Rieju NKX 125 2026 — Specifications

When a Spanish brand decides to play in the big-bore league with a 125, the result is worth stopping for. Rieju is not a newcomer: the Figueres manufacturer has been around since 1934, and the 2026 NKX 125 carries this history on its steel tubular shoulders. At €3,500, it positions itself directly against the heavyweights of the category, the Honda CB125R and Yamaha MT-125 leading the way. The battle is unequal in terms of notoriety, but the figures themselves deserve a closer look.

The 125 cc single-cylinder engine, with its 58 mm bore for 47 mm stroke, plays a square, almost sporty, part. Four valves per cylinder, six-speed gearbox, 15 horsepower available for a dry weight announced at 150 kilos: the power-to-weight ratio is correct without being spectacular. We are within the standard of a category where regulations cap everyone at 11 kW, but the torque of 11.80 Nm suggests a machine that responds readily, without excessive latency in the low revs. The maximum speed of 110 km/h places the NKX exactly where it is expected on the highway, neither more nor less.

What really distinguishes the Rieju in this segment is its chassis equipment. A 41 mm diameter inverted fork is what you find on much more expensive machines. KTM imposed it on the Duke 125, and the others had to follow suit. Rieju holds its own on this point, with a mono-shock at the rear and Nissin calipers that do the job seriously. The steel tubular trellis frame gives a sharp, almost industrial, visual character that contrasts with the more plasticized design of some Japanese competitors.

The 13.5-liter tank is a real good news for those who want to swallow kilometers. On a 125, it is often the poor relation of the technical specifications, sacrificed in favor of a compact size. Here, Rieju has chosen practicality, which clearly orients the NKX towards a versatile use, city and small roads included. The target audience is easily identifiable: the young A1 license holder who wants a motorcycle that looks like something serious, not an under-equipped toy, and who can consider a few weekend getaways without looking for a gas station every 80 kilometers.

The main drawback remains that of the brand itself. Rieju does not have the service network of a Japanese manufacturer, and the resale of an NKX in a few years will be less easy than an MT-125. This is the price to pay for choosing originality in a very formatted 125 market. But for the requested budget, the list of equipment holds up, and the NKX displays a technical consistency that more well-known competitors do not always offer at this price.