Yamaha MT-125: review, price and who it suits

Some 125 cc bikes feel like scooters with ambitions, and some feel like real motorcycles with the engine turned down. The Yamaha MT-125 belongs to the second group. It has the stance of a big naked bike, a colour TFT display, a six-speed gearbox and a weight that anyone can push out of a car park without asking for help. If you hold an A1 licence, or a B licence and the right age, it is probably the most direct way to find out whether the world of geared motorcycles is for you.

This is not a reheated spec sheet. What follows are the figures that matter to anyone thinking of renting in Lisbon: what the bike does well, where it feels limited, which other 125 cc bikes it compares with and what it costs to spend a day or a weekend with it, using October 2026 prices from our shop in Sobreda.

In short:

• 125 cc engine with 11 kW (15 hp) at 10,000 rpm, 6-speed gearbox and 5-inch TFT screen.
• 142 kg ready to ride and a 810 mm seat: light, but with the height of a proper motorcycle.
• October 2026 price: €59.51 per day, with 400 km per day included and €0.35 per extra km.
• €600 deposit, held on your card and released within 5 working days; book with 30% of the total.
• A1 licence, or B licence if the rider is 25; pick-up in Sobreda, from 09:00 to 19:00.

What kind of bike it is in practice

The MT-125 is the small version of a naked family that Yamaha built around a simple idea: wide handlebars, upright position, an engine with character. In the 125 cc version the engine is a liquid-cooled, four-stroke single-cylinder. According to the model page in the shop, it produces 11 kW (15 hp) at 10,000 rpm. The spec sheet published by 1000PS gives a torque of 11.5 Nm at 8,000 rpm.

Those numbers say a lot about its temperament. The torque is modest and arrives high on the rev counter, so the bike rewards anyone who uses the gearbox. On an automatic scooter you just twist the throttle; here you have to pick the right gear to leave a roundabout, and that is precisely what makes it interesting. The 11 kW maximum power is no accident: it is the limit that the European driving licence directive sets for category A1.

What European law says about category A1

Directive 2006/126/EC defines category A1 as light motorcycles with a maximum engine capacity of 125 cc, maximum power of 11 kW and a power-to-weight ratio of up to 0.1 kW/kg, with a minimum age of 16. The MT-125 fits within that frame with room to spare on the third condition: 11 kW divided by 142 kg gives about 0.077 kW/kg, a calculation of our own based on the spec sheet data.

The Portuguese rule for B licence holders is a different matter, and it is worth checking with the IMT (Portugal's mobility and transport institute), the body that issues driving licences. In our shop, the bike's page asks for an A1 licence, or a B licence if the rider is 25, and the general rental conditions set 18 as the minimum age for bikes up to 125 cc.

The numbers that count, side by side

To see where the MT-125 sits, nothing beats putting it next to other bikes from the same catalogue. All the figures below come from the bike pages on rent.moto.pt, at October 2026 prices.

Two readings stand out. The first: the MT-125 weighs only 8 to 10 kg more than the 125 cc scooters, but the seat sits 40 to 47 mm higher. If you are 1.60 m tall you will feel that difference when you stop at a traffic light; if you are over 1.75 m you will hardly notice it. The second: it costs more than a PCX 125 and less than an NMAX Tech MAX, which shows that the price here follows not engine size but the type of bike and its equipment.

In the city: where the MT-125 does well

Lisbon has slopes, wet cobbles in the morning, trams that do not give way and traffic that closes like an accordion on the Segunda Circular. A bike weighing 142 kg with wide handlebars crosses all of this with the ease of someone who lives in the middle of the queues. The overall width given on the 1000PS sheet is 800 mm, which means the gap between two stationary cars is rarely a real problem.

The 5-inch TFT screen is a detail you will appreciate on a bike in this class. If you are coming from a scooter, the biggest habit to build is counting the gears: with six speeds and a narrow rev range, losing count is easy in the first few hours.

Pulling away and the clutch bite point

If you have never ridden a bike with a clutch, you will go through an adjustment phase, and it is better to accept that early. In the first few blocks, the bike may stall once or twice when pulling away on a hill. It is not a defect, it is learning. We advise beginners to spend the first half hour in an empty car park or on a quiet street near the pick-up point before heading onto busy avenues.

The 125 cc engine with 15 hp is in no hurry, but it does not fall asleep either. From 6,000 rpm it comes alive. If you insist on riding at 3,000 rpm in sixth gear, you will hear an engine complaining. Dropping down one or two gears to overtake a bus is the move that separates a pleasant ride from a frustrating one.

Outside the city: Cabo da Roca, Arrábida and the limits

The range stated on the bike's page is about 400 km, with a 10-litre tank. Do the maths and that is roughly 2.5 litres per 100 km, a consumption that makes a day on the bike one of the cheapest outings you can organise. It also matches the 400 km per day included in the rental: in practice, one tank a day covers almost anything you might want to do from Sobreda.

A classic route is Lisbon to Sintra and Cabo da Roca, returning along the coast. Another, closer to the shop, is the Serra da Arrábida, with sweeping bends and good visibility, the kind of road where a 125 cc feels happy. The MT-125 handles secondary roads well; it is on motorways, with crosswinds and lorries overtaking, that it shows its less friendly side. A 15 hp engine at a high cruising speed works hard, and if you insist on doing 200 km in a row on a fast road you will arrive tired.

Where it falls short

Let us be clear: the MT-125 is not a touring bike. It has no wind protection, no luggage as standard and the seat was not designed for 300 km stages without breaks. If you plan to cross the country with luggage, look at another segment. For two days out with a small backpack, however, it works perfectly; for two days of heavy luggage and motorway, the right choice is a bigger bike.

The bike's own page says you should not expect the same from a Yamaha Tracer or a BMW GS. It is an honest warning. The difference between a 125 cc and a 900 cc is not only power: it is aerodynamic comfort, stability at a brisk pace and load capacity.

MT-125 or 125 scooter: how to decide

The most common question from people who hesitate is the simplest one: scooter or geared bike? The answer depends on what you want from the trip. A scooter such as the Honda PCX 125, at €45.77 per day in October 2026, is cheaper, has under-seat storage and does without a clutch. The MT-125 costs €13.74 more per day, but offers a riding experience with more control, engine braking and a position closer to that of a big bike.

If the goal is to get from A to B without thinking about the bike, the scooter wins. If the goal is to ride for the pleasure of riding, the naked wins. For a first taste of geared bikes before enrolling in a riding school, the MT-125 works as a very effective test: after one day you know whether the clutch is something that excites you or tires you out.

And safety?

The 1000PS spec sheet mentions ABS on the 2026 version and the model page at Yamaha Motor describes it as a 125 cc hyper naked. ABS helps, but it does not work miracles: braking hard on wet cobbles still calls for a light hand. Full kit, gloves, a jacket with protection and a full-face helmet, is what really protects you if you fall. In the shop, the full-face helmet costs €5 per day, the gloves €2 and the protective jacket €5, as provided in the general rental conditions.

How much a weekend with the MT-125 costs

The maths is easy, because prices are per day and there is no discount for longer rentals. In October 2026, two days cost €119.02 and three days cost €178.53. The 400 km per day are included, so a weekend with 600 to 700 km in total generates no extras. Each km above the daily limit costs €0.35: 50 km over in a day is €17.50.

The deposit is €600, blocked on your credit or debit card at pick-up and released within 5 working days after return. To book you only need to pay 30% of the total, and the rest is due at pick-up. The price includes 23% VAT, third-party liability insurance, travel assistance, the rider's helmet and a padlock.

In practice, the budget for a weekend with the MT-125 comes to €119.02 plus fuel. With consumption of about 2.5 litres per 100 km, it is hard to spend more than about ten euros on petrol over the two days. If you want to compare with other options in the catalogue, you can see all the motorcycles for rent in Lisbon and choose according to the licence you hold and the type of trip.

Who we recommend it to, and who not

The MT-125 suits three profiles. The first is someone with an A1 licence, or a B licence and 25 years of age, who wants a bike with personality instead of an anonymous scooter. The second is someone deciding whether to get an A2 licence who wants to test the gearbox before spending money on lessons. The third is the urban user who values something light, narrow and cheap to run.

It is not the right bike for anyone who wants to cover 600 km in a day with luggage, nor for anyone under 1.60 m who feels insecure with only tiptoes touching the ground. It is also not the best choice for two people: with 15 hp, every extra kilo is felt, especially on hills. If you fit the first profile, the best test is to rent a Yamaha MT-125 for a day and see how it compares with a scooter. If you are still torn between engine sizes, you can read our guide to renting 125 motorcycles in Lisbon.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an A licence to rent the Yamaha MT-125?

No. Since the bike is 125 cc and 11 kW, the model page asks for an A1 licence, or a B licence if the rider is 25. The general rental conditions set 18 as the minimum age for bikes up to 125 cc. If you have doubts about your category, check with the IMT before booking.

How many kilometres can I ride per day?

The rental includes 400 km per day. Each additional kilometre costs €0.35. With the range of about 400 km that the page gives for the MT-125, a full tank usually covers a complete day out from Sobreda.

How much does it cost to rent the MT-125 and what deposit is required?

In October 2026, the price is €59.51 per day, with no discount for longer periods. The deposit is €600, held on your card and released within 5 working days. You book with 30% of the total.

What should I bring on pick-up day?

Bring your identity card or passport, your driving licence and a credit or debit card in the rider's name for the deposit block. Pick-up is at the Sobreda shop, every day from 09:00 to 19:00, and delivery to your address or the airport is available as a paid service.