cbr250r

[JamesW]

Anybody taken one of these out for a test ride? Not looking to replace a big bike but for a spare putt for local backroads. The write-ups make it sound like a little jewel.

 

[Bungie]

You don't know how close I am to pulling the trigger on one of these. $5G's with ABS!

I was using fuel economy to rationalize it, but the FJR pulled down 62mpg today on a trip!

Oh wait.. that was highway.. I won't use the 250R on the hwy... rationalization still valid!

If my dealer will let me test drive, I'm probably toast. That being said, I found a 94 250 Ninja with 9Km (about 5000 miles), cherry with new tires on it for $2300 asking. I'm going to look at it this week.

 

[MotorToad]

Yeah, the 250 conundrum. Honda apparently made a great 250, but is it worth 3 used Ninjas?

 

[Bungie]

Yeah, the 250 conundrum. Honda apparently made a great 250, but is it worth 3 used Ninjas?

Well thats the thing isn't it. Its VERY hard to find a good price on a used Ninja around these parts. I've seen 10 yr old, fairly high mileage used ones go for $3200! (they were that price new!)

I'm off today (bad samich' yesterday ugh..) and just got off the phone with the dealer. No ABS in stock. ABS is apparently fairly hard to find. Probably a good thing, because I'd probably run out this afternoon and put a down payment on one. Gonna give the Ninja guy a call in a few to see if I can't go see it today. Nice thing about the Ninja's, more power, big gas tank.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

While I'm sure Honda has made a very nice CBR250, it's really hard to best the 250 Ninja -- they've been great for a long time.

One caveat for interested 250-ers: If you live at altitude (5K~6K feet, for instance) the lack of oxygen has a much more dramatic negative effect on the performance of a 250 than it does on, say, an FJR.

 

[BluesCruiser]

My son-in-law ordered one of these back in March and he is STILL waiting! :blink: It sure looks like a sweet little bike, but apparently dealers are having trouble getting their hands on them. Maybe due to the earthquake? I'm hoping to pop down to Ventura to see it (and my grand-daughter!!) after the 4th.

Dave

 

[Bungie]

Little update. No CBR for me. I did find an 'about to be delivered' Red ABS for $5500 about a 100 miles from here.

I ended up going to look at a used 94 Ninja 250 with 9Km on it.

I've been riding the wheels off it for the last two days. What a hoot!

 

[BackintheSaddle]

While I'm sure Honda has made a very nice CBR250, it's really hard to best the 250 Ninja -- they've been great for a long time.

One caveat for interested 250-ers: If you live at altitude (5K~6K feet, for instance) the lack of oxygen has a much more dramatic negative effect on the performance of a 250 than it does on, say, an FJR.

Dang it.... :angry2:

 

[idealistix]

It's a small price to pay to get to live in Colorado!

While I'm sure Honda has made a very nice CBR250, it's really hard to best the 250 Ninja -- they've been great for a long time.

One caveat for interested 250-ers: If you live at altitude (5K~6K feet, for instance) the lack of oxygen has a much more dramatic negative effect on the performance of a 250 than it does on, say, an FJR.

Dang it.... :angry2:

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

It's a small price to pay to get to live in Colorado!

Agreed.

One technique is to add a handfull of teeth to the rear sprocket. It saves some of the performance (altho, nothing can be done about the thin air and the overall reduction...).

New, EPA-legal, street-bikes are often geared tall (to meet the emission regs.) anyway -- so, lower over-all gearing benefits.

It's nice, now, that F.I. automatically compensates for altitude...

While I'm sure Honda has made a very nice CBR250, it's really hard to best the 250 Ninja -- they've been great for a long time.

One caveat for interested 250-ers: If you live at altitude (5K~6K feet, for instance) the lack of oxygen has a much more dramatic negative effect on the performance of a 250 than it does on, say, an FJR.

Dang it.... :angry2:

 

[pmeysemb]

I also had one of these reserved for the wife, this summer - had to cancel when we found an '08 Suz. GSX650F (successor to the Bandit with a full fairing) on CL that was just too nice to pass up (1100 miles - $3700). I have been farkling it for the past six weeks trying to turn it into a baby FJR - hard bags and all. Should fit the wife nicely with the lowering kit.

I was really hoping to pick up one of those baby CBR's but they are delayed much like the Super Ten'.

 

[Bungie]

Okay, little update.

I bought that little Ninja. What an awesome little bike! Over 6 tanks of gas its been getting 75mpg (UK) combined. Doesn't seem to matter if I semi-hyper mile it, or run the piss out of it. Same mileage. The seat is a bona-fide *** cleaver though. 45 minutes on it and I'm done. The suspension is laughable. Zero damping and undersprung in the extreme. I can easily bottom out the forks with the front brake and running over anything bigger than a footprint seems to bottom out the back. Funny though, it's still handles like it's on rails.

Despite the low mileage on the bike it did need some work. I ended up doing a valve adjust, rebuilding the carbs and changing all the hydraulic fluids etc. I through the sheepskin on it hoping to make the seat somewhat more tolerable. Didn't work. I also through on a huge set of textile saddlebags after moving the rear signals back.

I'm going to work early last week and decide to take the shorter route through some subdivisions and wouldn't you know it, less than a half mile from the house the clutch cable breaks, and this is after I lubed the snot out of it! I made it to within about 200 feet of work before I actually had to stop the bike. Pisser, but at least that part was downhill. Ordered a clutch cable from the Kawi dealer. It comes in the next day and I run down at lunch time to pick it up with the bike stored in the business next doors garage.

Our Kawi dealer is now a Honda dealer as well. Stock just coming in. So I walk in and see the bike that I originally wanted. CBR250RA (ABS version) in red. Pure un-obtainum not one month ago!

Had a discussion with the owner and he quoted me an OTD price of less than what the other guy wanted. DAMMIT!

I picked it up yesterday morning and basically rode it all day. Way better powerband then the Ninja (torqier, don't have to wind it out), seat is 100x better, suspension that actually suspends. Very tight, fantastic build quality. This ***** turns heads at every stop light. Good looking bike!

ABS, Fuel Injected.. I'm hoping it will pull down 80+ mpg which according to Fuelly.com shouldn't be much of a problem at all.

Little bikes kick major butt *** on the fun factor!

 

[karstenp]

Love the look of the CBR250. Definitely considering picking up one for my son as a starter bike. Got to take one out for a test ride....I bet it would be a blast.

 

[Bungie]

Love the look of the CBR250. Definitely considering picking up one for my son as a starter bike. Got to take one out for a test ride....I bet it would be a blast.

I can't imagine a much better starter bike, very easy to ride and cheap to insure ($370/yr through TD with Collision - Collision, kinda dumb on a $5000 bike. One smack and its a right off!)

Anyway, I topped it up yesterday after I picked it up. Tank holds 13 liters.

306 km/h later I topped it off again. Took 9.515 liters for a grand total of 32.16 km/l, or, 90.85 mpg (UK). Gotta like that. I haven't been babying it in the least other than keeping the revs below 7000 (redline is at 10.5)

In 6th gear at 100 km/h it's revving 6500 (if I recall.. 6 something) and feels very relaxed doing it. Handles cross winds and transports VERY well (shockingly well in fact). Turns on a dime, seat is miles and miles better than the Ninja (no ****, that thing really is a torture device).

Service intervals are oil changes at 12,800km (F.O! I'll do it 5 or 6k!) Valve check every 16 after the first at 1000. Valves are the same as a Toyota Corolla.. shim under rockers (not tappets).

I'd give the bike very high marks for build quality/design. Accessibility to maintainance items (coolant, hydralics, oil/filter) I'd give 9 out of 10.

Honda has a huge winner on it's hands with this one.

This is a great little scoot! But I don't recommend test riding one. You'll buy two.

 

[karstenp]

Love the look of the CBR250. Definitely considering picking up one for my son as a starter bike. Got to take one out for a test ride....I bet it would be a blast.

I can't imagine a much better starter bike, very easy to ride and cheap to insure ($370/yr through TD with Collision - Collision, kinda dumb on a $5000 bike. One smack and its a right off!)

Anyway, I topped it up yesterday after I picked it up. Tank holds 13 liters.

306 km/h later I topped it off again. Took 9.515 liters for a grand total of 32.16 km/l, or, 90.85 mpg (UK). Gotta like that. I haven't been babying it in the least other than keeping the revs below 7000 (redline is at 10.5)

In 6th gear at 100 km/h it's revving 6500 (if I recall.. 6 something) and feels very relaxed doing it. Handles cross winds and transports VERY well (shockingly well in fact). Turns on a dime, seat is miles and miles better than the Ninja (no ****, that thing really is a torture device).

Service intervals are oil changes at 12,800km (F.O! I'll do it 5 or 6k!) Valve check every 16 after the first at 1000. Valves are the same as a Toyota Corolla.. shim under rockers (not tappets).

I'd give the bike very high marks for build quality/design. Accessibility to maintainance items (coolant, hydralics, oil/filter) I'd give 9 out of 10.

Honda has a huge winner on it's hands with this one.

This is a great little scoot! But I don't recommend test riding one. You'll buy two.

Hmmmmm. I may just have to visit ya to check it out. I say the CBR at the Detroit show and I was very impressed. Based on your recommendation it has just moved to the top of the list.

 

[Bungie]

Hmmmmm. I may just have to visit ya to check it out. I say the CBR at the Detroit show and I was very impressed. Based on your recommendation it has just moved to the top of the list.

Guess I should mention some things I noticed. Rear suspension is firm, even set on the 2nd softest of the preload settings. That being said I just checked the tire pressure, rear was at 40 (hot). That would have a lot to do with that.

Gas gauge. Well all the LCD parts of the gauge cluster (fuel, coolant, trip/odo etc). Very small and hard to read. Speedo LCD is large though. Fuel gauge, like most fuel gauges seems to be on the flakey side - mine is okay, but lots of reports of never showing completely full, or flashing reserve when theirs still 1/4 tank left. Mode and Reset button are very small and difficult to work with gloved hands.

Fueling. Their seems to be a sheetmetal channel running diagonally directly underneath the fuel cup. You absolutely cannot put the nozzle 'in' the tank. Which means you can't give the nozzle a good squeeze else it'll splash up all over. Odd. Mind you, with 13l capacity, it doesn't take long to fill even at half squeeze

Slightly more forward riding position than the Ninja. Nice on the highway, but I find I end up putting all my upper body weight on my hands around town. Just lazy riding on my part, but it is something to contend with.

All in all though, this is just stuff that I noticed and none of these things are glaring faults.

Oh, one other thing, the clutch is very light and progressive. But it was raining lightly up here today so I busted out my cable loober and gave the clutch cable a shot of Dupont Multi-purpose with Teflon (Awesome chain loob! $6 at lowes!). Damn it's almost TO light now. Literally, a one finger clutch!

I'm gonna give it an oil change tomorrow (just oil, no filter). Manual says 1.5 liters without the filter LOL!

Come on up for a ride and take it for a spin if your serious.