The Yamaha MT-125. A hundred miles of a 125 Utility It starts with an assertive look. The aesthetic codes of the Master of Torque family, are duly respected. Clean lines, sharp headlight, side scoops sharp, digital dashboard full very bright, short and low exhaust, muscular swing arm, so on and best C 'Certainly, for a 125 cm3, she throws the small MT. Especially, thanks to a clever dress up game around its engine, the Yamaha MT-125 does not "big bike with a small mill": Nederlands Yamaha designers worked well. With such pace, obviously we want to get close, to feel its materials, animating the dashboard and to climb in the saddle.
Perched at 810 mm, it is slightly below the cup (my) load but still a little high for smaller riders. Under 1.70 m, it is impossible to put your feet perfectly flat. It is still a shame when you know that the MT-125 will also seduce girls. Here lies the difficulty of drawing such a motorcycle today: it must suit everyone, all over Europe. Not simple. For the rest, the interface is still very successful. The triangle handlebar / seat / footrest is natural, although fairly flat handlebars generates an ounce of support for forearms. Sports lovers will appreciate while urban will be reassured to learn that the city repeated stops not make you want to stand up to all the time.
A little softer than mono torquey
At startup, the small single cylinder 124.7 cm3 makes a sound consistent with catégore, although rather serious for the engine and especially less jerky than the designated rival, the KTM 125 Duke. In a few hundred meters, one easily grasps the MT-125 wanders the boulevards like your goldfish in its bowl. Clutch and ultra flexible selector obvious selection, beginners should easily take over this novelty. In town, it does not feel its advertised 138 kg fully fueled, which is itself an argument. Subsequently, there is some equipment deficiencies: while no speed gear indicator are tight and it is possible to get lost between the third and fourth report, warning lights conspicuously absent, screwed tank cap damage.
These small grievances are quickly erased by the dynamic qualities of the Mini MT. Starting with a frankly engine available for the category. Magic of the electronic injection - or know-how acquired by Yamaha Enduro - The drum seems incalable! We can thus ask him to go down to 50 km / h in sixth and leave on a light throttle. Certainly, in these conditions, we salute ra greater flexibility that the couple - must not be pressed - but still.
Easy town, efficient road
The vitality of this 4-time remains in the average, with linear acceleration and longer in the best vein of the category. The concept of Master of Torque is of course relative, but what is appreciated is the way in which MT-125 delivers its power and torque: the engine always responds and never gives the impression to be martyred even more sporty driving. The outbreak of the limiter, often criticized for its brutality on the first generation of the YZF-R125 which is the basis for MT, was much more mild. At 90 km / h sixth, the engine runs at 6000 rev / min and seems perfectly accommodate this pace. Road Trip is in fact perfectly possible. Accreditation is the appointment, within the limits of the genre.
The cycle-party oversized has no difficulty in assisting the engine. The rigidity of the steel frame Deltabox participates in directional stability almost beyond criticism. The placement accuracy is close to the rigor of a big engine. The only downside is the beautiful Kayaba inverted fork 41 mm: set quite flexible - particularly against the donor sport - it slightly dives when braking and participates probably the willingness of the MT-125 to get up when braking on the angle. Otherwise, dynamic capabilities are real and good enough to have fun in the mountains. The floating front disc and caliper four-piston are not in lace-side power, even if the lever is inconsistent in the first quarter of the way. After a day of city and road, sometimes not really "snooker", the Yamaha MT-125 has not shown tiring and suspensions flexible enough contributed. This bodes well for everyday use and say while the same motorcycle 300 cm3 would be a sacred tool.
A future must in the 125 class?
125 The market has seen better days. It must be said that significant innovations are not as flowering than in large cubes. In addition, if you dream of a 125 cm3 fun and modern, we have little choice. The new Yamaha MT-125 therefore falls straight, making a breath of fresh wind on the category. Easy to grip, more comfortable than suggested by its looks, it offers compelling performance and pleasure that appears in the game. What challenge the KTM Duke 125 ABS, which has managed to establish itself in France at a price of € 4,090. The Yamaha MT-125, sold € 4,299, suffers only small secondary faults as a saddle and a bit high few equipment deficiencies. Hopefully future version of ABS remains at reasonable rates. It shows in any case a nice teamwork between the various European subsidiaries of manufacturer:. Dutch design, Italian and French testing assembly The most European of 125 cm3 Yamaha should logically carve a lion's share in eighths liter but we will wait until the last quarter of 2014 to see land in the concessions. By Christophe Le Mao, photos Alberto Martinez and Sebas'
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