Always a fan of beautiful machines, the Yamaha Y125 Moegi is a concept worthy of a little drooling over. I think it’s a really nicely sculpted bike, though in the year 2012, we need this thing to be electrified.
Of all the new concepts making their debut at the Tokyo Motor Show, it’s the Yamaha Y125 Moegi drawing the most interest from friends and readers. Why? It probably has something to do with the inherent conservatism of motorcycling — the styling is relatively retro with that peanut-ish tank — but it also speaks to the demand for lightweight, practical, stylish urban runabouts. The Moegi fits the bill, coming in at just 176 pounds and returning 188 mpg.
The idea seems to be adapting bicycle functionality to near-motorcycle performance. The spindly upside down fork and tiny, single-caliper disc brakes, thin wheels and belt drive all could have come off a high-end bicycle, but the exposed engine and passenger pillion are distinctly motorcycle.
Equipped with a 125cc four-stroke engine, look for power in the 10 to 15 horsepower range and a top speed in the ballpark of 75 mph. That’s plenty for scooting around a city. What the Moegi lacks, however, is the practicality of a scooter — there’s no storage or weather protection and it looks like the Moegi has gears to shift.
Is style enough to make up for limited practicality?
