Yamaha’s no stranger to innovation. Its motorcycles have paved the way for multiple generations of machines, and continue to raise the bar when it comes to performance, technology, and safety. While there’s no denying Yamaha’s prowess when it comes to tech, the Japanese manufacturer has its fair share of concept vehicles which defy convention and dare to change the norm.
A good example of this is the Yamaha Tricera, an odd three-wheeled vehicle that’s sort of like a Polaris Slingshot, but with an electric motor and with a much friendlier demeanor. Yamaha says that the Tricera is meant to embody “Urban Exciting Mobility,” which would probably have been better phrased as Exciting Urban Mobility, but hey, we don’t make the rules around here. In case you missed it, we talked about Yamaha’s odd and totally cringe-worthy promo video on the Tricera last November. Check it out below:
Now, Yamaha’s one of the best when it comes to engineering and designing all sorts of gadgets and gizmos, but it’s certainly not the best when it comes to video editing. The promo video does little to hide the heavy use of CGI, with the lighting of the two main characters making it super obvious that they were being filmed in front of a green screen. Plus, in what universe are the streets of Paris that empty?
Anyway, the Tricera concept in its totality is rather intriguing because it sets itself apart from the rest of Yamaha’s electric initiatives. It’s not a car, and it isn’t a motorcycle, but rather, a three-wheeled machine you’d imagine to be at home in a performance-oriented setting, such as a racetrack or twisty mountain road. If you’re eager to see it in the metal, it’ll be on display at the AIMExpo Dealer Trade Show. Scheduled for February 6 to 8, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the American International Motorcycle Expo is North America’s biggest powersports trade show attracting guests from all over the world.
At present, Yamaha hasn’t disclosed the powertrain of the Tricera, but we’re willing to bet it packs quite a punch. We do know it features some clever tech such as three-wheel steering, allowing it to make really tight turns around the city, as demonstrated by the promo video we talked about earlier. It also features what Yamaha calls a “full open” cockpit, which basically means that it allows its occupants to enjoy an open-air riding – or should I say driving – experience, akin to that of a motorcycle, without having to worry about the hassles of balancing, countersteering, and all the vagaries of motorcycle riding.
Tricera aside, Yamaha has lots of other things in store at the AIMExpo, including three-time MotoAmerica Champ Jake Gagne’s YZF-R1, which will be on display alongside Rachel Archer’s 250 GNCC YZ250F and the championship winning King of the Hammers RMAX 1000. Yamaha’s exciting new e-bike lineup including the cutting-edge YDX Moro electric mountain bike will also be on display. To top it all off, Yamaha dealer representatives will also be in attendance to discuss dealer-enhancing opportunities.
