[JERSEY CBR]

well ,well said,thats what i keep telling my friends,u know the ones that keep telling me to buy at least a 600,or a 1000cc,been there and done that,the 250 will suit me just fine-------hey mike towards the end of your write up,i felt like i was watching GOOD WILL HUNTING,LOL

 

[CBR250R]

well ,well said,thats what i keep telling my friends,u know the ones that keep telling me to buy at least a 600,or a 1000cc,been there and done that,the 250 will suit me just fine-------hey mike towards the end of your write up,i felt like i was watching GOOD WILL HUNTING,LOL

I really LOL'd on your Good Will Hunting comment. You mean my trip report?!? It's a long trip report - I can't believe you actually read it! Ha..ha. Yeah - that trip was truly special and I was hoping to convey the sense of what the trip meant to me at the end. I was hoping that it might inspire some others to give it a shot - set out on their own adventure. A pilot friend of mine said to me some time ago that he'd like to buy an ultralight aircraft so he could fly "low and slow". To re-experience what it was like to "really" fly again. Unlike flying large jets, an ultralight offers true "seat of the pants" flying with the wind blowing you all around, basic instruments, and simple controls. The raw experience of flight. Touring with the CBR125R was just like how he described bare-bones flying. There's nothing quite like the raw experience of touring on a small displacement, low-powered, single-cylinder thumper.

I purchased another set of Nelson-Rigg saddlebags for when the CBR250R arrives, and outfitted a waterproof Cabelas duffle as a stand-in for my tailbag. I plan to use this setup for my trip from Thunder Bay, ON to St. John's, Newfoundland and back on the CBR250R - a distance of well over 8000 kms (5000 miles) - this summer. For anyone interested in touring and camping with their CBR250R, my trip report includes a description of my gear and setup on my CBR125R and should be applicable to the CBR250R as well.

Mike

 

[calgary250r]

For anyone interested in touring and camping with their CBR250R, my trip report includes a description of my gear and setup on my CBR125R and should be applicable to the CBR250R as well.

Mike

Awesome, I'm going to use this as a resource while I plan my trip this summer which I'll explain in a little bit =) Thanks!


As for the OT...

I decided on a 250r for a number of reasons! Here is a little background, lets see how long winded this ends up

This will be my first motorcycle after falling in love with the sport as a kid a few years ago. I was introduced by a friend who owned a ducati sport touring bike that I don't remember a lot of details on, only that is was big and fast as snot. He also owned a moped that he let us take out solo, which was my first solo powered riding experience! First time he took me out on the ducati though was the seal on the deal, what an insane experience.

I started to look at bikes early this year as I had a pretty decent tax return coming with school finishing up last year and having a good few months in my new career under my belt. My goal was to get an entry level bike that I could spend a few seasons learning on, growing my skills and just exploring the biking culture!

My initial intentions were a 125r. I'll admit that my main reason for the 125r was i'd been scared away from the larger engines by just about everyone I'd talked to. "oh they're too powerful, death traps, you'll kill yourself etc etc made me a little more conservative than I should have been but I was content. I piled together my facts and started leaning more and more to the 125.

As my search continued, I decided that before I focus in on just one bike, I needed to set out a list of things that I wanted to achieve with my bike. The list included things like easy to learn on and a good weight for someone like me with a smaller frame. As time progressed, I started to consider my commute and added things like ability to maintain a decent highway speed and able to overtake. I also began planning my vacation time over the summer and decided that a roadtrip on my new bike would be a fantastic way to take the sport in, so that became a big deciding factor.

As my list continued, I started to push myself out of the 125 class. The engine size is great for city driving, but my commute is rural and I needed to be able to maintain speeds of 110kmh, which is pretty much top end on a 125 and doesn't take into consideration the hilly terrain i'd be seeing daily! I started to explore more powerful options so that I felt comfortable in the highway setting.

First started looking at a ninja 250 as they were the only option in the sportbike prior to this year, and in all honesty I hadn't even heard about the honda at that point! Spoke with a few dealers, sat on a few bikes, looked at used, but it just didn't feel like the right bike for me, especially after the initial lust I had grown for the honda 125!

So I went back and spoke to my honda guy and that was when i was first introduced to the 250r as a new bike entering the canadian market for the first time since the original 250s a few years ago!

I was sold on the 250 for quite a few reasons that fit my riding goals very snug.

- Price point, competitive and within my budget.
- Displacement was within my comfort range, yet able to maintain the highway speeds and takeovers I was looking for. I had heard top speed of 140 which is exactly what I needed!
- Fuel Injection, not having to mess around with a carburetor is a great feature to have. Start up and go in the morning without messing around is just a nice convenience
- Purpose built! The 250 class has always seen parts taken from other classes and kinda fit into a bike that was just seen as a stepping stone. To me, the 2011 250r felt like a bike built from the ground up with one purpose in mind, to be a great ride! The new engine is a great feature, not having the recycled dirt bike engine? Yes please.
- Honda reliability. I've owned 2 used civics in my lifetime. First one I drove to 375k km and sold for a very reasonable price. My current is at 100k and between both vehicles, I've never had an unexpected maintenance issue. This is such a huge plus for me and gives me a lot of confidence in the 250 going forward
- Styling! While I did consider a cruiser, I just felt that sportbike fit my style a bit more and when I was learning, felt more comfortable on a sportbike. This bike has a great look and I'm sure will turn a few heads, and who doesn't love a little attention =D

So there we have it! I settled on the 250r and while I haven't taken possession yet, I'm 100% confident that I made the right choice and can't wait to take it from Calgary to Charlottetown PEI this summer. 10k km of pavement just waiting to be burned =D

 

[tofuprod]

Perfect size for me.

 

[RC927]

I started riding on the street in 1989 with a 1980 CB400t. Since then I've had a KLX250, CBR600F2, VTR1000, and RVT1000. The RC is track only, and the Superhawk has transformed into a sport touring ride. For rides to and from work(4 miles), and short trips, I find myself riding the KLX most of the time. There is nothing like a small and nimble bike to throw around in town. May even take it to the track and see if I can beat up some of the bigger bikes. I guess that could be considered coming full circle.

 

[madd-trapper]

Just sold the wifes GZ250 and gave her my Sportster. Needed something lighter since im all messed up after getting run over by a car. I actually thought about getting a 125 scooter. Had a Zuma 50 but it wasnt quite fast enough. Then I checked out the Ninja 250, but after having a fuel injected bike you get spoiled that you can just start it up and go.

 

[Minidee]

I'm a new rider. I learned on a Honda Eliminator from my MSF course and practiced on my friend's Ninja 250. I almost bought my friend's old Ninja 250. The reason I didn't buy was because I didn't want to worry about trying to sell that old thing, it's carbureted, and no gas gauge! When i first read about the new Honda CBR250 with fuel-injected, I wanted it! Friends were telling me to just go for a 600cc bike because I'll get tired of it in few months. I liked sports bike. So i went to a dealer and someone helped me sit on a few of the bigger bikes vs the ninja. I found that the 600cc bikes are wayy too heavy for me and seat height was wayy too high! I'm only 5'1" 128lb female. I found that the ninja was my size. But CBR250 was even better with the lighter weight vs the ninja 250. Plus ABS is first time offered on a 250cc. So that's pretty much why my heart is set on a Honda CBR250R ABS.

 

[furious_blue]

At times a small light maneuverable bike is the ticket. One of my favorite by-gone bikes was a Kawasaki KZ440. It had a short wheelbase (shorter than the CBR250R) and tons of cornering clearance. It could be slung around tight corners with ease and a big margin of safety. I'd been toying with the idea of a Ninja 250 for a while but when the announcement of the CBR250R came out my mind was made up to go for the CBR. Like a few others that I see here I have other 100+ HP bikes (CBR1100XX and Triumph Speed Triple). I see no reason to try and 'hop up' the CBR250 engine (suspension upgrades may be another story).. As someone wisely pointed out and I agree "if you want more power, just buy a bigger bike"

 

[Dark Night]

I started on the road with a 1985 Honda 250 Rebel when i was 15 and I loved that bike. I had to sell it in order to afford a truck after i turned 16. After a few years of without having a bike, I decided I wanted to step up to a bigger bike, a 883 Harley Sportster. I think I liked the idea of having a "Harley" more than anything becuase the ride wasn't that great so I ended up selling. Fast forward to now. I was looking hard at the Ninja's since it was the only thing available in a 250 and also in my price range. I came across the new Honda CBR 250 on Honda's website and that was it. I'm sold on the Honda name, the size of the bike, the awesome styling and especially the price.

 

[madd-trapper]

Sounds like me. Just gave my 883 Iron to the wife and sold the GZ250. Never liked the way it handled, even though it was better then my Volusia. I still miss my 81 Yamaha 550 Maxim that I bought in 85 when I was 16. Had that bike for years.

 

[fzrspirit]

I have been riding for over a decade and owned too many bikes to list; but I have consistently kept a Ninja EX250 in the garage, even when I could only afford 1 bike. I like the new Ninja 250R but the new model makes slightly less power and weighs more than the EX250 despite the much improved aesthetics. The Ninja EX250 was gutless in the low RPM range too and that's where most riding takes place.



I am excited about the Honda because:

*Fuel Injection (No carbs to synchronize or jetting to adjust and cold starts won't suck)

*Single Cylinder (More torque where you need it--down low)

*Styling (duh)

*Low Maintenance Costs (correct me if I'm wrong but I've read the valve adjustment interval in 16,000 miles and oil changes come at 8,000 miles)

*Synergy (Every Honda I've ever owned has been more than the sum of its parts)

And once again, Its more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

 

[TowJam]

But some people say the small CC bikes are bikes some get bored of really quickly. I hope the CBR250R isn't like that. Any experienced CBR250R riders wanna give me some hope?

You're far more likely to get bored with a bike that can't be ridden to its full potential. I've owned a number of touring bikes (Goldwing, 1200GS, Harley Road Glide) but only used them for commuting. They were being wasted in the capacity. I've owned two CBR600RRs - excellent track bikes but a not at all fun to ride in stop and go traffic and their handling and performance capabilities can't be (legally) taken advantage of on a public road.

On the other hand, the CBR250 is a user friendly bike that inspires confidence -even with newer riders and yet on a public road, will handle (if not out-accelerate) pretty much any cage - and you'll have fun doing it. And even if you get bored, look at the going prices of used Ninja 250s and you'll see that the CBR stands a good chance of maintaining decent resale value - so it's a win/win.

There's a lot of truth in the old saying, "It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow."

Disclaimer: I've test ridden the CBR but I do not currently own on. Yet.

 

[beep]

I'm considering a CBR250R because I get less of kick these days from riding bike fast. I own and have owned many bigger and much faster bikes, but am growing tired of riding around on half or even a quarter throttle all the time. Must be getting old but I get more satisfaction out of riding a tight set of hairpins at 50mph than I do from accelerating hard up to VERY illegal speeds.

I'm hoping for good handling (as good as my old Hornet 600 hopefully), good reliability (like my Vstrom 650), lightweight and cheap to run bike that can be ridden much of the time at close to it's peak performance.

 

[Idiottool]

I'm getting one for the racetrack. I race 600s and 1000s, and I've been thinking about racing a smaller bike. I'll be racing against the ninja, and I hope the Honda can compete!

Same here! Where do you race?

 

[cubbi]

Why do I want a CBR? Because the mofo is 4 grand brand new and does everything I need it to! (Rhyming not intentional haha)

Plus, from even close up it looks JUST like a regular sport bike. The black looks great, I'm really glad I got that instead of the silver/red.

If you have the money to buy a race bike and go the track frequently, you probably also have the money to buy this bike with it which seems better for commuting anyway.

So far I've put 40 miles on it and I'm loving it... My only complaint is the muffler but hopefully new slip ons will become available soon.

 

[Xplorguy]

Why do I want a CBR? Because the mofo is 4 grand brand new and does everything I need it to! (Rhyming not intentional haha)

Plus, from even close up it looks JUST like a regular sport bike. The black looks great, I'm really glad I got that instead of the silver/red.

If you have the money to buy a race bike and go the track frequently, you probably also have the money to buy this bike with it which seems better for commuting anyway.

So far I've put 40 miles on it and I'm loving it... My only complaint is the muffler but hopefully new slip ons will become available soon.

Cubbi! You are the first new owner of a black CBR I have seen on line....very glad to hear you really like the black...as that is what I have ordered.....more bike comments when you can please....

 

[cubbi]

It rides really well... A little choppy if you aren't feathering the the clutch, but otherwise very smooth. You can turn really sharply, but I haven't pushed it much with the new tires. The one thing I've noticed is that starting it up isn't perfect, I've had to try several times on occasion to turn it on. The black looks sexy and when I had it next to a few 600's the only really obvious difference was the back tire and larger frame.

 

[fzrspirit]

You're far more likely to get bored with a bike that can't be ridden to its full potential. I've owned a number of touring bikes (Goldwing, 1200GS, Harley Road Glide) but only used them for commuting. They were being wasted in the capacity. I've owned two CBR600RRs - excellent track bikes but a not at all fun to ride in stop and go traffic and their handling and performance capabilities can't be (legally) taken advantage of on a public road.

. . .

Disclaimer: I've test ridden the CBR but I do not currently own on. Yet.

I read your mini-review but want more TowJam. With your experience, I think you would be a good one to ask about a comparison. I'm mostly worried this bike will feel too underpowered. I like to ride back country roads. I found a Suzuki DR650SE for the same price and may get it instead. Any thoughts? I have plenty of riding experience just can't find a demo ride on a CBR250R and the DR650 is a good 3 hour drive away.

 

[TowJam]

I read your mini-review but want more TowJam. With your experience, I think you would be a good one to ask about a comparison. I'm mostly worried this bike will feel too underpowered. I like to ride back country roads. I found a Suzuki DR650SE for the same price and may get it instead. Any thoughts? I have plenty of riding experience just can't find a demo ride on a CBR250R and the DR650 is a good 3 hour drive away.

With the exception of the two CBR600RRs, I've never owned a bike under 1000 CCs - so I'm a little spoiled when it comes to roll-on acceleration - especially when entering freeway or trying to maneuver through D/FW's asinine freeway traffic. (Of course, the 600s had absolutely no problem with this either.) With this in mind, the test ride of the 250 was a little bit concerning. As I mentioned in my mini-review, I really wasn't pushing the bike when I got on the freeway since it was not a demo unit and in typical commuting traffic, it should be excellent. However, if someone spends the majority of their time on freeways (at >65mph), they definitely should test ride before putting money down. It's not that the CBR isn't capable, it's just that it has a significantly sluggish feel compared to larger displacement bikes.

FWIW, I've ridden a wee-strom and there's no comparison to how much stronger it feels than the CBR. On the other hand, the DSE feels MUCH heavier and nowhere near as "limber".

Just my $.02 (and worth almost every penny)

 

[Xplorguy]

You know, at the end of the day, we may all wish for a little more horsepower.....like one of the reviews said.....the CBR250r as a 400 would be the "Nuclear Bomb"............