If any of you guys get the chance, could I ask you to put a real world review of your new F25 up? I've run the original ('97-'06) F25, and the current ('08-'16) but I have not run the '17 F25. About 3 years ago I saved up some money because Yamaha had sold us that a new F25 is on it's way, and I got some inside info...I was sold. But it's not what it was "supposed" to be, not at all. It's better in some ways, although I'll miss not having the 3rd cylinder. I have a 2000 model (F25ESHY) and it's perfect other than cosmetics, and I'm mostly happy with it-but if the '17 is worth spending some money on, I might try to sell mine and pick up a C model.
What I can tell you is my experience, since I've run 4 different 25's on my 548 war eagle. The original F25 which is what I have does fine. On plane in 3.5 seconds, top speed 29-ish mph at 6180 rpm. I was repairing a friend's '12 model and bolted it to my boat and put the tach on it. It runs 29.5-ish at 6200, on the limiter at times, on plane in 3 seconds flat-has a little more low end power and runs smoother, though the early one is a little quieter. I attribute the smoother operation and more low end to the different cylinder head and intake manifold. Then I had a 25hp 2 stroke twin carb yamaha which was smooth, but wasn't a great idle, and didn't have the response and torque that the original 4 stroke did. AND...I've also got a 3 cylinder 25 thats nearly new-has about 2 hrs run time on it, but it's in a league of it's own. Bone stock. It runs right at 30mph on my boat, so it's legendary power isn't that legendary unless you uncork it, which I'm not doing.
I want to try a new one but I don't want to give up $4000+ just to try it. Says it's faster than the current model according to the website. Even with less displacement.