there
a tar snake right where you want to be leaned over? Is there
sand in the apex of a corner? These are all common causes for
a lump in the throat and the skip of a heartbeat for the average
motorcyclist, but a Niken rider doesn't have to worry about it.
Or
RAIN
SHINE
YAMAHA BETS
THAT MORE
CONFIDENCE
MEANS MORE FUN.
THEY'RE RIGHT.
BY ABHI ESWARAPPA
Yamaha isn't
trying to change
the world with the
Niken—just doing
something a little
different.
