2012 Honda CRF250L
- Thread starter KZ
- Start date
Nice One! Would love to compare it to the KLX? It could well make it onto the Market here and at the Right Price would be Real Competition for Kawasaki!
Looks like it would blow the KLX away in every aspect!
But if it's only for the Japanese market, it'll probably be assembled here and shipped.
The price of the CBR is low because they expect to sell millions of them. The CRF (why not XR?) would take sales away from the new CBR250 so I doubt it will be available in the US or here.
Of course I hope I'm wrong and they'll offer Enduro and Supermoto versions in Thailand - for the same low price as the CBR!
Who knows, maybe Honda is trying to ruin Kawasaki's "success" by offering a matching bike for every category; maybe a 650 is in the works...
But if it's only for the Japanese market, it'll probably be assembled here and shipped.
The price of the CBR is low because they expect to sell millions of them. The CRF (why not XR?) would take sales away from the new CBR250 so I doubt it will be available in the US or here.
Of course I hope I'm wrong and they'll offer Enduro and Supermoto versions in Thailand - for the same low price as the CBR!
Who knows, maybe Honda is trying to ruin Kawasaki's "success" by offering a matching bike for every category; maybe a 650 is in the works...
Made in Thailand with a sale price of 4k USD sounds very much like we may see it..
Visor Down has some more pics including a 'hotted up' concept.
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/tokyo-honda-crf250l/19469.html
Visor Down has some more pics including a 'hotted up' concept.
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-new-bikes/tokyo-honda-crf250l/19469.html
It will probably be a better bike than the Kwak on quality alone lets hope it comes at a sensible price.
Kawasaki dropped the ball? A single in a dirtbike makes sense, doesn't it?
To me it's Honda that's dropped the ball with their overweight underpowered CB'r' thumper dressed up to look like a sport bike... Lose all that silly plastic and call it a CB250 and you've got an interesting bike IMO
In the old days Japanese-built Hondas were the best quality Jap bikes no questions asked, but with manufacturers moving production to developing nations I'm not so sure this is still the case.
Plenty of complaints already about the new Thai / India produced CB'r' 250. Seems it's a pretty fragile bike, by Honda standards anyway. And from day 1 Honda has had big problems supplying parts for their new baby CB'r'...
The Honda CB'r' Engine Rattle has been well documented but still not solved:
http://www.cbr250.net/forum/cbr250-problems-issues/1561-engine-rattle-sign-up-11.html
I'll agree that a Thai manufactured Kawasaki doesn't match the build quality and finish of a Japanese manufactured Kawasaki, BUT, you even so, it's extremely rare to hear of a Thai built Kwacker breaking down. The Thai-manufacturer Kwackers may not have the prettiest frame welds or the paint quality of a Japanese built Kwacker, but they're still tough as nails when you take them out and wring their necks :take-that:
With 'dropping the ball' I meant that the 250 singles are underpowered. I simply wouldn't buy a bike that has way less power than its carbed predecessors and the competition. The XR250 motor makes something around 28hp (not sure if they are rear-wheel or not) and Yamaha's WR250 puts out maybe 50% more (okay, it's more expensive).
Restricted top gears? A bike I can't rev out on the highway? Stalling problems at idle? No, thank you. I'm waiting for something better to be offered.
Shelling out extra money for an ICU (from Kawasaki!) and loose my warranty? Sorry, no!
I don't want to buy a new bike and get to work on it to make it run the way it should from the factory.
How come Honda can produce a 250 with 24 rear-wheel horses? Why was the Kawasaki neutered in the first place?
Concerning assembly in Thailand I don't think it makes a difference where bikes are assembled. The whole process is very automated, there is Japanese quality control, I don't think anybody would know if the bike was assembled in Japan, Asia or Africa.
Aren't the frames welded and isn't the paint applied in Japan? As far as I understand the bikes only get assembled here.
That said my 2010 Wave 125i is defintely not of the quality of my Wave 110 I bought new in 2001! Cheaper components.
Restricted top gears? A bike I can't rev out on the highway? Stalling problems at idle? No, thank you. I'm waiting for something better to be offered.
Shelling out extra money for an ICU (from Kawasaki!) and loose my warranty? Sorry, no!
I don't want to buy a new bike and get to work on it to make it run the way it should from the factory.
How come Honda can produce a 250 with 24 rear-wheel horses? Why was the Kawasaki neutered in the first place?
Concerning assembly in Thailand I don't think it makes a difference where bikes are assembled. The whole process is very automated, there is Japanese quality control, I don't think anybody would know if the bike was assembled in Japan, Asia or Africa.
Aren't the frames welded and isn't the paint applied in Japan? As far as I understand the bikes only get assembled here.
That said my 2010 Wave 125i is defintely not of the quality of my Wave 110 I bought new in 2001! Cheaper components.
But those are Thai emissions issues not maker issues IMO.. Without the regs they could do far better.
Does the WR have either the Thai type approval or a similar dual sport / road use maintenance schedule ?? Does an old carb XR pass the current Euro III ??
I understand your gripe.. But dont see it as the makers fault. Their hands are tied.
KZ, My KLX has none of the issues and without spending a Fortune. New ECU, Exhaust and larger Snorkel seemed to rectify them? No doubt if the New CRF is restricted the same someone will find a solution fairly quickly?
Sorry, that's wrong mate- to meet BOI rules Thai manufactured products have to contain a minimum of 80% Thai manufactured components by value. All of the frames in Thai manufactured Kawasaki motorcycles are manufactured in Thailand.
Go to your local Kawasaki dealer and LOOK at the frame welds on the Japanese manufactured Z1000 or Vulcan 900 and compare them to the frame welds on a Thai manufactured frame.
If you get right down and LOOK at the frame welds on a Thai manufactured frame and them compare them to the frame welds on a Japanese manufactured frame you'll see quite clearly that Japan still has better build quality than Thailand.
Now, is an ugly weld less strong than a clean one? Perhaps not. When I toured the Kawasaki plant in Rayong it's evident that they have multiple levels of QC and don't think twice about pulling bikes off the assembly line that don't pass their qc standards. So in the end a Thai frame is probably just as strong as a Japanese frame, but the ugly welds can lead to the paint flaking off and rust setting in- it's something that owners of Thai-manufactured Kawasakis have to keep an eye on.
I rode steel frame Japanese manufactured Honda motorcycles in snow and road salt back in the States and thanks to the exceptional build quality of Honda I never ever spotted any rust. Try that with a Thai manufactured bike and I expect the frame will show serious rust in a short period of time.
That said, the Thai manufactured Kawasaki's remain an unbeatable value here in Thailand and as mentioned before, they are mechanically sound. I just don't expect them to age as well as equivalent Japanese built bikes.
Happy Trails!
Tony
does not the indian market have a 22hp limit and thats probably the issue on power restrictions???
My old 1995 110 Honda dream was much better quality than the 1999 110 wave that replaced it and that in turn was better quality than the 2003 125 wave .....
My old 1995 110 Honda dream was much better quality than the 1999 110 wave that replaced it and that in turn was better quality than the 2003 125 wave .....
I'd have to disagree.TonyBKK;273127 wrote:
To me it's Honda that's dropped the ball with their overweight underpowered CB'r' thumper dressed up to look like a sport bike... Lose all that silly plastic and call it a CB250 and you've got an interesting bike IMO
I've got 22,000km on my CBR250R and much of that was touring around Thailand.
I find all that plastic very useful as a lot of it was done at around 140-150kph for a few hours on end. I put on the Honda touring screen when going on a trip and you can do 10 hours and feel like doing more after a shower and 20 minute rest. It's very comfortable for cruising at this speed. It probably wouldn't be so good if it was naked.
Not sure about it being overweight either. It's very nimble in the traffic and feels quite light to be honest.
Probably is a bit underpowered on paper, even for a 250cc, but in real life Honda have got the gearing just right imo. Lots of torque and pull in the low and mid-range. Sits perfectly at 100kph just before the powerband, and very easy cruising at 150kph, and up to 160kph cruising if the conditions allow. From what I've read it has more power and Nm than the Ninja 250 (the only other competitor here) under 9000rpm, while being considerately lighter. Not sure who wants to ride around the city everyday, or cruise for hours at 9000rpm+.
Just my opinion after 22k km on one.
Honda did have issues supplying parts in the beginning, due to the surprising high demand (that's what said in the BK Post anyway). I Haven't heard of any parts not being available for a long long time.
Not quite true.
I had this 'rattle' for quite a while. Unfortunately a nice woman in a Toyota decided I needed a new headlight and front fairing.
With the new headlight assembly (6000km ago) it sounds like it's straight off the showroom floor.
Solved.
Think it was all done in 2 days.... dropped in Monday collected it Wednesday. During which I was given a cute little Scoopyi FoC.
Honda are great like that.
Edit:
Services are obviously a change of oil and air filter, at 18k I decided to change the break pads and fluid as well. Never had to wait for any of the parts as they were always in stock. The lowbeam headight bulb went yesterday (22k km and 11 months old, so perhaps that was fragile. ), anyway, popped in, went for a coffee and 30 mins later it's done.
So yeah, not sure what parts are unavailable.... can anybody enlighten me as I don't believe it to be true? 8)
Honda are great like that.
Edit:
Services are obviously a change of oil and air filter, at 18k I decided to change the break pads and fluid as well. Never had to wait for any of the parts as they were always in stock. The lowbeam headight bulb went yesterday (22k km and 11 months old, so perhaps that was fragile.
), anyway, popped in, went for a coffee and 30 mins later it's done.So yeah, not sure what parts are unavailable.... can anybody enlighten me as I don't believe it to be true? 8)
The part shortage can't be too bad, then. Some people start complaining when they have to wait for a shipment that takes a couple of days.
I've read that thread on the "engine rattle" and it seems that only a few owners really insist it's a metallic sound coming from the engine.
Several riders fixed the problem by tightening up some bolts that attached the fairing; it's a single after all!
Also it occured after the first inspection after the fairing came off. And only in a certain rev range. That sounds like vibration to me.
I wouldn't worry about it. Many owners of the little CBR are newbies, they hear all kinds of things.
After reading the thread I heard a rattle on my Wave!
I've read that thread on the "engine rattle" and it seems that only a few owners really insist it's a metallic sound coming from the engine.
Several riders fixed the problem by tightening up some bolts that attached the fairing; it's a single after all!
Also it occured after the first inspection after the fairing came off. And only in a certain rev range. That sounds like vibration to me.
I wouldn't worry about it. Many owners of the little CBR are newbies, they hear all kinds of things.
After reading the thread I heard a rattle on my Wave!
You should hear it on the Scoopyi that they give me when I go in for a service! Getting the CBR back it ike going from Deicide to Buddhist chanting.
I keep the chain clean, lubed, and bolts tight and it sounds showroom floor perfect. Agree with with what you say above.
Anyway, that's probably enough about the superb CBR250R on this CRF thread.
I keep the chain clean, lubed, and bolts tight and it sounds showroom floor perfect. Agree with with what you say above.
Anyway, that's probably enough about the superb CBR250R on this CRF thread.