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Yamaha Niken MSRP Thread


Cruizin

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UPDATE! Yamaha Niken to be priced USA $16,000 MSRP. Price of the Yamaha Niken in the USA is MSRP $16,000 USD.
 
Ok, Yamaha Niken pricing in Hong Kong has been released at HK$168,800, according to Yamaha MLT Hong Kong.
 
That would equal $21,500 USD in the USA. DAMN! Or 17,600 in Euros. WOAH!
 
But, Lets remember that freaking everything is expensive in Hong Kong.
 
As Motorcycle Magazine ponts out, in Hong Kong the Yamaha R-1 is priced at $198,000HK, which translates to $25,200 in USD.
 
The R-1 does not cost $25,200 in USD.
 
Using the math or REAL USA pricing, the Yamaha Niken would have an MSRP of around $18,000 USD, or around 16,000 Euros.
 
This is alot of Guesswork. A lot of Guessing by alot of people going on.
 
Would the Yamaha Niken sell at $18,000 or more? It better handle like no bike ever produced.
 
Time will tel, and hey, by the time this bie hits the USA sales floor, our freinds around the world will be posting their reviews right here.
 
 
Please post more MSRP reports below in this thread.
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If U.S. MSRP is set at $18K and we add $1300 or so for destination and dealer fees, and $1700 for T&L, we're looking at $21K all in.  I had such high hopes for Yamaha on this new model - after all, how much could the parts to "trike" an FJ09 cost? 
 
Maybe the plan is to recover development costs in the first year so if Niken is not a success, they cut their losses.
 
A year old MX5 Miata is looking better by the minute (I do love a/c in summer.)   
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If U.S. MSRP is set at $18K and we add $1300 or so for destination and dealer fees, and $1700 for T&L, we're looking at $21K all in.  I had such high hopes for Yamaha on this new model - after all, how much could the parts to "trike" an FJ09 cost?  
Maybe the plan is to recover development costs in the first year so if Niken is not a success, they cut their losses.
 
A year old MX5 Miata is looking better by the minute (I do love a/c in summer.)   
 
That is a ton of money. Maybe the price will fall lower?
 
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I am so conflicted on this one... I REALLY want the Niken to be a huge success, even if I don’t think it’s for me personally. I respect any sort of true innovation in the market these days, and this certainly looks like it has the potential to be at least semi-revolutionary.
 
But when you start talking $16K-$18K USD, there are a bunch of extremely competent ‘conventional’ motorcycles available to choose from. The uniqueness of the Niken unquestionably provides some inherent value of exclusivity, but I’m not sure the price/value/innovation mix is going to find a ton of buyers. I hope I’m wrong, and maybe Yamaha has fairly low sales volume estimates to be deemed a success... we shall see.
 
The dichotomy I am having a hard time with is the reality that the FZ/FJ has always been a huge bang-for-the-buck proposition. Sure, the fit & finish isn’t the greatest, and there are some unfinished items that may require aftermarket intervention, but the underlying value is undeniable. For around $18K the Niken needs to not only offer the unique layout & engineering, but also the overall intangible ‘quality’ of a bike in this price bracket. I’m hopeful and intrigued, but not convinced.
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Interesting discussion of Niken price  compared to other three wheel reverse trikes by Florin Tibu at Drivemag Riders:    https://riders.drivemag.com/news/yamaha-niken-price-announced-lower-than-what-we-feared  
 
Tibu make the point that the base price of the Niken in Europe is 14995 euros ($17558 USD) while Can-Am Spyder, Campagna T-Rex, Polaris Slingshot are all well above that price (the T-Rex being about three times the cost of Niken).  A good point and one that Yamaha must be well aware of. 
 
Returning to texscottyd's conflict over value for price and technology, FJ-09 riders are not a likely target for a vehicle competing in the current reverse trike marketplace.   Most FJ-09 riders don't have a need for a bike/trike whose primary benefit (per Yamaha advertising) is a "feeling of confidence" in corners imparted by the second front wheel.  That's something older and more affluent riders might value and at present, can only acquire with one of the other reverse trikes.  Considering it's price, and throw in the exhilaration two wheel riders get from  leaning into curves and the Niken has a lot going for it in that segment. 
 
You might ask why Yamaha is trying to sell an old man's bike to young men?  The answer might be that most current Slingshot and many Spyder owners were not motorcyclists, or at least not "sporting" motorcyclists (i.e., may have owned Harleys)  before buying their reverse trikes and don't value the leaning experience. (I took a quick look at one each of those forums - using "Niken" in the search terms and found very little interest or knowledge of the Niken and only one person with motorcycle and MP3 experience who would consider selling his Spyder to own a Niken.)  That would make persuading aging "motorcyclists" that a Niken will keep them in the game longer to be a useful sales tactic for Yamaha. Reviews posted so far don't address that issue...but maybe when the test fleet goes on the road giving customer rides in Europe we'll be getting feedback from aging riders.
 
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I don't want to hijack the thread, but it seems Yamaha is reasonably certain that there is going to be a market for the Niken (and three-wheelers in general) and has filed patents for a three-wheeled version of the Vmax:
 
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/yamaha-files-patent-mad-three-wheel-v-max
 
If it is ever made, a three-wheeled Vmax would be a monster.
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http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/yamaha-files-patent-mad-three-wheel-v-max 
If it is ever made, a three-wheeled Vmax would be a monster.
 
Ive ridden both the Gen I and Gen II VMax, it is indeed a monster.  If Yamaha can get it to lean like the videos of the Niken and maintain the 200hp punch - Look Out!!
 
A face lift wouldn't hurt either, the Gen II was HIDEOUS.
 
 

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/yamaha-files-patent-mad-three-wheel-v-max 
If it is ever made, a three-wheeled Vmax would be a monster.
Ive ridden both the Gen I and Gen II VMax, it is indeed a monster.  If Yamaha can get it to lean like the videos of the Niken and maintain the 200hp punch - Look Out!!
 
A face lift wouldn't hurt either, the Gen II was HIDEOUS.
 

 
id love to ride a Vmax version of this. It would probab;y cost around $20,000 USD but what a bike that would be.
 
Spot on, this is the wrong version to put three wheels on. A cruiser with bad ass engine and three wheels to grip the corners better? That would be one hell of a bike.
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  • 9 months later...

Price in Canada for the Niken before tax was $21,000 + $340 freight and setup. . I early ordered and only asked for MSRP, and no surprises.

Meh, same as a Honda Civic, for the engineering. tech and build quality, I don't feel I paid a penny too much. 

 

To the poster above, this bike is for sport touring, not cruising. But I suppose everyone has varying desires in a bike.

Edited by isthatahemi
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On 5/28/2018 at 4:22 PM, Cruizin said:

 
id love to ride a Vmax version of this. It would probab;y cost around $20,000 USD but what a bike that would be.
 
Spot on, this is the wrong version to put three wheels on. A cruiser with bad ass engine and three wheels to grip the corners better? That would be one hell of a bike.

Gen I - VMax, such classic lines on that bike, IMO they ruined the looks with the Gen II, however, that motor... 😈

***2015 Candy Red FJ-09***

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  • 1 year later...
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On 3/16/2019 at 11:36 AM, betoney said:

Gen I - VMax, such classic lines on that bike, IMO they ruined the looks with the Gen II, however, that motor... 😈

Test rode a first gen V-Max once.  I'd never have one.  After accelerating hard often, that's all you have.  I couldn't wait to get it back to the dealer.

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  • 2 months later...

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