ThwartedEfforts
Well-known member
I should preface this whole topic by saying I did not set out to buy this.
What I set out to do was look at the XMAX 300. I visited my local dealer, sat on one, boggled at how much quality-feeling Yamaha you could get for your money these days, then noticed the MW125 sulking in the corner with a REDUCED tag swinging from its left ear.
Two things were explained during the salesman’s efforts to keep me focused on the XMAX:
And well, you know how it goes. I got home and that evening read what literally the entire internet had to say about the MW125. And I could not find a single bad word written anywhere. There were YouTube clips of people on NIKENs and Tricitys clearly being won over by Yamaha's approach, having originally dismissed the entire three-wheel concept as unnecessary and namby-pamby girl's business.
So in a fit of whimsy I phoned the dealer up the next day and bought it.
Maybe Tricity owners are a bit strange after all
I'll post a lengthier ride report later, but in short it's almost hilariously good.
What I set out to do was look at the XMAX 300. I visited my local dealer, sat on one, boggled at how much quality-feeling Yamaha you could get for your money these days, then noticed the MW125 sulking in the corner with a REDUCED tag swinging from its left ear.
Two things were explained during the salesman’s efforts to keep me focused on the XMAX:
- As an FJR owner I’d find 125cc too slow.
- Every Tricity sits on its lot for an indefinite period of time waiting for a very specific buyer who will turn up randomly and ride it away that same afternoon. Inference being that buyers are strange.
And well, you know how it goes. I got home and that evening read what literally the entire internet had to say about the MW125. And I could not find a single bad word written anywhere. There were YouTube clips of people on NIKENs and Tricitys clearly being won over by Yamaha's approach, having originally dismissed the entire three-wheel concept as unnecessary and namby-pamby girl's business.
So in a fit of whimsy I phoned the dealer up the next day and bought it.
Maybe Tricity owners are a bit strange after all
I'll post a lengthier ride report later, but in short it's almost hilariously good.
- You ride it, lean it, countersteer it just like a bike.
- It doesn't stand up by itself. If you walk away without putting the side stand down you'll need to pick it up.
- It's ultra light (164kg, about 360lbs) and the weight is ultra low so you won't need any help picking it up.
- You only notice the third wheel when you dismount. That and the fact that front end is so unbelievably secure in all conditions as to make it feel like cheating.
- I've managed to slide the front and rear ends simultaneously on a wet muddy back road and continue on my journey without the need to stop by a laundromat.
- It corners without any of the twitchiness I associate with low-power bikes and scooters. It is not affected by wind.
- The twist-n-go approach coupled with all weather confidence makes every journey a stress-free delight. Honestly, I've not had this much enjoyment on a bike since I was a kid. The bike is brand new, has fewer than 100 miles but is already filthy because I've not stopped riding it regardless of the weather.
- The ABS brakes need a good tug but make your eyes pop out.
- I've also been reintroduced to an old game: how many sparks can the centre stand make?
- I do want more power. I cannot overtake anyone. I remain stuck behind 35mph dawdlers the same way car drivers are. It should top out around 70mph, though the engine is new, the conditions are crappy and I've not seen more than 58mph. In essence, it takes the FJR less than 10 seconds to double my top speed.
