[kaushik_s]

Just back from a test ride of CBR250R at Dream Honda. I've not ridden for quite some time but I was feeling right at home with this bike. Power delivery at 2nd and 3rd felt very good and pickup was very nice. Bike was very easy to maneuver in the City traffic. Riding position was good but again I've ridden only for 5 minutes, it might get uncomfortable for longer trips is what I felt. Height is pretty good and would be ok for any average height person. Won't comment much as I'm not a regular rider and not qualified enough to make any further comments.
On road price is 1.68L for non-ABS and 1.97L for ABS variant. Waiting period is the deal-breaker with 75 days of waiting period. First service to be done at 1000kms(2months) and next two service would be on 6000kms and 12000kms respectively. Regular warranty is for 2 years or 24k kilometers. They said that they still haven't got the extended warranty plan.
One problem I've noticed is that the brakes were not as efficient as I thought it would be but they've told me that this particular test ride bike have weak brakes due to some issue. Other CBR's won't have that problem.

[EssYouWe]

I am shocked at the number of CBR test vehicles showing problems.

Is it so easy to get a CBR to act up? I think this is the third or fourth mention of the test vehicle having some issue or the other.

Is our trust in the reliability of a Honda misplaced?

[sids911]

Originally Posted by EssYouWe

I am shocked at the number of CBR test vehicles showing problems.

Is it so easy to get a CBR to act up? I think this is the third or fourth mention of the test vehicle having some issue or the other.

Is our trust in the reliability of a Honda misplaced?

Could it be that everyone wants to thrash a 1.5 L bike, even if they dont buy it?

[EssYouWe]

Maybe, yes. But even then, the bike has barely been available for a month to test ride.

This is all conjecture, the CBR might be a champ in reliability as we all expect it to be.

[IronWolf]

EssYouWe,

Curious, what are the other reports of malfunction? To my understanding many showrooms are giving excuses to not give a test vehicle. Haiku said their test vehicle had an accident !?!? I asked the guy if he was serious. He just grinned and said 'yes sir accident'.

I noticed the ABS front calipers being bigger and having two feeder pipes. So the reason is the combined ABS braking kicks in when the rear brakes are applied. The Front brake lever on its own has another feeder pipe and the front lever only activates the front brakes.

I was surprised that it was quite suitable for my average Indian height. Dont you 6 footers find it cramped?

Haiku Honda
Delivery now is 3-4 months.
Red and Blue combo design will not be supplied. He does not know why.
Finance available from Corporation bank or HDFC.
Quite understandable they don't care about interest shown in this bike. Cause:
a) it already has a high waiting list
b) enough number of jokers coming in to check the bike and test ride it

I am just wondering which showroom to place my 5k advance on.

Going to City Honda tomorrow.
Dream Honda to far away.

Edit: Waiting for 3-4 months should we just wait to see what Yamaha has to offer in the 250cc segment?

[EssYouWe]

^
I think gsferrari reported his test ride bike exhibiting clutch slippage. The company, based on his online report, pulled up the dealer and offered him another test ride after the bike had been done up.
I kind of recall something similar on some other forum as well.

[salunkhe.vizz]

Originally Posted by IronWolf

EssYouWe,

Edit: Waiting for 3-4 months should we just wait to see what Yamaha has to offer in the 250cc segment?

I had the exact same perception when I first though of booking the bike on Jan 5, as the deliveries were only scheduled post April-May. But then I finally booked it in April with the deliveries around the corner and after seeing a bike in flesh, as no new options (Mojo,Yamaha,Pulsar250) are getting launched anywhere in the near horizon. And now I have to wait for upto 6 months as no new batches are being delivered because of my late booking.

In fact we all have been hearing of 200+cc bikes to be launched by many players way back since 2008 and all that we have today is CBR and Ninja

I guess the best bet is to just book the CBR as its 5k refundable anyways, the decision then is to wait for your bike to be delivered OR new ones to be launched - whichever is earlier !!

[isodope]

Originally Posted by IronWolf

EssYouWe,
I noticed the ABS front calipers being bigger and having two feeder pipes. So the reason is the combined ABS braking kicks in when the rear brakes are applied. The Front brake lever on its own has another feeder pipe and the front lever only activates the front brakes.

Dont you 6 footers find it cramped?

Waiting for 3-4 months should we just wait to see what Yamaha has to offer in the 250cc segment?

Applying pressure on rear brake pedal actuates one piston on front calliper. Squeezing the front brake lever actuates the other two pistons. Nissin system for C-ABS because sensors are imported; Bybre is made in India and therefore cheaper.

I'm a six-footer, and it isn't cramped at all.

I'm expecting either a design update on the R15 (at the most a 30cc upgrade) or the Fazer 250 to launch at some point. Neither will have the kind of abilities of the CBR, so they'll be cheaper.

[PatienceWins]

Originally Posted by IronWolf

I was surprised that it was quite suitable for my average Indian height. Dont you 6 footers find it cramped?

I am 6'2" tall and I found it reasonably cramped - upper body was fine as the riding position was not as aggressive as R15, but the lower body was cramped with the high position of the foot pegs.

It is fine for long rides where you do not have to move your legs regularly, but it would not be comfortable in bumper to bumper traffic - which is very common in Bangalore.

I think an upgraded Fazer with 250cc engine would be perfect for my requirements. Let me see what Yamaha has to offer.

[salunkhe.vizz]

Just out of curiosity, i happened to visit a local pvt dealer near my house to inquire about the Honda CBR250.

I was not so surprised when he told me that he can get the bike for me in less than a week's time if i can 40k cash as 'on' payment ! Imagine a black market amt of 25% .... hail the great indian arbitrage opportunists.

The showrooms have no clue when they can deliver to customers who have booked since 4 months, while these jokers are selling it to any1 and every1 who can cough up the extra dough.

[Gansan]

I am interested in a 200+ cc bike with a liquid cooled engine, and would prefer it from the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki stable. May be sometime next year, and this bike is first on the list. But I am just sitting in the sidelines now, munching my popcorn and watching! Planning to visit Lodha Honda today for a dekho!

BTW how does the ZMA-R compare with this, @ Rs 40k - 45K less?

[BANDHAV]

Yesterday I had a smallish test ride of CBR 250 R, and I am disappointed, I was considering this for as a replacement for my 2 years old HH Hunk. The engine is way too harsh for a Honda, I have ridden smaller capacity Hondas like unicorn and I swear by their engine smoothness but this thing was gruff. Apart from that power was nothing to write home about either, its not that I was expecting it to be an outright scorcher but it just failed to impress me. Now I have a very clear view, if it has to be 250, it will be N250 or I will wait a little more and try to get my hands on something bigger.

[akshay4587]

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

Yesterday I had a smallish test ride of CBR 250 R, and I am disappointed, I was considering this for as a replacement for my 2 years old HH Hunk. The engine is way too harsh for a Honda, I have ridden smaller capacity Hondas like unicorn and I swear by their engine smoothness but this thing was gruff. Apart from that power was nothing to write home about either, its not that I was expecting it to be an outright scorcher but it just failed to impress me. Now I have a very clear view, if it has to be 250, it will be N250 or I will wait a little more and try to get my hands on something bigger.

+1 the engine sounds like a pulsar(no offence to pulsie owners).
and my friends 40k old unicorn is butter smooth in comparison.
i ride a Zma,and i will wait too
in simple words for me it turned out to be a damp squib.
it is faster than my Zma,but ridden back to back i didnt really felt that Zma is a slouch or something.

[isodope]

Originally Posted by BANDHAV

Yesterday I had a smallish test ride of CBR 250 R, and I am disappointed, I was considering this for as a replacement for my 2 years old HH Hunk. The engine is way too harsh for a Honda, I have ridden smaller capacity Hondas like unicorn and I swear by their engine smoothness but this thing was gruff. Apart from that power was nothing to write home about either, its not that I was expecting it to be an outright scorcher but it just failed to impress me. Now I have a very clear view, if it has to be 250, it will be N250 or I will wait a little more and try to get my hands on something bigger.

Wait a bit. Bajaj is trying hard to drop the price of the Ninja by a significant amount.

[BANDHAV]

^^Are you sure? What's the source of information?