RIDDEN: Yamaha NMAX 125

It’s not Bruce’s usual style of ride, but he’s whizzed around Barcelona on the NMAX. Here’s what you need to know…

Yamaha’s sold nearly 400,000 NMAXs globally in 2024, and it’s likely to prove even more popular next year after a comprehensive overhaul. Here’s our take on the next-generation NMAX 125

It’s time to be honest with you… I don’t know that much about scooters, but I can read a press release just as well as anyone. The thing is, when going over the facts and figures surrounding Yamaha’s deliverance of its third generation NMAX, 10 years on from its inauguration, I couldn’t help but feel taken aback by the stats on show. 

Despite my ignorance, the NMAX is clearly very well-known globally, purporting to be one of the Japanese brand’s best-selling products… and especially so in Asia. But that’s not to say its not a hit back home in Blighty, where it’s sold over 3200 units in 2024 alone, making it the best-selling two-wheeler in the UK. For context, around 100 R1 sports bikes were sold in the same period, hammering home how significant this learner legal scooter is to the foundations of the firm’s finances. And it’s probably for that very reason that the model’s been given a solid update for 2025, not just in a bid to make the motor Euro5+ eligible, but also to repay the platform and its loyal fanbase for the NMAX’s success.  

What’s new about it? Well, quite a lot. Aesthetically, it’s impossible to ignore the sportier, more alluring lines of the bodywork that have brought the model a step closer to the likes of the XMAX and TMAX, with its more sheer-faced front end and the tightening of the overhangs at the back of the Yamaha. To encapsulate that more premium and sportier look, there are also new LED projector headlights and an equally snazzy LED rear light assembly that integrates the indicators to encourage a sharper look and loftier projection of the warning to fellow road users. 

The handling of the bike has also been given a boost thanks to stiffer springs in the forks and longer, stiffer shocks at the back, increasing the seat height by 5mm as a consequence (now 770mm). There’s also a two-step preload adjuster on the shocks, should you find you’ve over-indulged at lunch… or rammed full the spacious 23-litre underseat storage compartment. In the cockpit you’ll find a new LCD dash that’s easy on the eye and covers all the basics. Below that, in the footwell, there’s the keyless ignition switch that not only allows you to switch on the scoot, but also plays host to the steering lock, fuel filler cover and the hinged seat. Either side of the switch are handy pockets. The left side is open and comes kitted with a USB-C socket, while the right side is lockable and waterproof. 

Of course, a scooter is only the measure of its motor and to ensure the NMAX stays at the top of its game, the 125cc Blue Core engine’s been given a bit of a seeing to. This latest iteration sees a host of new items including a different tensioner, new barrel, an altered crankshaft and cam sprocket, plus different rotor dimensions. Then, of course, there’s a new O2 sensor to add into the mix, alongside an emission-hugging stop-start function to limit exhaust gasses when the engine’s not needed. You get the point, it’s the same but different… still claiming to make 12bhp and produce 11.2Nm of torque. 

On face value those performance figures might not seem all that grand, but when you factor in the scooter only weighs 132kg, the output on tap is actually pretty decent, as I experienced firsthand in and around Barcelona on the global launch of this machine. 

First impressions really do count, and the thing that hit me instantly from the very first turn of the throttle was the pleasant connection between what I asked for and what I got, with marginal buffering before the revs translated to drive, powering me on to the city streets at a credible rate of knots. The 0-30mph speed of this thing is hard to fault, so for urban riding, zipping around and squeezing into and out of tight spaces, it’s child’s play. But how would it cope on the surrounding hills and the dual carriageways that would take us out of the city? In short, it could hold its own, but I found a bit of forethought was needed, especially when trying to overtake at higher speeds. I saw a comfortable 70mph on my clocks, but it seemed to take forever to wind up to that speed, with exponential gains once I’d crested 40-50mph. 

On simple roads with little-to-no traffic, the Blue Core motor was in its elements, chugging along nicely and making for some enjoyable riding, but on occasion we’d hit a bit of traffic and it felt like one had to run the gauntlet when putting a pass in. Of course, the more time I spent behind the bars, the more predictable and pleasurable these instances became. 

Coming back to those aforementioned performance figures, the NMAX certainly seemed more potent than they’d have you believe. The only thing I did question was the need for the integrated traction control, which can be turned off, but was there by default every time the ignition got reset. Overkill? Well, I’ll keep my mouth shut because I’m the type of bloke to spout off and then come unstuck on a slippery, wet white line. More to the point, why wouldn’t Yamaha want to make this scooter as user-friendly and safe as possible? If anything, they should get another star for that.  

One area of the scooter that was extremely hard to question was its handling. Right from the get-go I’d been impressed by the agility of the NMAX that proved able to switch lines and smash apexes with ease. The balance of the product is fantastic, and the riding position not only encourages lithe handling, but also provides a great connection with the 13” tyres beneath. Apparently, the previous model had suffered from a slightly soggy front end, but this iteration felt firm and supported at all times, talking nicely to me as I threw it in and out of the hundreds of bends that littered our route. The rear was nice and firm, though a slightly stiffer spring rate wouldn’t have gone amiss for my 80-kilo frame. As agile as the Yamaha was, the other thing that hit me was how stable the thing felt, stomaching bumps in the road nicely, even when the NMAX was on its ear. 

It’s at this point I should probably mention the ground clearance limitations that became apparently not very long into the ride. The centre-stand was a sucker for grinding out, which made for a few sketchy moments as the rear tyre began to go light around a bend, but only because I didn’t heed the warnings on tap. For most riders, scraping the underside of this scooter won’t be anything to worry about, and I dare say that if I actually owned one of these, I’d show it a lot more respect than I did on this joyride in Espana.

The truth is that the NMAX was proving to be much more fun than I could have ever imagined, and it was stupendously easy to ride, too. Good handling, good brakes and a predictable motor only added to its virtues, that were also bolstered by the relaxed riding position and the solid level of protection from the elements. Our NMAXs featured a sport screen, but there’s also a high screen available for the new model, alongside a host of other accessory goodies, such as heated grips, fancy levers and a 34-litre top case. 

On this short but sweet taster of the Yamaha, I didn’t feel like the base option lacked for anything, opening my eyes to this other side of two wheels that I know so little about. If anything, the NMAX did a good job of whetting my appetite for more of the same, making me wonder just how capable the XMAX or TMAX are in turn. And that’s perhaps a big part of the logic behind Yamaha’s decision to bridge this 125cc offering closer towards its bigger bored brethren… this forms the perfect first step into the MAX family. If this is anything to go by, I dare say they’re pretty epic.