Yamaha has been working on the street-fighter version of the R25 that will be taking inspiration from the bigger MT01 in the brand’s lineup and would be called MT25.
Without a doubt, Yamaha’s quarter-litre offering has been the most anticipated sports bike to be launched this year, and even months after launch, the Japanese automaker has something or the other hidden under its sleeve to keep bike aficionados around the world excited. The legendary manufacturer is now looking forward to add a sibling to the R25 and work has commenced on the naked version of the 250cc bike that will be taking inspiration from the MT01 and will be called the ‘Yamaha MT25’.
The Yamaha R25’s clip-on handle bars will be replaced by a single wide handlebar. The naked R25 will look similar to the MT01 with a single headlight unit gracing the front. The riding position will be more upright than being sporty like on the full-faired version. The bike will make its public debut later this year with sales starting next year. Power is expected to come from the same 249cc engine producing 36 PS and 22.6 Nm of torque, paired to a 6-speed transmission.
One thing to be noted is that Yamaha internationally launched the MT125 earlier this year, the naked version of the R125 and the MT25 would be an ideal addition to the manufacturer’s street-fighter family. With the new MT25, the company will be catering to a wider audience globally, especially with the kind of practicality naked models provide over full-faired versions. Competing against the KTM Duke and RC 390, Honda CBR300R and CB300F (sold internationally), the naked R25 will be priced marginally lower than its full-faired sibling. While the full-faired R25 also scheduled for an India launch in 2015, it is still unclear if Yamaha will bring the street-fighter version to our country.
