Yamaha Ray ZR 125 mileage and running cost

Ray ZR 125's claimed mileage is 49 kmpl, and unusually, owners and our own riding land right on it: expect 47–49 kmpl in everyday use. Few bikes get this close to their brochure figure.

Among the 25 scooters we have reviewed it ranks 14th for mileage, right on the group average of 49 kmpl.

At Delhi's petrol price of ₹94.80 a litre and a real-world 48 kmpl, the Ray ZR 125 costs about ₹1.97 per km in fuel. Ride 30 km a day and that is roughly ₹1,541 a month, or ₹18,486 a year, before servicing.

The 5.2-litre tank gives a realistic range of about 250 km, so a 30 km commute means a fill-up every 1 week.

Spread over five years and 46,800 km, the Ray ZR 125 works out to about ₹4.5 per km all-in, of which 44% is fuel and 45% is the purchase price itself. Resale value is not counted; expect roughly 50–60% of ex-showroom after five years for a well-kept example.

The quickest wins for the Ray ZR 125: keep tyres at the recommended pressure (under-inflation by 5 psi can cost 2–3 kmpl), shift up early and avoid idling at long signals, which the idle start-stop system handles for you.

Short trips hurt most. A cold engine on a 2 km run can return half its normal mileage; if that is your use, expect the low end of the real-world band.

Service on time. A clogged air filter or old spark plug shows up in mileage before it shows up anywhere else.