Honda CBR250R Review
Honda CBR250R - Best Bike in its Class
Saturday, November 24, 2012Overview of Honda CBR250R
When it comes to premium sports bike, there are very few options available in India. Most of the buyers either opt for Bajaj Pulsar 220 or Hero Karizma ZMR. If you want to buy a more powerful bike than these then Kawasaki Ninja250R is the only option available which is almost twice expensive than these bikes. To deal with this problem, Honda has launched the first affordable 250cc bike in India known as CBR250R. It’s been speculated that this bike will change the scenario of our Indian bike market. Does it have the potential to make the difference? Let’s find out.
Fast Facts about Honda CBR250R
- Liquid cooled 4-stroke Dual Overhead Camshaft 90° V-twin gasoline 249cc engine.
- PGM-Fi (fuel injection) takes help from 6 sensors placed in and around the engine to control ignition timing and fuel injection.
- Maximum Power of 25 Bhp and Maximum Torque of 23 Nm
- 296mm Front disc and 220mm Rear disc
- Combined Brake System (CBS, a front- and rear-wheel interlocking braking system) and an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS, a braking system that prevents wheel lock during sudden braking or under unfavourable conditions)
- Available in four shades: Candy Rudy Red, Sword Silver, Asteroid Black Metallic, Sporty Red White Blue Tricolor (unveiled at Auto Expo 2012)
Honda CBR250R Exterior
At first glance, CBR250R looks extremely macho and handsome. Its big, edgy Y-shaped headlight resembles to much expensive VFR1200F. The integrated sporty cowl couldn't have been more aerodynamic. It also houses black coloured rear view mirrors on it. The front transparent visor adds to the charisma of this bike. Its full body fairing looks neat and clean with few graphics. The silver finished alloy wheels and stainless steel silencer goes well with its all color schemes. The bike features dual tone colors on it. Its split seat and perfectly sliced fuel tank looks explicit when seen from either side. One can also notice its black coloured split grab rails and stylish tail light at the back. The rear fender of this bike is short and looks cool with its rear fatty tyre. The overall designing of this bike is very futuristic and it certainly looks better than Pulsar 220 and Karizma ZMR. The looks of this bike makes it a tough competitor of Ninja250R.
- Looks best in its class
- Carries many design cues of VFR1200F
- Available in three shades
- Saree guard added specially for Indian market
Instrument Console of Honda CBR250R
Honda CBR250R has a very advanced instrument console which completely out dates the analogue instrument console of Ninja250R. This instrument panel is coated with silver finishing. It features a sporty analogue tachometer and a rectangular LCD with Blue back light. This LCD consists of digital speedometer, odometer, trip meter and fuel gauge. This instrument console is easily readable and also has few LED indicators.
- Features digital speedometer
- Features analogue tachometer
- Features blue LCD backlight
Engine and Gearbox
This bike uses a single cylinder, liquid cooled 250cc engine. It’s a four-stroke, 4valve, DOHC engine which yields out a peak power of 25 bhp at 8500 rpm. The modest torque of 23 Nm can be achieved at 7000 rpm. This engine is equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox with one gear down and five gears up-shift pattern.
- 249cc Liquid Cooled Single Cylinder
- 25 Bhp of Maximum power at 8500 rpm
- 23 Nm of Maximum Torque at 7000 rpm
- Six Speed Manual Gearbox
- Economical and Eco-friendly
Acceleration and Performance
Honda has used a very refined engine in this bike which offers you an enthusiastic performance. Yes, the power production of this engine is less than Ninja 250R but it’s not a major issue as the utmost power of CBR250R can be achieved way before than Ninja. The throttle response is quick and you don’t have to wait for the power. The massive torque is an additional advantage which comes as early as 7000rpm. It helps this bike to run effectively in city traffic without much gear shifts. In bigger gears, this bike picks up faster than Ninja. Yes, this bike is slightly slower than Ninja and that shows when you drag these both bikes. Honda does 0-60km/hr and 0-100km/hr with in 3.5 and 9 seconds respectively which make it slower than Ninja by more than 1 second. This DOHC engine feels very relaxed and refined and can easily reach a top speed of 145km/hr. Gear ratios are very short and crispy which makes it a good bike in city traffic. Gear transitions are also very smooth and the bike performs best between 3000-7000rpm.
Honda CBR250R Mileage
The bike features PGM-Fi technology of Honda which reduces its fuel consumption. The bike can give you a fuel efficiency of around 30km/ltr in city condition while it ranges from 30-35km/ltr on long runs.
Comfort While Driving Honda CBR250R
The well cushioned split seat of CBR250R is more comfortable than Ninja. In fact, the overall comfort offered by this bike makes it superior than Ninja 250R. The rear set foot pegs feels very sporty and the cutting of its fuel tank also allows your thighs to grab it firmly. This bike feels a bit spacious and wider than Ninja. It features clips on handle bar which offers you a fantastic palm grip.
- Better than Kawasaki Ninja 250R and Yamaha R15
- Highly flexible riding position and riding space
- Split seat improves the comfort of the pillion rider
Storage Space and Safety features
The bike has less under seat storage space and features a powerful headlight for bright view of roads at night.
Suspension and Braking
Honda CBR250R sports telescopic shock absorbers of 37mm at its front while it has a 5-step self-adjustable mono shock absorber at the back. As far as braking system is concerned, the bike comes loaded with optional combined ABS which makes this bike unique in India. It distributes the braking force automatically between front and rear wheels and avoids wheel locking during sudden braking. The standard variant features a disc brake of 296mm at its front and a disc brake of 220mm at the back.
Ride and handling
CBR250R is 7kgs lighter than Ninja 250R and that’s evident as soon as you drive this bike. The handling and response of this bike around sharp corners and city traffic makes it a better bike than Ninja. You can also sense it at high speeds as the bike feels more nimble and accurate than its rival. With its wide tyres, ground clearance of 145mm and wheelbase (1367mm), this bike remains grounded and you get extra stability which boosts your confidence. Moreover, its suspension system confirms you a comfortable and pleasant ride. There is no loophole in this department.
Variants of Honda CBR250R
New Honda CBR250R is available in two variants: CBR250R with ABS and CBR250R without ABS.
Shades Available
Honda CBR250R is available in four shades:
- Candy Rudy Red
- Sword Silver
- Asteroid Black Metallic
- Sporty Red White Blue Tricolor (unveiled at Auto Expo 2012, Rs. 1000 more for this shade)
Verdict
Honda CBR250R’s pricing is the biggest USP of this bike. At this price, it offers you premium looks and features with extremely refined and responsive engine. Ride and handling of this bike is even better than its costlier competitor. To add more, the bike features optional combined ABS which confirms you safe journeys. Yes, the top variant could have been priced a bit low but it’s not that expensive either. Undoubtedly, it’s completely worth to buy this bike and surely in the upcoming time, it will be the favourite sports bike of many.