Cycle News

Cycle News 2019 Issue 13 April 2

Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles

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Page 87 of 121

VOL. 56 ISSUE 13 APRIL 2, 2019 P87 In adverse conditions, this motor- cycle is tremendous. My first corners with the Niken GT were in the rain, and within just five minutes I was go- ing faster in the wet than I ever have before. Again, you don't have the amount of feedback that you're used to, but the LMW concept is a revela- tion when the road is wet if you can trust what Yamaha has created. A particularly damp mountain road on our route was covered with tar snakes, a combination of factors that would usually slow me down tremen- dously. Yet with the Niken, I wasn't worried, and I was riding at nearly the pace that I would have selected if the road was dry. In one right-hander, I felt the left tire lose traction as it rode over some crack sealant, but the Bridgestone on the right was un- fazed, and the end result was merely a shimmy in the handlebar as the front suspension literally shrugged off a likely low-side on a two-wheeler. The benefits aren't limited to handling moisture. Now you won't be concerned about sand in a corner, oil in the crown of the road or really, any non-ideal riding surface. The ease of use is mentally liberating, and it ensures the fronts can keep pace with a rear wheel that's motivated by Yamaha's fan-favorite CP3 triple. The front forks allow for 45 degrees of lean, but the peg feelers will touch down as a warning before that happens. It never feels limiting for the type of riding a Niken is designed for.

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