A truly long-expected presence in the small-displacement bike segment, a prototype of the new R25 was first introduced in late 2013, with Yamaha factory MotoGP star Valentino Rossi showing a smaller version with a very hefty dose of YZR-M1 styling which made imagination go wild. Well, the production R25 retains that awesome design to some extent, but the new shape isn’t bad at all, truth be told.
We’re looking at a 249cc parallel twin engine with cylinders constructed from the same aliminium-silicon alloy, so the dependability should definitely not be an issue. The lump is good for a neat 35.5 horsepower at 12,000 rpm, with a more modest 22.6 Nm (16.6 lb ft) max torque, a couple of thousand rpm lower. The generous 14-liter (3.7 US gal) will provide excellent range, especially as the 4-stroke twin is an electronically injected one.
The 780mm-tall (30.7 in.) seat looks pretty decent even for riders with a shorter inseam, while the overall ergonomics promise a rather decent riding position even for those who will spend several hours aboard the R25. At 166 kg (366 lbs) this machine is not the lightest of the segment, but this should be a non-issue for the engine.
R25 will be sold in Asia, but is supposed to receive a sister, the R3, which should make it into the European and North American markets.
