The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R has been one of
the most-awaited motorcycles of the year. The biggest reason behind it is the
fact that it features a 250cc 4-cylinder engine which is capable of pumping out
51 PS (with RAM air intake) of maximum power at 15,500 rpm. The four cylinders
arranged in an inline fashion also ensure that all that horsepower is delivered
with minimal vibrations. On top of that, the melodious exhaust note is a bonus.
With the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-25R, two things
were quite obvious. First, for a 250cc motorcycle, it will be an extravagant
affair. For reference, in Indonesia, its standard version retails at IDR 96
million, whereas the Special Edition model costs
IDR 112.9 million. Similarly, the Ninja ZX-25R carries a price
tag of NZD 15,990 (excluding ORC) in New Zealand.
The second obvious thing about the Ninja
ZX-25R is that it will stir the motorcycle industry pretty well. And that’s
exactly what’s happening. As per the latest reports, to rival the Kawasaki’s
quarter-litre Ninja, Yamaha has started working on its own 250cc 4-cylinder
motorcycle which is likely to go by the name Yamaha R25M.
While there are no details regarding the
rumoured Yamaha R25M as of now, it is being speculated that the 250cc
4-cylinder Yamaha would produce close to 50 PS of maximum power. As far as the
bike’s features are concerned, even though it would be too early to comment on
that, the Yamaha R25M is likely to borrow design cues from the litre-class
king, the Yamaha R1M. The Japanese firm is also expected to implement an
advanced electronics package that would include a bi-directional quickshifter,
traction control, riding modes, ABS, and more.