Yamaha’s YBR125 has been a best-seller for years thanks to its popularity with rider training schools. More than 150,000 have been sold in Europe but for 2017 it’s gone, killed by Euro4 emissions regulations. In its place comes this, the YS125.
While it gets a new name, the bike’s appearance is very much in the YBR125 mould. Yamaha isn’t breaking any new ground here, with twin shocks, a steel chassis and an air-cooled single. But those are exactly the straightforward elements that made the old bike so durable.
The 2-valve, SOHC single meets Euro4 emissions limits and compared to its predecessor has a longer stroke at 57.9mm instead of 54mm. That means the engine is now ‘under-square’ – a departure from the usual modern trend for big bore, short-stroke motors. The result should be more torque at lower revs. The firm claims that the bike is economical enough to do 300km on a 14 litre tank of fuel.
The cylinder head is new, with a narrower valve angle than its predecessor. There’s a single balancer shaft to smooth out the vibes, and the YS125 gets both a kickstart and an electric starter as standard.
The chassis might be similar to the old YBR125’s but the seat is now 15mm higher at 795mm, which is claimed to make for a more natural riding position.
The bike’s price, £2799 in the UK, is on a par with its rivals but £200 more than the old YBR125. It’s due to reach showrooms in April this year. When it does, there will also be a range of accessories including luggage and a screen.
Three colours are on offer: red, white or black.
Since the new Euro regulations only make ABS mandatory on bikes over 125cc, the YS125 (coming in a fraction of a cc below that limit) doesn’t need them. Instead it gets a linked ‘Unified Braking System’ to comply with European safety rules.
