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New from Northern Colorado!

13K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  stfundance 
#1 ·
Fort Collins, to be exact!

Hello! My name is Kevin.

So I just took my MSF course last Fall and got my endorsement right after... 2 weeks ago I sold my car and bought this bike!

A 2012 Honda CBR250r ~1900 miles on it!

I'm the third owner and the previous owner said that he bought from the first guy who laid it down destroying the fairings; so he took them off and put on a headlight!
So it's rather naked right now, but I like it and will leave as is.

It has a rattle-can 'safety cone orange' on it.


Plans for now are to get:
- front fender extender
- radiator protector screen
- I'll have to probably weld this since I haven't found one online (tell me if they make them), but some sort of a skid plate/guard
- Helibars handlebars
- hand guards (mostly for the wind)
and
- IRC GP110 street/trail tires (for exploring gravel and dirt roads around here)

Pics from this mornings ride to work:





Hope to post more and learn from all of you here!
 
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#2 ·
Welcome. There are a few of us in the "rat bike" camp here. I've removed stuff (windscreen braces and screen) from a new bike to get it to ride "right" for me. I'm currently riding without the mid cowls in order to not have to remove them again to do the valve clearance check in another month. What we like may vary, but almost everyone here is polite, friendly, and helpful.
 
#6 ·
yep, new mirrors... I like the round ones... but it's hard to see around me where they're at right now.

OP - That is as nice of a job removing the bodywork as I think I have seen! Congratulations!

As far as the radiator screen goes, go to the hardware store and look for aluminum gutter screen, the stuff to keep leaves out. Cut to fit, and secure with METAL zip-ties.

Good luck on the bash plate, but at least there are anchor points where the original belly pan mounted. You are in Colorado. I understand your need to explore dirt roads! Hopefully you will have a riding buddy, so you are not out in the wilderness by yourself, should something unexpected happen.
yeah, I don't think it looks too bad!
I'll have to take a look at some of that screen, thanks!

...that is a good point, to ride with someone else, just in case.
I'll start out slow and easy with some flat gravel roads first!
 
#5 ·
OP - That is as nice of a job removing the bodywork as I think I have seen! Congratulations!

As far as the radiator screen goes, go to the hardware store and look for aluminum gutter screen, the stuff to keep leaves out. Cut to fit, and secure with METAL zip-ties.

Good luck on the bash plate, but at least there are anchor points where the original belly pan mounted. You are in Colorado. I understand your need to explore dirt roads! Hopefully you will have a riding buddy, so you are not out in the wilderness by yourself, should something unexpected happen.
 
#7 ·
#9 ·
Oh nice! I love that idea of the gutter mesh! I'm sure I can figure something out for it! maybe this weekend I'll do a Home Depot run and see what I can come up with! Thanks!



Thanks! ...it's more just for commuting and hopefully exploring the mountains too (I'll have to bring some extra fuel with me though); congrats to you too! stay safe and have fun!
 
#10 ·
Nice looking bike! I'll be on the lookout for your threads. I too live near a lot of gravel and caliche roads and since I'm missing my under cowl have thought about an under plate/guard. Not sure how far you want to range but these bikes average 70-80mpg and have a 3.4gal tank.
 
#11 ·
I went for about a 3 hour ride this morning; a little cool to start, but it warmed up nicely... (next time, I'm going to bring my tank bag with some snacks and water)

...I randomly got a pretty sweet (and OCD approved) license plate :D


Up Stove Prairie Road...a slick/gravelly road, but the bike did just fine!



Stopped for another shot before hitting the road again.

...I got a little dirty... I'm going to need to get a fender extender soon!


Snowy up in the mountains! this up another gravel road to the top of some radio towers.


The snow on the side of road was still super high!


You could see really far!



found another gravel road... who says a CBR250 can't do water crossings!? there was another deeper one where I got a little wet... turns out it was service road for a canal; dead end, so had to turn around.



Stopped at Howling Cow Cafe (a dairy farm and Noosa yogurt factory!)



About 60 miles for day, only had one rabbit run out in front of me and one icy patch in the road that I to go 2 mph on feet out... but good first long ride!
I can't wait to get those IRC tires on for a bit more traction!
 
#12 ·
Your pictures ALMOST make me reconsider selling my bike (still in the garage).
Too bad I live in the city.

I loved my Gortex-lined BMW "moon" boots. I even used them for wading a major creek to go for a geocache (on a sand bar) one time! The water almost topped them, and they are tall boots. My feet stayed dry, as they have on the bike, ever since I bought them. They have long passed their expiration date, though, with failed stitching on the leather, but the membrane is still intact and does it's job!
 
#13 · (Edited)
UPDATE:

added some things after a 6 months of riding!

I decided to add some protection with some crashbars ... from Russia... with Russian directions, that was fun, lol... but it was pretty straight forward.



EDIT: oh! I forgot I got a good deal on a SS Delkevic exhaust and FMF header/downpipe, they've gotten to patina quite nicely too!
Great sound IMO, but without the silencer in... even with earplugs it's too loud for me... it sounds cool... but way too loud!



also a new headlight with LED bulb and screen guard (really just for looks), also new LED turn signals too.
another project I had some left over mirror from a Yahama XJ600, big and convex to see all around you.




in May I decided to get some more duel sport tires, rated at about 80/20 or so for on/off road use.
Avon Trailriders, I had to get on size larger since that's all they had in 17's, but they're SUPER sticky on road and great for gravel roads and haven't any issues with light trails or dirt yet.

I was debating whether to get some TKC-80s, but I really do mostly on road riding and wanted more smoothness and traction.


I also got a nice storage rack; welds are little sloppy, but super strong and hold my lunch box nicely for going to work! haha


Offroad foot pegs... mainly because the right one broke on me after failing to navigate out of the garage and dropping it on that side (thank you crashbar, no other damage!)
They help a lot more and I don't notice any difference in vibration.


put on a fender extender too (those screws are ground down on the other side, don't worry)



and FINALLY made some storage solutions for my gear in the garage! (we just put in that door to the house and pardon the mess, it's not there anymore!) keeps things organized and the wife happy!
 
#15 ·
I found them on eBay: Honda CBR250R CBR300R Motorcycle Engine Guard Crash Bars Protecciones de Motor | eBay

I had to make the one of the bolt holes just bit bigger to make it fit, but overall an easy install... like I said though the instructions are in Russian, so unless you can read it, don't expect it to help you :/

HA, I'm in the process of making a radiator guard!


I did just get some Helibars, so that'll help with my back, longer rides, and better maneuvering on dirt too!
 
#19 ·
Is there any way you can take pictures of what you have done ?
sorry about that!

like I said, just thin aluminum strips with holes for the zip ties

wedged under the clip-on's

make them as long as you need and drill a hole big enough for the pin mounts in the back of the cluster, I just have some duct tape wrapped around to hold it in place, so far no issues.
 
#20 ·
Really good looking bike. What is that light you use? Also, the digital items are the same OEM or is that aftermarket?

Fort Collins, to be exact!

Hello! My name is Kevin.

So I just took my MSF course last Fall and got my endorsement right after... 2 weeks ago I sold my car and bought this bike!

A 2012 Honda CBR250r ~1900 miles on it!

I'm the third owner and the previous owner said that he bought from the first guy who laid it down destroying the fairings; so he took them off and put on a headlight!
So it's rather naked right now, but I like it and will leave as is.

It has a rattle-can 'safety cone orange' on it.


Plans for now are to get:
  • front fender extender
  • radiator protector screen
  • I'll have to probably weld this since I haven't found one online (tell me if they make them), but some sort of a skid plate/guard
  • Helibars handlebars
  • hand guards (mostly for the wind)
and
- IRC GP110 street/trail tires (for exploring gravel and dirt roads around here)

Pics from this mornings ride to work:





Hope to post more and learn from all of you here!
 
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