Yamaha Mio i 125

Oh how I miss twisting the throttle of an automatic!  No manual shifting, no clutch-lever pulling, just the twisting and moving. When Mr. Bimbo Isidro told me there’s a Yamaha Mio i 125 waiting at his house to be test-ridden, it was a no-brainer.  I’ve been waiting for an automatic for the longest time, and I, watch out for incoming lame attempt at pun, automatically grabbed the chance! A reprieve from the clutch.   Yeehaw!

MAMA MIA! MESMERISING YUMMY EYE-CANDY MMM!

Let me start by the looks.  Yamaha’s marketing strategy, visuals and even the color options say that the Mio i 125 is being marketed to the youngsters.  Well, it appealed to me and to anyone I showed it to.  There’s something about the edgy design that made me think that this bike transcends the demographic delineation.

There’s a humongous “M” on the side of the fairing, proudly saying “I am a Mio!”  Yes, the Yamaha Mio is consistently at the top spot in the automatic segment.  Attempts have been, and is being made, to topple the incumbency.  That’s just one very big M.  Everywhere you look on the bike, there’s an M.  The shape of the headlight cowling from a rider’s perspective, the shape of grab bar, not only when you look at it from the saddle, but also from behind.  Distinguishable M’s can be found in all the edges.

There’s something about the bike that just appeals to across the demographics.  I wouldn’t mind being seen riding one.

MAGNIFICENT MACHINE PERORMANCE

We’ve seen it decaled on to Yamaha bikes, we may even have heard of it from friends of from the internet.  It’s one of Yamaha’s most boasted technological leap, the DIASIL or Die Cast Aluminum Silicon cylinder.  The DiASil composition of the cylinder allows the engine to absorb heat more efficiently.  We can imagine the revolutions per minute of an engine can range from 1,000 rpm in idling to more than 10,000 rpm while gunning it.  With the DiASil, Yamaha bikes delivers more mileage in less fuel through efficiency.

What is a Blue Core?  It is the badge attached to a Yamaha motorcycle indicating its engine performance.   But let’s do away with the technical side for a while, instead let’s just say, any machine with the Yamaha Blue Core badge is designed to use as lease fuel as possible but yield the most powerful response as possible, resulting is a very fuel-efficient two-wheeled machine.  Fast?  It’s decent.  The Mio I 125 can get you to 3-digit speeds. It’s torque-y enough for slithering in and out of jams.

It has a big enough leg room and will house big feet (mine’s a 10-incher).  The seat is plush and comfortable.  It’s not easy for everyone to admit but I say scooters are good touring bikes.   Good riding position, capacity to carry a lot of stuff.  Now if they will only be fitted with bigger fuel tanks.

The underseat compartment is large!  It will not be able to fit a full-sized helmet but it’s long, and can fit a 1.75 liter tall bottle of soda (yes I do groceries).    I’ve had no problem fitting a change of clothes, a jacket, tools, etc.  You can also see 2 basic tools, a screw driver and a spark plug remove, neatly attached at the underside of the seat.

As for the handling and cornering, and as much as I don’t want to use the word, but it is like a toy. It’s so easy and so fun.  Flicking the bike left and right is delightful.  But as the warning goes, this is not a toy, so all safety precautions are to be observed.

The front disc brake does it job well, while the rear drum brake may even be enough stopping power for a casual relaxed-riding.  I am a self-confessed rear braker, much to my riding friends dismay (hey it works for me!), and I can safely say I rarely used the front brake.  The drum in the rear is more than enough for me.

The Yamaha Mio I 125 comes in 4 yummy color variants: blue, yellow, magenta and black.

ME GUSTA!

I have been looking for a scooter that I intend to use for personal commute.  For an SRP of just P69,000.00, this truly appeals to me.  I miss the agility and maneuverability of a scooter and can slither its way out of traffic jams.  Given a chance (or a deal!), I’d get this.

SPECIFICATIONS
Overall Length x Weight x Height:  1,870 mm x 685 mm x 1,035 mm
Seat Height: 750 mm
Wheelbase: 1,260 mm
Minimum Ground Clearance: 135 mm
Weight (with oil and a fuel tank): 94 kg (Cast Wheel)
Engine Type: Forced Air-Cooled, 4-stroke,SOHC,2-valve
Cylinder Arrangement: Single Cylinder
Displacement: 125ccc
Bore x Stroke:  52.4 mm x 57.9 mm
Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
Maximum Power: 7.0kw @ 8,000rpm
Maximum Torque: 9.6N.m / 5,500rpm
Starting System: Electric/Kick Start
Lubrication: Forc-Feed Lubrication, Wet Sump
Fuel Tank Capacity: 4.2 Liters
Fuel Supply System: Fuel Injection
Ignition System: TCI (Transistor Controlled Ignition)
Primary/Secondary Reduction: 3.042 / 3.133
Clutch Type: Dry, Centrifugal, Shoe
Transmission Type: V-Belt Automatic
Gear Ratios: 2.294~0.804
Frame Type: Underbone
Caster / Trail: 26.5° / 100mm
Tire Size (front/rear): 70/90-14 M/C 34P / 80/90-14 M/C 40P
Brake Type (front/rear): Hydraulic, Single Disc / Leading / Trailing
Suspension Type (front/rear) : Telescopic / Unit Swing
Headlight: 12V/32/32 W x 1
Engine Oil Volume: 0.8 L