08-01-2019, 01:55 AM
A while back, when there were rumblings about this bike coming, I managed to see one in a parking lot. I live fairly close to Yamaha's southern California HQ, and it took a while to realize what I was staring at. At first I thought it was somebody's home-built modification on an MT-09, but when I guy walked up and asked me not to take pictures of it, it dawned on me that I was looking at a Niken - probably an early production machine, or the guy was riding an early press bike.
All I could think of as I examined it was "Man, that is a whole lot of moving parts in there." Looked very complicated. As expected, I asked a few general questions, and the guy politely declined each of them, saying that he couldn't talk about it.
We both rode out, and as I was coincidentally going in the same direction as this guy, I ended up following him on the freeway until he peeled off somewhat near Yamaha's HQ. It was very weird from behind - the silhouette looked like a normal motorcycle if the rider was dragging both legs on the ground.
I started thinking along the lines of Stichell. I rarely think about "future me" in terms of getting older, or getting personally damaged, except where it concerns how I'll either drive a car or ride a bike. Seeing wide Slingshots and Can Ams plodding along in traffic with the cars doesn't look any fun. But the Niken might be the answer - if they are building something like this when I'm at the point that I'd need it.
All I could think of as I examined it was "Man, that is a whole lot of moving parts in there." Looked very complicated. As expected, I asked a few general questions, and the guy politely declined each of them, saying that he couldn't talk about it.
We both rode out, and as I was coincidentally going in the same direction as this guy, I ended up following him on the freeway until he peeled off somewhat near Yamaha's HQ. It was very weird from behind - the silhouette looked like a normal motorcycle if the rider was dragging both legs on the ground.
I started thinking along the lines of Stichell. I rarely think about "future me" in terms of getting older, or getting personally damaged, except where it concerns how I'll either drive a car or ride a bike. Seeing wide Slingshots and Can Ams plodding along in traffic with the cars doesn't look any fun. But the Niken might be the answer - if they are building something like this when I'm at the point that I'd need it.