BIKE LAUNCH YAMAHA TRICITY

TRIPLE THE FUN?

THIS RUNABOUT IS PACKED WITH FUN! WORDS STUART WOODBURY PHOTOS JOSH EVANS

The Yamaha Tricity concept was hinted at late last year, with some more teaser pics released early this year.

Both The Bear and myself have ridden the various Piaggio MP3 (now Yourban), three wheel scooters numerous times and we even had an MP3 300 as a long termer for a while, a couple of years ago. So I was used to the three wheel concept and extra levels of grip this setup gives. But, has Yamaha (as it claims) provided a city runabout that is full of fun? I went along to the Australian launch to find out.

Yamaha bill the Tricity as a “Wave goodbye to public transport” vehicle. So anyone who hates the grind of getting on public transport daily, the Tricity is meant to be your answer. It is, too.

Simply get your Learner’s Permit and away you go. Or for those already with a licence, you have a cheap form of transport that is safe and fun at the same time.

Yamaha claims super low running costs when compared to other forms of transport, on top of that.

For example, the Tricity is claimed to cost $39.64 per week to run, compared to an average train ticket cost of $41 per week, average bus ticket of $46 per week and a car of at least $100 per week! The actual price of the Tricity is low as well. $4299 plus on road costs is good value and you also get capped price servicing at only $60 per service.

Compare the purchase price to the other three wheeler on the market, the Piaggio Yourban 300 at $9990 (+orc). You don’t get the electronics of the Yourban, or its 300cc engine, but given the three wheeled design, the Tricity is great value.

Chassis design comes straight from MotoGP. Yes, Ken Nemoto, the man who designed the frame of the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike which both Lorenzo and legend Valentino Rossi ride, has waved his magic hands over the Tricity. The result is not only good-looking but a neutral and stable handling scooter with 50/50 weight balance.

Despite the extra weight you might think the extra front wheel may bring, the Tricity is very light at 145kg, or 152kg wet. The parallelogram suspension is perfect for city riding. Low roundabouts, uneven road surfaces, tram tracks, gutters and all sorts of variables are no match for the three wheel setup.

Operated via four shock absorbers on the front and independently suspended 14 inch front wheels, it is a stable package and no matter what experience level you have, you’ll be surprised at the lean angles you’ll achieve.

Powering the Tricity is a newly developed 125cc liquid-cooled 4-stroke engine mated to a CVT automatic transmission that has been designed to produce good acceleration from low speeds, together with smooth higher speed operation. The engine benefits from specially designed intake and exhaust systems that enhance performance in typical urban stop/ start situations, making the Tricity a strong performer in congested city streets. It also has good performance off the line to pull clear of most cars. Fuel consumption is claimed to be extremely low, at 2.5L per 100km. You’ll not be visiting the service station very often!

With two wheels at the front, you might think that the Tricity is wide, however you would be wrong. It is slim, and excellent for lane filtering. The bodywork also allows for all sized riders to fit. I’m 195cm tall and I fitted no problems. Of course you get a “mandatory” shopping hook and the under seat area holds a full faced helmet.

Braking is strong, however I don’t like the Unified Brake System (UBS) fitted to the Tricity. The system incorporates twin 220m diameter front discs and a 230mm rear disc, and when only the left hand brake lever is applied, the braking force is applied to the rear wheel and also to the front wheels, giving balanced and effective stopping power.

When the rider applies only the right hand lever, the front brakes are applied, and when the rider applies both the left and right levers at the same time the Unified Brake System distributes the braking force to the front and back brakes using input from both levers. If you too don’t like the system, it is easily disconnected via a cable. Of course, you didn’t hear that from me. I feel the UBS applies too much front brake for low speed turns, when I’d prefer only rear brake application.

Available in Mistral Grey and Competition White, the Yamaha Tricity proved not only to be fun to ride, with bucket loads of onlookers, but a safe and stable scooter for the urban crawl.

SPECS YAMAHA TRICITY

PRICE: $4299 (plus on-road charges)

WARRANTY: Two years,unlimited distance

SERVICING INTERVALS: Every10,000km or 12 months

ENGINE: Liquid-cooled single cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 2 valves

BORE x STROKE: 52.4 x 57.9mm

DISPLACEMENT: 124.8cc

COMPRESSION: 10.9:1

POWER: N/A

TORQUE: N/A

TRANSMISSION: V-Belt automatic

SUSPENSION: Front, telescopic fork,non-adjustable. Rear, twin-shock,adjustable preload.

DIMENSIONS: Seat height 780mm,weight 152kg (wet), fuel capacity 6.6 litres, wheelbase 1310mm

TYRES: Front, 90/80/14. Rear, 110/90/12

FRAME: Steel

BRAKES: Front, twin 220mm discs with single-piston calipers. Rear, 230mm disc, single-piston caliper.

FUEL CONSUMPTION: 2.5 litres per 100km (claimed), premium unleaded

THEORETICAL RANGE: 264km (claimed)

COLOURS: Mistral Grey, Competition White

VERDICT: FUN, SAFE AND STABLE.

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