Photo: Florin Tibu
In late October 2015, Yamaha revealed the first pictures of the MWT-9, a new leaning trike that was introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show and was present at all major bike shows. At the recent launch of the MT-03 in Spain, Yamaha officials reportedly hinted that the MWT-9 might become a real consumer product.
The MWT-9 is nowhere near Yamaha's first venture into the three-wheeler territory but is definitely a bold step up from the 125cc Tricity scooters. It's still unclear who makes the customer pool for Yamaha's new creation, but we'd go with riders that are having troubles making the most of a classic two-wheeled motorcycle because of age or injuries.
Yamaha's MWT-9 looks like a decent compromise between the extra stability three wheels on the ground provide and the feeling riders get on a traditional motorcycle, namely being able to lean into the turns.
Whether these figures will be enough for the MWT-9 remains to be seen. The front end will be significantly heavier with double USD forks, two wheels, and two tires, plus the added linkage.
How the MWT-9 will differ from the concept we shot at EICMA 2015 remains a mystery, but if visordown is right and Yamaha has plans to show a 2017 model year production version, we might just see it in the flesh at EICMA this fall, as well as take it for a no-nonsense test ride as soon as it reaches the dealership showroom floors. We enjoyed the tricity quite a lot despite its low power, and can expect the MWT-9 to be a thrilling experience. Enjoy our live EICMA 2015 photos!
Yamaha's MWT-9 looks like a decent compromise between the extra stability three wheels on the ground provide and the feeling riders get on a traditional motorcycle, namely being able to lean into the turns.
The Yamaha MWT-9 is an MT-09 spin-off
We reported earlier that the initial concept is a transformation of the MT-09 platform and relies heavily on the two-wheeler. This means that the MWT-9 will pack the same 847cc three-cylinder engine producing 115 PS at 10,000 revs, with a peak torque of 87.5 Nm (64.5 lb-ft) at 8,500 rpm.Whether these figures will be enough for the MWT-9 remains to be seen. The front end will be significantly heavier with double USD forks, two wheels, and two tires, plus the added linkage.
How the MWT-9 will differ from the concept we shot at EICMA 2015 remains a mystery, but if visordown is right and Yamaha has plans to show a 2017 model year production version, we might just see it in the flesh at EICMA this fall, as well as take it for a no-nonsense test ride as soon as it reaches the dealership showroom floors. We enjoyed the tricity quite a lot despite its low power, and can expect the MWT-9 to be a thrilling experience. Enjoy our live EICMA 2015 photos!
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