Could the Niken Have Some Competition?
Reverse trikes have been a thing for a while now, but Yamaha’s Niken is a unique one that leans while keeping both front wheels planted on the pavement. By most accounts, it is interesting and actually a very good motorcycle that presents a new option to the market. As you might expect, Yamaha isn’t the only one thinking about these types of vehicles.
It looks as though Honda is working on a very similar bike. At least, that’s what the company’s patent application would suggest. RideApart spotted the application and as you can see from the images included with the filing, it appears to have the Gold Wing engine.
Honda’s flat-6 engine makes 125 hp, which is more than the Niken’s 113 hp. As RideApart points out, the engine’s main draw is its strong torque. That could make the bike launch extremely well, and make it a lot of fun. It sounds like Honda is keeping its options open, though.
The patent application doesn’t explicitly say that the engine will be the same one as is on the Gold Wing. Honda even mentions the possibility of a two-cylinder engine. It will be interesting to see where Honda falls on this, and if the company decides to produce the reverse trike at all. I would expect the company is waiting to gauge the market based on Niken sales and then develop a strategy to take as much of that portion of the market as it can.
