If you have eaten today – thank the farmer, if you are disease free – thank the health sector, if you receive parcels – you have the delivery man to thank. Wherever there are farming, community work and delivery, there is also a need for accessibility, manoeuverability, range coverage, reliability as well as speed.
Our answer to these requirements is a seemingly humble set of wheels which is most appropriate for logistics details – the Yamaha XTZ 125 – a versatile partner in transportation, and we had an opportunity to test it this week.
Think of the footpaths taken by health/social officials, census enumerators, or the farmer who has to cover kilometres of farmland. The Yamaha XTZ 125 is a must have on every ranch/farm and a cardinal part of every government wing and NGO fleet, it’s also a necessary garage accessory; something to load in your pick up when you head north or to the dunes or the coast.
Classified as a scrambler/dirt bike, the Yamaha XTZ 125 takes on the likes of Honda XR 150 L, Suzuki GSXF 750 and Kawasaki KLX 125 in a tightly contested segment.
At the first sight of it, I was taken back to Jean-Claude van Damme on a scrambler in the legendary movie, ‘Hard Target’. I didn’t feel any less as I darted around on it.
Though smaller looking in pictures, the Yamaha XTZ 125 is a tall standing modern scrambler (motor cross bike), a tamed scrambler one may call it.
External features include; semi rugged tyres, a halogen headlamp straight out of the cartoon ‘Power Rangers’, plastic panels with sporty markings on the sides, and it comes with an underside cover to keep scrambled stones from damaging the engine.
Features for the rider’s convenience include; instrument panel with speedometer and trip meter, a wide and thick cushioned seat which is also low – enhancing upright seating and a sturdy carrier at the rear end to fasten spoils of an adventure or a cargo box.
The XTZ 125 has a ground clearance of 260 mm at its lowest point, allowing it to conquer more obstacles including rocks, streams and shallow rivers, floods and marshes. It even has a bar mounted ‘kill switch’ incase water goes in too deep.
At the press of a button its YBR 125 four stroke, single cylinder (SOHC) engine comes to life with a soft hum – the breathing of two valves at each cylinder. It generates a maximum power of 9,6 kW resulting in a torque of 11,6 Nm.
Regulated by a constant mesh5-speed gearbox, the Yamaha XTZ happily takes on steep hills and has a very docile grunt at low revs which spells low consumption on its 11 litre fuel tank. The XTZ 125 is master of manoeuverability and efficiency as it weighs in at a class leading 104 kg dry weight.
Talking suspension, the XTZ has a 35 mm telescopic fork at the front with 180 mm travel and is covered in rubber boots which add to its general robust appeal. In the rear is a Swingram 5-way adjustable mono shock, the suspension is a witty combination along with its larger than usual tyres, this gives it more edge and presence over its competition.
A motorbikes ride and handling is its safety.
The XTZ has semi knobbed Michelin tyres offering excellent grip on or off road; measuring 80/90-21 in front and 110/80-i8 in the rear, which is a larger in front and smaller in the rear providing good stability at higher speeds and also enabling easy running over of bumps and obstacles.
Apart from the suspension and design, comfort is further enhanced by an engine holding internal balancer which irons out noise vibration and harshness (NVH) enhancing its overall comfort.
The Yamaha XTZ 125 is a modern toned down scrambler, an offroad rider that is able to tackle the challenges of the urban jungle.
Built for its dual purpose, nothing other than its kind can compete with it, especially in its element – the dirt trail.
The Yamaha brand is no stranger to Namibia, you can discover more from the local approved dealerships; Yamaha Namibia in Windhoek and Duneworx in Swakopmund.
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