Motorcycle manufacturers from all over the world have recently been hard at work in revamping their European lineup of machines. With nearly all motorcycles worth their salt now conforming Euro 5 emission standards, another gold mine now has the potential to drastically increase motorcycle manufacturers’ sales figures.
It’s no surprise that the global pandemic has altered what many people would consider as fun, leisurely activities. With the increased, imminent danger of catching the virus indoors, lots of people have turned to outdoor activities to get their fix of fun and excitement. As it would turn out, riding a motorcycle is an excellent way of practicing social distancing, and it just so happens to be one of the most exciting and exhilarating things in the entire universe. As such, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing quite a massive influx of beginner riders, as well as folks who may have ridden briefly in the past, now deciding to swing a leg over a motorcycle once again.
The entry-level, A1-compliant motorcycle market across Europe is better than ever. With bikes like the Lexmoto LXR 125 and the KTM 125 Duke, first timers can look and feel like veteran riders aboard these fancy rides. Yamaha has quite an impressive repertoire of newbie machines, too. The MT-125 let’s first-timers embark on their two-wheeled careers aboard the company’s Master of Torque moniker, and the YZF-R125 will have newbies looking and feeling like Valentino Rossi. Having said all that, Yamaha’s entry-level lineup is about to get even better, as the company is expected to launch a neo-retro naked bike in the form of the XSR125.
Yamaha’s XSR lineup is basically the MT range in retro apparel. The upcoming XSR125 is no exception. Based heavily on the MT-125, the bike features near-identical underpinnings from the 125cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine, to the steel diamond frame, and anodized inverted forks. This means that the XSR125 will likely catch on among retro aficionados, and will have the same bulletproof reliability and dependable performance which Yamaha is so well known for. For reference, the Yamaha XSR155 has been available on the Asian market for over a year now. We can expect the XSR125 to look nearly identical to the Asia-spec XSR155.