New Yamaha Beginners Bike

YAMAHA’s new beginner’s bike is like my Jimmy Choo shoes. They’re a size too small, but look great, so what the heck!

The YZF-R125 is an extension of the ?R? family.

Modelled on the R6 and designed to look every inch a supersports bike, this wee 125 sits slap-bang in the middle of the competition.

With the affordable, reliable Honda CBR125R at one end and the racier, pricier Aprilia RS 125 at the other, it was only a matter of time before another manufacturer bridged the gap between beginners? bikes.

And with its impressive sales figures so far, this yummy Yammy could end up dominating, reports SUN.

It?s aimed at the beginner who wants a bit of flair.

Comfort and practicality take a back seat, otherwise you?d buy a scooter with underseat storage ? or catch the bus.

It?s an impressive little ride, though.

The 124cc, four-stroke, single-cylinder engine is totally new for Yamaha and whines easily to 70mph.

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With my head down, I ignored the engine?s constant dives into the rev limiter to taste the absolute top speed of 80mph.

The acceleration will never wrench your arms out, but it?ll keep you on your toes at the lights.

As the youngest and smallest of the ?R? family, the R-125 has a Deltabox frame like its R-series siblings.

The 1,353mm wheelbase ? longer than most bikes in this genre ? also helps to keep the bike stable and the handling is fun on twisties.

Although the bike?s chassis is full-sized, I still found the sporty riding position unsurprisingly compact.

Torso

And with an 80mph top speed, there?s never quite enough wind blast to lift your torso and relieve your aching wrists.

It?s not a totally bum-in-the-air stance, but it?s enough to have you shaking your hands loose at every stop if out for a decent spin.

The 13.8-litre tank should return around 94mpg and stretch to a staggering 287 miles.

The YZF-R125 is a teenager?s wet dream.

It looks like an R6, rides well enough and costs under three grand.

It may be a little bike, but it has a mighty big image.