Three Cylinders + Three Wheels = Yamaha MWT-9 Concept
Yamaha revealed its latest take on a leaning multi-wheeled vehicle with the new MWT-9 concept. Unlike the Tricity scooter which is already in production, the MWT-9 was designed for sporty performance with a focus on cornering ability.
Like the Tricity, the MWT-9 places two wheels at the front with a mechanism allowing them to tilt in unison. On the MWT-9, Yamaha placed the front suspension on the outside of the two front wheels instead of on the inside as with the original Tricity. This change allows for a larger lean angle, improving handling while still offering the stability of an extra front wheel.
The MWT-9 is powered by a three-cylinder engine derived from the FZ-09. Yamaha says the concept’s engine displaces 849cc, or two extra cubes than the FZ’s powerplant, but that may just be a factor of rounding off pi. From the outside, the engines looks identical barring a few cosmetic differences.
Along with the unique front end, the MWT-9 also uses a new tube frame and rear subframe that rises up at a lower angle than on the FZ-09. The seat is also a bit lower and positioned farther back than on the FZ.
Above the two front wheels is an aggressive face with some hints of R1 styling around, naturally, three headlights.
At the moment, the MWT-9 is only a concept but Yamaha has made it clear it is serious about its leaning multi-wheel technology so we expect to see a production model in the years ahead.
[Source: Yamaha]
Dennis has been a part of the Motorcycle.com team since 2008, and through his tenure, has developed a firm grasp of industry trends, and a solid sense of what's to come. A bloodhound when it comes to tracking information on new motorcycles, if there's a new model on the horizon, you'll probably hear about it from him first.
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