The Yamaha Tesseract was a hybrid electric concept vehicle introduced by Yamaha at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. Although the Tesseract is technically a quadricycle, Yamaha has called it "The 4-Wheeled Motorcycle"[3] because it has a frontal profile nearly as narrow as a conventional motorcycle[4] and because it has a tilting wheel suspension that allows it to bank like a motorcycle. This suspension, which Yamaha refers to as a "Dual Scythe Suspension",[2][1] is similar to that of the 4MC concept vehicle.[5] Yamaha experienced delays in its own patent filings with the European Patent Office as a result of patents held by the 4MC's inventor, Mike Shotter.[6][7]
 The Yamaha Tesseract displayed at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. | |
| Manufacturer | Yamaha |
|---|---|
| Successor | Yamaha Tricity Concept |
| Class | Concept vehicle |
| Engine | Liquid-cooled, 2 cylinders, V-Twin and an Electric Motor[1] |
| Suspension | Dual Scythe[2][1] |
| Dimensions | L: 2,115 mm (83.3 in)[1] W: 720 mm (28 in)[1] H: 1,065 mm (41.9 in)[1] |
| Related | 4MC, Quadra4 |
Yamaha's own patent filings indicate that it has continued to develop vehicles similar to the Tesseract[8]
The Tesseract was designed by Luciano Marabese.[9][10] He and his family founded the Italian company Quadro Tecnologie, which develops similar tilting vehicles, like the Quadro4 (formerly the Quadro 4D Parkour).
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f "YAMAHA PRESS INFORMATION". Yamaha Motor Company. 2007-10-24. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
- ^ a b "The 40th TOKYO MOTOR SHOW 2007 Special Site". Retrieved 2014-02-26.
Dual Scythe Suspension: This unique system features mantis-like arms that allow this 4-wheeler to lean into turns like a motorcycle. Even when turning, all four tyres grip the pavement, allowing for both a dynamic yet confidence-inspiring ride quality.
- ^ "The 40th TOKYO MOTOR SHOW 2007 Special Site". Retrieved 2014-04-01.
- ^ "Tokyo '07: Yamaha Tesseract Concept – First Look". Cycle World. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2014-02-26.
Like the Piaggio, the frontal profile is almost as narrow as a motorcycle[...]
- ^ "4MC - 4 wheeled Motorcycle Concept". The Four Wheeled Motorcycle Company Limited. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
- ^ Blain, Loz (May 7, 2009). "Sideways on a tilting 4-wheeler: the next generation of fun machines". Gizmag. Retrieved Jul 11, 2015.
Yamaha announced its Tesseract concept in late 2007, but it has stalled before reaching production, because its design was so close to Shotter's that the company will have to license Shotter's intellectual property if it wants to go into production.
- ^ Purvis, Ben (July 7, 2009). "4MC: The 20 year making of the tilting 4-wheeler". Gizmag. Retrieved Jul 14, 2015.
According to Shotter, attempts by Yamaha to patent the Tesseract's suspension system have been knocked back by the European Patent Office because they are too similar to the patents he has already filed.
- ^ Siler, Wes (May 26, 2011). "Is Yamaha developing a production Tesseract?". RideApart. Retrieved Jul 11, 2015.
This patent shows a vehicle that differs from that concept not only in its engine — which has ditched the v-twin for a parallel-twin — but also in its suspension configuration.
- ^ "Quadro to sell four wheeled tesseract-style motorcycle". Gizmag. 2010-11-02. Retrieved 2014-02-27.
The start-up is particularly exciting because the company is to be run by Luciano Marabese, the man who designed both the Piaggio MP3 three-wheeled scooter and the Yamaha Tesseract four-wheeled motorcycle shown in 2007.
- ^ "Quadro. Pieghe a 4 ruote!". Moto.it. 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2014-10-07.
[...]allo staff di Luciano Marabese si devono numerosissimi modelli di moto e scooter di successo, per la maggior parte appartenenti al Gruppo Piaggio, ma anche le stesse Moto Morini, le Beta Euro e Jonathan, le Triumph Urban Daytona, Speed Triple e Tiger 1050, la Yamaha MT-03 Café Motard e lo stesso, futuristico prototipo a quattro ruote Yamaha Tesseract.