hen the opportunity arose to attend the 2020 Yamaha YZ250FX and YZ125X introduction ride in South Carolina, I immediately jumped on the opportunity, with the biggest excitement involving the YZ125X. Prior to this ride, I really couldn’t remember the last time I was able to ride a 125, so my initial time on the bike was spent remembering how to ride one!

Once I remembered not to lug it around like the 300 two-strokes I’m used to, it was smooth sailing; within a few minutes, I was saying, “I wish I could take this bike home!” The YZ125X motor is specifically tuned for off-road riding, with a smoother power delivery versus the YZ125. It has an off-road-specific ECU, off-road carburetor settings, and off-road-tuned suspension.

With three different loops available at the ride, it was a unique opportunity to ride the 125X in a variety of terrain. On the faster, more wide-open loop, it was easy to keep the 125X motoring along with usable power. In the tight, slow loop, the 125X was incredibly easy to ride due to its low weight and “flickability” between the tight trees. The main loop consisted of a mix of technical terrain and medium-speed flowing trails, similar to a GNCC course. In this loop, the 125X was nearly flawless, as it combined the usable power and flickability I discovered in the other two loops.

It was interesting that the 125X was able to put good and usable power to the ground in areas of the trail that were slick and greasy red clay. Additionally, there was one sandy creek bottom section that would normally rob power from a small-bore bike in the corners, but the 125X was able to power through similar to a 250. Overall, the YZ125X proves to be a great stepping-stone for younger riders, or simply a very fun bike for experienced riders.