Got this in my inbox this morning c/o Rider Magazine:
First Ride: 2011 Honda CBR250R
Posted: 16 Dec 2010 10:40 AM PST
New riders looking to get a small, sporty motorcycle that is low cost, lightweight, maneuverable, and easy-to-ride (but not a cruiser) only have a few choices among new machines. One of them is the Kawasaki Ninja 250R, Team Green’s perennially best-selling motorcycle. In fact the little Ninjette has proven to be a beginner bike favorite for more than 20 years. Now Big Red wants a slice of that pie with the new 2011 Honda CBR250R. And boy, what a slice it is. Wrapped in styling reminiscent of its larger VFR1200F sibling, in contrast to the twin-cylinder Kawasaki, the CBR’s 249cc engine has just a single cylinder with a gear-driven counterbalancer. It's also paired with dual overhead camshafts and liquid-cooling, but adds electronic fuel injection instead of breathing with carbs like the Ninja.
In a Honda first, the forked roller rocker arms can be moved aside to swap valve adjustment shims rather than having to remove the cams. Asked why Honda chose this layout over the Kawasaki’s parallel twin design, our Honda rep stated the main reason was to save weight. He wasn’t kidding, either--sitting on the bike feels like sitting on a bicycle. At 357 pounds claimed without ABS (add nine pounds), it’s 18 pounds lighter than the Ninja 250. Combine that with the CBR's 30.5-inch seat height, and the smallest sportbike in Honda’s U.S. lineup is as intimidating as a teddy bear for even the smallest of riders. We were fortunate to be joined by a female journalist on our ride who stands at 5-feet, 2-inches, and she reported complete ease in maneuvering the bike to and fro. Flat-footing at stops wasn’t a problem either.
But let’s get to what really matters: the ride. The horsepower output is rumored to be somewhere around 26 around 8,500 rpm (redline is 10,500), less than the 32 the Kawasaki reportedly makes. The seat-of-the-pants dyno clearly favors the Honda in the torque department, though, which peaks even lower at 7,000 rpm and is more important to newer riders anyway, who need the bike to be responsive and easy to start out from stops. The six-speed transmission is silky smooth, while the bodywork points the wind directly at the rider’s collarbones. Vibrations inherent in a single cylinder are minimal, and even at highway speeds only minor vibes are felt through the bars, which are placed just high enough to slant the rider forward without seeming too aggressive. The reach to the pegs is comfortable too. Taller riders will appreciate the high cut-outs in the fuel tank as well. Suspension is about what you’d expect from a beginner bike, with a non-adjustable 37mm fork up front and Honda’s touted Pro-Link shock out back with just spring-preload adjustability. That said, riding through the rough patches of road in the hills above Malibu, California was a pleasant experience, as bumps were casually absorbed without the abrupt harshness of sportier machines. Factory optional Combined ABS brakes should appeal to new riders, as they sometimes worry about stopping in crummy weather. With this system that’s a thing of the past and should help increase rider confidence greatly. We noticed it working almost seamlessly; lever pulsing isn’t dramatic and the bike squats instead of dives when braking hard. Of course, we had no complaints with the strong standard brakes either.
At $3,999 ($4,499 with ABS), Honda’s Metallic Black or Red/Silver CBR250R is clearly looking to eat some of Kawasaki's key lime-green Ninjette pie. We'll have a full test and comparison in Rider magazine in early 2011.
Cheers,
Pikey.
