Yamaha has revealed what it claims to be the lightest and most agile three-wheeled scooter on the market, aimed at people looking to speed up their commute.
The Tricity weighs just 152kg with its fuel and oils on board, making it an easy vehicle to navigate around the urban sprawl. It’s stable, too, thanks to twin 14in wheels at the front, which allow the scooter to lean while keeping more rubber on the road.
Three-wheeled scooters are taking big cities by storm across Europe, as people nervous about the element of balance involved with two-wheelers wake up to the more novice-friendly handling of machines like the Tricity.
Linked brakes give the Tricity confident stopping ability in all weathers, while a 50:50 weight distribution front-to-rear gives the new scooter a natural, forgiving balance.
Its dashboard is an LCD display featuring a central digital speedometer flanked by a clock, air temperature gauge and odometer. The display also includes an array of indicator lights to keep riders up to speed.
Powered by a proven 125cc petrol engine, the Tricity should be quiet and reliable, not to mention fuel-efficient. The extra frontal area and additional rolling resistance from the third wheel has some negative impact, but more than 85mpg should be realistic.
Yamaha has designed this new machine to be affordable in the hope that more commuters will make the switch from cars or public transport. However, no prices have yet been confirmed.
The Tricity is being touted as a 2015 model and will go on sale later this year.