Honda CBR250R.

[Towjam]

Here's Motorcycle.com's tech review of the CBR - including a head-to-head comparison (on paper) with the Ninja's twin.

[Meter Man]

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/...t-ride-part-2/

Most in depth review yet. Very balanced.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Brian-M

You left out one that most people will feel is important, the Kawasaki mops the racetrack with the Honda. Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday.

Hurts to say that since I WAS such a rabid Honda fanboy, but they've done nothing impressive for well over a decade now.

If you search the MotoGP database, all seasons and all classes, you have to go all the way back to 1982 to find a Kawasaki champion. There are many Honda champions to be found along the way.

According to the World Superbike database, in World Superbike 2010 Honda has 11 podiums, Kawasaki 0. For World Supersport, Honda 25, Kawasaki 10. For Superstock 1000, Honda 15, Kawasaki 0. For Superstock 600, Honda 8, Kawasaki 1.

Where are you coming from?

[Brian-M]

EX250 vs CBR250 in this upcoming race season. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't see the Honda even being chosen for the 250 production class racing here in the US.

I could care less about that boring "who has the most money" racing crap they call MotoGP.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Brian-M

EX250 vs CBR250 in this upcoming race season. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't see the Honda even being chosen for the 250 production class racing here in the US.

I could care less about that boring "who has the most money" racing crap they call MotoGP.

To which series are you referring? Link?

[Brian-M]

Wera E Superstock
AFM 250 Production (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/afm250p/)

Not sure if CCS does anything, they kinda pissed me off back in the 90's and I haven't bothered to read word one from them since.

[MiamiMotorcyclist]

Originally Posted by Brian-M

EX250 vs CBR250 in this upcoming race season. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I don't see the Honda even being chosen for the 250 production class racing here in the US.

I could care less about that boring "who has the most money" racing crap they call MotoGP.

And the traction control and other improvements that come to street bikes from the labratory they call MotoGP really suck too.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by Brian-M

Wera E Superstock
AFM 250 Production (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/afm250p/)

Not sure if CCS does anything, they kinda pissed me off back in the 90's and I haven't bothered to read word one from them since.

A couple of bits from from here:

• 250 cc marketplace | The Ninja 250 has little direct competition within its class in the United States, partly due to it being one of the two 250 cc sport bikes sold. In Canada, Honda's 2007 introduction of the CBR125R has caused competition for Kawasaki's share in the entry-level sport bike market. The other main competitors are the other 250 cc "beginner bikes," namely the Hyosung GT250R, Honda's Rebel 250 and Nighthawk 250, the Suzuki GZ250, and the Yamaha Virago 250. With the exception of the Nighthawk, (a standard) and the Hyosung, these bikes are all cruisers. None of these bikes can match the Ninja 250's greater power, 13,000 rpm redline, 6-speed gearbox, tachometer, or front and rear disc brakes. | Before the 2008 model, neither the Ninja nor these other US 250's had changed much in recent years, but outside the United States there were many advances in small-displacement, lightweight, and/or low-cost motorcycles, including several four-cylinder, sixteen-valve 250s (e.g., the Honda "Hornet" 250 or Ninja ZX-2R). That being said, the Ninja 250 enjoys a modest following among riders who appreciate its light weight and nimble handling as an amusing "track bike." The very fact that it hasn't changed much since 1988 means parts are plentiful and inexpensive, and the rider community is well established.
• In competition | Since the introduction of the model in 1986, the Ninja 250 has been often used as a "starting class" bike in club racing around the world. The AFM in California has been especially involved with 250 Production racing since the bike was released, including the since faded Honda VTR250. | In 2007 (the last year of the 2nd generation EX250), the Ninja 250 of Hambone Racing, won the Overall Mini Endurance Championship with the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA). Piloted by CMRA longtimers Chuck Ergle and Keith Hertell, this marked the only time a Ninja 250 had ever won a CMRA Mini Endurance Championship. | Starting in 2008, the WSMC will have a class (The Ninja Cup) dedicated to the model.

You now have some competition.

[Blizzard Beast]

Dyno comparison with the Ninja 250r.Picked up off a Thai website:

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by GotMojo?

Those were sweet. A bike like that now though would not hit the $4000 price point, which I think is what Honda was going for. Entry level riders want something cheap, and recently the Ninja 250R was one of the only choices. Honda has now entered that market, rather than producing a tricked out 250 (like the one above) that would probably cost $6000-7000... and at that price point, most people would just go for the CBR600RR.

Yeah, given Honda's recent track record I'm sure you're right....

Still, if Honda was still being run by Soichiro instead of today's bean counters he would have taken the inline-4 cam-gear drive engine and the rest of the CBR250RR's high spec parts, whose the tooling costs were paid off decades ago, did the necessary EPA mods and then brought the 250RR back at a reasonable cost. Because pride in engineering mattered as much as the bottom line.

Heck, Honda could've even used its VTR250 twin motor, it's been around for decades as well. Soichiro must be spinning in his grave.

[Crow]

Originally Posted by twinrider

Yeah, given Honda's recent track record I'm sure you're right....

Still, if Honda was still being run by Soichiro instead of today's bean counters he would have taken the inline-4 cam-gear drive engine and the rest of the CBR250RR's high spec parts, whose the tooling costs were paid off decades ago, did the necessary EPA mods and then brought the 250RR back at a reasonable cost. Because pride in engineering mattered as much as the bottom line.

Heck, Honda could've even used its VTR250 twin motor, it's been around for decades as well. Soichiro must be spinning in his grave.

It's too easy to repeat the Soichiro conjecture rather than come up with original thought, eh? Did you read this article, originally posted by Meter Man?

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by Crow

It's too easy to repeat the Soichiro conjecture rather than come up with original thought, eh? Did you read this article, originally posted by Meter Man?

Yeah, I did and it sounds like a boring bike built to the bean counters' specs.

Maybe you missed this gem from the article
Braking performance was adequate on the standard bike—you don’t need much power with a bike this light and slow.


But hey, I could be jaded. I owned a Honda 250 Hornet powered by the CBR250RR's motor and it was light and fast.

[gelandestrasse]

Originally Posted by twinrider

But hey, I could be jaded. I owned a Honda 250 Hornet powered by the CBR250RR's motor and it was light and fast.

What a fat slow pig that CBR250RR must have been. My RM125 made more horsepower than the Hornet. It was 141 lbs lighter too.

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by gelandestrasse

What a fat slow pig that CBR250RR must have been. My RM125 made more horsepower than the Hornet. It was 141 lbs lighter too.

Sorry to disappoint but the Hornet had a measured top speed of 119 mph and reportedly eats 125 2-strokes for breakfast.
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Honda_Hornet__Review_5340093

[gelandestrasse]

Originally Posted by twinrider

Sorry to disappoint but the Hornet had a measured top speed of 119 mph and reportedly eats 125 2-strokes for breakfast.
http://www.ciao.co.uk/Honda_Hornet__Review_5340093

RM125 41 hp.
Hornet 40 hp.
(per bikez.com spec sheet.)

Not only is the Hornet is 141 lbs heavier with less horsepower, it doesn't handle whoops very well either.