YAMAHA VITY 125 (2008 - on) Review
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At a glance
Owners' reliability rating: | |
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Annual servicing cost: | £100 |
Power: | 8 bhp |
Seat height: | Low (28.7 in / 730 mm) |
Weight: | Low (243 lbs / 110 kg) |
Prices
Overall rating
Next up: Ride & brakesThe Vity 125 is not a cutting edge scooter. It’s not fast. It doesn’t look good unless you’ve got a thing for the 80s. But it does the job and has one big saving grace – a £1,799 price tag when it was new which, for a trustworthy 125cc Yamaha, is very cheap.
Even when the price inevitable crept up you could still buy one for a little over £2000. These days, a used example in good nick will cost you about what it did when it was launched but that's got more to do with soaring used bike prices generally than the scooter itself.
Ride quality & brakes
Next up: EngineThe Vity only weighs 110kg wet. That and a very low 730mm seat make it very easy to drag around in parking bays and a doddle to u-turn. But on the move it feels unresponsive and a touch wobbly. As a way to get to work cheaply it will do the job, but it probably won’t raise a smile.
Engine
Next up: ReliabilityThere’s no nice way to say it – the Vity is slow. Top speed is around 60mph and it takes its time getting there, but that’s perfect adequate for the Vity’s intended use as a cheap town commuter. It lacks the zip of other 125 scooters such as Yamaha’s own (pricier) BW’s 125.
Reliability & build quality
Next up: ValueThe Vity 125 is about as basic as you can get, so on the plus side there’s very little to go wrong. Plus if anything ever should, you’ve got the benefit of big-brand dealer and parts back-up to rely on. The leather-effect seat cover looks a bit naff and it’s a bit dated, but it doesn’t look badly made.
Value vs rivals
Next up: EquipmentThe scooter market has been flooded with low-cost Chinese models in recent years, but a used Vity 125 still represents excellent value. If you're considering a new, cheap-to-buy and run 125 scooter or electric equivalent then the best-selling Honda PCX 125, is a great place to start.
Yamaha's cheapest offering is now the NMax 125, which is just a couple of hundred quid more than the PCX. Slightly more again than both the Yamaha and the Honda is the Silence S01 electric.
Equipment
For the bargain price tag you get a pretty practical package – underseat storage big enough for a full-face helmet, luggage rack, fuel gauge and a decent-sized non-lockable glove box deep enough to take a drinks bottle. For 2010 you also get some race-inspired speed-block style graphics.
Specs |
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Engine size | 125cc |
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Engine type | 4-stroke 2v air-cooled 125cc single |
Frame type | tubular steel |
Fuel capacity | 5.5 litres |
Seat height | 730mm |
Bike weight | 110kg |
Front suspension | none |
Rear suspension | none |
Front brake | 153mm disc |
Rear brake | 100/90-10 |
Front tyre size | 100/90-10 |
Rear tyre size | 100/90-10 |
Mpg, costs & insurance |
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Average fuel consumption | 77 mpg |
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Annual road tax | £25 |
Annual service cost | £100 |
New price | £2,099 |
Used price | - |
Insurance group |
4 of 17 How much to insure? |
Warranty term | Two year unlimited mileage |
Top speed & performance |
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Max power | 8 bhp |
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Max torque | 6.7 ft-lb |
Top speed | 60 mph |
1/4 mile acceleration | - |
Tank range | 94 miles |
Model history & versions
Model history
2008: Yamaha Vity 125 introduced
Other versions
None
Owners' reviews for the YAMAHA VITY 125 (2008 - on)
5 owners have reviewed their YAMAHA VITY 125 (2008 - on) and rated it in a number of areas. Read what they have to say and what they like and dislike about the bike below.
Review your YAMAHA VITY 125 (2008 - on)
Summary of owners' reviews |
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Overall rating: | |
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Ride quality & brakes: | |
Engine: | |
Reliability & build quality: | |
Value vs rivals: | |
Equipment: | |
Annual servicing cost: | £100 |
Version: Xc125
Year: 2011
Annual servicing cost: £100
Value for money is it's strongest feature, let's face it, it's cheaper to run than catching a bus every day. It's extremely comfortableand light. I completed an 8 day charity ride covering 2200 miles while riding the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. The scooter was fully loaded with camping gear and still averaged 80 mpg riding a combination of motorways, A roads and back roads. It did everything I asked of it and more.
Comfortable, and quiet, I rode 300 miles in a day with no problems. The seat is large enough to move around on. The mirrors show what's behind you rather than your elbows. The handling is very good, it's no R1, but it always felt 'sure footed' inspiring confidence. You get a main stand as well as a side stand.
It's fairly quick off the mark, top speed on the speedo 'on the flat' was 65 mph, GPS true figure was 60 mph. The national speed limit is 70 mph...... how fast do you need to go in everyday life? How fast do you want to go on 10" wheels?
I regularly clean and dowse the scooter in GT85 which helps to keep corrosion at bay. A big plus is the large rear mudguard that stops road dirt from getting everywhere and of course it's fitted with front fork gaiters as standard, not many more expensive scooters can claim that. The only casualty during ownership was a warped front disc, which considering the weight I was carrying and the roads I was riding, I think is acceptable, it was cheap and easy to replace. It even has fuel injected for that price.
Cheap as chips to run. Service items are cheap and even tyre prices are reasonable. Mine was fitted with a genuine yamaha screen and top box, making it even more usable. I got 4500 miles out of a rear tyre and 7000 miles out of a front.
Basic, but what else do you really need? If your out with your mates posing down the chippy, compared with other scooters, it probably wouldn't cut it. But that's missing the point........its a budget scooter that is far better than it should be at that price. They're an absolute bargain as a second hand scooter.
Buying experience: I've owned 2 Vitys. Vity 1 was brand new £1750.00, second Vity second hand £900.00. Both from Yamaha dealers a few years apart.
Year: 2011
Just splendid basic bike.
Year: 2012
Annual servicing cost: £100
Great value scooter
Low ground clearance is the only issue I can fault bike on
It is a bit slow and was expecting more mpg but still very good
Parts very cheap and bike easy to work on , so ideal even for a novice
It has a fuel gauge bonus to some bikes I’ve owned , but dials are clear and easy to see
Buying experience: Bought private and good value commuter
Year: 2010
An amazing bike in my opinion, with just enough speed to get you about without being killed. Not sure if this is factory but when I came off I noticed it had a built in kill switch.
i have 10 of these scooters to deliver pizzas they are absolutely amazing just oil brake pads tyres, one bike has been dropped 7 times just scratched panels, superb.