[isodope]

Rode the bike (C-ABS) last night. It was a delivered bike, not a demo one. My 2p:
Ride and handling very good. Front too soft, dives too much and eats into confidence. Was a little surprised by it tramlining the way superbikes do over expansion joints in concrete slabs.
Performance: bottom-end and mid-range excellent. Top end disappointing; there's nothing to be gained beyond 7000rpm. Throttle response crisp and progressive. It's quick, but it doesn't give you the rush that the R15/Ninja do. The noise (at least on the inside of a KBC) is disappointing. Somehow the R15 manages a deep-chested undertone when the taps are opened, whereas the CBR just doesn't.

I'm not going to comment on looks and quality because I've already talked about those before, and it was night, so examining the bike would've been a pain.

To sum up, I'm glad I'm giving my booking away. It's a great beginner's motorcycle and indisputable at the price, but but I think as a rider I've moved beyond what the CBR can offer.

I'll probably be riding the bike again over the weekend, so will update if I feel different about anything. Is there anything in particular anyone wants me to look at then?

[salunkhe.vizz]

Saw one CBR250 riding next to me on the highway, I drove parellel for about 5 mins to check out its looks while on the road. Couldnt take any pics as I was driving, but initial observations are as below:

- Looks quite short in length and height compared to the Demo I saw in the showroom
- Looked tiny under the 5'9ish rider - just like the R15 (I had hoped and imagined it to be bigger and better)
- It was a red bike but overall did not look like a new flashy mean machine, looked like an old bike with poor paint quality and no "new / bling factor to it". In comparison, even a 6 month ZMR looks shiny and bright (white) on the road under a rider - bigger too.

I had booked this bike solely because I wanted something bigger than the R15 and Ninja under me (size not performance) - and somehow the Demo version I saw looked exactly like what i had been dreaming about. But this on-road version has completely put me in a dilemma on whether I should cancel my booking and wait for a better option or just go ahead an take delivery

[v&v]

Went to see the bike.
First impression, Just another bike. it does not stand out. 2 colors were on display. Red-Slilver, Black-Silver. IMO Black-Silver has a bigger feel. These bikes had just arrived and PDI not done yet. Will take another 2-3 days before test rides starts.

My Impression : Over all bike looks & feels good. Fit & finish is average just like my p220. Hight is smaller than p220. Front view it look just like VFR.

Some photos clicked. As of now without test drive if feel like cancelling my booking. Will take the final decision after the test ride.


















Also the big brother VFR too was there on display.

[IronH4WK]

the dipper switch, turn indicator and the horn buttons etc look like the ones on the CBZ

[black12rr]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

the dipper switch, turn indicator and the horn buttons etc look like the ones on the CBZ

They are lifted from honda UNICORN .

[salunkhe.vizz]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

the dipper switch, turn indicator and the horn buttons etc look like the ones on the CBZ

Thats exactly how I felt when I saw the picture

Why couldnt they make the handle buttons more aesthetic considering the fact that we are spending more than double the amount of a cbz/unicorn.

[stewie]

Is it just me or does the front mudguard seem a tad too small?

[Wind splitter]

I noticed that electrical controls on CBZ had a lot of similarities to that of CBR when it was first released, so I presume that it has been copied from CBR series earlier and not the other way round.

[Latheesh]

I have not seen the bike in person yet! but that seat looks cheap!

[v&v]

@latheesh - True, the seat looks cheap. My p220 had much better and cushioned seat.
@stewie - mudguard is ok. it the photo angle , feels small.
The finish around the console and handle bar too is not high quality just average.

[PatienceWins]

I took a short test ride of the bike.

The bike is refined with the typical honda unicorn sound. It does not sound like a sports bike.
The power delivery is linear. Good torque, ideal for city riding.
The top end does not seem to be very good. I think it can cruise at 110-120 effortlessly.
I found it difficult to position my leg with high backward position of gear lever. I am 6'2" tall, I think it would be perfect for some one at 5'10". I did not find it comfortable in city traffic where you have to move your legs regularly.
I did not feel the size of the bike while riding it. It is easy to flick the bike.
The handling seems to be good. I could not test it properly.

The bike is good. But it did not bring a smile on my face at the end of test ride. It is what Karizma ZMR should have been. I will keep my 1.9 lakhs and wait for the 250cc from Yamaha. I am going to cancel my booking.

They have issues with delivery as critical parts for the bike is not coming from Japan. There could be a big delay in delivery, the estimated waiting period has increased by a month for me in a matter of two weeks.

[aruncheloor]

Why is it called a CBR? I cant see some pedigree in it. It should have been called the VFR250 indeed

[salunkhe.vizz]

Has anyone on Team BHP got their deliveries yet ?

All said and done, I am still quite desperately waiting for mine. No news from the Dealer yet.

[Tommie]

Just now, I called the dealer -Haiku Honda and it seems they do not have any test drive vehicle here on Airport road. It seems they delivered some 6 bikes last week(non-ABS).

[Tommie]

Originally Posted by PatienceWins

I took a short test ride of the bike.

Where did you take the test drive?