Yamaha's new MT series of models have already shaken up the world of motorcycling. With their radical new design and long list of features, the MT family is doing really well in the UK and the US. Keeping pure riding emotion in mind, Yamaha has now revealed another MT model for the markets in the form of the new MT-125.
The MT-125 is a 125cc street fighter with supersport genes. The motorcycle is heavily based on the fully faired YZF R125 which has also been comprehensively updated for 2014. The MT-125, however, gets a relatively upright yet sporty riding position. The styling, meanwhile, takes inspiration from Yamaha’s bigger MT-07 and MT-09 which displace 700cc and 900cc engines respectively. The strong MT family DNA is evident when you see the low angular headlight and vertical air intakes on the sides.
The MT-125 features a 125cc single cylinder, liquid cooled 4-stroke engine. This 4-valve engine which gets a single overhead camshaft produces 15bhp of power and 2.4Nm of torque. Like the R125, this new model also gets a 6-speed gearbox.
At the front, the bike gets upside down forks, a 292mm diameter floating disc brake and radial mount caliper. While the rear gets a 230mm disc. Yamaha is offering Y-shaped alloy wheels and wide 17-inch tyres. Yamaha has confirmed that the MT-125 will go on sale globally starting July this year, in three colour options – red, grey and blue.
The MT-07 and MT-09 are doing really well in Europe, mainly thanks to their affordable pricing compared to the European counterparts. With the MT-125 ready to go up against the mighty impressive KTM Duke 125, Yamaha will be looking to aggressively price this smaller,- albeit very exciting new model. If the Japanese brand manages to price it below KTM’s offering, it could have another successful MT model.
Now that Yamaha has stepped into the entry-level streetfighter segment with the MT-125, we cannot help but be left with an almost giddy anticipation of a bigger 250cc model, possibly with an in-line twin configuration. The bigger MT-25 (as Yamaha may want to call it), in fact, could be powered by the same engine which will debut with the much awaited R25 fully faired motorcycle that has been in the news off late. Details are bleak at the moment but if Yamaha is to put the MT-25 into production, the motorcycle is sure to be launched in the Asian markets where sub-500cc performance motorcycles are very much in demand.
