The quarter-litre motorcycle segment has once again
started heating up. Kawasaki has been giving the competition sleepless nights
with their upcoming 4 pot ZX-25R. The word on the street is that Yamaha might
be working on a similar product, albeit with a 3-cylinder layout. A report in
Iwanbanaran speculates that the next generation Yamaha R25 may have a three-pot
layout instead of the twin-cylinder layout.
The Yamaha R25 is a quarter-litre motorcycle
retailed in Indonesia and certain other ASEAN markets. India, along with many
other markets, gets a slightly bigger R3 based on the R25. Spy pictures of the
motorcycle have confirmed that Yamaha is working on an update for the R25. The
image quality sadly hides the cylinder layout of the motorcycle and hence
concluding now is difficult.
The front section of the motorcycle bears a similar
layout as the present version but bears subtle changes. The upside-down layout
for the front forks has been retained. At present, the Yamaha R25 is powered by
a 250 cc inline twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled mill. The bike gets forged pistons
with DiASil coating for reduced friction and longer life.
In its present tune, the engine can produce 36 PS of
power and 23.6 Nm of torque. In comparison, the Honda CBR 250RR's engine
produces 38.7 PS, while the Kawasaki Ninja 250's engine is pegged at 39 PS. A
three-cylinder layout will help Yamaha squeeze more ponies from the
quarter-litre power plant. It will also help in reducing vibrations at higher
engine revs.
However, a change in engine layout is not something
which any manufacturer can whip out easily. Yamaha must have been working on
the new powertrain for years now. In fact, it will also increase the prices of
the Yamaha R25. This will directly lead to an increase in the cost for the
Yamaha R3, making the platform a less prospective option for emerging markets.
Yamaha might also throw in Variable Valve Actuation present in Yamaha R15 v3.0.
