Bike tested: 2011 Honda CBR250R ABS
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 1,77,233/-
Honda, as we all know, is one of the respected names when it comes to the business of conceiving and producing best-in-class motorcycles. They spilled the beans of introducing a bike in the untrodden 250 cc segment (barring Kawasaki) which made our eyebrows shoot up. After a really long stint at making us wait, they have finally taken the wraps off one of “THE” most awaited bike of this year the “CBR250R”. The Honda badge brings with it lot of expectations and hopes with it and by default we expect this new kid to enthrall us in every dimension. So, let’s check out if the Honda CBR250R to see if it is ready to take on confidently on all the hype and hoopla that has surrounded it.
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Styling – A first look at the bike and you easily conclude it’s a magnificent piece of motorcycle in spite of the fact that it’s based on heavy inspiration from some of its elder siblings. The headlight for example is inspired from the VFR1200 while the side fairings are from the CBR1000RR. Overall, it’s all well knit together to give a look of sport and grandeur. The turn indicators protrude from the top part of the side fairings and the bi-coloured side fairings nicely surround the frontal part covering the engine bay. The fuel tank of the Honda CBR250R has been nicely carved out with neat recesses near the location of the driver thighs. The tail light is slightly plain compared to the rest but nonetheless suits perfectly with the design language. The rear view mirrors come out from the front above the headlight and has quite a wide span which takes a bit getting used to.
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Performance – On the performance front, the Honda CB250R comes loaded with a 250 cc motor that delivers a decent power figure of 25 horses @ 8500 RPM and a meaty 22.9 Nm of torque @ 7000 RPM. The engine is of short stroke design meaning the stroke length is way smaller compared to the piston bore diameter. This makes the engine respond even to small throttle changes with ultra-fast speed and is very refined. On the downside though, the bottom-end torque performance is compromised a bit still is sufficiently available to effortlessly zip your way through the city traffic. The mid range torque is quite healthy though and helps in effortless cruising.
The fuel delivery to the engine is done by the help of fuel injectors with Honda’s famed PGM-Fi technology unlike carburettors as seen in most of the bikes of today. This equally helps in making the engine super smooth and responsive. The engine doesn’t feel stressed out even a little bit when you whack the throttle hard and start to redline beyond 10,000 RPM. The Honda CBR250R effortlessly climbs up to speeds in the order of around 120 km/hr. The heat developed by this throttle- friendly engine is taken away by the liquid cooling circuit. It rides on 17” aluminium alloys and gets a 110 section tire at the front and 140 section at the rear. Like the icing on the cake, a mileage figure of around 35 to 38 km/l (overall) is totally unbelievable from a bike of this performance.
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Handling – The moment you sit on the bike, you start feeling that somehow you are a part of it. The sitting posture is more upright giving you a feeling of more cruiser than sport. You get a split seat design here and they are amazingly comfortable. To take care of the road aberrations, it comes with the conventional downtube telescopic forks at the front and the Pro-Link type mono-shock at the rear. The rear suspension is quite well tuned to take care of the road bumps. The ride quality is quite good with a hint of damping. Honda is known for having the best minds when it comes to the weight distribution and this time also they have got the balancing absolutely “spot on”. The bike corners well at higher speeds without twitching even slightly giving you one of the best feels about cornering stability.
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The steering is also light and the bike responds quite well to its direction changes. You might be thinking that with a kerb weight of 167 kg, this is not a bike to be taken lightly but when you hop on it and start riding, it feels as if sheds all its weight and starts going with you. All this thanks to the weight balance and responsive steering. All in all, this bike has not been designed keeping track performance and handling in mind. Rather it has a much more practical approach to it that is to take care of your daily needs with ease. When it comes to braking, this bike offers something which no one can resist. The front gets a huge 296 mm disc the rear houses a 220 mm disc brake. This comes with Honda’s Combined-Anti-lock Braking System (C-ABS) though it is not standard. The bike has got amazing stopping power and the availability of the C-ABS just takes it to the next level. It works perfect and ensures that the wheels don’t get locked when you brake hard. It also distributes the work of stopping the bike between the front and the rear in a ratio giving you extra stability and no loss of direction.
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Instrument Cluster – Putting it straight, the instrument cluster provided on this is bike is not something eye-catchy or a reflection of the digital age. But when you fire up the bike, you start to realize how cool it is. At the top housed inside a round silver coated panel is the analog RPM meter. The neutral gear indicator is positioned along with it at the bottom. Below that is the digital display that shows the speed, fuel level, tripmeter, coolant temperature and also the time! The turn indicators are placed at the left and right below the digital unit. The engine malfunction light is at the left while the high beam indicator is at the right.
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Conclusion – At Rs. 1,51,033 for the standard model and Rs. 1,77,233 with ABS (ex-showroom Mumbai), you get a great piece of machine at an amazing value for money. Also, the Honda badge brings with it unquestionable reliability. The long wait for this bike is over and the CBR250R really lives up to its promise and expectation. Honda has yet again delivered one of the finest motorcycles.
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Whats Cool
* Ride quality and handling
* Mid-range torque
* C-ABS
* Mileage
Whats Not So Cool
* Max power on tap
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Honda CBR250R Specifications
Engine: 249.6cc, Liquid Cooled, 4 stroke, DOHC, 4 valve, SI Engine
Net Power: 25 BHP @ 8500 RPM
Torque: 22.9 Nm @ 7000 RPM
Transmission: 6 speed Gear, (1 Down, 5 Up)
Frame Type: Twin Spar Type
Suspension: Telescopic Fork (Front), Pro Link (Rear)
Tyres: 110/70 17 (Front), 140/70 17 (Back)
Brakes: 296 mm (Front), 220 mm (Back)
Ignition: Digital ECU based
Battery: 12 V- 6 Ah/ Maintenance Free
Headlamp: 12 V 60/55W H4
Honda CBR250R Dimensions
Length X Width X Height: 2032 mm X 720 mm X 1127 mm
Wheel base: 1367 mm
Ground Clearance: 145 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 13-litres
Kerb weight: 167 kgs