2025 Honda CBR1000RR-R Max Effort: Dyno Battle Tested!

The 2025 Honda CBR1000RR-R SP is here again—but this time, it’s had a serious makeover. Gone is the stock exhaust, and in its place is a full Akrapovič system, arguably the best you can buy. 

The plan? Run it on both 91 pump gas and MR12 race fuel to see what kind of power gains we’re dealing with. And while we’re at it, let’s stack it up against the 2025 BMW S1000RR and Ducati Panigale V4—both equipped with similar upgrades—to find out where Honda’s flagship really stands. 

Let’s start. 

91 Pump Gas Results

On 91 octane pump gas, the CBR put down 198 horsepower at the rear wheel. That’s a strong number, but it’s actually a bit less than what we saw previously from this same bike in stock form, which made 201 wheel horsepower. So what gives?   

Well, there are a couple of things at play here. First, it was a warmer day during this test, which can naturally reduce output. Second, this bike now has a smaller rear sprocket, which tends to lower dyno numbers slightly due to gearing changes. That said, the comparison is still valid, and interestingly, the stock exhaust seems to have held its own remarkably well.

Looking at the dyno chart, the stock exhaust (blue) and the Akra setup (red) are surprisingly close. In some spots, the stock system even comes out on top. This isn’t something cheap we’re talking about—the Akrapovič is a top-tier full system. Yet Honda’s OEM exhaust appears to be working some serious magic, at least in terms of pure power figures.   

Mid-range torque shows a bit of a bump with the Akra system, which makes sense since the mid section typically improves flow and torque delivery in the mid-range. But overall? It’s more of a draw than you’d expect.

BT Moto vs Competitor Tuning

The bike also rolled in with a tune from a well-known roll racing tuner, someone often called the “go-to” guy for CBRs in the U.S. Naturally, we had to see how their file stacked up against ours.   

We threw it on the dyno, ran it a few times, and it plateaued at 193 horsepower. That’s five horsepower less than our OTS (Off-The-Shelf) map, and the difference became more noticeable at higher RPMs. 

Around 9,400 RPM, the competitor’s map (in blue line) showed a dramatic dip, costing the bike up to 13 horsepower and 7 lb-ft of torque in that region. Our tune, on the other hand, carried strong all the way to redline.

Aside from power, there were some other tuning quirks worth pointing out. With the competitor's file, the radiator fans kicked on too early, and the throttle behavior felt inconsistent. It seemed like the ECU wasn’t delivering a clean 100% throttle when requested—something that can really hurt both rideability and performance. Our tune showed consistent throttle delivery across all throttle positions and didn’t require any revisions. 

So no, this wasn’t a custom dyno tune. It was just our standard OTS file, the same thing customers get, loaded and tested as-is—and it still outperformed the so-called “best.”

CBR vs S1000RR, 91 Pump

Then it was time to bring out the big guns—the 2025 BMW S1000RR. On the dyno, the S1000RR (in green) flat-out embarrassed the CBR RR-R (in red) on pump gas. The Beemer put down about 20 more wheel horsepower and 13 more lb-ft of torque across most of the rev range.

Yes, the CBR has a higher redline, which gives it a slightly longer powerband up top, making it more flexible on long straightaways. But in terms of low-end and mid-range grunt? The BMW takes the win by a mile.    

So whether you’re on the street or the track, having a broader, flatter torque curve gives you more usable power everywhere—and that’s where the S1000RR shines.

CBR vs V4, 91 Pump

Next up, we put the 2025 Ducati Panigale V4 (in brown) against the Honda. This was never going to be a fair fight, and the dyno confirmed it. The V4 made 14 more horsepower and more torque throughout the range. It also revved higher and pulled harder, especially up top where the Ducati is already known to be a monster.

While the CBR isn’t a slouch, this matchup really highlighted the performance ceiling of Honda’s platform compared to Ducati’s race-bred V4. The Honda holds its own, but the Ducati clearly plays in a different league.

Stock Exhaust vs Akra, Race Fuel

With the 91 octane results out of the way, we drained the tank and filled it with fresh MR12 race fuel. Time to see if the Akra system finally pulls ahead when given high-octane juice.   

On the MR12, the modified bike in red made 207 wheel horsepower. Compare that to the stock exhaust (in blue) on race fuel, and the gap is still surprisingly tight. In the mid-range, the Akra picked up about 5 horsepower and 4 lb-ft of torque, but we usually expect more. That again underscores how efficient the stock exhaust really is.

Up top, the Akra did manage a slight edge—about 3 horsepower—but the two lines danced closely across the RPM range. It’s not the massive gain you’d hope for when upgrading to a high-end system like this, but it still adds some value, especially when combined with tuning and race fuel. 

CBR vs S1000RR, Race Fuel

With both bikes now on MR12, the BMW S1000RR continued its dominance. It made 211 rear wheel horsepower compared to the CBR’s 207. Not only was the Beemer stronger up top, but it also continued to crush the Honda in the low and mid-range.

Again, the only saving grace for the CBR was its extended rev range, which can be useful in certain track scenarios. But in a head-to-head pull, the BMW is going to walk away—every time.

CBR vs V4, Race Fuel

The final showdown was between the CBR and the Panigale V4 on MR12. The Ducati put down a brutal 218 horsepower to the Honda’s 207. That’s an 11-horsepower advantage, and it comes with more torque, better mid-range, and a ridiculous top-end.

Despite having slightly less RPM to work with, the V4 just lays down a huge plateau of power that’s incredibly useful on track. Once again, the CBR fights valiantly but gets outclassed by the Italian juggernaut. 

Stock CBR vs Max Effort and Closing 

​At the end of the day, the most impressive comparison might be seeing how far the CBR has come from stock. On MR12 and with all the bolt-ons—velocity stacks, air filter, sprockets, full exhaust, and a proper tune—the bike has made real progress. The top end has stretched out beautifully, the throttle restrictions are gone, and the power now carries much further through the RPMs. 

OEM mapping chokes the CBR up top so hard, it struggles to even maintain high-speed pulls. With our tune, not only is the throttle opening clean and consistent, but the rev limiter is pushed out far enough to keep pulling well past where the stock bike gave up. 

Even when using 91 pump gas with the OTS map, the gains over stock are significant. So while the CBR may not top the dyno charts next to the BMW or the V4, it’s still a vastly improved machine once you unlock its true potential. 

We’re happy with how the bike turned out and even happier with how consistent the performance has been between different coasts and conditions. 

Whether you’re looking for maximum power or just smoother delivery across the board, this kind of tuning transforms the CBR into the bike it was meant to be.