Until now, our list of Ten Great Beginner Bikes was littered with cruisers, dual purposes, one sole sportbike-- Kawasaki's Ninja 250R... but Honda's just-announced, all-new 2011 CBR250 offers a fresh option for sport-oriented newbies.
The CBR250R is powered by a liquid-cooled, fuel-injected 249cc single (as opposed to the Ninja 250R's carbureted mill), and is mated to a six-speed transmission. The 359 pound package has a seat height of 30.9 inches, and unlike the Ninjette, will have the option for ABS (which adds only 9 additional pounds of weight.)
Price is TBD at the moment, but the bike will be available in Spring of 2011, and hopefully we'll be able to swing a leg over and provide a review soon.
Until then, here's a photo gallery of the 2011 Honda CBR250R which, incidentally, bears more than a passing resemblance to the big bore VFR1200F sport tourer. And to see more new Big Reds, check out our 2011 Honda Buyer's Guide.
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Photo © Honda
Finally a Ninja 250 competitor. I see this one is fuel injected. I wonder if Kawasaki will counter by adding FI to the US models of the Ninjette too?
And it looks like the VFR1200 design elements are being applied to other models as well for good or bad. Unfortunately that’s a pretty big piece of plastic to be rashed WHEN this motorcycle is dropped. I really wish the manufacturers would make frame sliders available as an option from the dealer. This one looks like another model that will require drilling the fairings to put the sliders in a beneficial location.
I’m with Sloan, good to see a competiter for the Ninja 250. Lets see if the price is in line with the Ninja too.
Are you going to spend $1,000 to add ABS to a $4,000 bike?
New bikes always hold interest for me. This looks good.
‘Bout time! Right on…..
Now…follow it up with a smokin hot CBR400RR or something similar so the gap to the 600RR is bridged and the train wreck that is the MC industry might climb out of the crater.
We don’t need any more 1200cc imperial star cruisers.
I like the styling…but that’s about all this little tyke has got going for it.
Sure, its fuel injected, but the Ninja 250′s motor will still best it in power output (not to mention smoother fuel delivery). Don’t think that’s important on a “beginner bike?” Customers already tend to get bored with the Ninjette after a season…any less power, and they may try to ditch the bike after only a couple of months of getting left behind by their buddies on middleweights.
I also agree that, while the fairings look nice, they do seem rather fragile. Find me a noob with a Ninja 250 that isn’t rashed up, and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t ride much. Could get expensive quick.
And of course, in typical Honda fashion, they’ll be sure to price it above the competition while offering an identical product. I’m already seeing in other outlets that the price will be $4,999, or $5,999 w/ABS. That’s just flat-out stupid. But I guess they figure that the 600s have already leapt up to the $10k+ range (a segment solely occupied by liter bikes only a few years ago), so why not gouge prices across the range.
I’m with Pete too, now would be the time to re-introduce the 400 class. They’ll basically be at the performance level 600s were at just at the beginning of the decade, and would slot nicely right into the $6-7k range.
Mick…don’t discount what Honda is going to do with the 250.
The only similarity it will have to K is 2 wheels and handlebars. The reason Kawasaki is selling lots of 250s is because it’s the only 250…not because it’s an especially nice bike.
For sure the Honda will cost more…they always have and they always will. A premium product costs more.
It’s no accident Kawasaki just dropped the mini Ninja to 3 grand. They know what’s coming & all they have left to fight with is price. It’ll work for a while…until people start to ride the CBR.
There’s no one in the industry that can touch a Honda for fit, finish, quality & engineering.
They don’t always do it right, but I bet this 250 is.
Bring on the 400!!
Pete, methinks you’re hanging on too tight to past cliches. That so-called “fit, finish, and quality” you rave about is an old one that has disassociated itself with Honda over the last 5 years. The current generation CBRs have fallen significantly behind the competiton (even the much maligned Triumph puts out a better product now). Go ride one…hell, just look at one up close…and you’ll see that they haven’t put effort into quality and finish in a while. Even their paint quality has taken a beating across message boards for its short life span. They’re also nowhere near as bulletproof as the Yamaha and Kawasaki motors.
You sound a liittle biased against Kawasaki…if you think their products are so terrible, you really need to step into a dealer and change your mindset…you obviously haven’t seen, nevermind ridden, the new Ninja 250, or any of their other new products from the last 4 years.
That being said, keep in mind this is a small thumper, and Americans aren’t into that. I don’t think we need to be reminded about the disappointment the Buell Blast was. More cylinders = more sales…always has, always will. This CBR250 will be gone from American Honda dealerships by 2015, I guarantee it.
I hope Honda can set the price at $3999 for the CBR250 and $4799 for the ABS-optioned motorcycle. The radial ply tires and fuel injection are great selling points . The fairing, light grey color mag wheels and red/silver color look excellent. The 6 speed transmission will make the most of the single cylinder liquid-cooled 250cc engines’ power. The Ninja 250 twin has adequate highway speed and I hope the new Honda is also capable as a freeway bike. HONDA IT”S ALL UP TO YOU…PLEASE BRING THIS BIKE TO MARKET AT $3999!!! ***THANK YOU****
The CBR looks really swoopy, nice lines. Better looking than the jr ninja. However, with a single cylinder I doubt weather the CBR would be able to hang with the Kawa.
I live in Thailand and had been waiting for a smaller bore sport bike to be manufactured and available here and finally, the baby Ninja came out. Riding a big bore machine around the streets of Bangkok can be more than daunting due to our traffic – hence why I am leaning towards a more nimble and smaller machine. I’m an experienced rider, but for around town, one of these two bikes makes perfect sense.
I waited to purchase, because to me, the money that Kawi was asking for the little Ninja was a bit much. Now, I’m glad I did! From what I have been able to gather, the little CB is going to be priced well under the Ninja. Therefore, I’ll be back on a Honda for the first time in a long time (my first Honda being a mint condition ’72 350 Four back in the mid 80’s).
As Kawasaki says: “let the good times roll”…. But it’s going to be on the little CBR!!
im a fairly new rider and have tried alot of bikes already, i was going to buy a ninja before i saw this bike it really looks good but i love that you have a full digital display and your not so leaned over like a ninja. abs is very attractive aswell, speed really isnt an issue for me and im a 21 year old who should be. the bike has enough power, and the worlds mindset for more power is changing, i’d rather have this bike over the ninja anyday just because of the little things, rather than engine specs. does anyone know when it arrives in australia and possible costings?
cant wait to het this! its only 3999 or 4499 with ABS