Naked // Manual // 2023 // CBT Legal
Yamaha
YS125
The forgotten honest commuter.
Power
10.3 bhp
Weight
127kg
Top Speed
62 mph
From New
£2,999
Profile silhouette
18" front · seat 785 mm
Colour palette
- Yamaha Blue
- Midnight Black
- Competition White
Range & economy
Discontinued for the 2024 model year but still widely available used. The YS125 was Yamaha's answer to the CB125F — air-cooled, unfussy, and 5-speed. Excellent first bike if you find one cared for.
Who it's for
Bargain hunters and used-bike buyers who want Yamaha parts availability.
Pros
- Cheap to insure and run
- Comfortable upright position
- Generous fuel range
- Easy to learn on
Cons
- Discontinued — buy used only
- Plain styling
- Drum rear brake
Suitability
commuter
7/10
sport
7/10
comfort
6/10
value
9/10
style
6/10
Full Specifications
- Engine
- Single-cylinder, 4-stroke, SOHC, 2-valve, air-cooled
- Displacement
- 124cc
- Power
- 10.3 bhp @ 7,500 rpm
- Torque
- 7.8 lb-ft @ 6,000 rpm
- Top speed
- 62 mph
- Fuel economy
- 118 mpg
- Fuel capacity
- 14 litres
- Weight
- 127 kg (wet)
- Seat height
- 785 mm
- Transmission
- 5-speed manual
- ABS
- Front-only ABS
- Brakes
- Front: 245mm disc. Rear: 130mm drum.
- Suspension
- Front: telescopic. Rear: twin shocks.
- Wheels & tyres
- 18" front, 17" rear
- Service interval
- 6,000 miles / 12 months
- Warranty
- Used — varies by dealer
- Insurance group
- Group 8
- Available colours
- Yamaha Blue, Midnight Black, Competition White
- Price new
- £2,999
- Price used
- £1,900 – £2,500
- CBT legal?
- Yes
- Keepable post-licence?
- No — learners only
True cost of owning a YS125
Estimates for a 25-year-old with one year of CBT licence holding, riding 4,000 miles a year in Zone 2 London. Adjust for your own circumstances.
insurance
£430 / year (third-party fire & theft, 25 yr old, London)
tax
£25 / year (motorcycles ≤150cc)
mot
£29.65 / year (compulsory from year 3)
fuel
~£223 / year at 4,000 mi (£1.45/L)
service
~£165 / minor service
Day-one essentials
ECE 22.06 full-face helmet
£120 – £400
CE Level 2 armoured jacket
£150 – £350
Disc lock + reminder cable
£35 – £75
Sold Secure Gold chain + ground anchor
£90 – £180
Tail-pack 25L
£75 – £160
All-weather cover + bike socks
£30 – £80
Best for
- Used-bike buyers
- Long commutes
- Riding-school graduates
Insider trivia
- — Sold in the UK 2017–2023.
- — Largest fuel tank of any 125 sold in Europe.
- — Frequently used as a riding-school training bike.
Owner FAQs
- Can I ride the YS125 on a CBT?
- Yes — the Yamaha YS125 is fully CBT-legal in the UK. With L-plates and a valid DL196 you can ride it for two years before progressing to A1, A2, or full A.
- What licence do I need to take L-plates off the YS125?
- You need an A1 (17+), A2 (19+) or full A (24+) licence and Module 1 / 2 pass — this 125 itself is restricted to learners.
- Is the YS125 reliable?
- Yamaha has a Used — varies by dealer warranty on the YS125. Sold in the UK 2017–2023.
- What is the real-world range?
- Claimed economy is 118 mpg and the tank is 14 litres, giving a theoretical range of 363 miles. Real-world budget around 80% of that.
- What insurance group is the YS125?
- Group 8. As a rough guide, a 25-year-old in zone 2 London with no claims pays around £430 per year third-party fire & theft.
- Is the YS125 good for delivery / courier work?
- It's possible, but a scooter like the PCX 125 or SH125i is the standard courier choice. Manual gearboxes slow down stop-start delivery work.
Browse all CBT-legal 125s
Don't have your CBT yet?
You need a valid DL196 certificate before you can legally ride the YS125 on UK roads.
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