R Nickey Mouse, purveyor of some of the most awesome motorcycle footage from that canyon strafer’s playground, Mulholland Drive in California, US, has put up footage of a weird-Alice three-wheeled leaning trike called the 3Z1. Made by Tremoto, this three-wheeler is based on a Kawasaki Z1000.
Building on commission only, Tremoto’s version of a three-wheeler utilises a parallelogram swingarm set-up in front that pivots in the middle, allowing the trike to lean much like a normal motorcycle. The front wheels pivot in the hub, which, from design drawings on Tremoto’s website, seems to allow for handling behaviour that mimics a standard motorcycle.
The video shows the Tremoto 3Z1 carving the corners at Mulholland Drive, and a barely audible interview with the rider. While the 3Z1 takes corners along the same lines as a motorcycle, it appears as if the rider has to be more physical with the trike, as well as taking up almost half a lane doing so.
Cartainly having more rubber in front will afford more grip, and prevent low-sides, but the rider says the trike is a little “tail-happy” and will high-side when the back-end steps out. Tremoto has applied its leaning trike design to other bikes, such as the Ducati Hypermotard and the Triumph Speed Triple, and welcomes enquiries from the public.
