revtothelimit - motorbike forum

2xtwins wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 8:12 pm Nah, that was my first thought too but the OEM tyres are V-rated.

Kev

Dunno then matey... Seems a little weird though too that none of the ECU hackers are on the case, despite the MT09 and XSR900 being i'd imagine a very similar ECU.

weeksy wrote: Tue May 17, 2022 8:02 am

2xtwins wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 8:12 pm Nah, that was my first thought too but the OEM tyres are V-rated.

Kev

Dunno then matey... Seems a little weird though too that none of the ECU hackers are on the case, despite the MT09 and XSR900 being i'd imagine a very similar ECU.

They always have been on the pre2021 MT09s and XSRs AFAIAA, it was/is one of the "features" that just about every CP3 remapper advertised- I would imagine your XSR reflash included it?

2xtwins wrote: Mon May 16, 2022 8:01 pm Just got back from an excellent day out at Bedford Autodrome with the Trike and our relationship is building.

We learnt a few things, the most significant of which, given the length of the back straight at Bedford, was that Trike is limited to 127mph so wouldn't even rev out in fifth .

I have just been online and my friend Google has confirmed that this is indeed they way they are and, for whatever reason, Yamaha have deemed that my three-wheeled friend is thus a motorcycling eunuch.

The tea leaves are telling me, however, that this is not a situation that will be forever as there maybe upcoming conversations with practitioners of ECU witchcraft, albeit not ones that inhabit the peaks of small mountains

It is still under warranty so I'm not sure when these talks will take place but I'm sure I could've achieved an indicated 140 with the barrier removed.

Hey ho, we had a great day and my instruction session was £25 well spent -good shout @Yorick - as the instructor had ridden a Niken at the press launch so was very helpful when it came to discussing the Trike's performance, strengths/weaknesses and how to get the best out of it.

We also reduced the rear tyre pressure so we had 30 all round and this made the rear end much more stable and, other than on cold tyres, we didn't have any squirrely moments as we had at Lydden.

It was great to have a mini-Pembrey style TD and I'm sure that @Tricky , @Dodgy knees , @dern and @singlesman will put their thoughts down in the Trackday thread in due course.

Kev

It is really good to see you getting on with it so well and getting so much enjoyment from it Kev, must admit it's surprised me- is what it is all about eh!

Trike has had its first mini-tour and acquitted itself well.

I still love this vehicle and still have yet to see another in the flesh. It continues to attract attention wherever we go which is not really me but it certainly gets people talking .

We've done just over 650 miles this weekend from my base in Hampshire into the Chilterns to meet up with @Tricky and the 890R to then go across country through the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean, Hay-on-Wye and up through the wilds of Wales where we found some cracking little roads (and some challenging but fun sheep tracks with more gravel and grass than tarmac ) to stop in Aberystwyth Friday night.

Traffic levels were noticeable only for the fact that there was very little and this added to the enjoyment.

Saturday brought some more great roads, again pretty much traffic free, on our way to the race meet at Anglesey. From there we went to Wrexham where we stayed for the night and to meet up with @Weeksy and his son James for the obligatory RTTL curry night.

Today we had planned to stay off motorways but no matter which road we ended up on, there was a significant number of cars out and about, not to mention the triathletes, runners and random groups of MAMiLs ......

So we ended up taking a direct route back but at least we were home early.

Over the course of the weekend the Trike averaged about 46/47mpg, compared to the KTM's commendable high 60's. Granted we weren't full throttle everywhere but we made good progress when we could.

I wouldn't change any of my original observations of the Niken - it's comfortable, heavy, unusual and definitely will not be for everyone. However, it's got a personality and soul that appeals to me.

So what did I learn over the past couple of days?...It really needs to be kept in 3rd and 4th gear to maximise overtaking opportunities, the screen is still not ideal because of buffeting although the brakes are now perfectly acceptable, Oh, and the tyres, front and rear, are all down to 3mm already after just 3150 miles. Granted, this includes two trackdays but I was hoping for better mileage as they are definitely not the latest sticky sports tyres.

Over the next month or so, these will be changed, probably like for like, as we have a visit booked to Brands Hatch GP next month and its annual service is due.

Still a keeper .

Kev

It was a fun little trip, the 890 was brilliant (and truly all-day comfortable, which surprised me as the seat feels really hard when you first sit on it) and as Kev said, the Trike acquitted itself very well.
We weren't going daft or trying to set any records, but we were using all of the bike's performance when we felt like it, typically stopping for fuel around the 140ish mile mark, when Kev would usually get 13 or so litres in the Nikken, and I'd get 9 in the 890- how that bike uses so little fuel at the speeds it goes beats me- I averaged 69mpg over the whole trip-anyway, this thread isn't about the 890 , so here's a picture of the trike resting in the Welsh countryside with it's proud and happy owner


The view from our hotel in Aber (well, not the view from our actual window, as that was a car park, but if you stood outside the front of the hotel this was the view )


We had a very enjoyable day at Anglesey circuit yesterday watching a load of silly mad old men (and a few women too) rag some cool bikes and 3-wheelers ( ) around the circuit- there was lots of interesting stuff there, including three 690 KTM-based Kramers, quite a few VFR / FZ750 and big old air-cooled Kawasakis and some LCs and a fair few G50s, Manx Nortons and pre-war Rudges - I didn't get many pics but here's what I have -

A smoker Aprilia 125cc (really) based outfit that was showing most of the old 500/650cc brit engined stuff the way around (look at the angle of those bars! )- the speed of it really surprised me and before I'd seen it up close in the paddock I'd assumed it was a TZ or 350LC based thing


A heavily breathed-on 1275cc Vincent outfit


Seen here chasing down a Morgan, with the 125 Aprilia thing not that far behind


A nicely turned out Katana


A 70s 588 Norton Interpol based racer


A pretty and purposeful-looking (yeah I'm biased, I like Vincents ) Comet




And @Couchy and @weeksy 's nemesis from our Donington trackday a week or so ago- that shed-like hybrid FJ1200

I was amazed to see the 2 stroke sidecar was a 125 when I went to cadwell a few weeks back, it’s a great paddock to see some rare and expensive bikes.

I bet that old FJ is a handful on track. I had a run on one years ago and it made my ZZR11 feel like a race bike!

Skub wrote: Mon Jun 13, 2022 1:01 pm I bet that old FJ is a handful on track. I had a run on one years ago and it made my ZZR11 feel like a race bike!

You'd be amazed, he was going well at Donny... in a relative context of course, but still, going well

I think I know the FJ rider, if he's tall skinny with glasses, it's Brian, he's not entirely sane.

The Norton has a YZF750 frame

A quick update on the ginger stepchild of motorcycles..........

Another trackday done - this time at Brands GP - and, once again, Trike was the centre of attention and acquitted itself well. The speed limiter wasn't a problem as I only just got to the magical 126/127 just before braking for Paddock and also on the back straight. Must try harder .

After Brands the tyres were pretty much spent so have now been replaced with Pirelli Diablo Scooter on the front and Diablo Rosso IV on the rear. Early days yet but the compound feels much softer and stickier than the Bridgestone A41 OEM fitment which were changed at 3600 miles, including the three trackdays.

1st annual service completed with no issues flagged, other than the rear tyre being at 2mm - pre change, obviously. £183, including a loan bike - 22 plate Tracer GT and which felt very low-rent compared to the Niken, albeit that it was much more lively.

I've got a couple of days off at the end of this month so will be out and about spreading the three-wheeled gospel .

Kev

Needs more trackday pics mate. It's still a cool thing you're doing with the big 3 wheeler and deserves more picture recognition

Better later than never, perhaps............Re Trackday pics - I do have some, indeed some that I have purchased, however I have no idea where I have saved them, or whether I have even saved them, but I do have the entry on my credit card statement confirming same

Otherwise not a lot to report - have ridden the Trike a few times over the past months, still happy with it overall, still find the fairing insufficient leading to buffeting, still done nothing about it.

Trike has been weatherproofed for the winter so I may well be doing a few miles over the next few months as long as it's not too icy and there's no snow on the ground...so, yes, will probably not be venturing north of Watford or west of Bristol

Kev

Sort of lost interest in bikes this year....well if truth be told, it's not just bikes...

So you can imagine that Trikes are even further down the list. Not ridden the Niken for a long time.

So much so that I thought of realising some capital......Webuyanybike....... lol....they don't buy Nikens...but then I suppose it's not a "bike", eh?

Just saying....

As you were...

Kev

2xtwins wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 7:19 pm Sort of lost interest in bikes this year....well if truth be told, it's not just bikes...

So you can imagine that Trikes are even further down the list. Not ridden the Niken for a long time.

So much so that I thought of realising some capital......Webuyanybike....... lol....they don't buy Nikens...but then I suppose it's not a "bike", eh?

Just saying....

As you were...

Kev

I was going to attempt a hilarious joke where I suggested http://www.webuyanytrike.com/ and people would click on it but there'd be nothing there. But it turns out someone's actually registered the domain. So I won't be.