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  1. #11 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Senior C-Moto Guru
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    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 ::



    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 ::



    Exact same engine, wheels, also tubeless tires.. only difference is taller suspension.
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  2. #12 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by slabo View Post
    Another option is ::



    Exact same engine, wheels, also tubeless tires.. only difference is taller suspension.
    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.
    Last edited by Lao Jia Hou; 07-22-2012 at 02:02 PM. Reason: typos
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  3. #13 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
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    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
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  4. #14 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Duct tape savant felix's Avatar
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    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!

    "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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  5. #15 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
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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.
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  6. #16 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Duct tape savant felix's Avatar
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    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.
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  7. #17 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
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    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.
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  8. #18 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Senior C-Moto Guru Kennon's Avatar
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    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
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  9. #19 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
    Danger, Will Robinson! Lao Jia Hou's Avatar
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    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).
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  10. #20 Re: Review of the Yamaha YBR 125 
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    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.
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