Yamaha TW 125 2000 — Specifications

Who said that good things were reserved for large displacement engines? In the world of small displacement motorcycles, the Yamaha TW 125 occupies a unique place, a little jewel of mechanical simplicity that serves as a passport for all adventures. Launched in 2000, this lightweight enduro is a manifesto against excessive sophistication, a return to the roots of motorcycling pleasure.

With a simple steel cradle and a dry weight of only 118 kg, it is the antithesis of an intimidating motorcycle. Its 124 cc two-stroke engine, with 12 horsepower at 9000 rpm, is nothing like a bolt of lightning. The announced top speed is 100 km/h, which is enough for everything except highway madness. But that's where its genius lies: it doesn't seek to impress, it seeks to get you going. With a 7-liter tank and frugal consumption, it is the ally of impromptu getaways. The carburetor on the Yamaha TW 125, simple and robust, is part of this accessible, almost rudimentary, mechanics that speaks to you directly without going through an ECU.

Mounting this machine, with a seat height of 805 mm, immediately gives you that feeling of total control. The large tires, 130/80 front and 180/80 rear, are anchors that allow you to play with surfaces. The telescopic fork and mono-shock, with their respective strokes of 160 mm and 150 mm, absorb imperfections without drama. It's a motorcycle that smiles at you and says "come on, let's go." The braking, with a disc at the front and a drum at the rear, is effective for its size, but it requires anticipatory riding, especially in the wet. Don't expect sporty performance.

Its audience? Beginners looking for an indestructible first bike, urban dwellers seeking an agile companion, and especially, customizers. The TW 125 is a legendary platform for transformations. Its clean frame is a blank canvas to create a Yamaha TW 125 scrambler, a Yamaha TW 125 cafe racer, or even a Yamaha TW 125 bobber. Forums are full of plans to change the Yamaha TW 125 seat, adapt the type 2 carburetor, or find the ideal battery. It's a motorcycle that lives as much in its modified versions as in its original form.

Today, the new price of 3045 euros at the time seems like a memory, as it mainly lives on the used market. Searching for a used Yamaha TW 125, on Le Bon Coin or elsewhere, is often the beginning of a beautiful story. It doesn't have the modern versatility of a Honda Monkey or the power of a small contemporary trail bike. But it possesses a disarming charm, a mechanical joy of living embodied by the characteristic "poum-poum" of its two-stroke engine. It's a motorcycle that doesn't belong to you, it adopts you. For pure fun, it remains, despite the years, an absolute reference.