Yamaha XTZ 125 - Top alternatives

In a world where most of the motorcycle manufacturers are gunning for high-end, high-performance adventure and off-road motorcycles, we have forgotten about the more affordable and simple products that are perhaps more fun to ride than their elder brothers. Although they say that the machine doesn’t matter, it’s the rider who should have the intention and will to take the less-travelled road, having a purpose-built motorcycle on an off-road expedition is like having a cherry on top of the cake.

We are glad that we have bikes like the Yamaha XTZ 125 available in the market. It is a simple off-road motorcycle that you can ride on a daily basis as well as take on those off-road weekend rides. Yes, it isn’t as flamboyant as the bigger and more powerful off-roaders, but that’s one thing you wouldn’t need to worry about while beating the heck out of it. The Yamaha XTZ 125 specs are pretty basic and minimal. It is powered by a 125 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine which produces 12.5 PS of max power at 8,000 rpm and 11.6 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. It has a 5-speed gearbox. We know all these figures aren’t the most exciting ones but trust us, you are going to have a whole lot of fun riding with the throttle pinned on this motorcycle.

Another thing that we love about the Yamaha XTZ 125 is its ride quality. Thanks to the long travel telescopic forks at the front and a mono-shock at the rear, the XTZ 125 soaks up everything it rides over. Also, the 21-in front wheel and the 18-in rear wheel is the perfect combination for an off-road motorcycle.

When it comes to the competition, the XTZ 125’s closest rival is the Honda XR150L. It is very much similar in construction and has various good features. For example, when compared to the XTZ 125, it looks much better thanks to its exciting colour schemes and overall design. Also, it has a bigger 150 cc, single-cylinder engine that produces 12.1 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm but has a similar power figure as that of the XTZ 125. The Honda is slightly heavy weighing in at 122 kg whereas the Yamaha is 118 kg only. Also, the XR150L has a 19-in front wheel. When it comes to pricing, the Honda XR150L price is Php 89,900 which is almost 5 grand expensive than the Yamaha XTZ 125.

We know that you must be thinking what about the MotorStar MSX200-II? Well, it does appear nice on paper. It has a more powerful 200 cc engine, looks a bit better, has disc brakes at both ends, and whatnot. But we aren’t so sure about its build quality and the quality of the materials used. MotorStar MSX200-II price is Php 69,000, which is very cheap for such a motorcycle. And if you are looking to buy an off-road motorcycle just for the sake that you have an off-road motorcycle, then perhaps you should go for it. But considering Yamaha and Honda’s impeccable record when it comes to quality and engine performance, we would go with them if we really want to exploit the bikes to their fullest.

If you can extend your budget by a bit, then we would suggest going for the . It costs Php 134,900 and is a dual-sport bike. Honda’s CRF lineup is pretty popular across the globe for its durability and fantastic performance. The CRF150L is the most affordable CRF available in the market. It isn’t that different from the XR150L when it comes to the aesthetics but it does have better equipment. For example, it comes with long-travel inverted forks at the front, black aluminium rims, disc brakes at both ends, digital instrument cluster, etc.

Off-roading is a totally different ball game so if you want to have a go at it, make sure you have the right motorcycle for you. That doesn't mean you have to get the most expensive one available out there. You should have something with which you are comfortable with and we are pretty sure that you would find at least one of the aforementioned motorcycles to suit your taste.