Tyres for Yamaha YZF-R125 Motorcycle
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The Honda CBR125R may be the better selling bike, but the Yamaha YZF-R125 is simply sexier. You can't mistake it for anything other than a Supersport, but despite its racy looks it is a safe and easy bike to ride - providing you look after the tyres.
The Tyres are twice as important on bikes; you only have two. That means that twice as much engine power, steering and braking is transmitted through those tyres. For this reason, bike tyres don’t last as long as car tyres and if you have to replace them frequently, they will add significantly to the real price of owning the bike. Therefore, choose tyres wisely, inflate them correctly and check them often.
YZF-R125 design
The Yamaha YZF-R125 design borrows much from the R6 but although it shares the aggressive geometry it is a much lighter bike. The lower weight immediately emphasises the importance of road grip. Knowing your bike will hold when you lean into a corner on a wet road is obviously vital to your safety but also to your confidence.
It’s this confidence, in turn, which helps keep you safe, because it enables you to do the right thing without having to think first. Since this bike is popular with learners our tyre professionals highly recommend choosing tyres with a good reputation for road holding in all weather conditions.
Tyre Size
Models since 2014 have a 100/80-17 (52P) at the front and a 140/70-17 (66P) at the rear. Earlier models had a narrower 130/70 tyre at the rear, making grippy tyres even more important. The rims were also changed, from 12 spokes to 6 Y-spokes. The standard OEM motorcycle tyres for this bike are Michelin Pilot Street.
Michelin Pilot Street Tyres
Michelin Pilot Street tyres are certainly a top choice for the Yamaha YZF-R125, providing good mileage and excellent road grip especially in the wet. However, they are usually at the top end of the choices price-wise and there are several good alternatives.
Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyres options
Bridgestone are the leading manufacturer of motorcycle tyres worldwide and have been providing them to Yamaha since the 1950s. Two of their best-known motorcycle tyres are the Battlax and Exedra ranges. In particular, the Bridgestone Battlax BT39 is an excellent choice for this bike. The Bridgestone BT21, BT45 or BT46 are alternatives.
Pirelli Diablo Rosso III
Another model to consider is the Pirelli Diablo Rosso III which was specially developed to deliver superb handling even at high lean angles. Despite their sports focus most riders report good mileage too. For a cheaper option, look at Avon Streetrunners.
Yamaha YZF-R125 tyre pressure
No matter how safe and durable your tyres are, you will ruin them quickly with the wrong inflation pressure. Under normal riding conditions the correct Yamaha YZF-R125 tyre pressure is 26psi (1.8 bar) in the front tyre and 32.6psi (2.25 bar) in the rear. By normal we mean riding solo on the road in good weather. Check the Yamaha YZF-R125 tyre pressure recommendations in your manual.
Talk to Protyre
Protyre offer a full range of tyres and our tyre professionals are always happy to provide unbiased advice. Why not use our online contact form to book a free tyre check at your local garage?