Review of the Yamaha YBR 125

I've owned a YBR 125 in Beijing for several months now, and felt it was time to let others know about my thoughts. I think a lot of people are seriously considering this bike, as it is a great commuter in the major cities (and legal), it isn't too expensive, and has the "Yamaha" brand name. It is made in China by the JV Jianshe Yamaha.

In late winter 2010/11, I paid about 10,000 rmb (new) plus tax, reg, insurance and plate. I bought this bike for several reasons:

1) As an in-city commuter. Anyone who lives in Beijing will understand the value of a narrow 2-wheel motorbike. Commutes are effortless & front-door parking is always available, and usually free.

2) It is a good learner bike for my sweety, as well as a few others whom I am teaching how to ride at a more intermediate level.

3) It is 100% legal anywhere in Beijing, and can easily cruise at 90 to 100 kms/hr.

4) I have always liked little bikes, as they are a complete blast in most non-interstate highway conditions. I grew up on a farm with Honda 50s and 90s ... little bikes are in my blood.

I own several bikes in Beijing, varying from scooters to huge cruisers, but this Yamaha has become my go-to bike for most trips I make inside the city. Actually, it is tied with a little Suzuki 125 scooter I also have - the scooter can carry a lot more groceries in all of its nooks & crannies, whereas the Yamaha can carry nothing.

So ... getting started with the review:

The Purchase:

I bought it from Qili Motors in south Beijing. Qili is one of Beijing's largest MC dealers, but it is not the authorized Yamaha dealer. The Yamaha dealer is near impossible to find, despite several attempts, so I gave up on them. Anyways, I had bought a few bikes from Qili and it knows me.

I had to wait several weeks for the A plates, and although the price of A plates rose during that period, Qili honored its original A plate price (a rare thing in China).

The bike was sitting in the showroom, so people were all over it while it waited its plates. Nevertheless, when I went to pick up the plated bike, there were not any scratches or signs of visible damage.

The bike was delivered "Chinese-dealer-style". Basically, they rolled it out of the showroom onto the sidewalk and handed me the keys. As usual, they reminded me where I could buy gas, as they only put a thimble's worth in. They "forgot" to give me the owner's manual, they "forgot" to check the bike over, and so on - basically, it was a Chinese delivery ... we've got your money, you've got your bike, now get lost.

After "discussion", I got the owner's manual and I had one of their "mechanics" do a quick check. But the mechanic was so reluctant and so incompetent (he "checked" the tire pressure by putting almost 40 pounds in the front ... until I insisted he go back to his shop and get a tire pressure gauge ... idiot), I ended up realizing that I better just get it home and do my own delivery set-up. The bike looked ok to ride the not-too-far distance home.

The ride home:

Well, with a fresh tank of gas I headed off ... and the bike stalled, and stalled, and stalled ... and then over-rev'd and over-rev'd and over-rev'd. This is a carburetor model.

The front brake also needed adjustment, as did the clutch. I did a quickie at the gas station.

Grrrr ... Chinese "mechanics" and Chinese "post sale delivery service"

By the time I noticed that these over-revs and stalling was not due to my unfamiliarity with the choke, I was already half way home, and I had other appointments I was already late for. I just took the bike home and parked it.

The first few weeks:

After a few days, I went over the bike ... sure enough, things were mounted incorrectly, fasteners were loose, the chain wasn't adjusted properly (or lubed), and so on and so on. But I've been in China long enough and bought enough bikes here to realize this is the norm. So I did a quick once over and fixed what I could.

I took it out for a spin - same thing - stall, over-reving. OK, back to Qili.

Down at Qili, they assumed that this dumb foreigner didn't understand anything ... and their brilliant mechanic simply adjusted the idle screw and tried to send me on my way. He tried to tell me "yeah, sure, idling at 3,500 RPM is ok for a new bike ... then it won't stall."

I refused to accept this idiot's diagnosis & solution, but Qili said I couldn't leave the bike there because they had no room. Fine. I took the bike back home (stall, rev, stall, rev, stall, rev ... etc).

A few days later, I managed to chat with the owner of Qili and convinced him that this 125 wasn't running properly ... and to please give it to someone competent for a few days and let them use it, and see for themselves. Fair enough, I dropped it off the next day.

Still a few days later, I picked the bike up ... Qili assured me everything was now fine. It had been fixed. OK, great. Rode it home ... stall, rev, stall, rev, stall, rev. WTF?!?!?!?! Those bastards didn't do a damn thing!

Back to Qili later in the day ... furious! I finally blew my gasket and ranted at the idiots. Within 2 hours, I had a new carb - pirated off a showroom bike. Frankly, if they didn't do it, I was going to. I had brought my own tools. At a minimum, I was going to take the carb off, myself, at Qili, and teach the moron mechanic how a carb works and why it would be doing this.

Rode it home with my new carb & it ran perfectly. It has run perfectly since. Starts effortlessly, idles perfectly under all conditions, and never skips a beat. Wonder what happened to my old carb? I can almost guarantee you it is the next customer's problem ... the one who subsequently bought the showroom bike my new carb came from.

The moral of the story ... when one Chinese dealer recognizes that there is something called "delivery set-up" and "post sales service", that dealer will have foreign customers beating a path to its door. The problem is ... nobody gives a sh1t ... and it almost seems as though everyone accepts this abysmal state as perfectly acceptable. I guess 99% of the dealers' customers don't know any other way.

So, the YBR 125 had a rocky start due to the dealer, not the manufacturer (I'll have plenty to blame Yamaha for, later).

But, a thousand kms in, the bike runs perfectly every time now.

pics to follow, as well as more info on how it rides, handles, and its quality-control issues.

Thanks for the writeup. I was torn between this and my bike and then chose the extra 74cc and farklings over the Yamaha brand. I never thought I'd find a worse dealer than the Shineray shop I know here. It's exactly what you said, they have the money, you have the keys.. now get lost, or try to at least.

And I second your story about ripping parts off showroom bikes, and I remember coming back a month later, I can still see the bike has no chain guard, and my shitty battery. What would happen if someone walked in and wanted to buy the bike? No luck getting them to order parts for me either.

Here is a try out of the YBR 125 "female fit". This is in front of Qili motors. That is one of the "master mechanics" squatting in the background, as well as his own personal ride (the pink girl's bicycle). Seriously, that is the mechanic's bicycle! The guy sitting in the green chair is in the "service center waiting lounge". Welcome to China.

http://i56.tinypic.com/21bqgxd.jpg

Another pic ...

http://i54.tinypic.com/25rigpf.jpg

The bike's size seems appropriate.

At the other end of the "sizing" spectrum, one time during my first few weeks of carb problems, a buddy from the "old country" who was visiting me in Beijing came down to Qili to pick up the Yamaha. He rode down in my sidecar, and rode the "repaired" YBR back home while I rode the sidecar back home.

http://i52.tinypic.com/242xvnl.jpg

My buddy is a little larger than my female Chinese tester, but he said the YBR was surprisingly comfortable (for reference, he normally rides a HUGE cruiser back home).

Unfortunately, I do not have any pics of him on the YBR. But I do recall everyone at Qili wondering if the YBR was going to make it to the end of the block when he got on. Truthfully, the YBR handled him no problem. It's a peppy little bike with enough power for zipping around, and the suspension seems like it would handle a normal-sized person with some luggage.

The YBR125 that is available in China is slightly different from that offered in other countries.

I am going to “borrow” some Yamaha pics of the overseas YBR125 as they are of a professional quality. The apparent differences between the countries are minor.

First, the bike is available in three colors: black, red and silver.

http://i52.tinypic.com/11vqpza.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/1zx2lmr.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/4sd8b5.jpg

Second, the Chinese YBR125 has a carburetor, whereas the overseas YBR125 is now fuel-injected.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2ajnejc.jpg

Third, the mirrors on the overseas YBRs seem to be a better quality. The ones that come on the Chinese YBRs are definitely inferior, cheap substitutes (more on this later).

http://i55.tinypic.com/317791x.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2cwvk95.jpg

Fourth, the overseas YBRs come with a luggage carrier, whereas the Chinese YBR comes only with a passenger grab rail. I have been unable to find a genuine Yamaha carrier in China. That has been a disappointment.

http://i52.tinypic.com/16h6kgo.jpg

Aside from that, the bikes are supposedly identical. Some will argue that the quality of welding, assembly, etc is inferior in China. Not owning an overseas YBR, I cannot comment on that. The YBR I have, however, seems to be ok in most regards, so far. I looked it over and nothing seems to jump out at me as obviously inferior.

Some have commented on early rusting, although I have not seen any rusting, so far, on the frame, exhaust or any other normally susceptible areas.

Finally, the headlight – in China, there are two options … the classic, naked-style version shown in the above pics, or the apparently more “sporty” fairing style look we purchased. It is a personal preference. The only difference is the plastic fairing and the lens.


Controls:

The YBR125 has a raised & pullback style of handlebars which are surprisingly comfortable. In my case (180 cms tall), the bars fit me perfectly.

http://i53.tinypic.com/iznonk.jpg

The standard controls (turn signals, lights, high beam, passing-flash, starter button, kill switch) are in all the right places and work well. They seem to feel like they are reasonably good quality for a bike of this type/size/price. I have not experienced any early looseness of the switches (especially turn signals) as is often the case with entry-level bikes.

The instrument cluster is good, with large, easy to ready analog speedo, tach, and gas gauges (I love having a gas gauge). There are idiot lights for left/right turn indicators, oil, engine check, and Neutral. What is missing, however, is a gear position indicator. I really like gear indicators when zipping through city traffic. The turn signals are super quiet – make them noisy, Yamaha, so we know when the signal light is still on.

The ignition key is in the usual centre spot above the triple tree. Once nice feature (thanks Yamaha) is that the steering will lock in either direction. I’ve noticed several small bikes these days only lock in the left position (side stand side).

The clutch and brake levers are horrible. Although they are correctly positioned, easily adjusted, and seem to operate fine, the quality of the materials is terrible. My clutch lever broke in half one day when I bumped into the bike. Seriously, I bumped into the bike with my hip and the clutch lever broke in two. Upon closer observation, the very cheap pig iron (or whatever else was used), looks extremely fragile & brittle. It is only on the control levers that I have noticed this, but it is certainly cause for concern. To make matters worse, no one has a replacement clutch lever in stock … which is perhaps just as well, as I want to replace them with a higher quality set.

The rear brake lever (right side foot) is nice and wide and at just the right distance from the foot peg, and there is an interesting engine guard shield to keep one’s shiny black pleather loafers (standard wear in China) from melting.

http://i51.tinypic.com/2ajnejc.jpg

The gear shifter (left side foot) is a heel/toe shifter (standard 1 down, 4 up). Because this seems to only be on Chinese versions, I assume that this helps keeps the top of one’s shiny loafers shiny, as you don’t need to lift up with your toes to shift. One thing, though, is that the heel shift is tucked in pretty close to the engine case. I am not a heel shifter on little bikes, so I have only experimented with this heel shift a couple of times on the YBR125 … and I didn’t like it … it is too close to the engine. But this may simply be because I have HUGE foreign flippers.

Both foot pegs are properly positioned for a comfortable, well-controlled upright riding position. The pegs’ tops are wide and flat – comfortable. The passengers’ foot pegs are also relatively wide and flat and seem to be properly positioned. Quality looks good for this type of bike.

I really like the comfortable seat. It is wide, properly cushioned, correctly positioned, and vented with tiny holes (this makes a huge difference on hot humid days). The disadvantage of the seat is that it is too difficult to remove (remove both side covers and then unbolt two 10 mm bolts, then unhook and lift). There isn’t anything under the seat, really, but I just like having the ability to remove a seat (old school, I guess). I also like tucking my bike’s registration papers under there.

http://i52.tinypic.com/1z4hklf.jpg

The mirrors are terrible – really, really cheap plastic things. Again, one day I brushed the left side mirror and it shattered. Like the clutch lever, I have never in my life experienced anything similar. Yamaha, are you reading this? Get your act together! Decent parts are not much more money in the manufacturing process, and putting el-cheapo parts in obvious locations on an otherwise good bike is a very bad idea!

Back at Qili, when it saw my shattered mirror & realized it did not have a replacement in stock, it swiped a mirror off some other customer’s YBR125 bike that was in for service and gave it to me. Incredible. I really wonder what happens when these other customers show up. But Qili wouldn’t give me a replacement clutch lever. For now, I ride with half a clutch lever (again, I have farmer roots … so it is no problem).

Dear Yamaha – good bike – but really crappy high-visibility parts in the control levers and mirrors. Fix this!

Continuing on … this time with my amateur pics, taken in my underground parking lot, while my bike was dirty & dusty. I will replace them once it stops raining in Beijing & I get outside with the bike.


First, here is a pic of my broken clutch lever. What could’ve caused this to fail from a bump? Amazing.

http://i52.tinypic.com/e5myz4.jpg

Next, here is the backside of the left hand mirror, showing the Yamaha logo. This is the replacement mirror, lifted from some other poor sap’s bike in for service. Yamaha should not be putting these low quality items on its bikes.

http://i55.tinypic.com/24y4o52.jpg

Here is a pic of the heel / toe shifter found on the Chinese model:

http://i51.tinypic.com/2zdu03o.jpg

Here is a pic of the right hand control pod with the Kill Switch found on the Chinese model (but not showing on the European model pics above):

http://i54.tinypic.com/311x9ol.jpg

Here is a pic of the Carburetor Choke (highlighted in green) that is located on the left side of the bike, in a difficult to reach location (i.e., while riding). Further, it is not obvious whether up is choke on or off, or is it down? I wish Yamaha (and all the other manufacturers) would make it more obvious.

http://i55.tinypic.com/vecbpv.jpg

This is the right side of the Carb … with the idle stop screw that the “master mechanic” felt would solve the silly foreigner’s complaint about idling/over rev-ing.

http://i51.tinypic.com/sfcl8l.jpg

I suppose fuel injection is “better”, although I personally prefer the simplicity of a carb. One can actually see and touch and fix everything, without having to deal with the hidden black box ECU.

The bike did not come with any engine guards … and that is on my “to-do” list. The engine / exhaust is painfully exposed.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2mr9ugk.jpg

You can also see the single road runner type “meep meep” horn. Typical with all bikes these days.

The fairing, from a side view …

http://i53.tinypic.com/6za91i.jpg

The left turn front signal light. This also fell out one day when I brushed it, but it appears to actually be designed to do that. All of the turn signals are encased in a flexible rubber type arm. That is wonderful if the bike ever falls over. Also, the signals are secured to the bike by a type of slip-on rubber/plastic washer on the inside of the mount. This allows the entire arm assembly to break-away if the arm is flexed too much. Remounting is simply sliding the slip-on washer back into place.

Clever, clever design Yamaha – this is one of the reasons why I have been faithful to this company for a long time.

http://i51.tinypic.com/ly244.jpg

Finally, here are two pics of the rear wheel axle assembly and shocks. It is a rear drum brake and adjustable shocks. I currently have the shocks set to the lowest setting to try it out. Soon, I will go to the other extreme. I also like the very simple chain adjustment system … nothing complicated here.

http://i56.tinypic.com/124epvs.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/4t2f7s.jpg

Next up will be riding impressions.

Riding impressions are a completely personal thing. But here goes, anyways …

First, one has to understand & appreciate this bike for what it is – it is a 125cc city commuter that allows occasional jaunts out into the mountains. It does this very, very well. The true diehard adventurers will ride one of these around the world. I have no doubt it is capable.

Second, one has to ignore one’s “helpful friends” who comment “You bought a new bike? Why didn’t you buy the new Ducatti Monster instead?” OK, it is what it is.

Third, I think the true test of these types of bikes is in their undying reliability over all conditions and an extended period of time. My experience with most small displacement bikes I’ve owned is that they just keep going, and going, and going, and going. They should not break down, but if they do (they are machines, after all), the repair should be easy, quick and inexpensive.

So … getting on the bike and starting it. The bike goes on, and comes off, its center stand very easily - incredibly easy, in fact. That is important for many new riders. The side stand, however, seems to lean the bike just a bit too far for my taste. With the bike on its left side stand, and the front wheel turned left, the mirror and handle grip hang out too far into pathways … hence, that is how I bumped and broke both the mirror and clutch lever.

The bike starts within a moment, each time, and every time, with or without choke. It won’t idle when cold if the choke isn’t on, but it still starts. Again, an amazing feature of most little bikes. I remember my AMF Harley that needed the planets in perfect alignment before it would start … and die a few seconds later. I hated that bike.

It takes only a few minutes to get the YBR to an operating temperature that allows the Choke to be fully opened.

Gear selection is assuredly positive and always very easy. This YBR125 has got to be one of the easiest bikes I have ever ridden for finding Neutral. My one complaint is that there should be a gear indicator, for city traffic. One’s attention is always on something else (pedestrians, cars, traffic lights, bicycles, etc) and it is easy to forget which gear one is in.

The gear range seems fine. Moving through the gears, it is never necessary to reach a high RPM before shifting. It is also easy to start in 2nd gear from a standing stop.

One can quickly reach speed in almost all city traffic conditions, easily outpacing cars.

It sounds like a little bike, only much quieter. This must have something to do with the emissions control exhaust system, incorporated into the massive muffler hanging out on the right side of the bike. It is a very quiet bike.

It is light weight and has narrow tires … therefore, it is affected by wind. I wouldn’t want to ride this through a wind storm on a highway, but inside town it is not a concern.

It is very narrow and can easily split & weave its way through Beijing traffic, much to the dismay of car owners stuck in the ever-present nightmare traffic jams.

I could probably pop wheelies with it, as it seems to have enough power and the gearing seems right, but that isn’t my style. I have never experienced any concern with lack of power/torque riding around town. My 125 Suzuki scooter with a CVT transmission does occasionally have me wishing for more power, but this Yamaha always has enough, given the right gear and RPMs.

One isn’t going to be knee-sliding this bike through corners, nor do I think it could handle it. But again, that isn’t what this bike is about.

Overall, I would say that the Yamaha YBR125 is a well-balanced city commuter that won’t get you into trouble and has enough power to get you out of potential trouble, when needed. It has a very predictable ride, and also a very forgiving ride. It is certainly an excellent beginner’s bike. I’d rate it at about 8 out of 10.

Finally, it has surprised me the type of reactions I get riding it around Beijing. I get a lot of thumbs up at traffic lights, and people coming over to chat about it when it is parked. In fact, more than I get from my so-called cool big-bike cruiser. The only negatives or snide comments I ever get are from foreigners on big cruisers … probably because they are cooking their legs, stuck in traffic because their bike is too big to weave through the madness of Beijing traffic. Oh well, I am secure enough with my manhood to happily zip around on my YBR125.

It’s a good bike. It would be a great bike if Yamaha wouldn’t go cheap on some parts, whip its dealers into shape, and offer a decent assortment of aftermarket accessories (like a carrier).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slabo

Thanks for the writeup. I was torn between this and my bike and then chose the extra 74cc and farklings over the Yamaha brand. I never thought I'd find a worse dealer than the Shineray shop I know here. It's exactly what you said, they have the money, you have the keys.. now get lost, or try to at least.

And I second your story about ripping parts off showroom bikes, and I remember coming back a month later, I can still see the bike has no chain guard, and my shitty battery. What would happen if someone walked in and wanted to buy the bike? No luck getting them to order parts for me either.

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Yeah, I don't really know what goes through their minds. Unfortunately, even in Beijing, a city of 20 million, there are not a lot of options to take our business elsewhere. Alas, it must be taken in stride.

And I think that they are dumbfounded when someone with a little bit of mechanical knowledge shows up and is willing to question / challenge the "master mechanic."

The YBR125 is a good little bike for its intended purpose. It is too bad that the purchasing, delivery & support processes are so terrible. One tends to hate the innocent bike because of the frustrations.

Awesome write up great impression and a good showing for the bike if not so much for the dealer

thx

Thanks for the review LJH. I think you're spot on about this being a good round-the-world bike. i've often thought about what bike i'd pick to ride back to europe, and usually concluded that it would be this one. Every country has it so even if it did break down it would not be a big deal.

Thanks Gardo & Felix.

I agree that this would be an ideal RTW bike with some easy mods. The YBR125 seems to be especially popular in India, and it has a wide network of accessories there.

I forgot to mention two important features:

1) It comes with tubeless tires! Now THAT is a nice luxury. Sooooooo easy to fix punctures ... no wheel/tire removal, no tubes ... heaven! Repair kits are tiny, lightweight, and easy to use.

2) The mileage ... this bike gets between 55 and 70 kms per liter! Yes, per LITER! So, even with its comparatively small 12 liter tank, its range is fantastic!

Lemme know when you want to leave for the UK.

AWWWW.. you're killing me here..

Really, I was so torn between this and my current bike. I saw the Yammie at the showroom it was clearly the best bike you could buy in China. But I was put off by the 125 engine and those skinny forks. But what did I know .. this is my second bike, the previous (4 year old Honda VLX 400cc Cruiser, or Steed) didn't give me enough trouble to teach me anything really, i just rode and rode .. . So really I didn't know much to make an informed decision. I really regret getting the piece of junk I have now..
/end of off topic rant ..


From memory, what I remember catching my attention on the ybr:: a) neat instrument panel b) super comfortable saddle c) very good paint finish, I think this will hold up good against rust and dirt.

Found this ::

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.cn/mc/o2...ybr250_800.jpg

Possible to buy?? I feel safer with lights and sirens on ... Wait, come to think about it, what would happen if I kit my similarly? If stopped, I could say this is for my safety? lol .. Now I get stopped for having the lights on at daytime :D

Another option is ::

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.cn/mc/o2...ic_001_800.jpg

Exact same engine, wheels, also tubeless tires.. only difference is taller suspension.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slabo

Another option is ::

http://www.yamaha-motor.com.cn/mc/o2...ic_001_800.jpg

Exact same engine, wheels, also tubeless tires.. only difference is taller suspension.

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Yes, yes, yes!

I saw this bike in one of ChinaV's posts - he had taken a pic of the inside of a GZ dealer with dozens of YBRs, including this one. I can't find that thread now, and it was probably quite a while ago.

I asked about it in Beijing and the response was the typical "mayonnaise" (mei you - 沒有). I didn't push for more info because it would likely be too tall for many intended riders. But, if the YBR125 was only for me, this 125G would definitely be front & center on my radar.

One could probably kit out this 125G to be a real skookum ADV-tourer. Simplicity & reliability are paramount, IMHO. And you kinda have to wonder about the value-for-money difference between a 12,000 rmb YBR125G (I am guessing at the price), and a 300,000 rmb GS1200ADV.

Here is a link to a pair of riders on YBR125s doing a 5 year RTW trip.

http://www.re-moto.com/index.php?lang=eng

And their bikes (same website):

http://www.re-moto.com/the_motorcycles.php?lang=eng

And, of course, the tokyokid adventure to Berlin ...

http://www.mychinamoto.com/forums/sh...rlin-on-YBR125

Amazing story, that 5 year trip around the world. Takes a very special kind of mentality to embark on a journey like that. What's most incredible is how it was only supposed to be a small 20 day trip from buenos aires to rio, but then something must have clicked in his head and he decided to keep going!

Quote:

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"This is the moment to fulfill my dream...", I told my family on the phone. "I have just enough money to come back home, but I know that if I do, it is very probable that the adequate moment to leave again will never come. I do not know how I will do it, I don't have a big motorcycle, nor adequate cases, clothing, equipment, GPS, visas or money, but I will go to Australia, on this motorcycle!"

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Little update:

I've disassembled various parts of the bike, changing this & that, adding stuff, removing stuff, and just figuring out how everything goes together.

I'm really liking this bike more and more, because it is simple. It looks like it would be ideal for extended journeys on secondary roads. But a couple of quirks that could impact side-of-the-road, middle-of-nowhere repairs:

1) the main 15A fuse holder has got to be the dumbest contraption ever, rivaled only by some of the idiot designs Harley has come up with. It is behind the left side cover (beside the battery), which is fine, but the holder is damn near impossible to easily pop out to gain access to the fuse. The problem is that the fuse holder is combined with the starter relay coupler/holder, although it APPEARS as though they are separate. So, after about 30 minutes of frustrating attempts to carefully lift off the fuse cover without damaging the starter relay, I used a magnifying glass, a telescopic mirror, and a bright snaking light to determine that it was all one unit. Then, it became a frustrating job of removing the assembly, as it is a VERY tight fit & one doesn't want to damage any fragile, proprietary electrical connection. Seriously, I wouldn't want to be learning about this on the side of the road, at night, when it is raining, with trucks screaming by. "Dear Yamaha - bad design for a crucial self-service item." I'd strongly recommend one practice at home with this fuse holder before heading out AND apply a tiny bit of dialectrical grease to the rubber/plastic to make subsequent removals easier (be careful not to put any grease on the contact areas).

2) The tool kit is also located there (just above the battery). Again, good luck trying to get the rubber hold-down strap off without a pair of pliers (which, of course, are INSIDE the tool kit) unless you have fingers with 100 lbs of vice grip strength, yet are slim enough to fit into the tight space. Again, dumb design.

3) The wiring harness behind the headlight has a rubber "condom-like" covering (weather protection) with little rubber tabs to hold it closed. The problem is that after the first removal, there is no way that those tabs will work again. Zip ties solve the problem and, frankly, work better. My Service Manual's wiring diagram is wrong with wire identification, so make sure you have a multimeter handy to test which wires are which before splicing in an accessory outlet (I installed a power outlet for my GPS).

I'll try to get pics up when I get the bike to a location with better lighting. I was working in my underground parking (simulated dark-of-night).

Otherwise, still very happy with the bike. The bike generally comes apart & goes back together easily. Simplicity is the key, despite the few quirks. Some of the fasteners were obviously not torqued correctly, either during initial assembly or during dealer set-up. A complete once over with a decent torque wrench is a good idea.

By the way, I picked up the 125G to do a comparison to the 125K. At first glance, some things are better, some not so.

Good to see you haven't found any major issues with it. Those are all easy fixes, but it's good to know about them before being stuck out on the road. For the fuse, i'd pull the wires out of the existing assembly and wire a different fuse holder in, with longer wires so that you can locate it wherever you want on the bike.

Standard controls in all the right places, and works well. It seems they feel they're reasonably good quality for a bike of this kind/size/price. There was no early weakness of switches as with cycling beginners often.

iv ridden a example of the YBR 125 european model when doing my motorcycle license i found when the engine got to hot it would have a hard time getting into neutral giving me what seemed to be 20 false neutrals i would have to switch the bike off and gently rock it and keep going until it would drop into neutral, not the best thing when its the day of your test, but who knows how many countless motorcycle novices used that bike and didnt understand the use of a clutch when changing gears its quite a common thing to see someone learning not know what slipping the clutch is its either on or off in some peopels minds funny to watch but torture to the bike

Another little update on the YBR 125.

I've been using it enough, as have others, and it just keeps ticking away without any problems. There are about 4,000 kms on it, virtually all heavy city traffic. It has been used by new riders who find it very easy to ride. And the new riders have been less-than-gentle, at times, but the YBR has stood up (crash bars, etc, help a lot).

Nothing else has broken on the bike, nor does it show any real wear (e.g., loose controls) and nothing has fallen off, or even suggested it might fall off.

Again, for an in-city commuter (especially in a city like Beijing), it fits the bill perfectly. And it is an excellent bike for new riders.

On the downside, the new bikes that are coming out all seem to now have EFI (which this does not). The European version of the YBR 125 is fuel injected, so I am not sure why it has not been offered here.

I use GPS trackers on all my bikes, and the small battery capacity means that the bike has to be ridden every few days to keep the battery charged (the GPS tracker is a 24/7 trickle drain).

I learnt to drive a manual on the YBR125 in about 10minutes (drove a 125 scooter for a year before that). It really is a ridiculously easy thing to work with. It's light, agile and very reliable. It easily squeezes through traffic too and makes good time.

I'm surprised you had so many problems with bits breaking, and your dealership sounds blimmin awful. Just as bad as my HaoJue dealer down here in guangdong. The Yamaha dealer in my city is excellent, and the mechanics are very competent. It's my dads YBR and I've always been envious of the awesome service he received compared to what I had to battle with over on my side of town.

As you said, the YBR is what it is, and it's great in it's own way. I do find it to be sluggish compared to my(now stolen) HaoJue 150. Granted the 150 is 25cc bigger, and the rear cog is bigger too, but it makes a surprising difference. I find the YBR feels a lot more like my scooter, in that you accelerate, and gear, and it just goes... very smoothly. TOO smooth for my taste. My 150 was more torquey, much more nippy and a lot more fun. But yea, the YBR has awesome gas millage, doing about 400km per tank, and is a great steady commuter if that's all you want.

MCM .. I miss you guys, miss riding in China and miss everything Chinese. I might be coming over for a visit next month.

A friend of mine wants to buy a bike and learn to ride and I recommended this little Yammie as the perfect thing to zip around Beirut.

Thing is, the local yammie dealer only has the bike with sporty headlights and thats something neither of us like. Could it be swapped out to the traditional round headlight? He's trying to go for the old style matte black or green look, and that headlight won't look too good on it. What's under that front fairing? Generic indicators and headlights could fit on there?

I'll make sure he reads this review. Thanks.

Hey Slabo - great to see you back!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slabo

... I recommended this little Yammie as the perfect thing to zip around Beirut.

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Agreed - narrow & light enough for lane splitting, given Beirut's traffic jams (I've heard that Leb has become even more crowded, recently).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slabo

Could it be swapped out to the traditional round headlight?

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I don't have the bike anymore. But, from memory, when you remove the plastic sport headlight, the standard "ears" remain, which should mount the standard headlight. The signals are mounted in the same ear position on both styles (no need to modify the ears or the turn signals).

I used to have a pdf shop manual for the YBR125, but deleted it after I sold the bike. Sorry. I found the manual online, somewhere.

PS: Best wishes to your family, and please ask your sister to send my regards to the HCA crew, especially Leila.

Dear Slabo,

Great to hear from you! Any chance you'll be passing through Shanghai?

Not sure if the YBR125ED is a special version of the Yammie you've 'mentioned, but here's a PDF shop manual for that model.

cheers!
euphonius

Quote:

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Dear Slabo,

Great to hear from you! Any chance you'll be passing through Shanghai?

Not sure if the YBR125ED is a special version of the Yammie you've 'mentioned, but here's a PDF shop manual for that model.

cheers!
euphonius

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Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the linky. I had to postpone my trip again. Running a restaurant, I can't leave during december, our busiest time. I hate postponing stuff like this.

See you soon, regards,
Naim