Tokyo ’07: Yamaha Tesseract Concept - First Look

In the last few years, we’ve seen more interest in using motorcycles as a platform to test new technology like hybrid power units, alternative suspension and multi-wheel systems. Yamaha, not one to be left behind, took a stab at putting all this stuff together in the wild-looking Tesseract.

It’s not technically a motorcycle, and “Tesseract” sounds like something Scooby-Doo would say, but who cares? It looks incredible and has enough techno-jewelry to make the most jaded gearhead drool. Mounted in that spidery chassis is a V-Twin motor that’s the basis for a hybrid propulsion unit. Front suspension is something Yamaha calls “dual scythe,” and like the Piaggio MP3, the wheels lean with the chassis into the turns to impart that authentic motorcycle-riding feel. Like the Piaggio, the frontal profile is almost as narrow as a motorcycle, which would make this a fun and interesting street ride. The extra wheel will add stability, for sure, but also make this as likely to become DOT-legal as a Tiger tank.

Don’t look for this machine in a Yamaha dealer anytime soon. It’s just a styling concept, but what a concept, huh?