250 is the new 1000, the 2011 cbr250r.

[Dave]

fuel injected, liquid cooled, single with optional abs.



After almost 20 years of being absent in the USA 250cc sportbike market, American Honda is coming back with the aggressively styled liquid-cooled CBR250R and CBR250R ABS. Although pricing hasn’t been released, there are plenty of details that may make Kawasaki — makers of the outstanding $3999 Ninja 250R — nervous about its USA sales (which have been tremendous).

The new CBR is clearly aimed at the smallest Ninja. The motor is a 249cc, liquid-cooled, four-valve dual-overhead-cam Single, smoothed out and sophisticated with fuel-injection and a counterbalancer. The frame appears to be tubular steel, and the bodywork — love it or hate it — seems heavily influenced by the controversial new VFR1200. Wheels are 17-inchers, shod with radial tires (the back tire, a 140/70-17, is 10mm wider than the Ninja’s), and braking is handled with a two-piston caliper and 296mm disc in front. ABS is available. Seat height is .4 inches higher than the Ninja’s at 30.9 inches, but the seat looks very narrow at the front, negating that difference. Curb weight is a claimed 359 pounds, 15 pounds lighter than the 250R (add 9 pounds for ABS). Tank size is smaller than the Ninja’s 4.8 gallons at 3.4 gallons of dino-milk, but I’m guessing the FI Single might best the parallel-twin Ninja on range thanks to better fuel economy.

The theme in the moto-press for 2011 will be how the two bikes compare. It looks like the Honda will be a more nimble performer (both bikes have monoshock suspension and 37mm forks) thanks to its lighter weight and shorter 53.9-inch wheelbase. However, the motor could fall short in performance — it’s not the zesty, big-power mill out of the CRF250R motocrosser, but an all-new unit with lower compression and longer stroke, probably tuned for torque and newbie-friendliness. If the Ninja puts around 26 horsepower on the ground, expect the CBR to do somewhat less — although it may best it on torque.



But the main issue will be price. Honda usually prices its products at a slight premium over the competition, which means the base model could be $4500 or more and the ABS-equipped version could be over $5000. But will the sporty styling and Honda nameplate be enough to lure customers away from Kawasaki’s best-selling sportbike? Whatever the results, 2011 will be doubly interesting to small-displacement sportbike fans.

[Avatard]

Funny thing is, I love surplus HP in a car (although I find that anything beyond 500 hp is essentially fucking worthless with only RWD), but I actually love small displacement bikes, and getting more out of less on two wheels. Smaller bikes react faster, and are actually more apt to bite you, and in many ways present more of a challenge to ride fast.

I'd probably love to flog the living shit out of that little thing.

The fucking exhaust (and back fender, for that matter) would be in the fucking garbage an hour after it came home, though. Ick.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Avatard

Funny thing is, I love surplus HP in a car (although I find that anything beyond 500 hp is essentially fucking worthless with only RWD), but I actually love small displacement bikes, and getting more out of less on two wheels. Smaller bikes react faster, and are actually more apt to bite you, and in many ways present more of a challenge to ride fast.

I'd probably love to flog the living shit out of that little thing.

The fucking exhaust (and back fender, for that matter) would be in the fucking garbage an hour after it came home, though. Ick.

i'll agree on the fun factor of little bikes. i must admit im a bit underwhelmed by this effort though, a farmed out single isin't going to be quite as interesting as the lilliputian fours of the 250 hurricane or RR.

[Trip]

I'd like to see the return of the 400 class. Those would be fun little bikes.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Trip

I'd like to see the return of the 400 class. Those would be fun little bikes.

DEFINITELY. i used to know a guy in philly with a grey market vfr400. thing looked like a blast to ride

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Trip

I'd like to see the return of the 400 class. Those would be fun little bikes.

I agree, and I think it'd be neat to have something unique rather than another "competitor".

That being said, I understand the 400s actually command a price *premium* over the 600SSs in Japan.

[fasternyou929]

Originally Posted by Avatard

Smaller bikes react faster, and are actually more apt to bite you,

How do you figure? More twitchy in handling than a big bike?

I usually equate likeliness of getting bit with throttle finesse necessary to keep the shiny side up, which gives the bigger bikes a higher degree of difficulty.

[Avatard]

Originally Posted by fasternyou929

How do you figure? More twitchy in handling than a big bike?

I used to race pocketbikes. Fast ones. Real ones...from Italy.

I used to crack up when even experienced racers of bigger bikes would get their fucking clocks cleaned. Trip can probably chime in here, because he races fiddys.

It's kinda like what you get when you balance a broom on your hand...you can do that, right? Now try a pencil. No go. Too fast to follow.

Shorter level moves away from center of balance far too fast.

Same with smaller bikes. Far faster reacting.

Same lever, only inverted. Shorter lever, faster reaction.

[z06boy]

Cute little bikes but just doesn't do much for me. I can see new female riders being attracted to these.

Now the 400's as mentioned...humm...yep I could see me interested in that.

As far as the comment about anything more than 500 hp in a rear wheel drive car(?)...sure...as long as that is at the wheels. That's where I'm at with my car and I'm fine with it. I'm not in to revving it up and dumping the clutch from the light anyways.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by Avatard

I used to race pocketbikes. Fast ones. Real ones...from Italy.

I used to crack up when even experienced racers of bigger bikes would get their fucking clocks cleaned. Trip can probably chime in here, because he races fiddys.

It's kinda like what you get when you balance a broom on your hand...you can do that, right? Now try a pencil. No go. Too fast to follow.

Shorter level moves away from center of balance far too fast.

Same with smaller bikes. Far faster reacting.

Same lever, only inverted. Shorter lever, faster reaction.

The same would be true of a little bike racer who tried to jump into 600+. They'd get their clocks cleaned as well. For the first few races at least.

Personally I find larger cars & bikes to be more difficult, simply because of the weight & size. Try driving a Dodge Challenger as fast as you would drive an Elise or Miata down a very tight mountain road. You wouldn't, because the Dodge is much bigger and heavier, therefore making it much harder to read the steering & tires to predict when it's going to break traction. Not to mention you can't even see the boundaries of the road, because of how big that car is. Insecurity forces even the best drivers to slow down.