The Yamaha DT125 began life in 1974, a two-stroke off-road styled motorcycle with a raised exhaust and good clearance making it a great enduro or trail bike. On its launch it had a single-cylinder air-cooled, two-stroke engine. The model underwent many upgrades including the addition of a single shock absorber rear swingarm called the Mono-cross or MX, which subsequently appeared on many small and mediumYamahas. Other modifications over the years included, in 1982, a liquid cooled engine, a disc front brake and rising rate rear suspension, then in 1987 a rear disc brake.