You see a lot of strange concepts displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show, but this one caught our eye. There is something charming/retro about this ultra lightweight, air cooled single from Yamaha. Although Yamaha isn’t saying, it doesn’t look like this machine could weigh more than 150 pounds. The tire sizes look like they come from a mountain bike/beach cruiser bicycle, so one would have to wonder how they would hold up to even semi-aggressive cornering. Nevertheless, if you value simplicity, this is an attractive concept.
Here is the sum total of what Yamaha has had to say about the Y125 MOEGI prior to the show:
This concept model is a fresh embodiment of Yamaha design philosophy that combines the familiar look and feel of a bicycle in a motorcycle. Mounting a world standard 125cc class engine on a slim, lightweight frame, this model is designed to offer good fuel economy with an easy and enjoyable ride. Besides its appeal as a personal vehicle for daily commuting, it sports an active image that will lure owners on longer jaunts on the weekends.
I think it is neat.
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I love it. Some 50cc scooters with CVTs can go 50mph. With 125cc and manual shift this bike would fly. The motorcycles can’t keep up with the racers on the fast, tight descents of the Tour de France and their tires are far skinnier than the ones on this Yamaha.
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NIce design, but it is darn near impossible to sell small displacement motorcycles here in the USA!USA!USA!, since many people think a 600cc sportbike with 110HP is a “small” bike.
Also, it would have to sell for almost $3,000.00 puts it right out of the “gee that looks nice” I think I will buy one category.
However, if Yamaha can bang them out in India, get the retail down to about $1,500.00, when gas gets back up to $5.00 a barrel, they won’t build container ships fast enough.
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$1500? My mountainbike costs more than that. If a production version were to look anything like the concept, I can’t imagine it would cost less than $5000. It would be a pleasant surprise if it did cost less. There are some pretty sophisticated curves on that bike that won’t be spit out by a stamping machine. I’m sure the target market is the lifestyle crowd that buy iphones and wear scarfs during the summer because they think people admire them for it, price be damned.
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I always admired those old movies that showed people in post war Europe riding motorized bicycles. I want mine with a rack and or baskets. Who seriously thought of putting a passenger seat on this?…On second thought, is this a product of the austerity we are being nudged into? I hope not. I don’t want American cities to look like an image from post war Amsterdam, or China.
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Change the name to Mr. Moegi.
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two headlights = Mr. Magoo.
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It’s PERFECT
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I want one.
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It reminds me of my uncle’s 50′s vintage moped …in a small village in Italy. This type of bike would be perfect for the Tuscan Hill backroads, or buzzing around in the City. It’s a European way of life, every house has a moped, scooter, etc…and if you want to corner agressively you buy a bike for that reason. It’s coming in North America… slowly but surely.
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Hey PeeWee!!!! We found your bike!!!!!!!
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My thoughts exactly. Can’t believe so many here like it. It looks a little too girly man for me. (Arnold voice)
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Well, it’s real cute and stuff, kinda pretty, nice sculpted lines, pearl paint etc. But I guarantee if any one of us sat on it, it would look real bad, real quick. You’d practically have to be dressed like the guys in Logan’s Run just to seem …. right? I’ll bet a 180 lb guy sitting on this with boots and a jacket would really look wrong, no….? C’mon. There are mountain bikes out there with more hair on em than this silly thing. But… to each his own.
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Plus, the contact patch(s) on that bike are miniscule. A 125cc running on that rubber could quickly create a very bad situation. Skinny tires = less contact. And when they do break loose, there’s no more tire to catch it with. Somebody mentioned bicycle racers routinely go down hills at 50 or 60 mph. True, but they’re racing and getting paid to do it. And the human body cant match the power that comes outa that little 125. Meaning it’ll over power itself and again loose grip. And dont even think about hitting a wet spot in the road like a damp crossing stripe, or man hole cover or a RR crossing………
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This is awesome Yamaha!!!
Please build this!
Where’s the supermoto version?
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As a fan of bicycles & motorcycles myself,
i think it’s very interesting …
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I like it. I would purchase one if it were reasonably priced. With the 125cc motor I would guess a reasonable 45mph speed. With today’s racing bicycles I imagine that the tires would be easy to source. So, pop on some small LED turnsignals and bar end mirror and happy inner city putting.
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The Whizzer updated for the 21st century. What goes around comes around
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No, its not an updated Whizzer (to my eye anyway) … its an updated 1955 Yamaha YA-1 which, like the Harley Hummer, was a knock off of the German DKW RT125
See if you guys agree ..
http://www.autoevolution.com/moto-image/yamaha-ya-1-1955/2672.html#image
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Awesome!
Yamaha, please build this and bring it to the US!
Motorcycle Daily, please continue covering bikes like these and scooters.
Haters, get over it.
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Speaking of Tokyo Motor Show concepts. Anyone see Honda’s RC-E? It’s utterly gorgeous!
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No stone left unturned, eh? To my taste it needs to be little bit boxier. But, this is definitely more attractive than scooter of same size (not weight!).
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That is pretty friggin’ cool.
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That is probably the most interesting design I’ve seen in a very long time. To my eye, I think it is one of the most elegant and captivating bike designs I’ve ever beheld. Pure class. It is nice to see something so fresh and original. The design looks as retro as it does futuristic. Seems like it would cost a fortune as is. I hope that they don’t ruin it during a mass production rework should they choose to bring it to market.
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Taken as is and because it is a concept it does draw the eye. But on a practical note it would seem that the tires fitted would be overwhelmed by not just the weight of bike and rider but the speeds and cornering loads a 125cc engine would/could offer. Either the tires would need to be beefed up or the engine stepped down to perhaps 50cc. But as one posted already, seems a bit more like art than something practical.
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Yamaha designs the perfect bike for every limp wristed metrosexual.
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Many of whom read MD, apparently.
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You read my mind
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I’d like to see the higher performance “Board Track” version….
how cool would that be…. I’ll take mine with brakes though…
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My wife and kids would each love one of those. Keep it clean with slim-profile LED turn signals and it will be a total hit. I’d use one in-town or on vacations for sure. Nice job hiding the rear suspension, even…awesome.
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No turn signals = off road. No rear suspension?
What can this do that any other 125 cant?
Can you see Steve McQueen booking up the NYS Thruway on this?
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It has rear suspension, it’s just cleverly packaged. The shock is inside the backbone of the bike, like the old single shock DTs. Unfortunately, they took another page from the DT book…the passenger pegs are mounted on the swingarm. Signals are probably incorporated into the lights.
As for what it does that other 125s can’t, from the comments on here it appears that having a market in the US is a good start. There are plenty of 125 scooters in the US, but I can’t think of a single 125 motorcycle here.
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http://www.powersportsnetwork.com/enthusiasts/new_vehicle_detail.asp?VehicleCode=100406&st=AZ&submit=Go.
Bet you can still find the 2009 125 Eliminator in showrooms here & there too
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there most certainly is rear suspension.
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That engine looks lovely!!
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My ass hurts looking at the thong seat along with what looks like a hardtail rear suspension. Other than that I think is just “darling”?
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Absolutely beautiful design. Clean, classic lines. It would be a hoot in the 125cc form, but it would sell like hotcakes with a 50cc scooter motor to avoid being called a motorcycle in most states.
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I can see one strapped to every Florida bound RV now,it might get you beat up at bike night though
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I want this bike so bad. I just road a tomos moped across country 4000 miles in 20 days. It was a blast but slow. So I know how useful and enjoyable a bike like this would be. Build it and I will buy one.
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This is the modern NSU Quickley without pedals, I love it.
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I want one really bad. I mean REALLY bad!
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it looks like insanity to load that bicycle up with a 125cc Yammie motor! I guess it might be tons of fun to drift one!!!
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An extremely elegant answer to a question no one has asked. A great conversation piece. If the conversation begins with, “what the @$#& is that?”
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That is to cool! Very nicely done Yamaha! If I bought one I would mount it on the wall in my living room!
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Ahh…the return of the lightweight single. As all things evolve, the future lineup of models based on this one could possibly include a replacement for the SR500.
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And/ or a modern and clean frame like this one with the SV650 twin.
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Opps make that “XS650″..
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My girl friend would love this — if it had a semi auto 4 speed–
and you would see me on it –
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If this is brought stateside I will have to have one .
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aggressive cornering?
don’t think so.
how ‘about lazy beach cruisin’?
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That is SO elegant–classy, sleek, and freaking lovely to behold. If I wasn’t built along the scale of a grizzly bear I’d own one, and drive it with a HUGE smile on my face.
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Wow, I love it… and want one!
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Wow. THATS one from left field! – I like it!
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Forget the E-Bikes! This thing is VERY COOL and should get 75mpg. Build this in the Yellow/Black livery and you sell a million!
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I dig it. Looks like it would make a fantastic city bike for those of us who don’t really want a scooter.
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Now THAT is cool!!!!!!
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CUTE!!
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Better keep an eye out for potholes!
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They probably won’t be coming at you too fast. lol
Neat to see them playing with some really new ideas. Seems like light, off highway bikes could have always been a lot lighter without being mopeds. I hope this kind of idea catches on.
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Where do I put my deposit? this would be a great daily commuter and wth today’s gas prices my V-rod still does nto give good miles per gallon
. Awesome design…
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Fantastic, kudos to Yamaha!
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I like it. If they produce it and bring it over here it would probably sell in this battered economy.
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Very nicely done and not that different from some of the bicycles you’ll find in Japan.
Actually if you removed the 125 single and replaced it with an eMotor that already exists
in Japan and in BMX format. Traveling the planet is a good way for all to see exactly what
we’re missing.
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That bike is an updated version of the very first Yamaha .. I think it was called the YA1
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