Having a hard time deciding whether to go for the Yamaha YZF-R25 or the Honda CBR250RR? Worry not! In this article, we will be doing a full A-Z comparison between the YZF-R25 and CBR250RR to help you pick the right motorcycle! To keep the comparison fair, we will be using the Malaysia-spec 2020 Yamaha YZF-R25 and recently launched Honda CBR250RR.
Hong Leong Yamaha Motor first launched the 250cc fully faired sports bike, the Yamaha YZF-R25 in Malaysia almost 2 years ago in January 2019. On the other hand, the Honda CBR250RR is a fairly new bike in Malaysia. In fact, the Honda CBR250RR was just launched a month ago in December 2020.
Starting with the design, both the YZF-R25 and the CBR250RR are quarter-litre fully-faired sports bikes from Yamaha and Honda, therefore, they both get a full fairing design from the ground up. The Yamaha YZF-R25 follows the design of Yamaha’s R-range sports bikes similar to this, the CBR250RR follows the design of the bigger CBR bikes.
That being said, the R25 gets sporty fairing all around and looks a lot like a downsized version of Yamaha’s bigger R-range of bikes. On the other hand, the CBR250RR follows the same trend, however, in comparison, the fairing design on the CBR250RR is much sharper than the R25.
In the case of the riding position, as both these bikes fall under the sports bike category, therefore, they both accommodate the rider in a head-and-shoulders forward-leaning riding position. Speaking of seating, both the CBR250RR and R25 comes with a two-piece two-step sporty seat design.
Upfront the YZF-R25 gets a twin led headlamp unit whereas the CBR250RR gets a bit more aggressive double-layered dual LED headlight.
Moving to the rear, both the R25 and CBR250RR come with LED taillamp units enclosed within their narrow tail section.
Underneath the YZF-R25 is built around Yamaha’s steel diamond frame and an aluminium swingarm. On the other hand, the CBR250RR is built around a steel truss frame and an aluminium swingarm as well. Note, unlike the delta box frame on the YZF-R15, the R25 features a steel diamond frame which is very similar in nature to CBR250RR’s steel truss structure.
In the case of wheels, both the CBR250RR and YZF-R25 roll in 17-inch wheels. As for the tyres, they both come equipped with 110/70 front tyre and 140/70 rear tyre.
Moving on to the suspension, the Yamaha R25 features gold anodised telescopic inverted front fork and a pre-load adjustable mono-shock at the rear (7 settings).
On the other hand, the CBR250RR features a 37mm inverted telescopic front fork and a 5-way adjustable mono-shock at the rear with Pro-link.
On the CBR250RR, braking is done via a 2 piston Nissin calliper with 310mm disc up front and a Nissin single-piston calliper with 210mm disc at the rear. Two-channel ABS is also standard on the Honda CBR250RR.
Meanwhile, the YZF-R25 does not get ABS in Malaysia and braking is done via a 2 piston calliper with 300mm disc up front and a single-piston calliper with 220mm disc at the rear.
Moving to the oily bits, the YZF-R25 is powered by a two-cylinder 249 cc, 8 Valve DOHC, liquid-cooled engine. Mated to a 6-speed gearbox, the R25 pushes 35.5 hp @ 12,000 rpm and a peak torque of 22.6 Nm @ 10,000 rpm. Note, in Malaysia, the YZF-R25 doesn’t come with assist and slipper clutch nor the VVA system.
The Honda CBR250RR, on the other hand, is powered by a 250cc twin-cylinder DOHC 8-valve engine, mated to a 6-speed gearbox, the CBR250RR puts out 40.23 hp @ 13,000 rpm and a peak torque of 25 Nm @ 11,000 rpm. Unlike the Yamaha R-25, the CBR250RR in Malaysia comes with quick shifter with assist and slipper clutch, throttle by wire and 3 riding modes as standard. (Equivalent to Indonesia-spec CBR250RR SP)
Starting with the Honda CBR250RR, the model comes with LED lighting and a negative LCD panel with an in-built lap timer. Besides this, as mentioned earlier, the CBR250RR gets dual-channel ABS, throttle by wire, 3 riding modes (comfort, sport, sport+) and quick shifter with assist and slipper clutch as standard in Malaysia.
[Negative display: As opposed to standard LCD panel letters/characters on negative LCD panels are presented in lighter colour over a darker background.]
On the other hand, the YZF-R25 gets LED lighting and a standard LCD instrument panel. Unlike the CBR250RR, the YZF-R25 does not get ABS, assist and slipper clutch, TWB, or any ride modes in Malaysia.
Last but not least, the dimensions. This is definitely something to look for when deciding between these two. Dimension wise the YZF-R25 measures 2,090mm x 720mm x 1,135mm (LXWXH). On the other hand, measuring 2,060 X 724 X 1,098, the CBR250RR is slightly wider and shorter than it’s rival, R25. Seat height on the YZF-R25 is 780mm and 790mm on the CBR250RR. The R25 weighs 166kg wet, meanwhile, the CBR250RR is 2kg heavier at 168kg. Fuel is contained in a 14.3-litre tank on the R25 and a slightly larger 14.5-litre tank on the CBR250RR.
The Yamaha YZF-R25 is currently offered in 2 colours, Matt silver and Matt Blue. However, since the R25 has been in Malaysia for quite some time, you can find older stocks in numerous other colours. The ongoing 2020 Yamaha YZF-R25 that’s currently on sale is priced at RM 19,998 excluding road tax, insurance and registration fee.
As the Honda CBR250RR is fairly new, it is available only in two colours; Winning Red and Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic. Priced at RM 25,999 excluding road tax, insurance and registration fee, the CBR250RR is nearly RM 6,000 more expensive than the R25.
Besides being a part of the quarter-litre sports bike quad, these two bikes are completely different in every other aspect. Whether it’s in terms of design or mechanical components, just like their elder siblings the YZF-R25 and CBR250RR both stand out on their own. This is one of the reasons why Yamaha’s R range and Honda’s CBR range of sports bike have been rivalling each other for years.
The Honda CBR250RR is a well equipped quarter-litre sports bike because it packs an array of techs such as; dual-channel ABS, TWB, 3 riding modes and quick shifter with assist and slipper clutch. However, the competitor, the Malaysia-spec Yamaha YZF-R25 lacks all these features. Besides the features, pushing 40.23hp and 26Nm, the CBR250RR is also more powerful compared to the 35.5hp R25 pushing 22.6 Nm. Moreover, the aesthetics of the bikes would also be something that you would want to consider. The YZF-R25 has been in the Malaysian market for some time, therefore although it still looks sporty in today’s standard, you might find the design of the new CBR250RR more appealing and attractive. However, all these come at a price, which in this case is the extra RM 6,000. That being said, at the end of the way, it all comes down to your own preference.
If your budget is in the RM 20,000 mark and you don’t really mind the lack of tech, then the YZF-R25 is for you. On the other hand, if the budget isn’t an issue and you prefer to have addition rider aids and wants something fresh on the street then the Honda CBR250RR is for you.
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