2025 Yamaha WR250F Review – Motorcycle Test

2025 Yamaha WR250F Evaluate

Bike Take a look at by Aaron Clifton

Standard bike knowledge all the time advises you to take the street much less travelled. And on this case, it wasn’t like I had a alternative. The Australian press launch of Yamaha’s iconic 2025 WR250F was held on a property owned by two-time Thumper Nats champion Lyndon Heffernan. His place is on a mountain, behind heaps of different mountains, simply west of Batemans Bay in NSW. It was definitely a distant and less-travelled location, with no cellphone service, and after the primary of many creek crossings, the GPS now not knew the place I used to be – in order that made two of us.

But it surely was a spectacular place, and Heffo’s property supplied the right terrain to place the brand new WR by way of its paces.

The brand new bikes have been lined up, shiny as might be. We have been informed they supplied higher energy, have been lighter, barely extra agile, and dealt with higher.

The engine is a fuel-injected, 249cc liquid-cooled DOHC single, as is par for the course for the class. The Yamaha powerplant has a cast two-ring piston, titanium consumption and exhaust valves, a nickel-chrome-moly metal connecting rod, and a downdraft consumption.

Energy is transferred to the 140/80-18 70R Dunlop by way of a large-diameter clutch and easy-to-operate shift cam for the wide-ratio six-speed transmission. Whereas remaining basically unchanged, the engine has undergone some refinement for 2025.

The 2025 WR250F includes a model-specific ECU, with maps taken instantly from its YZ250F motocross sibling, after which tailor-made to swimsuit bush-riding. The WR runs barely totally different fuelling, ignition, and traction-control mapping than the motocross mannequin. All of the maps are customisable by way of the Yamaha Energy-Tuner App, which has been revised to be extra user-friendly.

The air-box design is lighter and permits air to enter from totally different instructions. Contained in the air-box it has what I can describe as an air horn-shaped cylinder main onto the throttle physique. That is designed to create an extended air draw into the throttle physique to extend torque. The brand new, rounded air filter additionally permits for higher air move, so we’re informed.

Internally, the engine has an upgraded timing chain for decreased friction. After I hear “decreased friction”, I assume this implies the chain had been made lighter and smaller. However that is a kind of uncommon occasions I’m completely happy to be flawed, the timing chain has been made two millimetres wider, spreading rigidity throughout a wider floor when meshing with the timing gears. This leads to much less floor stress and decreased load on the engine. The timing chain tensioner has been revised to swimsuit. There are new cam sprockets and timing chain guides.

I’m usually a harsh critic of 250 cc machines. I’m a 450 rider, and for my part large energy is the place it’s at. Perhaps my expertise with the very first 250 cc four-stroke fashions years in the past tainted my view of them. However the world has modified in that point, and so have 250 cc off street bikes.

The 2025 WR250F, has torque and loads of it, coupled with fairly respectable horsepower. It pulls properly right through the rev vary.

It doesn’t thoughts carrying a taller gear at occasions both, and that’s refreshing for a 250 cc machine. In years passed by, the one strategy to get the most effective out of a 250 was to bounce on the gear stick and slip the clutch. This isn’t the case on the 2025 WR250F – in truth, I discovered the bottom-end energy on the bike fairly forgiving in some conditions.

On the paths, there have been occasions I purposely left it in the next gear on the steep, rocky, uphill climbs. I wished to see how the engine would react to the additional load demand I positioned upon it. It did every part I requested of it. I may land off the contour drains in a excessive gear, load the engine up, and it could elevate the entrance wheel and carry it.

Beneath load and up a hill can also be proving floor for the gear field and gear-shift as effectively. The gear field on the WR250F is totally different to that on the YZ250F. The YZ is a five-speed, and the WR has six cogs.

There have been moments on the paths I’m sure I brought about frustration for the blokes behind me, as I nearly got here to a whole cease on the backside of hills. However I purposely did this so I may load the engine in first gear, then shift right through the gear field underneath load up the hill. The brand new WR250F shifted seamlessly, the gear ratios appeared spot on. From manoeuvring over rocks and creek crossings, to sooner, extra open areas like grass tracks, and in addition on the motocross observe, the gearing matched the engine properly.

The clutch is cable-operated. Standard opinion suggests most individuals these days choose hydraulic, and a hydraulic clutch system is accessible as a real Yamaha accent. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, however personally, I choose cable, and I see no situation with it. There isn’t any threat of fluid strains leaking or rupturing, no threat of grasp or slave cylinder failure as a consequence of lack of fluid adjustments. And let’s face it, who adjustments their brake fluid as typically as they need to? Are you actually going to alter your clutch fluid repeatedly?

On the 2025 WR250F the usual cable clutch is a lightweight and simple pull, with a pleasant progressive engagement. The cable has a thumb wheel adjustment on the prime close to the leaver. I used to be in a position to modify the clutch in a matter of seconds at one in every of our stops on the path experience; straightforward and easy.

The suspension options revised 48mm KYB speed-sensitive forks with 300 mm of journey. Like the most recent 450 Yamaha fashions, the compression is a turn-dial that may be adjusted by hand on the prime of the fork. The rear KYB shock has additionally been revised for 2025 and has 306 mm of journey.

Suspension and dealing with are every part if you wish to get probably the most out of your bike. This bike was model new once I rode it, and my preliminary impression of the suspension was superb. You may solely accomplish that a lot driving in at some point, however I made positive I rode the bike utterly normal earlier than making any adjustments. I put one tank of gasoline by way of it on each the grass observe and motocross observe, then I made a decision to make some adjustments to the forks.

Pushing it a bit tougher, I wished the entrance finish to “chew” extra when initiating the flip and comply with a tighter arc. So, after speaking with the Yamaha gurus, I slid the forks by way of the triple clamps an additional three millimetres from normal, went two clicks sooner on rebound, and two clicks softer on compression.

That’s all it took to make a noticeable distinction. The usual suspension held up extraordinarily effectively in all of the conditions I used to be in a position to put it by way of. Flat-landing jumps, creek crossings over rocks and logs, hard-pack square-edge bumps and loamy ruts, have been no situation in any respect.

The 270 mm entrance brake and the 240 mm rear brake supplied good, sturdy, and progressive really feel. Put along with what many contemplate to be a few of the greatest inventory suspension and secure chassis within the trade, this bike has braking means that units the benchmark for its opponents.

Following within the footsteps of Yamaha’s newest motocross weapon, the YZ250F, the 2025 WR250F boasts a decrease centre of gravity, because of a brand new body, and engine mounts, all optimised for enduro driving. The brand new bi-lateral body has been designed with the target of attaining glorious dealing with and turning means. Yamaha engineers wanted to strike the stability between body rigidity, whereas additionally sustaining rider consolation and affect absorption.

The brand new WR250F might be described as extra compact, with its decrease centre of gravity, however with 10 mm extra floor clearance than the earlier mannequin. The foot pegs have additionally been lowered 10 mm to present the rider extra leg room, together with 50 mm narrower shrouds and a brand new seat profile, that’s each flatter and narrower. All this makes transferring across the cockpit noticeably simpler.

The 2025 WR250F weighs in at 113 kg able to experience, which is 2 kilos lighter than the earlier mannequin. The narrower profile additionally makes the bike really feel lighter, as a result of it simply doesn’t really feel as cumbersome beneath you.

To attain this weight reduction the adjustments are small, however they-all-add-up. A lighter exhaust-header protector, a thin-gauge throttle cable and new throttle-grip design all contribute to the food regimen. The sub-frame now incorporates the battery field for rigidity, and it boasts a slimmer gasoline tank. Foot-peg brackets are now not metal, and are actually constituted of light-weight aluminium. There’s a smaller handlebar pad, a lithium-ion battery, and a revised starter motor.

The ignition coil can also be new, as is the impartial swap and multi-function button on left handlebar. The clutch perch and cable retention can also be new, and Yamaha has up to date the principle harness.

As we concluded the day, I put the bike on the stand, grabbed a drink and gathered my ideas. This 2025 WR250F is a motorcycle that basically does do what it says on the field, if it have been to say on the field: “Lighter, Quicker & Extra Agile”. It’s a severe off-road machine made for the intense off-road rider, and the tougher I rode it, the higher it carried out.

In case you are that rider, and also you’re contemplating shopping for a 2025 WR250F, it might be value investing in an aftermarket exhaust and eradicating the restrictive ADR-compliant normal muffler. This, I believe, would definitely make factor even higher, permit for higher exhaust move, and improve backside finish energy. I’m positive there are some good choices on the market that do this with out making the bike too loud.

The 2025 WR250F is a worthy successor to its earlier incarnation – and that was a fantastic bike. Now’s it’s higher.

Guarantee is three-months on elements solely, as is regular for a contest bred enduro bike. By the e book the primary service is due at 1000 km, second service at 3000 km or three months, adopted by 5000 km or six month intervals. Beneath race situations, oil adjustments are due each 500 ok, or each third race.

Yamaha sellers have the WR250F on their flooring now and you may experience one away from $16,799.

Yamaha WR250F Specs

• Engine – 250 cc, four-stroke, DOHC, 4-valve
• Cooling – Liquid
• Bore x Stroke (mm) – 77.0 x 53.6
• Compression Ratio- 13.8 : 1
• Lubrication System – Moist sump
• Gas Administration – Gas Injection
• Ignition – TCI
• Starter System – Electrical
• Gas Tank Capability (L) – 7.4
• Last Transmission – Chain
• Transmission – Fixed mesh 6-speed
• Body Sort – Bilateral beam
• Suspension Entrance – Telescopic forks, 300mm journey
• Suspension Rear – Swingarm (hyperlink suspension), 306mm journey
• Brakes Entrance – Hydraulic single disc, 270mm
• Brakes Rear – Hydraulic single disc, 240mm
• Tyres Entrance – 90/90-21 54R Dunlop EN91F
• Tyres Rear – 140/80-18 70R Dunlop EN91
• Size (mm) – 2170
• Width (mm) – 825
• Peak (mm) – 1265
• Seat Peak (mm) – 955
• Wheelbase (mm) – 1470
• Floor Clearance (mm) – 330
• Moist Weight (kg) – 113
• Out there – Now
• Servicing – First service is due at 1000 km, second service is due at 3000 km or three months, adopted by 5000 km or six months. Beneath race situations, oil change is due each 500 km or each third race.
• Guarantee – Three months, elements solely
• Value – $16,799 Experience Away

Yamaha WR250F Photographs