Nothing about the Yamaha Niken is for disabled people. It's a 3-wheeled, leaning motorcycle that doesn't hold itself up.
Are Trikes, Can-Ams really "bikes"?
- Thread starter moto-rama
- Start date
Johndicezx9
Rolls with it...
Don’t those 3 wheeled scooters hold themselves up? Seem like a fail....
Reli
Well-known member
Hmm ok, I stand corrected. So the point is? Just to be different?
JesasaurusRex
Deleted User
Am i the only one that doesn't wave back? Peeps want to know
Sane_Man
Totally Tubular
The local dealership had demo days on Indians and the Polaris Slingshot a couple months ago. I took the Slingshot out for about an hour. You can get them with a roof that flips up to open like a T-Top. To me it is a full sized Malibu Go Cart with three wheels that you ride on the track, except you can drive it on the street. You climb down into it, so it is very tight fit to get into. It's just like a modern car inside, with a dash, gauges, and stereo. It has a steering wheel, turn signal stalk, three pedals on the floor because it has a car's 5-Speed manual transmission with the standard H-pattern, and a car 4-clyinder motor. When you "drive" it, not ride it, it reminds you of being in a Miata, except it actual goes fast. :teeth
It's big, and just as long as a car, nothing like being on a small motorcycle. It has a short windshield, but no side windows. I think it has heat controls though, but it isn't something you would want to drive around in the winter or a very rainy day. There is zero storage unless you are driving alone. Then you can fill the passenger seat with your groceries from Safeway. They do sell a matching trailer if you want to drag it around so you have a rolling trunk. It cost $22,000 for the basic vehicle, but if you want the backup cameras and bluetooth stereo, it is around $32k. You can buy a couple of used Miata's for less than that money. One setup for the track, and one to drive to work, but they won't have the acceleration and speed of the Slingshot. It it pretty quick.
You can drive it without a helmet in Illinois, but some States you have to wear a helmet. A helmet would be a deal killer for me if I owned a Slingshot.
It's big, and just as long as a car, nothing like being on a small motorcycle. It has a short windshield, but no side windows. I think it has heat controls though, but it isn't something you would want to drive around in the winter or a very rainy day. There is zero storage unless you are driving alone. Then you can fill the passenger seat with your groceries from Safeway. They do sell a matching trailer if you want to drag it around so you have a rolling trunk. It cost $22,000 for the basic vehicle, but if you want the backup cameras and bluetooth stereo, it is around $32k. You can buy a couple of used Miata's for less than that money. One setup for the track, and one to drive to work, but they won't have the acceleration and speed of the Slingshot. It it pretty quick.
You can drive it without a helmet in Illinois, but some States you have to wear a helmet. A helmet would be a deal killer for me if I owned a Slingshot.
ex-walker
Well-known member
For those of you who are so arrogant and close minded , Let me tell you that life as you know it can change in a second. So instead of giving up you do the best you can and if that means riding a spyder as I do, or riding a bike with training wheels, then that's what we do. So since my bike has 4 wheels, is it not a real bike ?
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JesasaurusRex
Deleted User
Way to poop in my party
moto-rama
Well-known member
But yours Is a real bike.
Adaptive modifications don't "un-bike" it, in my expert opinion. Your bike is clearly fitted with adaptive technology.
When I was first dx'd with ms, I could barely walk, so ...
I fitted my HawkGT with a convenient stick when I had lost sensation in my left leg. If I got shaky at a stop light, I could stick it out to steady myself.
It did get a few looks...
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ViperThreat
Well-known member
What about the definition of "motorcycle" is looking down on somebody? Nobody here is debating that trikes have a place on the road, however asking us to treat trike riders as motorcyclists is a bit disingenuous.
I also don't understand this "what about the disabled people" argument - if you ride a trike because you are disabled, more power to you. I know many disabled riders on 2 wheels, but if you think that a trike is the best option for you, then I'm not here to judge, however I'm not going to call a trike a motorcycle, because I don't call pushing a wheelchair "walking" either.
In short, I'm trying to understand why trike riders are so hell bent on being called "motorcyclists". At the end of the day if you have fun doing it, that's all that matters.
Alan_Hepburn
Well-known member
According to the CVC, a motorcycle has more than a 150cc engine size, and no more than 3 wheels. So, legally, at least here in California trikes, sidecars, spyders, and slingshots are indeed motorcycles.
Now, one can argue that a trike, sidecar, spyder, or slingshot is NOT a motorBIKE - and one would be correct. The word BIKE is a shortening of the word BICYCLE, meaning 2-wheeled cycle.
Anyone who would try and argue that a slingshot is a motorcycle does indeed have an unusual understanding of the term motorcycle! It is indeed a 3-wheeled car!
Now, one can argue that a trike, sidecar, spyder, or slingshot is NOT a motorBIKE - and one would be correct. The word BIKE is a shortening of the word BICYCLE, meaning 2-wheeled cycle.
Anyone who would try and argue that a slingshot is a motorcycle does indeed have an unusual understanding of the term motorcycle! It is indeed a 3-wheeled car!
So here's a hypothetical, if a motorcycle is defined as 3 wheels or less, can you take the DMV skills test on a 3 wheeler? LEO input appreciated.
Alan_Hepburn
Well-known member
I would suspect not, because an M1 license is not required for a 3-wheeled motorcycle - but then I'm not an LEO so what do I know?
BlueScholar
Veteran Lurker
I stumbled across Tilting Motor Works a while back while looking for jobs. They do a pretty cool front end swap that has optional low speed locking which allows the bike to tilt at speed but keeps it upright as you come to a stop. While not completely adaptive, I imagine there are at least a few disabled folks out there this would be just the thing for.
Though the cost is closer those land jet skis than it is to a motorcycle
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ScottRNelson
Mr. Dual Sport Rider
I think I have the answer to the original question. I took a long ride yesterday and saw several three wheeled vehicles including Can Am and Harley. Not a single one of them returned my wave while nearly every real motorcycle and even scooters waved back.
So I say no, because they don't wave at real motorcycles. :x
So I say no, because they don't wave at real motorcycles. :x
moto-rama
Well-known member
Welcome to potato-land.
Last Summer I trailered my Bonneville up to our place in Ashton, and the only riders on Anything that waved to me were a group of about 20 Hell's Angels that were heading toward Yellowstone on Idaho 47.
2 of them even flipped me off, respectfully of course, cuz they knew I would kick their ass if they weren't respectful.
Maybe?
Maybe making it less likely to lose the front is part of it. On roads likely to have icy spots I expect I'd rather ride a 3-wheeled leaning motorcycle than the two wheeled kind. Ditto for snowy roads.
If you live or ride somewhere that's likely, maybe this sort of bike would be appealing.
I want to try it to try something new.
Yeah Piaggio MP3s do.