RE: Yamaha Tricity: Review
Discussion
"Believe it or not, Kazuhisa Takano, the Tricity's project leader, was also the project leader for the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike!"
I believe not.
http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/designcafe/en/index.asp...
"Project Leader Kazuhisa Takano explains he has been in de development department for race machines like the YZR500 and the YZR-M1 that Valentino Rossi raced on, before he moved to the development of Tricity."
IMHO Being in the development department with 100 others is something entirely else than being a MotoGP Project leader.
Utter bullsh***t, just like the bike.
I believe not.
http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/designcafe/en/index.asp...
"Project Leader Kazuhisa Takano explains he has been in de development department for race machines like the YZR500 and the YZR-M1 that Valentino Rossi raced on, before he moved to the development of Tricity."
IMHO Being in the development department with 100 others is something entirely else than being a MotoGP Project leader.
Utter bullsh***t, just like the bike.
fwaggie said:
I am puzzled by the talk of problems with the suspension lock on the MP3.
Reading about it, it's operated manually by a button as you come to a stop, yes? So it should only be a problem if your low speed riding is that bad you wobble like jelly as you come to a halt, meaning the bike is tilted one way or the other when you lock it?
But the article reads as if it is an automatic system that locks itself when you come to a stop? Can it be operated both ways?
You are correct, the lock only comes on if you physically flick the switch. Otherwise the front end stays loose and can be dropped like any other bike so you use your feet when coming to a halt. Reading about it, it's operated manually by a button as you come to a stop, yes? So it should only be a problem if your low speed riding is that bad you wobble like jelly as you come to a halt, meaning the bike is tilted one way or the other when you lock it?
But the article reads as if it is an automatic system that locks itself when you come to a stop? Can it be operated both ways?
If the lock is applied it automatically unlocks at above 6mph or 2000 revs (whatever happens first). It is fairly idiot proof,
dublet said:
It is good for something that's not very aerodynamic. High Cd value and lots of drag from components exposed to air. Cover it in fairing and you'd see a significant improvement. Although you'd end up with something like this:
I know you probably know this but the problem with fairings like that is they encourage the wind to blow the front end all over the place. They were banned from racing for that reason. I think you have to have a proper full enclosed tapered cigar shaped fairing for it to be stable and the best thing would be to make it a laydown motorcycle like these guys have made:
http://thekneeslider.com/worlds-fastest-50cc-motor...
I have no idea how road legal a laydown motorcycle is. Probably regulations don't allow it.
Well off topic now but just because it looks like a unique and interesting project:
This project team have gone completely nuts and are building the worlds first spherical drive motorcycle, presumably because anything else just seems too easy:
http://sphericaldrivesystem.com/
Woohoo, steady on macho-boys..
I usually ride an Aprilia Tuono V4 or drive a car, but commute in London on a Piaggio MP3 3-wheeler which is bloody great fun, cheap to run and better than either public transport or being stuck in poxy traffic. BTW, I neither work in IT nor own a pair of brogues. You nay-sayers should try one, you can even ride a 500cc MP3 on your car licence if the bike test is too daunting and I promise you NOTHING is faster away from the lights...
I usually ride an Aprilia Tuono V4 or drive a car, but commute in London on a Piaggio MP3 3-wheeler which is bloody great fun, cheap to run and better than either public transport or being stuck in poxy traffic. BTW, I neither work in IT nor own a pair of brogues. You nay-sayers should try one, you can even ride a 500cc MP3 on your car licence if the bike test is too daunting and I promise you NOTHING is faster away from the lights...
Neal H said:
Is it possible to filter on these things?
They like to think they can.In reality they get past the first car and then sit there in the middle of the road jamming a perfectly good filtering path in rush hour while 25 bikes sit behind them and their lame apron thing over their knees.
morgrp said:
All the draw backs of a bike (cold, relatively unsafe etc) with NONE of the benefits - (fast? no. Nimble? no. Cut through traffic? no. etc etc)
All the benefits of a bike: freedom, ease of filtering (width is determined by handlebars), cheap parking, economicaland NONE of the drawbacks: instability in slippery conditions, greater comfort than sportsbikes used for commuting, Tucano blanket available during winter, etc...
spareparts said:
morgrp said:
All the draw backs of a bike (cold, relatively unsafe etc) with NONE of the benefits - (fast? no. Nimble? no. Cut through traffic? no. etc etc)
All the benefits of a bike: freedom, ease of filtering (width is determined by handlebars), cheap parking, economicaland NONE of the drawbacks: instability in slippery conditions, greater comfort than sportsbikes used for commuting, Tucano blanket available during winter, etc...
I tried a Piaggio Yourban 300 a couple of years ago, mainly becasue I had nothing better to do and the dealer offered.
Out in the sticks, no city traffic, just a bit of fun to see what it was like. Not quite my thing, but I could see why it might be popular. Stability in slippery conditions, less prone to front end tuck on diesel spills etc. The fact that it has a foot brake similar to a car's kind of indicated the prospective market that Piaggio were aiming at.
That's not to say that I wouldn't be seen dead on one. I certainly wouldn't turn one down if offered.
For filtering, they are no wider than the handlebars.
However...........the dealer did tell me that while scooter riders and bike riders have no problem with them, the car drivers without any two wheel experience pose a different problem.
As they are allowed, under current rules, to ride one with a full car licence, they can take one out for a test ride. Perhaps the last three wheeler they ever rode was their sister's tricycle, but for some reason they think that when you come to a corner (a mini roundabout in my dealer's case)you just turn the bars in the direction that you want to go, sitting upright and not leaning the bike in to the corner. As it isn't a simple tricycle like their little sister's, and is articulated at the front to allow leaning, they tend to get thrown off the machine as it leans out away from the corner. These are the same muppets, I am tempted to suggest, that want the suspension to lock when they come to a halt, as most "real" bikers know better and can remember to put their foot down.
Out in the sticks, no city traffic, just a bit of fun to see what it was like. Not quite my thing, but I could see why it might be popular. Stability in slippery conditions, less prone to front end tuck on diesel spills etc. The fact that it has a foot brake similar to a car's kind of indicated the prospective market that Piaggio were aiming at.
That's not to say that I wouldn't be seen dead on one. I certainly wouldn't turn one down if offered.
For filtering, they are no wider than the handlebars.
However...........the dealer did tell me that while scooter riders and bike riders have no problem with them, the car drivers without any two wheel experience pose a different problem.
As they are allowed, under current rules, to ride one with a full car licence, they can take one out for a test ride. Perhaps the last three wheeler they ever rode was their sister's tricycle, but for some reason they think that when you come to a corner (a mini roundabout in my dealer's case)you just turn the bars in the direction that you want to go, sitting upright and not leaning the bike in to the corner. As it isn't a simple tricycle like their little sister's, and is articulated at the front to allow leaning, they tend to get thrown off the machine as it leans out away from the corner. These are the same muppets, I am tempted to suggest, that want the suspension to lock when they come to a halt, as most "real" bikers know better and can remember to put their foot down.
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