The Stone Coolest Motorcycles Yamaha Has Ever Made

Yamaha


The MWC-4 is powered by batteries, but has a range-extending gasoline generator for long trips. Yamaha says its design was inspired by motorcycles and musical instruments, which the company also makes.

Fox News:  Yamaha reveals wild electric motorcycle concept

Zen Yogi:  that's not a bloody motorcycle!  It looks more like some type of electric car ... but a really cool one.

Look a little deeper, Yogi.

Along with the MOTOROiD, Yamaha is also bringing a tandem two-seat, four-wheel vehicle to the show that can lean into turns like a motorcycle.

- Fox

How does it look now, Yogi?


That sounds like it brings a great vibe for riding and maybe the MWC-4 is not so much a motorcycle as a cruise for old geezers but it brings things a motorcycle can't do well.

There's not much sociability when I'm  on a motorcycle riding double with someone, ideally a lovely red-headed woman.  With a capacity for two people, the MWC-4 allows conversation and makes that even easier yet when it's electric since there's not that lovely noise from my beautiful Harley V-twin motor.

Note:  that beautiful Harley is now retired due to high speed impact (relatively) with a slow-moving object thereby demolishing itself and me.

No-one will get wet or not much.  Any rider knows the joy of rain at speed but even more fun is when  a bug storm (e.g. cicadas) comes to town since getting hit by those beauties at 60+ mph is a treat known only to a few ... but none of that with the MWC-4.


To my taste, the MWC-4 retains the best part of motorcyclin' since it keeps the turning action in corners.  With the lovely red-headed woman riding next to me in the cabin she won't be trying to correct for the feeling of the turn by leaning against it, easily the most infuriating thing a motorcycle passenger may do.

Zen Yogi:  the lean is still going to scare her and she may still try to lean against it

Maybe so, Yogi, but it won't have much effect when she sits beside me and the electric motor means I can ask her gently to cut that out.

Note:  this does NOT apply to a lovely red-headed woman who has featured many times on Ithaka since she is an experienced rider with long knowledge of how to ride double.


Yamaha is also bringing a new motorcycle for its debut and this may be the ugliest bike you will ever see.

Yamaha


Zen Yogi:  that one really shocks the eyes

It does with me also, Yogi.  It's end-to-end radical and probably the only parts which are even close to conventional are the tires.  That's fine but sure makes for a strange result.


Yamaha is bringing a radically-designed electric motorcycle to this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Called the MOTOROiD, technical details on the futuristic bike have not been fully revealed, but it features cylindrical batteries marked “Caution: High Voltage” where the engine is typically located and thick orange cables connected to a rear hub motor.

There’s also a unique rear suspension with the shock mounted below the swingarm and a pistol grip steering system with an unclear connection to the front fork. Its scant bodywork includes a faux gas tank cover for the rider to lean on and a wraparound rear seatback.

- Fox

No-one has ever seen a monoshock like that previously and unknown what that does for the geometry in its handling but Yamaha has plenty of experience to make it all work.

Performance specifications are also unknown but probably fast.  There's much Yamaha hasn't released about these motorcycles and that includes price.  It's not likely you could obtain one for ten thousand or less as with the Harley 883 / Harley Skirtster and I would anticipate twice that or more.

Even with the huge coolness of the MWC-4, it's probably not really worth the money ... but it would be such a gas to ride / drive.