March 17, 2008 - Neil Handley

Yamaha's new for 2008 sporty four-stroke learner-friendly R-125 looks the business, but does it have the performance to match the looks ... Scroll down for the full story

With new European emission laws hammering the final nails into road-going the two-stroke bike coffin it's great to see the big manufacturers building bikes like this Yamaha R-125.
Add this Yamaha to Aprilia's RS-125, Cagiva's sexy Mito 125 and there are some smart learner legal road bikes on the market.

The R-125 has very similar dimensions to the current Yamaha R6. From a distance you could be forgiven for thinking it was exactly that. Every angle mimics its bigger brother and with the new chunky under belly exhaust, even that doesn't give the game away.

The all-new four-valve, four-stroke motor has been designed with performance and reliability in equal measure. Large airbox, 52mm pistons and offset cranks were all mentioned in the press blurb to increase torque and improve power where possible, churning out 15bhp as a result.

On the launch, riding through the busy streets of Valencia showed off the R-125's agility. The dry weight of 126kg makes it the lightest in its class and it showed, flicking between the heavy traffic of the city. The suspension is a bit on the soft side but coped well with changes in road conditions. The Brembo brakes also get top marks with excellent feel and stopping power even from cold. Maybe there was something in the 'Organic' pads they were talking about. Out on the open roads I got to wondering if I would be happy with the performance of the bike if I were a lad.

It handles like a proper sports bike and is massively addictive but the engine felt weak. It has smooth, progressive power and enough torque to pull it along nicely from 3,000rpm in top without any jerkiness thanks to well-mapped fuel injection. I was hoping for a bit more top end to get to its 76mph top speed more quickly. The Yamaha techs said changing the ECU and the exhaust system (which is saddled with two catalytic converters to meet EU3 emissions) will free up another 8bhp or so which would be a welcome improvement.

Younger riders want their kicks and where the R-125 lacks in performance it more than makes up for it in its appearance. Striking looks will get the girls and being the envy of your mates is a certainty.
This is a serious starter bike that will appeal to the next generation of teenagers looking for a leg up the biking ladder.

Price: £2,999
NU ins. group: n/a


Type: Liquid cooled, four-stroke, SOHC, 4v single cylinder
Displacement: 124.66cc
Bore & Stroke: 52 x 58.6mm
Carburation: fuel injection
Gearbox: Six-speed
Power: 15bhp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 12.24 nm @ 8,000rpm


Chassis: Steel Deltabox
Suspension: (F) Telescopic forks
(R) monocross
Brakes: (F) Single disc 292mm
(R) Single disc 230mm
Wheelbase: 1,355mm
Capacity: 126.5kg
Dry Weight: 189kg (416lb)


Yamaha UK 01932 358000
www.yamaha-motor.co.uk