Yamaha Ray ZR 125 BS6 : Roadtest Review

Pros: Extremely attractive, great 125cc engine, fuel efficient

Cons: Feels cramped, lacks modern features

Every two-wheeler brand wants to be in the growing 125cc scooter space. Suzuki came first and is leading. Then, other brands like Honda and Hero MotoCorp jumped in the bandwagon and managed to gain some good sales. TVS also came in with their super cool Ntorq 125 two years ago. And now, Yamaha is trying to make its presence felt in the BS6 segment, not just with one but two scooters – the Fascino 125, and the Yamaha Ray ZR 125. We spent almost a week with the latter and this is what we feel about this Yamaha. 

Yamaha has always been known for offering motorcycles and scooters with high level of quality. It is almost the same story with the Ray ZR 125. The overall fit and finish is neat. The paint which is matte, has a good feel to it. The rubber used on the floorboard is solid and durable. The plastic around the instrument cluster and on the back side of the front panel feels a bit premium too. Unfortunately, due to its sharp styling, Yamaha had to use a lot of panels to connect the entire scooter. Due to which, there are some panel gaps that look flimsy.

The Ray ZR 125 is an urban scooter. That means, it can be used on a daily basis, either for office commute or to pick up stuff from market. So, it needs to be comfortable and practical.  Firstly, the Ray ZR 125 has a decent riding positon. For an average Indian, the legs run almost 90 degrees to the floor. The handlebar is easy to reach and hold, even for long hauls. While riding this scooter in the busy Mumbai streets was a breeze, there were some issues at U-turns. The handlebar touched the knee every single time – then be it a tall guy like me or even someone who is 5.8ft. Also, the floorboard section feels too cramped. And if you place a luggage on the floorboard, commuting is bound to get cumbersome. 

Yamaha Ray ZR 125

• 125 cc
• 52 kmpl
• 8.04 bhp
• 98 kg
;

Avg. Ex-showroom price

₹ 82,221

The Ray ZR gets a 125cc motor instead of a 110cc one. This new motor is fuel-injected, has slightly more power at around 8bhp at 6500rpm, and a peak torque of 9.7Nm of 5000rpm. These new figures mean the scooter is now 30 per cent more powerful than the 110cc variant. The CVT gearbox is new too. The scooter is equipped with some tech like the stop-start system and the smart motor generator. While the former kills the engine if the scooter is stopped and idling for more than five seconds thus saving some fuel, the latter starts the engine with no sound at all.  

All these new inclusions have made the Ray ZR such a joy to ride. The motor is extremely refined and smooth. Be it at 20kmph or 80kmph, the Ray ZR 125 feels and sounds light. Even with full throttle, there are literally no vibrations – something we see in a very few vehicles these days. The power delivery is linear, and with the right amount of throttle input in city limits, this Yamaha promised a really good urban riding experience.  

In terms of handling, the Ray ZR does a decent job. It could have been much better, and the front heaviness makes it a little difficult to do tight and quick turns. The cramped seating ergonomics just add to the woes. But the Ray ZR does exhibit a bit of sportiness when it comes to overall handling. Then there’s also the suspension which provides a stiff low speed ride. At high speed, things even out and the scooter doesn’t throw you off. The brakes can be thoroughly enjoyed as it performs quite well. The CBS works flawlessly, and even at high speeds, the system manages to reduce speed efficiently. The tyres, unfortunately, didn’t perform to our expectations, especially on the wet surface. The rear gives up easily when ridden little aggressively on turns. 

The Yamaha Ray ZR is equipped with a few good tech features like fuel-injection, smart motor generator, and the fuel saving stop-start system. Then there are a few safety features like the CBS and the side-stand engine cut-off switch. The latter makes sure that the rider won’t be able to start the engine when the side-stand is being used.

 Like in most of the scooters these days, this Yamaha also gets the multi-function key switch, and a 21-litre under seat storage that can eat up a half-face helmet. The instrument cluster is fully digital and comes with a tripmeter. There’s an integrated eco indicator as well which lights up every time you are riding at the most fuel efficient speed (between 40kmph-50kmph). The LED position light adds some aggression to the scooter

The Ray ZR 125 is possibly one of the most fuel efficient scooters in the segment. During our city fuel run, it returned 50kmpl. With a fuel-tank capacity of 5.2-litres, the Ray ZR 125 can easily be ridden for almost 250kms in one full tank. 

The Ray ZR brand has always been positioned as a stylish scooter brand for the young college students. Now with a 125cc motor, things have gotten better in terms of performance. It has also become more aspirational, and a bit expensive too. But, with this scooter taking the place of the 110cc sibling, Yamaha is bound to garner more footfalls. 

The Ray ZR 125 is a great looking scooter. In fact, it is one of the hottest in the segment. This scooter churns out decent riding experience and along with that, it manages to turn heads at most of the traffic signals, thanks to the new aggressive styling. The fuel efficiency too, is pretty good. But in today's world where the competition is fierce, this Yamaha lacks a few things like LED lights, Bluetooth instrument cluster, and mobile app connectivity.  At Rs 86,229 (on-road Mumbai), the Yamaha Ray ZR 125 is perfect for someone who wants to flaunt their vehicle and also spend less on fuel. However, for more modern features and comfort, there are other scooters available in the market.   

Photography by Kapil Angane