In the world of motorbikes, two wheels are good but three can become unwieldy. Yamaha’s new Niken is set to prove this wrong. Just don’t call it a trike, since Yamaha claims it’s the world’s first leaning three-wheeled production motorcycle. With two front tires (and two forks for each) that work in unison, the Niken is certainly not your run-of-the-mill effort, providing a maximum lean angle of 45 degrees.

Yamaha believes the Niken LMW (Leaning Multi-Wheel) chassis provides “unparalleled rider confidence across a wide range of road conditions,” while still managing to provide that natural steering feel. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the dual 120/70R15 tires, each equipped each with a 298 mm disc, doubles the amount of grip to help with stopping power, cornering confidence and rider comfort.

You might get two wheels in the front, but what is packed under the saddle? The 847cc inline three crossplane engine will be familiar to those who know the MT-09, and it has a 6-speed transmission with an electronic quickshifter. It produces a 85 kW at 10 000 rpm, which should make for a fascinating ride through meandering valleys. It’s not sparse on the electronics either, providing adjustable throttle mapping, traction control, cruise control and ABS.

There’s no word yet on the availability of the Yamaha Niken in South Africa, but this three-wheeled bike should arrive Stateside in the second half of 2018, with no price mentioned yet.