[250 Tom]

I have a yamaha fz6r. Its not highly strung. It has an upright stting posisition its vary comfey and handles like a dream. There are different models of 600 machines. This is not a crotch rocket. Power is easy to handle and you can still get out on expressway and ride all day something you really cant do on the little 250. I love my 250 but it has its limitations

 

[TheMente]

after looking at CBR250R, I found interesting also the Yamaha XJ6. It is renewed, and comes out naked, with head fairings and full-fairings.
It seems a good "first choice" but did not convinced me, as a beginner I preferred starting on a smaller and less powered bike.

 

[Luke]

Apologies, 250Tom - should have included the fz6 (it's now the fz8) in the list. Although it's a 600, it's a much different bike than the 600RRs - would you agree?

The Honda 599 is a similar bike... 600cc but not set up for the ragged edge.

 

[somebody5788]

I don't regret my little 250 one bit. It's my first bike and even though it feels slow to me I still love it. I wouldn't mind a 2nd bike though but I bought the 250 so I wouldn't be stupid. I'm just used to modified cars with 300+hp to the wheels. Anymore my friends S4 with 380hp at the crank is still too slow.

 

[CT Yankee]

I have to agree with the majority of these comments. I think of my "Binky" as a commuter bike. Rarely is there an open road in the greater Washington, DC area. I ride all week to work, errands, and "fun therapy" for $7.50. Do I think of more power sometimes? Yes, I do. But, then common sense fist pumps me. In this economy, I feel I made the right choice. It is a pleasure riding and I got it for me. Nobody else's opinion matters and I sleep well with my choice.

 

[250 Tom]

Apologies, 250Tom - should have included the fz6 (it's now the fz8) in the list. Although it's a 600, it's a much different bike than the 600RRs - would you agree?

The Honda 599 is a similar bike... 600cc but not set up for the ragged edge.

Yes I complety agree. The 600 rr would not be a good bike for someone new to the sport. Wife had two of them and they are extreem performance machines. The 250 is a good place to start but it simply wont do everything you might want it to.

 

[TheMente]

do i think of more power sometimes? Yes, i do. But, then common sense fist pumps me. In this economy, i feel i made the right choice. It is a pleasure riding and i got it for me. Nobody else's opinion matters and i sleep well with my choice.

respect!

 

[TRICH911]

For me there are times in my mind that I feel like I want a bigger bike. I eventually will but do not regret for a moment starting small and starting with this bike.

As much as I lust after the sexy 600+ bikes, I know that my skill level isn't nearly up to par with what kind of performance they produce. I am sure that if I got a 600cc+ bike I could ride it, scared and slow....I only have 2000 miles on the 250 and am just starting to test how far I can push it. I know I am not even close to reaching the potential of the 250's performance.

So I will continue to log miles on my lil cbr. And in the meanwhile, I will watch videos and dream of the next bike I will get, when I feel the time is right which may be next season, or never at all because as a commuter, I couldn't ask for anything more

 

[Corehound]

Love my 250. It's faster then my Nissan Versa, gets way better fuel economy, and is a whole Hell of a lot more fun to ride. If your worried about people ragging on you for riding a 250 just take the CBR 250 stickers off and no one will ever know. People are floored when I tell them its a $4000, 250cc bike."looks more expensive" is the usual response.

 

[Luke]

As much as I lust after the sexy 600+ bikes...

They are sweet-looking, but to me it would be kind of like dating Paris Hilton - heck of a rush to begin with and buyer's remorse after the first temper tantrum.

I've been around boats all my life - for most of it, I had dreamed of owning a offshore racing style ("Cigarette") boat. Hit some money 20 years ago and bought a used one - a Scarab with twin 454 V-8s. It was amazing for blasting somewhere, but everything else got old real quick: had to stow the anchor in the cabin, acrobatics required to get up on the bow to anchor it, no visibility over the bow, constant maintenance problems - and believe it or not, the straight exhaust from two honking V-8s that was music to my ears in the beginning rapidly dissolved to just noise.

Sold the boat and took a beating, bought a smaller boat with outboards, bow access, all-weather capability. I didn't look as cool, but I sure had a lot more fun. Expensive lesson, but a lesson learned.

I don't ever see myself on a 600rr - the contorted riding position and the hair-trigger throttle / brakes just don't appeal to me. Maybe it's because I'm getting old. I do see another bike down the road if this economy ever turns around - the Triumph Street Triple (not the Speed!) and the BMW F800r both fit my CBR250-tuned desires for reasonable weight, great handling, and decent fuel economy (though nowhere near 75mpg!). I really don't see selling the CBR even if I do "upgrade" - the ride to work this morning was just another reinforcement of how much I like my thumper.

Everyone is different, which is why they sell so many different kinds of motorcycles. You should get what you want, but my "lesson" above taught me to think hard about my "wants" and to try and look past my nightclub debut with Paris to the morning after - and do the best I can to determine if that was really where I want to be for any length of time.

Good Luck!

Luke

 

[TRICH911]

Luke,

Great analogy and advice. If I apply that to my own life it is probably why I drive a truck now over the cars of my youth

 

[Luke]

Yeah, it's hell getting old and logical, isn't it?

 

[Garcia20Fast]

I am currently approaching 2000 miles on the 250ra and I still feel everytime I ride it, I realize how much I love this bike. Every once in a while I do realize on the highway going 75 or so that i could have a little more power, not for going faster but more for comfort. However, as soon as I get off the highway I start thinking about how much I love the low end torque for the corners and the extremely lightweight bike just ripping around the corners. Outgrow this bike? No. Buy a second bike for touring? possibly.

 

[PhoenixWithin]

Being someone who had a Daytona 600 and a ZZR600 (yeeeeaarrrsss) before my little 250, I have to say I'm far more in love with this little guy than the others. Mileage really didn't matter to me between the two 600s because they blew my old wrangler out of the water, but now my "daily driver" gets near 30 on the highway so 40 isn't that impressive. I definitely love the cbr's mileage!

It's funny, I bought this thing to be a toy/gas saver when the weather was nice, but my car has turned into the toy and the bike is my real daily now! Anytime I start to think the cbr is too slow or needs more power I go take a trip in my modded speed3 and all those cravings for more power seem to dissolve...

 

[.1073/]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Just left the dealer, bike should be delivered to the house within the hour.

 

[deserthaunter]

I'll never out grow a cheap, quick, light, good looking bike. If anything I've grown to like it more because I focus on actually having fun

 

[w0rM]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Just left the dealer, bike should be delivered to the house within the hour.

Awesome! Congrats man!

 

[Metalstorm]

I'll never out grow a cheap, quick, light, good looking bike. If anything I've grown to like it more because I focus on actually having fun

That is an accurate statement

I had to chuckle when I read the title of this post. I'm coming from the opposite direction moving from a Buell XB12S to a CBR250R.

The Buell after minor modifications put almost 80 more horses to the rear tire than the Honda which was great & all but the Honda is a rollicking good time that can be had anywhere, anytime. I really can't say that about the Buell.
I'll probably be keeping mine for a long, long time. (until I'm too old and decrepit to ride anymore).
I'm sure other bikes will come and go but the 250R is a definite keeper.

 

[Sluggoserver]

You've no doubt seen the thread aimed at "those about to buy a CBR250R." Dwells on an engine rattle that "may-or-may-not-be-the-engine-but-more-likely-loose-fairing-screws."

This is the thread that those considering purchase should be reading. Good comments and advice from seasoned riders. Can't wait to get mine.

 

[Badger]

I'm thinking about purchasing a CBR250 and just wanted some of your opinions.

It's been over 14 years since I last rode,even then I only had a Rebel 250, so I figured I would start with a smaller street bike. I've stopped by my local bike shop twice and had the salesman tell me that I should start out with a 600 since I have experience and that I'll soon regret buying such a smaller bike.


How many of you feel that you have outgrown 250 and/or do you regret not buying a larger one such as a 600?

Back in the 70s when I was a young man above 21 (1971) the first bike I bought was a Kawasaki 900Z1. Had an old raggedy Harley back then as well. Bought a Suzuki Savage about 10 years ago and rode it for a while.

Just over a year ago I bought a Kawasaki 125 Eliminator to get my M endorsement back. Was watching Craigslist and saw a 2006 Rebel for sale with 1874 miles for $800. Been sitting and needed the carb cleaned out and a new battery. Fixed it up and sold the Kawasaki. Bought a 1999 Rebel for $500 and sold the 2006. All in all I have rode them about 6k miles and the profit from selling them has covered all my cost including fuel.

With the $2700 from selling the two rebels that cost me $1300 before repairs, I added another $1050 and bought the CBR. I also own an original CBR 350 that was built in 4-71, two months shy of 40 years before the CBR 250. The original owner was a Viet Nam vet and a good friend who passed away in 2010 at age 75 of complications from Agent Orange exposure in Nam.

The old CBR has just over 5300 original miles and was kept under a cover in the same garage since it was new. They were very fast in their day. I think the new CBR is just about the perfect size and power for me today. I don't need the blistering power of the 73 900Z1 and I really like the 85 MPG of the new CBR. When I want a little more oomph I just hop on the 71 CBR 350 which was supposed to do mid 13 second 1/4 miles.

No, it's not for sale.

regards
Badger