P84
RIDE REVIEW I 2026 YAMAHA WR125R
TIME
TO RIDE
The WR125R is a handsome motor-
cycle that makes you want to hop on
and ride it. It's also comfortable, fitting
like a glove as soon as you get on.
The bike is made in Indonesia but has
a solid look and feels like any other
Yamaha built in Japan. However, the
engine isn't attractive or inspiring to
look at, at least from the right side. It's
filled with emission components and
hoses, blocking all view of the cylinder,
and there's a catalytic converter some-
where in that large-for-a-125 exhaust
system. But everything else on the
bike looks very appealing.
Yamaha invited the media to test
the WR125R on a group ride with ex-
perienced riders in the hills of South-
ern California, and honestly, I had low
expectations about the bike's power.
After all, it's a 125cc four-stroke
designed to meet road-emissions
standards, making it street-legal in all
50 states, but I was still hoping. Just
maybe. Turns out, my expectations
were accurate: power isn't anything
special. It's not Yamaha's fault; it's
just how small-bore four-strokes that
aren't allowed to breathe are now. Still,
you can tell Yamaha tried its best, fit-
ting it with its VAA system, a versatile
six-speed transmission and an out-
standing fuel-injection system. There's
a hint of torque and bottom end that
propels you smoothly and controlla-
bly from a stop, perfect for beginners
and riders who haven't been on a bike
in a while. The midrange flattens out
a bit, and before you know it, you've
reached the throttle stop. Already? But
keep holding the throttle there and let
it rev to the stars. The WR loves that,
and it's the fastest way to get from
point A to point B.
The headlight
assembly is a little
funky, but kind
of cool. That's a
halogen running
light on top and the
LED headlight on
the bottom.
