Words: Guy Streeter

Yamaha Motor Australia recently held its launch of the 2025 Yamaha WR250F down on the South Coast of New South Wales. MotoOnline was super-excited to be invited along to the launch of the quarter-litre WR and to see what advancements were delivered on the upgraded model for this Tested feature.

We had near-perfect conditions down at Lyndon Heffernan’s property, where we were treated to a grass track, motocross track and a short enduro-type loop with some neat downhill off-camber sections. Plus, the good thing about Heffo’s ranch was being situated in the middle of nowhere with endless trails in the area around the Monga National Park.

The 2025 WR250F has received significant updates to the platform, bringing it closer to the 2024 YZ250F than past generations. It’s a model that has proven to be very successful in Australia and abroad, and has been a class leader with its engine package for some time.

In 2025 the main differences between the WR250F and its YZ250F stablemate starts with the model-specific ECU, which has been tested and specifically tuned for Australian bush conditions, it has a wide-ratio six-speed gearbox, the chassis has been developed for enduro needs with different engine mounting plates, specialised suspension settings, an 18-inch rear wheel, lights, clock, side-stand and it meets ADR compliance. Detailed has a full technical rundown.

Image: Supplied.

My initial thoughts were that the bike felt like an enduro race bike. Comparing a Yamaha WR250F against European bikes in the past, the Yamaha always felt like it was a bit bulkier, especially between the legs, which often made it just feel less nimble. The new WR250F feels really nimble, most notably in tighter conditions. We were lucky to have a small motocross track with some epic dirt, which was a little more slick early on in the shade, but changing lines and direction really was noticeable for me over earlier models.

Some of the traits that the 2025 model thankfully still retains are the overall balance and stability. KYB suspension goes a long way to helping provide that along with a familiar, steady feel. On the trail, it is a weapon, a tonne of fun and one of the most enjoyable 250s I have ridden to date. There isn’t a lot more to be desired when it comes to the overall handling and feel, and the power is strong. One thing that is initially evident is the sound from the air intake, but give it 10 minutes riding some trails and you quickly get used to it.

A few other takeaways from the feel of the ride was the front brake feels strong and has plenty of stopping power. We had a blast out on the trails, which were fast and flowing for the most part, riding the bike and revving it left a positive impression – a really enjoyable bike to rip around on the open fire trails with water bars. In saying that, I am certainly looking forward to getting a ride on this bike in the future on some slower more technical single trails.

Image: Supplied.

When it comes to comparing the 2025 Yamaha WR250F to the previous model, you can start with the most obvious first, being the ergonomics and overall appearance of the bike, since it is certainly narrower and feels way more racier. If you were looking to make a comparison to a European-branded bike, the new Yamaha certainly feels on par with the feel between the legs, whereas in previous years it felt fatter around the tank and shrouds.

It’s no surprise that the 7.4-litre tank is also slimmer and sits neatly between the new bilateral beam aluminium frame. The seat is now flatter across the top and with rounded edges, so the advantage is that it generally makes the bike feel more compact and easier to get in and out of corners, making shifting weight on the seat more efficient.

Looking further into the appearance of the bike and things you notice more instantaneously are a shorter muffler, full wrap-around bash plate and the overall appearance of the new plastics kit, while the fuel tank is a little more hidden than the 2024 model, the rear guard has some more textured grips just behind the seat to aid in hand placement when lifting the rear of the bike.

Moving on to more subtle improvements from the 2024 model, the aim with the chassis was to centralise weight more, which seems to be an ongoing goal for all makes of bikes in recent years. Yamaha has done this by making the frame more compact. The head-tube is now 15mm lower and the bottom of the frame and ground clearance is 10 millimetres higher. The overall weight of the bike has dropped by two kilograms and now sits at 113 kilograms wet.

Image: Supplied

Other important updates to the 2025 model include its footpegs being lowered by 10mm, it has 10mm less travel in the front and 11mm less in the rear, the wheelbase is 10mm shorter, there is 5mm more trail in the fork rake for more stability, a new starter motor and ignition coil has been fitted, alongside an updated throttle body, air-filter system with a curved filter element to gives 30 percent more volume, a new camshaft sprocket, cam chain guide and stopper, updated wiring harness layout, the engine stop and mode selection switch have been integrated – adjustable through the Yamaha Power Tuner smartphone app.

Continuing on with updates to the 2025 model, improvements have been made to the KYB 48mm speed-sensitive twin chamber fork, now with tool-free compression adjustment, and other improvements are with a new dust seal and fork protector that now cover more of the lower fork legs. Other minor changes include a lightweight throttle cable, aluminium footpeg brackets and a more compact handlebar pad, so as you can see, there is a whole lot that’s new for this year and it all makes a difference.

Wrapping up, the latest Yamaha WR250F is a genuine weapon in its class that has made major inroads for 2025. It’s an enjoyable bike to ride, with an impressive amount of power and a really user-friendly set-up, making it a straightforward ride that allows you to navigate your limits without being too much to handle – it will work with you every step of the way and that’s a real plus when riding enduro.

Image: Supplied

Specifications

Engine type: 250cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke
Bore/stroke: 77.0mm x 53.6mm
Transmission: Constant mesh six-speed
Starter: Electric
Clutch: Wet multi-plate
Traction control: Yes
Front suspension: KYB speed-sensitive system inverted fork, 300mm travel
Rear suspension: KYB link suspension, 306mm travel
Front brake: Nissin caliper, 270mm front disc
Rear brake: Nissin caliper, 240mm rear disc
Tires: Dunlop EN91
Weight: 113 kilograms (wet)
Availability: Available now
Price: $16,799 RRP
Further information: www.yamaha-motor.com.au