How many of you are seriously considering buying the Honda 2011 CBR250R?

[Alex]

Already plenty of threads about the Megelli...

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=39354
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=43436
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=28765

Most are pretty skeptical, but time will tell.

[Ninja13oy]

Kawasaki 4ever!!!

[bob138]

Yamaha makes the wr250x. If they weren't so expensive used I would have bought one. I was also seriously considering the klx250sf.

Granted those are supermoto styled, but they are also options for the 250 market.

Bob

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by kawboyCAFE

i wouldnt say that honda quality is better than kawasaki. i'd say they are about equal. and around here, the honda bikes usually sell for about a grand more than the comparible competition.

Honda quality is typically better, this is fact not opinion. Neener neener, no tap backs!

[wvninja]

My honda dealer bud says expected retail is $4.5k - $5.5k which makes it a little more pricey as compaired to the Ninja. On the other hand it's fuel injected.

[Apex]

I'd get the KTM 125. I love the bike, and I don't even know why. It just clicks with me. Of course, I'd rather spend my cash on something less toy like.

[Apex]

Don't go there. I've seen some loyal people in my day.

A person can own a (for instance) Toyota. This person can have zero problems for 90,000+ miles and claim they are build like a rock and never fail. They have a reason for this claim so they can go ahead and state it.

Another person can own a Toyota too, yet have it plagued with transmission problems and be on the 4th transmission, recalls on the motor, CV joints going out at 40k, etc. Yet that person, because they are so loyal, would still swear it is the most reliable brand on the planet. They are so loyal they are blind...seen it time and time again.


So I don't believe what people say, I require proof. I honestly think you can't go wrong with Kawi, Suzuki, Honda or Yami. They make good stuff and you can just as good of a chance as anyone to get something reliable or a lemon.

[Sailariel]

Definitely agree with you,Mark. Am currently negotiating a Honda NT 700 V. The motoring press has not been kind to this bike. I managed to get to test ride one and then "Take it for the day". Everything the press said about the bike is IMHO, trash. It is everything a Sport Touring Bike would be for me. It has enough power to get me anywhere in comfort. Control and braking is superb, and the overall finish and attention to detail is excellent. This bike has been around in Europe for ten years, and is used by police departments and MC Rental agencies because of its reliability. The engine is a V Twin--same engine as in the Trans-Alp. It IS pricey (10K) It, however fits me like it was made for me. The ergos are spot on. I have a 30" Inseam which eliminates a lot of bikes. I can flatfoot this bike with ease. The bike is a demo 2010. The 2011s are out. I'm sure we could work a deal.

[rockNroll]

Originally Posted by kawboyCAFE

you info is probably based from reading something, my info is from a heck of alot of ownership and riding experience.

Yes, it's all from reading... I'm kinda new at this motorcycle thing

[ratlab]

singles are for dirt-i had a street legal drz 400 for a while ,and although if you like wheelies it was great if you liked going any distance it sucked and you really have to keep on top of the maintenance or they blow up-that being said its different technology now and hondas are really refined-but a single is a single-i think you would be bouncing off the rev liminter to much

[money]

I just bought my first 250 and I had both the Ninja and the CBR available in the area. I chose the Ninja because of the maturation of the product and the size of the rider community. If I have an issue with my bike, there are plenty of places online to get advice or help with it. I think it'll take a few years for the CBR to get to the same level.

["A"]

Plenty of used motorcycles available w/ABS at $5k, some could be BMWs.

[BISH]

took one on a test ride and wasnt impressed! It feels really small and 'toyish', it obviously had more torque but it wasnt nice to ride once I got out of the built up areas and on to the freeway as you guys call it! Intrestingly though the price over here is quite a bit lower than the ninjette plus with the ABS I think it could be a bigger seller?

[bob138]

Transmission gear ratios and sprocket gear ratios play a bigger part than cylinder count. A drz400 is still a dirt bike so the tranny wouldnt be tuned for highway speeds seening as 90 on a dirt trail is a bit scary.

Bob

[ratlab]

thats true -but they still vibrate the fillings out of your teeth

[Little_Ghost]

Originally Posted by money

I just bought my first 250 and I had both the Ninja and the CBR available in the area. I chose the Ninja because of the maturation of the product and the size of the rider community. If I have an issue with my bike, there are plenty of places online to get advice or help with it. I think it'll take a few years for the CBR to get to the same level.

I just bought my Ninja too and I also looked into the CBR 250 beforehand. I agree about the maturation of the product. It seems EVERYONE seems to say/think/agree that Ninja 250s are an awesome bike to start riding on (and continue if you choose). Kawasaki is just so well trusted and the newness of the CBR just made me leary of problems with the product.

Also, the Ninja 250R has the online community, a ton of aftermarket parts available, looks better (in my opinion), has more color choices, is priced lower... And on top of all that, I've heard from a lot of people that the CBR really does feel toyish. (Reminds me of a Dyson vacuum. They're supposedly nice, but they look like they're made of Legos.)

[Boom King]

Every new Ninja 250 should come with a ninjette.org membership.

[Little_Ghost]

Originally Posted by Boom King

Every new Ninja 250 should come with a ninjette.org membership.

It kind of does when you think about it.

[BISH]

the key point for this side of the water is that the honda is nearly £1000 cheaper and has ABS as standard and a 140 tyre! In this current climate money talks and thats heck of a lot of bike for £3688 ($6079). For that reason alone I think people in the market for a 250 over here will pick the Honda over the Ninjette.

[backinthesaddleagain]

Originally Posted by ratlab

singles are for dirt-i had a street legal drz 400 for a while ,and although if you like wheelies it was great if you liked going any distance it sucked and you really have to keep on top of the maintenance or they blow up-that being said its different technology now and hondas are really refined-but a single is a single-i think you would be bouncing off the rev liminter to much

BMW 650? KTM Supermoto? Both are single cyl road bikes. Agreed things have improved since the days of the DRZ.

[kaiserz]

I'll still pick the ninja. I don't like the look of the cbr, but that's just me.

[sendler]

I bought an 09 Ninja250 two weeks ago but may end up with both the Kawasaki and the Honda as my daughter wants to go on some rides with me and my two brothers. The magazines are nitpicking the Honda for vibration, crosswinds drift, wind noise and top speed but Honda have offered me 0 down and 1.9% for 36 months on the $3995 plus $185 delivery. I don't have to come up with tax, tags, nothing. All rolled in to the loan. Sign my name and ride away. And, there is a tax write off for 250cc bikes. None to be had until mid July though. The Ninja is the better bike in all but one aspect. The CBR250 will kill it on fuel efficiency which is the main reason I started riding again. I will want to ride one first and if it can't be made into a good commuter with a gearing and wind screen change, I will just try to find an older Nija cheap for a second bike.

[Little_Ghost]

Originally Posted by sendler

I bought an 09 Ninja250 two weeks ago but may end up with both the Kawasaki and the Honda as my daughter wants to go on some rides with me and my two brothers. The magazines are nitpicking the Honda for vibration, crosswinds drift, wind noise and top speed but Honda have offered me 0 down and 1.9% for 36 months on the $3995 plus $185 delivery. I don't have to come up with tax, tags, nothing. All rolled in to the loan. Sign my name and ride away. And, there is a tax write off for 250cc bikes. None to be had until mid July though. The Ninja is the better bike in all but one aspect. The CBR250 will kill it on fuel efficiency which is the main reason I started riding again. I will want to ride one first and if it can't be made into a good commuter with a gearing and wind screen change, I will just try to find an older Nija cheap for a second bike.

Wow that's a hell of a good loan, as long as you finish paying it off before the 36 months is up.

[bob138]

My ex250 is vibey enough at high speeds to undo bolts I didn't torque down

So it may be a tossup in the vibration dept.

Bob

[TrueFaith]

I traded in my 2008 Ninja250R for a 2011 CBR250R a couple of weeks ago and I am loving every facet of this bike. Far from being "small and toyish" it fits my 6' frame better than the Ninja did. Much better. If you think the Ninjette is fun to ride try adding a bucketload of low-end torque to your throttle and see if that doesn't get you grinning even wider. Even though it's increadibly responsive for such a small displacement bike, everything about it is predictable and confidence-inspiring. Steering and suspention are noticeably better than my Ninja. The counter-balancer does it's job very well and vibration is no worse than the Ninja at low to moderately fast speeds, but since I'm still breaking it in I can't attest to much over 6000rpm. At about 6000rpm the muffler manifests a distinct and very pleasing low "growl" that can only get better with a few thousand more rpms.
Fit and finish is a cut above the Ninja, IMO. It's a quality package that has prompted more favorable comments in the past 2 weeks than in the whole time on my Ninja. The CBR definately suits my riding style (and body dimentions) much more favorably than the Ninja and I'm enjoying riding it more every day.
Thing is, I'm not the "typical" 250 buyer or rider. Honda says 70% of those are young male first-time buyers and the other 30% are women. I'm old as dirt and have been riding for 30+ years. What I want in a bike is probably completely different than 99% of the people who will choose between the Ninja and a CBR. I still think the Ninja has more bang for the buck and is more appealing to that 70/30 demographic. It has a better engine and a lot more potential, as well as a long history and the benefits of a large fan base on forums like this. It looks faster, sounds faster and is faster.
As much as I love this new bike I'm not under any delusions that it's going to be a huge competitor to the Ninja for first-time buyers. If Kawasaki adds EFI to the US Ninjas next year in response to Honda's "threat" it will be even less of a battle. With the availability problems Honda's having with this bike it's going to be quite a while before any "competition" even gets off the ground, but in the meantime it's probably spawning a lot of new Ninja250 owners. Why wait for a new product when something as good as the Ninja 250 is readily available?

[sendler]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith

I traded in my 2008 Ninja250R for a 2011 CBR250R a couple of weeks ago and I am loving every facet of this bike.

Intersting trade. You are one of the first Ninja owners to jump ship so I will be very interested in reading your impressions of the highway performance after a little break in, and what you think of the wind noise when tucked. The Honda has a narrow cut away at the nose/ bottom of the windscreen.
.
My 6'1 brother can't ride my 09 Ninja very long as his knees don't fit the tank. Anyone over 35" inseam would need set backs for sure although it fits me perfectly and I love the new bodywork. I have the 09 SE green paint so all of the younger kids at the gas stations always come running out to look at my "ZX10"!
.
My main reason for cycling is the fuel economy (I am old too). I drive an 01 Insight that still averages 62 year round and 66 in the summer. It kinds of pains me that up until the new CBR250, no bike can beat my fuel milage on the highway. Fuelly accounts show the clear advantage to the CBR250 at 71mpg to 58 for the Ninja. A gearing change and careful hypermiling techniques might crack 100 with the injected and somewhat "detuned" Honda. It would be a riot to tag along on the upstate NY eco tour where there is a big prize ($10,000?) for the first road legal, two passenger car that can beat 100mpg. One guy in a heavily modified pregen Insight has hit 99 a couple times.

[sendler]

I found these dyno print outs for the CBR250 and the new gen Ninja 250. Stock bikes, same dyno, same day.

[Liber]

Yes, I'm saving up for a CBR1000RR. 250 is for babies.

[slolane]

No CBR250 for me, I'm glad it's in the marketplace to expand the segment but I dislike the Honda offering. I'm 5'9" and the Ninja fits me perfectly. I have done some simple mods to get the bike just the way I want for all around riding... some performance, some storage solutions, some aesthetics and some functional. I just hope the other manufactures see this growing market and just into the pool.

Regarding the supermotos I had a WR250X and loved it as a second bike, not as my only bike since the comfort is much lower for longer rides and along with no wind protection or easy storage solution I got rid of it. Great bike though, very fun!!

[Xoulrath]

I haven't had the opportunity to ride the new CBR yet, but I think I lean more towards it as my go to 250 every day.

My wife has a TU and that thing is a blast to ride. I love the sound of the motor, I love how effortlessly it handles corners, and I love the fact that even when beating the thing within an inch of its life, it still delivers 60+ mpg with my 270 pounds on it.

The one thing I wish that TU had was more power. Not much more, but just enough to better deal with the hills around here, and give me access to quicker acceleration. The Honda seems like just the thing.

I feel if you are limited to one bike, whatever the reason, the Ninja 250 is the best overall. I think for someone looking for a great commuter bike or a second bike, or a new rider who plans to get a different bike after a year or two, the CBR250 is the best bet.

[JoeLansing]

I wanted the Honda but the few trickling into the dealerships here in Michigan are sold before they arrive (probably to friends of the dealer). For that matter you can't find a Ninja 250 in stock either. For me it came down to what I could find, and I think the Ninja will be a bit better on the freeway for my commute. The only reason I wanted the Honda was for EFI. Cold weather warm-ups get old fast using carbs. That, and the extra maintenance on them. Honda quality is the best. But maybe not on the very first year of a new model. Especially when compared to a veteran like the 250R.

- Joe

[glock_19]

Looked at both, but in the end top speed and looks convinced me to buy the Ninja. Regardless, my next bike will be a 600.

[Boom King]

Originally Posted by JoeLansing

Honda quality is the best. But maybe not on the very first year of a new model. Especially when compared to a veteran like the 250R.

- Joe

Browse the various CBR250R forums and you will see posts from owners complaining of the job Honda did on the frame welds. To a lesser extent, people also expressed disappointment over the quality of plastic fairings and unsightly gaps. Just stating what I've read. Not inferring anything regarding Honda quality as I have not observed these criticisms with my own eyes.

[Little_Ghost]

Thanks for posting that, Wayne. I like your input.

[JoeLansing]

Originally Posted by Xoulrath

I think for someone looking for a great commuter bike or a second bike, or a new rider who plans to get a different bike after a year or two, the CBR250 is the best bet.

I bought the Ninja as a commuter because of the freeway power, and a 2 cylinder won't vibrate as bad as the Honda at speed. My commute is 80% freeway though. I will say the only other single cylinder I've ever rode was a Savage. I took it for a test drive and my brain was screaming "MINI-BIKE" the entire ride. I ended up getting a Vulcan 500 instead. If you're going to get a different bike in a year or two, get a used Ninja, not a brand new CBR250R..

- Joe

[sendler]

Some CBR250R riders logging on fuelly are showing 76 mpg average over 2000 miles!
http://www.fuelly.com/motorcycle/honda/cbr250

[oblivion007]

I'm totally satisfied with the 250r. Main reason for not getting the 250r is its fuel injected. That's a no no for me.

[Boom King]

This is the first comparison I've seen written where they raced the two bikes head-to-head: http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=2747665

The lowered geared Honda leapt ahead on each run, keeping a wheel in front through the first three gears before the Ninja motored past. Roll-ons came next. Opening the throttles from 60 mph in both fifth and six gears, we got the same results as the drags: the Honda lurched forward until the Kawi found its powerband and pulled ahead. The Ninja’s punch comes above 9,000 rpm, about 70 mph in sixth. The Honda is pulling 7,400 rpm at that speed and is still making power, but not enough to stay with the Kawasaki.

[sendler]

Originally Posted by Boom King

This is the first comparison I've seen written where they raced the two bikes head-to-head:
.
The Ninja’s punch comes above 9,000 rpm, about 70 mph in sixth. The Honda is pulling 7,400 rpm at that speed
. http://www.ridermagazine.com/output.cfm?id=2747665

The statement about the gearing is a bit misleading, making it look like the final ratio of the two bikes is very different when they are in fact almost the same.
60 mph at 7500 rpm for the Ninja and 7400 for the Honda. The Honda will be much better at freeway speeds with longer gears than it is stock and the ridiculously low first gear will actually become more useable. Too bad all of the reports notice a slight unsteady handling of high speed curves with the Honda. My Ninja feels locked in to it's groove even with the sluggish stock IRC tires.

[Snafu]

I'm glad Honda has a 250 on the US market. Hopefully Kawi will finally bring FI and ABS to the Ninja.