What's not a Ducati but was clearly influenced by Ducati design language? If the first word out of your mouth is "Morbidelli," you're halfway there. But would you have completed that thought with a little 125, and specifically the N125V? Well, you probably would if you've seen it. It's hard to deny the evidence of your own eyes, isn't it?
If you've ever heard one of those advertising jingles where it's extremely clear that someone told whoever made the jingle to "make it sound like X popular song, but not so much that we get sued," then you're probably thinking along the correct lines here. Although Ducati formally ditched the Monster's signature trellis frame all the way back with the 2021 model year (can you believe it's been that long?) that hasn't stopped plenty of others from making use of its expressive lines.
Plenty of other bikes through the years have had single-sided swingarms, but it was also once a famous feature of the Monster line, once upon a time. The tank shape, the way it flows into the saddle and tail, and the general silhouette all give a clear nod to their influences. And to be completely fair, this isn't meant in a negative way (believe it or not).
If Ducati didn't (and doesn't, and won't) make 125s in the modern era, and has in fact moved on from utilizing this design language in its current bikes, then why shouldn't someone else pick up the mantle? Why shouldn't someone else do a "which one of these is not like the others?" with what's now apparently vintage styling?
The wheels kind of scream Yamaha to me, though that's probably more the color than the spoke pattern. But that's beside the point. Again, I don't hate it! It's like a mashup of things that people have already made it clear that they like, shrunk down to handy, 125cc bite-size for the up-and-coming young riders of today, in the markets where it's sold.
It's also interesting that it's a V-twin and not a single in this class, though I can't really say to what degree it's interesting without having ridden it for myself. Conceptually interesting, maybe? A departure from the norm for this class, certainly.
As for pricing, that hasn't officially been announced yet. However, other Morbidelli 125s go for around £2,500 to £3,000, so there's no reason to believe this won't be priced in that general ballpark.
If you're shopping for a 125, it's nice to see an option that offers significant style, because isn't that what you want if you're trying to stand apart from the pack of other 125s out there? It's not offered in every market, but if it's offered in yours and you were shopping for a 125, would you check it out in person?
