HUMBLE GOAT OR SOMETHING MORE?

1986/87 – Yamaha XT225 2LN

The first look of the XT225. Distinguished by it’s unique tank panels, bodywork, frame and kick start only engine, this was the initial generation of the XT225. Featuring a 223cc engine outputting a humble 20 horse power. A similarly humble top speed of around 70mph could be achieved in favourable conditions. Perhaps a saving grace feature of the Serow was it’s six speed gear box, allowing the bike to cruise comfortably in the mid 50mph range. Nothing about this bike’s specification is particularly exciting but two numbers stand out and proved to be critical for the bike’s success: A 31.9 inch seat height and a dry weight of 108kg.

Simply put, this bike was nimble, manageable and easy going. It didn’t do drama, it was at home deep in the mountain forests, just like the Serow (A Japanese Mountain Goat). The low seat height made it particularly inviting for female riders and men on the shorter side, while the light weight meant that it could man-handled through difficult terrain. These were the features that ensured the continuation of the XT225 until it’s final edition in 2007 – a 22 year production!

1989/92 – Yamaha XT225 3RW

The second generation of the Serow is can almost be considered the first generation of the "new" Serow. This is because the 3RW model is very different to it's previous model. However, the subsequent models after this, featured only minor changes in comparison. Yamaha changed the tank, the plastics, the frame and a number of other parts in this shakeup. A big difference was the removal of the kick starter and addition of the electric start. However, although the kick start was removed, many Serows have had the kick starter kit retro fitted.

1993/98 – Yamaha XT225 4JG

In 1993 the XT225 had a model change with a number of small, yet precise and effective upgrades. I call this the safety update. These changes would stay with the XT until the 225 range was retired. Anyway, the changes saw the addition of a rear brake disc and changing the front brake caliper to be dual piston rather than the single piston it had been. This dramatically increased the braking potential of the 225, which up to press, had been quite poor. This 4JG also had changes to the wiring, allowing a hazard indicator mode to be controlled from the switches. The magneto was also improved and made larger, producing a higher output to provide better running lights, something that the model previous suffered from. (Believe me! I have the 3RW, it doesn't stop and I can't see at night without auxiliary lights).

1998 – 2007

We are coming to the end of the XT225 Story. The designers at Yamaha obviously felt that they had achieved everything that they had set out to achieve. Furthermore, they had addressed the issues with lighting and braking. This meant that apart from various graphics, including some much fancier designs than the early Serows, the XT225 did not change any fundamentals over this time frame. You may notice the canister on some models, this is simply an emissions unit for certain markets. See below for a list of specific changes.

XT225 Brazil

An worthy side mention is the Brazilian XT225 4VWB. Produced in Brazil using the same XT225 engine as the Serow. The differences are fairly clear, different plastics and a plastic fuel tank. This model also had a better electrical system. However, the bike was produced to a cheaper spec overall, such as chromed wheels. I have chosen to include it on this page for the complete XT225 history and I intend on adding more information as time goes on. A number of these Brazillian models have been imported to the UK over the years, having one in our possession for a brief spell before selling to a friend.

The Future Of The Serow

The small trail and nimble Serow proved to be a good success for Yamaha. However, all bike products come to an end eventually. In 2007 Yamaha updated the XT225 Serow into a 250cc Serow. You can read much more about the XT250 on it's own page when it is available. However, in short, here are the major changes. The 225's 6 speed gear box was reduced to 5. The carb model XT250s shortly became fuel injected. Furthermore, the Yamaha XT250 engine would be used in 3 different varients of the bike. An urban commuter, the Yamaha Tricker. A 250X, a super moto. Lastly, the XT250 Serow. These bikes stayed in production until the final releases in 2020.