YAMAHA NMAX 125

Is the latest version of Yamaha’s best-selling scooter better than ever before?

Yamaha’s NMAX 125 is one of the best-selling scooters in the UK. Five hundred and thirty seven were sold in April, 659 were sold in May and 781 were sold in June. That’s nearly 2000 scooters in three months. That’s some serious numbers. There’s a reason for it though: Yamaha’s NMAX has always been an affordable, reliable, efficient and easy-to-ride scooter for new riders and commuters looking for a stylish way to get about, but for 2021 it’s stepped things up even further with a host of new features (keyless ignition, traction control and a stopstart engine system) which pitch it directly against the biggest name in the game… Honda’s enduringly popular PCX 125.

We spend the day putting it through its paces to see just how it stands up in the real world.

First things first, the NMAX is small. That shouldn’t come as any great surprise, it’s a 125cc scooter after all, but despite its diminutive dimensions it feels reassuringly solid and offers plenty of room for my 6ft 1” frame. It’s light too, tipping the scales at 131kg with a full tank of fuel, which makes it very easy to shift about without the engine running. It’s also surprisingly well equipped considering its ‘budget’ commuter aspirations. It gets traction control, a stop-start engine, the same keyless ignition system as the XMAX 300, basic Bluetooth connectivity (you can pair your smartphone when someone’s calling you or sending you a message) and a 12-volt power socket which is tucked in a little cubbyhole up front. There’s more storage too, including another compartment near your knee, in addition to 23 litres of space under the seat.

That’s a decent amount of room in which Yamaha reckons you’ll be able to stash a full face lid. We had no such luck with the Arai Rapide, but maybe you’d have more success with your helmet of choice. Either way, there’s plenty of space to stash a set of waterproofs and a spare pair of gloves for when you get caught out in particularly bad weather.

The NMAX is powered by a liquidcooled ‘Blue Core’ 125cc single cylinder motor which kicks out 12bhp and has enough punch to reach speeds of 67mph. It’s actually not dramatically different to the old motor. There’s a new cylinder head to help improve fuel economy while meeting new Euro 5 emissions regulations, and (in a first for Yamaha’s scooters) a new a Stop/Start system. The technology is nothing new (Honda’s been doing it for years), but there’s no doubt it’s a clever way to save fuel when you’re stopping and starting in traffic. It works well.