World’s first custom Niken – unveiling and award
Polish manufacturer of custom motorcycles Game Over Cycles (GOC) in cooperation with Yamaha Motor Poland is pleased to announce the unveiling of a unique vehicle created from a Yamaha motorcycle. Based on the revolutionary Niken tricycle Game Over Cycles built a unique custom bike, which is world’s first fully customized Niken. Its first public presentation took place between 06-8.12.2019 in the German town of Bad Salzuflen during the CUSTOMBIKE-SHOW 2019, the largest trade fair for modified motorcycles in the world, where in the custom bike competition GOC Niken won the “Craziest Bike” award.
Niken debuted on the global market in 2018 and is based on a unique Leaning Multi Wheel (LMW) technology developed by the Japanese company. Except for two front leaning wheels the extraordinary construction of the motorcycle consists of four steering heads and dual-tube upside-down forks.
Game Over Cycles is a company known for modifications carried out on American brand motorcycles, but this time the Rzeszów based company decided to work on the Japanese model. The head of GOC, Stanisław Myszkowski, commented on the genesis of the company’s latest project: “Niken to many people is revolutionary, to others a controversial bike. This is exactly how people also react to our custom bikes, that’s why I got interested in it right from the beginning. In terms of technology nothing should be changed in this machine. The Japanese technical solutions at the highest level provide Niken’s great driving abilities, but from the first moment I saw it live, I felt we could modify its appearance and give the machine a little different character. To achieve this we changed the whole body. All plastic elements have been replaced by aluminum, thanks to which the vehicle’s shapes have become more sharp, even aggressive, without losing its aerodynamic properties. Bearing in mind Niken’s speed one can say, that now this motorcycle cuts the air almost like a samurai sword “- laughs Myszkowski.
During the work on the motorcycle a special challenge was the combination of machine functional mechanisms with its appearance. While creating a different aesthetics of the vehicle, the designers had to build and adjust all new body parts in such way, that in every position of the motorcycle, both when turning and leaning on both sides, nothing would collide with each other. Niken’s front suspension moves in many dimensions, so proper balance between the new visual elements and the original driving solutions was the most challenging part of motorcycle’s modification.
GOC’s custom Niken refers to the country of its origin not only by the name, but also by the presence of Japanese language on the construction. The Game Over Cycles crew incorporated onto the vehicle Japanese characters denoting the name of Niken model, as well as a thought written in Japanese and taken from the Yamaha brand philosophy, which means “Courage to set higher goals without fear of failure” (失敗を恐れず、もう一段高い目標に取り組む).
Magdalena Piskorz, Yamaha Motor Poland General Director comments on the project: “Since the beginning of cooperation with GOC I have been extremely impressed with Staszek’s talent, his unconventional approach to customization and out of this world ideas that have been appreciated around the world for years. I am glad that for the latest project he chose this model, so innovative and unique for Yamaha. Working with such professionals is a pure pleasure. ”
The motorcycle was first presented between December 6-8, 2019 in the German town of Bad Salzuflen, where CUSTOMBIKE-SHOW – the largest trade fair for modified motorcycles is held every year. According to the organizers, this year’s event was visited by 32,000 people, over 300 exhibitors took part and over 1,000 custom motorcycles were presented. Every year the finale of the event is one of the most prestigious custom bike competitions in the world, in which GOC custom Niken won the “Craziest Bike” award.
Bike’s all aluminum parts were handmade. Work on modifying the motorcycle consumed 1,400 man-hours and their detailed scope is presented below.
Elements modified by GOC:
– steering wheel cover together with the brake fluid container housing
– brake and clutch levers
– mirrors
– speedometer cover
– front fenders
– rear fender with the rear section of the motorcycle
– Akrapovic exhaust element
– frame holding the seat
– seat base
– fuel tank
– air filters
– cooler and it’s cover
– battery box
– engine and suspension covers
– front lamp covers with lens sleeves
Elements without lacquer and polished to the bare aluminum:
– all wheels
– rear fender handle
– rear swingarm
– whole front suspension
– footrest holders
– engine covers
– whole frame
Leather seat: WB Line
