Yamaha Tricker 

The Tricker at Intermot

We saw the Tricker for the first time at Intermot, in 2004 (see the Dutch page about the Intermot ).

We thought it was a great little bike, a bike to have fun with, and a great bike for a starter.

 

Why I bought a Tricker

After my accident, I had to find out a way to get on a motorcycle again.

My legs were too weak to handle the R1100GS immediately, and I also have to get used again to traffic without getting scared of every car approaching me.

Then we thought of the Yamaha Tricker: it's light, nimble and low: everything I could wish for.

 

We bought the Tricker at Termaat Motoren , and brought it home on a trailer: breaking in the engine and riding about 200 kilometers home didn't go together.

 

The first ride

The first ride was "first" in different ways: it was my first ride after the accident, after more than half a year without being on a motorcycle. It was also my first ride on the Tricker (well, to be honest, I had made a test ride once, long before).

As you see here, it is a huge difference with an R1100GS!

 

The first couple of hundred meters felt very strange: I was on a motorcycle again!

 

After a while, I just felt at home. The Tricker gives you much confidence, and rides incredibly easy. Especially on the narrow, often muddy roads in Limburg, where I live.

 

What I like and don't like

What I don't like is:

The clutch sticks. When you do nothing about it, you can only ride away when you go downhill in neutral, and engage in second when the Tricker rolls. What we do about it, is keep the clutch handle pulled in a bit, by stuffing a rubber thing between the handle and the joint.
This works, but I still don't like it: I tend to forget to take this precaution, or I pull the clutch when leaving, and forget to take out the rubber thing, which means it falls on the ground, and we have to look for something else to keep between the handle and the joint.

The battery is not strong enough. In cold weather (freezing), the Tricker won't start. The only way to start it is to use the battery of the BMW to get it started: the battery of the Tricker is not strong enough, even when it's fully loaded.

What I like is:

The Tricker is great fun! I can't think of a nicer bike for small windy roads. It's very easy to do quick turns.

It has enough power to pass cars, unless you want to take the motorway.

It's very easy to ride muddy roads, sandy paths, and other unpaved roads.

It's incredibly easy to maneuvre around, either riding or standing next to it.

 

Who wants one?

So, who might want a Tricker?

Anyone who would like to explore unpaved roads, trail riding and so on, but who doesn't like the hassle of a bike that is not allowed on the road, or the hassle of a trailer behind the car: the Tricker can go off-road, but on-road as well.

Anyone who has a big bike for holidays, or for motorways, or to obtain speeding tickets, and who would like to have a second bike to explore small roads, to explore unpaved paths, and to enjoy Trickering.

Anyone looking for a first bike. After having passed your exam, this is the ideal biks to really learn to ride.

And of course, there are people like me: the perfect bike to get used to motorcycle riding again after having an accident ;-)

 

The Tricker in Romania

Long distances on the Tricker?

That's really possible!. I have been to Romania and back, 7500 kilometers long.

Traveling through Germany and Austria, I sometimes longed for more power, but in Romania, the Tricker proved to be the best motorcycle imaginable.

 

Roads in Romania are not of the best quality, and the Tricker felt at home.

Getting gas in time did not prove a problem. The tank range varies between 140 and 210 kilometers, depending on the average speed. In Germany we did need the extra fuel we took along a few times, but in Romania, we could always get fuel in time.

 

Romania is a mountainous country, and you can ride into the mountains on unpaved roads everywhere. Of course, we took the Tricker there. On those roads, it is really the better motorcycle of these two.

 

Where to buy?

The Tricker is not for sale in some countries, which is, of course, unfortunate. This includes the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands, Termaat Motorcycles is a Yamaha dealer with a very soft spot for the Tricker. If you're going to try to import a Tricker to your country, I suggest you contact them (no commercial ties, just a happy customer).

 

Stolen!!!

Sorry for the Dutch on the photograph...

On the 31 of March, or the 1st of April, my Tricker has been stolen in Stein, Limburg.

After a couple of years, we got into contact with someone who had bought it from a dealer (of Harleys). The dealer was, obviously, someone who traded stolen bikes, but the police didn't want to do anything about it: "It's not a priority".

It made me angry...

 

The New Tricker

We bought a new Tricker. There was only an ornage one, and I liked the fact that this one would not be able to pretend he was the first one ;-)

It is my bike for commuting, especially during winter.

I will always love it!