Yamaha has applied for trademarks in Europe that, if granted, will give it rights to use the name Nyken on a new motorcycle model.
In fact, it’s also applied for a second, alternative spelling of the same name – Niken – in the same markets.
At the moment, it’s not clear what vehicle the name might be attached to. The filing documents simply say that it’s for: “Motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, three-wheeled motorcycles, three-wheeled scooters, three-wheeled mopeds and parts and fittings for all the aforesaid goods.”
The name is one of several mystery titles that Yamaha has applied for in recent months. Another, ‘Eluder’, has been filed in America and been the subject of several new website address registrations.
It’s not all plain sailing to get the Nyken trademark rubber stamped, though. Yamaha has received opposition from none other than Michelin, which thinks the name could be confused with its Riken economy tyre brand. If the European Union Intellectual Property Office agrees, then Yamaha could be denied the rights to the trademark.
However, the mystery remains over what bike the name could be applied to. In recent years, Yamaha has tended towards using alpha-numeric names for its motorcycles rather than names. The few exceptions to the rule include the Tracer and Super Tenere models. Where the firm uses names more commonly is on its scooter range, and it’s here the Nyken and Eluder tags are most likely to be used.
