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Mark Hinchliffe·
By manufacturerMotorbikesHonda Motorcycles
··6 Comments·2 min read

Honda Neowing three-wheeler to replace Goldwing?

Honda NEOWING conceptHonda NEOWING concept granted
Honda NEOWING concept

A Honda Neowing leaning three-wheeler looks likely to be coming soon, possibly as a replacement for the Goldwing.

Honda has now applied for a patent for the power steering of its Neowing leaning three-wheel concept (pictured above) unveiled at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show.

If it does go into production, Honda would be following the bike tracks of the Yamaha Niken leaning three-wheeler.

And why not? The Niken has scored some sales success in Europe, especially it is popular among European students said us essay writers from Essay4Student.

Leaning three-wheeler scooters have been around for about a decade, but Yamaha is the first with a big-capacity three-wheeler.

Yamaha Niken neowing
Yamaha Niken

We’ve ridden several leaning three-wheel scooters and they are great fun.

The advantages are more front-end grip, better handling and increased braking performance.

We also imagine it will be like an adaptable steering damper that is light at low speeds and heavy at high speeds.

However, the disadvantages are extra weight and price.

The Niken is based on the triple-cylinder MT-09 which sells for $12,299 (plus on-road costs) up to $15,499 for the Tracer model and $16,999 for the Tracer GT.

Niken starts at $21,999 with a GT model coming in March 2019. That’s about a third more expensive!

Yamaha Niken three-wheeler neowing
Niken

Powerful Neowing

While Yamaha’s three-wheeler is powered by an 847cc triple, Honda’s Neowing could be a lot more powerful.

The concept featured a four-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine with electric motors in each wheel.

However, the patent drawings for the electric power steering do not show the engine, only the complex steering system.

Neowing patent drawings (Image: Morebikes.co.uk)
Neowing patent drawings (Image: Morebikes.co.uk)

They also don’t show any electric motors in the front wheels.

But it would need to be powered by a hefty engine to cope with the extra weight and power requirements of the steering system.

Yamaha’s Niken is marketed as a sport tourer.

The Neowing could be more of a tourer, perhaps to take over from the Goldwing with its ageing six-cylinder boxer powerplant.

If it includes a low-speed locking system like the MP3 scooter that means it doesn’t fall over when you stop. It would be great for mature-aged Goldwing riders who can’t hold up the big bike, anymore.

Some might say these leaning three-wheelers are not strictly motorcycles.

But if they provide the same thrill as a motorcycle, yet with more grip, then who cares!

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Mark Hinchliffe
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6 Comments

  3. “Lane filtering” as you call it, (lane splitting) some call it, is the most dangerous thing that can be done on a motorcycle. When you have a liquid cooled motor, with three wheels, you don’t even think about splitting the lanes. The time saved in lane splitting can be made up for a stay in the hospital which would ruin your day.
    I have owned a Spyder (CanAm) for 19K miles now and it is the best thing I ever did. I was thinking the other day that the two things I would do to improve it would be to put a Goldwing enging in it and have it’s suspension articulate like the Neowing. If Honda produces this Neowing, I will be one of the first in line. I am retired so I can pick and choose times to ride and I can avoid stop and go traffic so lane splitting is never a temptation.

    1. I am now on my 3rd Can Am Spyder having had the RS then the STS now the F3S. I also organise events and ride with a group of regular 2-wheel motorcyclists. Before the start of any run I tell them that I cannot perform (lane split & overtake) like they can & that I have no problem if they want to ‘get ahead’ and go as we all know the point of destination. Invariably though I usually catch them up if needed and we all arrive together. I am looking forward to seeing the Neowing…….very, very interested IF it can lock in an upright position.

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