Yamaha WR 125R: Swiss Everyday Test Road and Off-Road

Remember that game from school class? City, country, river. That's exactly the principle we built our test day around with the Yamaha WR 125R — and we threw in the highway on top, because a 125cc enduro in the fast lane was simply too tempting to resist. Starting point was Hostettler in Sursee, the Swiss Yamaha importer, who set us up with two fresh WR 125Rs — ready for whatever the day had in store. The program was ambitious: highway, city, country road, and to finish it off, the TCS terrain in Betzholz. Four completely different worlds for a bike that was actually built for 16-year-olds with a freshly minted A1 license. Or for anyone who just wants to slow down for once. Or for those who always knew that 125s can do more than just school runs and bike-path racing. Yamaha brought the WR 125R back after more than ten years of absence — and not half-heartedly either. Water-cooled 125cc single-cylinder with variable valve actuation VVA, KYB suspension front and rear, 21-inch front wheel, Dunlop D605 dual-sport tires and a price of 4,990 francs, which is really a statement for a Japanese bike. Sounds good on paper. But how does it hold up in reality? We found out — no easy mode. So: hop on, and go.

Whoever starts the WR 125R for the first time is greeted right away: "Hi-Bro" lights up on the display. Yamaha knows exactly who's sitting on this thing. And we soon realized that "Highway Bro" fits at least as well — because the first block of the test day was a good hour on the highway. Full throttle. Twist the grip, engine at 13,000 rpm, and just see what happens.

What happens? More than you'd think. The WR 125R gets to 100 km/h without trouble and holds that speed steadily. If you prefer it a bit more relaxed, 90 works comfortably too. The absolute top speed, however, depends heavily on rider weight, as we found out firsthand. Alessio at 1.70m reached 120 km/h, while I, carrying a bit more mass, topped out at 111 km/h. The engine makes no distinction here — genetics do. As for ergonomics, we were both surprised. No windscreen, so the wind whistles properly through your ears — but the seating position itself is surprisingly comfortable for an enduro. The knee angle is narrow, the seat height of 875mm looks tall at first glance but gives a secure feeling once riding. Totally manageable even for taller riders — no Bowser-on-his-mini-kart moment, as you might know from some other 125s.

One point has to be addressed honestly: the stability on the highway isn't that of a big adventure bike. The Dunlop D605 dual-sport tires on 21 and 18 inches — a strength off-road — demand a bit more attention on the handlebar at highway speeds. Gusts of wind require input, and you correct more often than on a road tire. It's not dramatic, but it's noticeable. Anyone who knows how to handle it quickly finds their rhythm. And then there's this feeling. 50 minutes of full throttle, engine spinning constantly at its limit, people on the highway looking, waving, grinning. I felt like I was 16 again on my first 50cc supermoto. Simply awesome.

In city traffic, the WR 125R comes alive. That twitchy feeling from the highway? Forgotten. 138 kilograms, generous steering lock and enough agility to thread through any gap. Parking spot too tight? Push the bike sideways and roll in. The enduro's steering lock makes tight turns in parking lots child's play. Enduros and supermotos simply have an edge over sport bikes here. At the traffic light, it gets entertaining. The VVA system pulls surprisingly strong from down low, and when the second cam profile kicks in at around 7,400 rpm, there's another shove of power. A bit like VTEC from Honda, only on two wheels. Acoustically, it's a lot of fun. In city traffic there were several situations where we had to swing out and overtake briefly. It always went quickly and without fuss. 15 hp sounds like little, but urban riding, it's totally enough. Anyone coming from a moped will feel like the king of the street. The 875mm seat height puts itself into perspective in practice. The seat is shaped so that you sit into the bike, not on top of it. Alessio at 1.70m had no trouble getting both feet down. Stop at a light, foot up, foot down, no drama.

Anyone wanting to ride the WR 125R sportily on country roads runs into limits. The 21-inch rim with the Dunlop D605 knobbies makes the bike noticeably twitchy at a brisk pace. Flowing through corners works, but you have to be aware that this isn't a road bike underneath you. The bigger issue is the brake. Clearly tuned for enduro use, a hard pressure point, little transparency and lacking bite at higher speeds. There was a situation on an unfamiliar Swiss country road where I had to brake abruptly. At 70 or 80 km/h with these tires and this brake feel, you become aware that the safety margins are limited. ABS is completely absent at the rear, plus there's no traction control. Alessio and I didn't agree on this. I think that a bike coming to market in 2026 should have switchable traction control, even on 125s. A downshift mistake can quickly cause the rear wheel to lock up. Alessio takes it more relaxed: with 15 hp and an off-road bike, you can deliberately let the rear wheel slide a bit and develop a feel for the limits. Both viewpoints have their merit. What stands out positively: fuel consumption. Full throttle all day, yet still around 2.3 to 2.5 liters per 100 kilometers. With an 8-liter tank, that means solid range. After 150 kilometers, the tank was still half full.

The TCS driving center Betzholz in Hinwil offers an off-road terrain on 7,000 square meters with steep slopes, steps and mud. Exactly the right place to pick up the WR 125R where it belongs. The suspension is a surprise. 41mm KYB fork up front with 215mm of travel, KYB monoshock at the rear with 187mm, not adjustable except for preload. Sounds like a compromise, but rides better than expected. We took steps, braked down steep sections and deliberately pushed the suspension to its limit. Once the fork bottomed out up front, and that's where you feel the limit. But for the target audience, it fits. Despite almost 40 kilograms of weight difference between Alessio and me, the setup worked for both of us. The seat shows its true purpose here. Grip off-road, no unwanted sliding. The lower seat height compared to the previous version is noticeable, lean angles and technical sections were controllable at all times. The brake, still a point of criticism on the country road, shows its strength here. However, the ABS in the mud intervenes very quickly and noticeably reduces braking performance. A switchable ABS would be desirable. On the other hand, engine braking works excellently, downshift, use the gears, actively decelerate. That's involving and fun. 125cc off-road, is that enough? Yes. Steep climbs, technical sections, all no problem. The WR 125R convinced us most in the TCS terrain Betzholz. This is where it feels at home.

Four worlds in one day. Highway, city, country road, off-road. The WR 125R told a different story in each of them. On the highway a grinning highway bro, in the city agile and cheeky, on the country road honestly at its limits and off-road completely in its element. Is it perfect? No. The brake is polarizing, on the country road it lacks bite and transparency. A switchable traction control could have been included in 2026. The handlebar could be wider, the levers adjustable. But you have to see it in context: 4,990 francs for a Japanese bike with a VVA engine, KYB suspension and full equipment. That's a statement. Alessio's three highlights: off-road performance, the surprisingly good 125cc four-stroke class and the accessibility. Price, weight, seat height, all fit for almost everyone. My three: the VVA experience in city traffic, the feeling off-road and, honestly, that dumb grin that just wouldn't go away. I felt like I was 16 again on my first 50cc supermoto. The WR 125R is not a compromise that can't do anything properly. It's a compromise that knows where it belongs. And anyone who knows that too will have a lot of fun with this bike.