Hi there, I'm Conza, I'm Australian, and I'm another new CBRaholics member
I've recently acquired my learners permit, I have little to no motorbiking experience, I've done hundreds of mountain bike hours and dozens of road bike hours, plus have driven a manual car for nearly 7 years, so combining the two is exciting, but only a little bit scary.
Here's my situation. Tested the CBR 250 R, love it, I also tested a Super Motard Husqvarna, and despite it being lighter and more powerful, liked the CBR much more, everything about it, lower seat height, neutral light, beautiful and such forgiving torque, the gear changes were light, and the one I rode had an after market exhaust, which made the bike as loud up in the rev range (I did 40kph, not fast), but nice when I was idiling (unlike the Motard).
However, I can afford, to consider a Aprilia RS4 125, and make that into a 180 after fitting a racing kit to it, which bores it out. It also looks (matter of opinion) nicer due to the larger fairing, and, it's 30kgs lighter, also comes with a trick shifter that means you can shift up without using the clutch.
I know most of the people here bought CBR 250s, if any of you considered this Aprilia alternative then turned it down, I want to know why, hopefully it's not just cost, here its about $6500 for a CBR with ABS and an after market pipe, the Aprilia is about $7000, once I up the power with the bore kit (we're talking 17BHP > 25BHP at 130kgs compared to 27BHP at 165kgs).
despite its looks the Aprilia is a Huge expensive let down, 12.5 rwhp and even with an Arrow pipe it makes 14, you'll never get it to 17hp, even the humble cbr125 is faster.
Try the KTM Duke 200, its light cheap, and similar 23hp to the 250.
But you have LAMS in your state and the money... Ninja 300 is a no brainer, untill the KTM 390 comes along and blows all LAMS bikes out of the water.
*not that power should be a consideration for a first motorcycle, which is why the cbr250 is such a good allrounder.
Buy the bike that gives you the biggest boner.
despite its looks the Aprilia is a Huge expensive let down, 12.5 rwhp and even with an Arrow pipe it makes 14, you'll never get it to 17hp, even the humble cbr125 is faster.
would love to see the dyno test/source for this, I'm assuming you're saying 'on the road' at lower rpm or something? anyway, would be a good read
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aufitt
Try the KTM Duke 200, its light cheap, and similar 23hp to the 250.
But you have LAMS in your state and the money... Ninja 300 is a no brainer, untill the KTM 390 comes along and blows all LAMS bikes out of the water.
Don't know about the Ninja honestly, can I have a 300 today? If I can, I'll check it out, otherwise, I respond to the Ninja 300 with a CBR 500, which should easily 1up that, no idea on the power, it might be around the interest, logically about 60-80 BHP
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aufitt
*not that power should be a consideration for a first motorcycle, which is why the cbr250 is such a good allrounder.
Buy the bike that gives you the biggest boner.
At the moment, that bike certainly does, something special about everyone I've sat on, and the one I've riden, all different colours, different times of day, everything, still really liked them all.
Its nearly 15 BHP actually , let me grab that source (unlike the Husqvarna, who it is impossible to find the specs for, please prove me wrong, its called a SMR 449, not a TE or TC, seems to be exclusively for the Australian market?)
So the race kit, will raise that level to 25 BHP - relating to the previous question I asked, what would you rwhp (real world horse power, do I have that right?) number be if it were bored out to 180 quoting 25 BHP at the upper end, remember a re-map is involved.
Now at 25, it'd be an acceptable bike. Who knows, I'm trying it stock tomorrow, I've already tried a CBR (with a pipe), if its at all comparable to that, before the tune, that'd be great, I know, I'm paying about $1000 more (after tuning) to save 30kgs, on what could end up being a 6-24 month product, who's resale value won't match the CBRs, why am I bothering?
Mate a Honda postie bike is 110cc and you have seen how they go lol. The cbr is fine to learn on,it's no rocket ship but you ain no Casey stoner. As for the Aprilia it's a nice well made ride but its a slug ( the 2 stroke version cracks ).
I think the CBR will be easier to ride on the street, due to it's wide power band and low down torque. Another couple of things to consider are whether your warranty would be void on the Aprilia, with the race kit installed, and if you need compulsary insurance in Australia, I'd get a quote first, you may get a nasty shock.
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You meet the nicest people on a Honda.
Thanks for the dyno test results, I now get where you are coming from (was thinking 'what are you talking about struggling to get 17bhp' makes sense you meant rwhp).
I don't get it 'my car has BLEGH at the rear wheels' to which I say, I just want to know what the engine is doing, even playing field, besides, if it were really all that counts, every manufacturer would be quoting it, but they don't, so 12.75 rwhp or 16 bhp, being the same thing, lets keep it english please, its 16 bhp.
With two identical bikes, with different tyres and/or wheels and/or x component, with the same engine power, I guess the 'rwhp' number may vary, and I can understand that having meaning, but, I'd imagine roughly, the % at the wheels compared to the engine, all things being equal would relatively stay the same (looks like ~20% drop in this case anyway).
CBR250 has much more, 26.4BHP at 8500rpm and a peak torque of 22.9Nm at 7000rpm, it weighs 30kgs more, but I think 40% more power and ~100% more torque can handle it, the seat height is also a 40mm lower, significant imm, but I'm 6' 0" so both handled quite well for me. I would put the Aprilia's chassis right in there though, it might even have an edge.
The BBK I mentioned, I've seen on a couple of websites, none of which are selling them just yet. I'm starting to wonder whether or not to bother though with modifications, if it's been a long time and my lap times have peaked, then yeah maybe, but best to think about getting to lap times first.
"There also happens to be a ‘race kit’ for around £700 (€850, US$1150) which uses a new piston, barrel and camshafts to boost power to a much more respectable 25bhp (25PS, 18.6kW)." - Kevin Ash, Aprilia RS4 125 | Ash On Bikes
If you do the numbers, (11.8kw / 125cc) * 180cc = 16.992kw or 22.79bhp? account for a different cam, maybe 25bhp isn't unrealistic? Would be a real fast beauty at that stage, almost like a 4 stroke modern Cagiva Mito.
Anyway, a bit pointless right now, I already love the bike, as I said I'm almost as novice as you can get. I did really like all the CBR 250Rs, but they were all the same, that made them feel less special, in my mind, I won't say they aren't an excellent product, or even inferior to the RS4 125.
The Aprilia also had a quick shifter, that thing is so good, used it a couple of times on the test ride, and when I test rode it, the feeling was 'I must have THIS bike' not that model, but that actual bike.
Again, another thing that's probably in my head, no doubt, the CBR was better value for money, 6.3k gets you abs, more power, ect, but there is a CBR 500R coming out next year, I'm curious to know if the CBR 250R will still hold its value once that arrives?
CBR 250 R vs. Aprilia RS4 180*
, let me grab that source (unlike the Husqvarna, who it is impossible to find the specs for, please prove me wrong, its called a SMR 449, not a TE or TC, seems to be exclusively for the Australian market?)
2012 Honda CBR 250 RA
2007 Honda Cbr125r
Stoner
