Honda may be planning a baby-sportsbike for the European market as a bike for
new and less experienced licence holders. If introduced, the CBR250RR
could be brought to Europe next year, after first being introduced in
Japan.
Honda could use the 250cc motor from the CRF motocrosser,
model in an aluminium chassis, adapted for road riding. Honda could
also use the v-twin engine from the VTR250.
We can only hope Honda introduce a rival for Kawasaki's Ninja 250R
and get some competition going to produce appealing 250s to get more
young riders into biking.
Anything that attracts newcomers to biking has to be a good idea.
Economics is the problem. They need to sell enough to make it worthwhile.
250's also make good commuters.
Well maybe I'll get a buyer for my bike (Kwak 250 on classified forum)) if they become more popular, as it is learners can't legally ride 'em and full licence holders don't want 'em.
CBR250 and 400 have been around for years. Ireland got them imported as did the rest of Europe but we like our big bikes so Honda never bothered.
Shame really because the tri arm and later gull arm 400's were some of the nicest bikes I ever rode. The 250 was mental. Revved to something like 18000rpm and sounded like an F1 car.
Suzuki also made a 250 and 400 GSXR, Kwaker did 250 versions of the ZXR (which were the first proddie bikes to have upsidedown forks)
Depends who they're trying to attract.
When we were kids (ok a while back ) everyone aspired to an FS1-E.
But we'd have sold our grannies for something that looked like the latest YZF125 Yamaha's.
A decent 250 ought to be a better bet than a 600 supersports, for someone who's new to biking.
My Virago 250 is great. Light enough to lift up the back step and again into the shed. Great around town or commuting and corners brilliantly. Could do with a little more oomph going up hills so cars and lorries don't get up my arse. I would like a bigger bike but as I am riddled with arthritis don't think it would be a good idea.
Also, have looked at the Kawasaki ER5, Honda CB500 and Suzuki GS500, but I need to have my knees and legs forward. So looks like it has to be a Harley aargh
have to agree with lindaj, after I passed my test I had a el 250. cos i'm vertically challenged it was great for me, just abit sluggish at picking up. was pursuaded to move on to an er5- a "womans bike" .....big mistake!!! didn't like how it handled & struggled to put my feet down properly dropped it 3 times & it knocked my confidence. a new 250 honda baby sports bike would be ideal for someone like me, right height & confidence builder with abit more umpf!
I agree Rob, economics is the problem - if it's there to attract interest from newcomers into the biking community, a lot of newcomers don't have the income to buy as well as maintain a bike, they may be in uni, in a poorly paid job or just not be working - it could encourage them into bad debt habits which is no good for Honda. Honda have, like a lot of businesses, done well to survive the recession when so many big businesses have gone down the pan. Is this the right time to be bringing into the frying pan, a bike that probably won't sell that well ?
Personally I believe that a lot of newcomers will go for a bigger bike like a 600, once they have passed.
A lot of the newer smaller bikes look like race bikes but don't have the power behind them that a race bike does. I like Suzuki's 250 mini B-King, nice compromise, good looking too. Kawazaki's Ninja 250 looks great too
Pretty sure that Honda would have looked at the feasability (finacially) of introducing this bike onto the market before making a decision to go ahead with it.
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