Yamaha BeeWee YW125 review

Yamaha BeeWee YW125

Yamaha BeeWee YW125

Yamaha BeeWee YW125

Busy Little Bee: The rugged YW125 BeeWee scooter has been given a major revamp for the 2012 model year, sporting a funky new design.

Yamaha BeeWee YW125

With a name destined to inspire riders with the courage and fortitude needed for busy city commuting, Yamaha's BeeWee 125 scooter has been revised for 2012, sporting a stylish new look and priced from $4299 before on-road costs are added.

Offered in Avalanche White and Midnight Black colours, Yamaha says the new YW125 BeeWee "has received a radical makeover, turning from caterpillar to butterfly for 2012".

Dispensing with the horizontally-arranged headlights of its predecessor for a more streamlined and aggressive-looking vertically-stacked headlamp array, the new 125cc four-stroke scooter boasts a less agricultural aesthetic now and has a more city-savvy appearance: the exposed frame, sharper lines and more significant seat section all combine to deliver a more modern design.

Power comes from a 125cc fuel-injected, air-cooled single-cylinder SOHC engine that drives through a CVT automatic transmission.

Yamaha says the new model is "agile and responsive" while delivering the "power and punch necessary to negotiate the trickiest traffic". With a larger seat and grab rails, both rider and pillion are well catered for and there's just enough under-seat storage space to fit one full-face helmet.

Part of the BeeWee's classic charm has been retained via the chunky all-terrain-style 12-inch tyres, which allow the scooter to traverse everything from smooth city streets to bumpy gravel paths. Even the dual rear shock absorbers are off-road grade units - very handy around the inner city roadworks surrounding MTN headquarters at the moment. Hell, even Buddha reports it's a very smooth ride, so if it can handle his girth then you know it's a winner in the suspension department.

Stopping isn't a problem either, with a Unified Braking System that offers great control whatever the weather, although the rear stopper could be a little more meatier. And while the frame is light and easy to handle, it's also durable and rigid.

A rugged, good looking scoot that can certainly handle the jandal, the YW125 BeeWee might have a funny moniker but it is definitely a top contender for the scooterati's dollar.

Plus:

- Great handling

- Nice, streamlined appearance

- Substantial scooter

Minus:

- Could do with stronger back brakes

- Storage is a little on the thin side

- Quite expensive for a 125cc scooter

Buddha's five-star rating

Scratching **

Touring *

Commuting *****

Grunt factor ***

Pillion comfort ****

Specs

Yamaha BeeWee YW125

Engine type: Air-cooled 4-stroke SOHC single-cylinder

Capacity: 125cc

Bore x stroke: 52.4 x 57.9mm

Compression ratio: 10.0:1

Fuel system: EFI

Transmission type: Automatic, V-belt

Frame type: N/A

Front suspension: Telescopic with 78mm travel

Rear suspension: Unit swing with 71mm travel

Front brake: Single 189mm disc

Rear brake: 150mm drum

Wet weight: 121kg

Seat height: 780mm

Fuel capacity: 6L

Price:  $4,299*

*Manufacturer's list price excluding dealer and statutory costs