Alright, let’s talk about this 2023 Yamaha Zuma 125 I picked up. Been riding it around town, mostly commuting, and it’s been great for that. But you know how it is, you get a new ride, you eventually start wondering what it can really do. The spec sheet tells you one thing, but I always like to see for myself. So, I decided to find out its actual top speed.
First things first, safety and finding the right spot. I wasn’t about to try this on busy streets. Found a nice, long, flat stretch of deserted road early one morning. Checked the bike over – made sure the tire pressure was right, enough gas, oil level looked good. Basic stuff, but important. Got all my gear on, helmet, jacket, gloves. Even for a scooter, gotta be safe when you’re pushing it.
The Actual Run
Okay, so I got the Zuma warmed up properly first. Just rode it gently for about 10 minutes. Didn’t want to just pin the throttle on a cold engine. Once it felt ready, I started my runs. My plan was simple: get up to speed gradually on the first pass, then really open it up on the next few.
I started at one end of the road, tucked in a bit – not a full racing tuck, it’s a Zuma after all, but enough to reduce wind resistance a little. Twisted the throttle smoothly all the way. The little engine worked its way up. Watched the speedometer climb.
Did a few passes back and forth. You know, to account for any slight incline or wind I might not have noticed. It’s usually a good idea to get readings in both directions and average them out, or at least see what the consistent number is.
Checking the Speed
I was mostly watching the scooter’s own speedometer. It seemed to settle around a certain point. On the flattest part, with a good run-up, I saw it hover right around 60-61 mph. Maybe touched 62 mph once downhill with a tailwind, but I wouldn’t really count that as the true top speed on level ground.
Just to double-check, because speedometers aren’t always perfect, I did one run with a GPS speed app running on my phone (safely mounted, of course). The GPS seemed to read a tad lower, showing mostly 58-59 mph when the bike’s speedo was saying 60-61 mph. That’s pretty common, speedos often read a little high.
My Thoughts
So, what did I find?
- The Zuma 125 consistently got to an indicated 60-61 mph on its own speedometer.
- A GPS reading suggested the actual speed was closer to 58-59 mph.
Honestly, that felt about right for a 125cc scooter like this. It took a little while to get there, it wasn’t like a rocket ship, but it got there steadily. Felt pretty stable at that speed too, which was good. Definitely enough grunt for keeping up with traffic on faster roads, maybe just not quite enough for comfortable highway cruising over long distances, but that’s not really what this scooter is built for anyway. For back roads and state routes? Yeah, it holds its own.
So there you have it. My little real-world test on the 2023 Zuma 125. It hits right around that 60 mph mark (indicated), maybe a touch less in reality. Pretty decent for what it is!
