Black Friday Deal: Get 50% Off Memberships Until December 6!

Kawasaki Files Further Patents for Leaning Three-Wheeler

The Experiment in Tilt Mechanism Placement Continues

Yamaha's Niken. Media sourced from CycleWorld.
Yamaha's Niken. Media sourced from CycleWorld.

Kawasaki’s continuing work on a three-wheeled model that will likely compete against Yamaha’s Niken – only their own unit will feature a different placement for the tilt mechanism. 

While typical three-wheelers (such as Piaggio’s MP3) display suspension below, this bike will purportedly have suspension above any tilting linkage, mimicking the system found in Kawasaki’s bicycle brand, Noslisu

A figure representing the new three-wheeled brainchild upon which Kawasaki's filed additional patents. Media sourced from Motorcycle Sports.
A figure representing the new three-wheeled brainchild upon which Kawasaki’s filed additional patents. Media sourced from Motorcycle Sports.

Coverage from Motorcycle Sports also shows that the novel system, while showcasing ICE power in the patent figures, could also implement electric energy, with plenty of room in the chassis for a battery and relevant componentry. 

A figure representing the new three-wheeled brainchild upon which Kawasaki's filed additional patents. Media sourced from Motorcycle Sports.
A figure representing the new three-wheeled brainchild upon which Kawasaki’s filed additional patents. Media sourced from Motorcycle Sports.

With Piaggio’s MP3 and Kawasaki’s Noslisu units capable of standing on their own and Yamaha’s Niken showing off a build that cannot stand on its own, we’ll have to wait and see how close Kawasaki will place her new brainchild’s front wheels… the closer the placement, the harder the lean. 

Fingers crossed. 

*Media sourced from CycleWorld as well as Motorcycle Sports*