Buying a used bike in an 80k budget: Does a Honda CBR 250R make sense

I usually prefer my car for commuting but now my work location has shifted and travel distance is 50 kms daily.

BHPian NB_4763 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello guys,

I am currently confused whether is it worth to buy a CBR 250R in 2023.

I usually prefer my car for commuting but now my work location has shifted and travel distance is 50 kms Daily. I had decided to do the commute on 2 wheeler as I can save time in traffic. My budget was around 80k on a second hand bike so I came across this 2016 CBR 250R ABS run 30k for 85k rupees[3rd Owner].

My main priorities are:

• Decent mileage (35+ will be great)
• Decent comfort for daily commute
• Must be reliable
• Must be able to cruise at 80-100Kmph

My usage will be mainly office commute and occasional bike rides with colleagues. I also plan on holding on to it for as long as possible so will the spares be too expensive? Also are there any major red flags to look out for? Is it a good deal? Should I go for it?

Any other bike suggestions will also be helpful (Budget 80k-100k)

Here's what BHPian saitvsk23 had to say on the matter:

The CBR is a value for money motorcycle and you can use it fully to the last penny and last gear, if you decide to use your money well.

All you need to get is good tyres, good engine oil, coolant and timely servicing done to enjoy it fully. Get a nice helmet to protect your head and a nice pair of gloves and jacket. That is since you're doing quite a bit of distance in a single day. So safety matters. Moreover, its got ABS too.

As long as you have just 10-100 grams of patience and willingness to order parts in case something needs to be replaced, you'll have the best bike India probably ever experience. Its just the right mix of sport and comfort. Literally a swiss army knife. I can help you with the parts too incase (god forbid) you need to get something ordered. Spares are just a teeny tiny little bit expensive, but they do serve the purpose. And there are always aftermarket alternatives available.

Pro tip : In case you decide to get the bike:

Get Motul 10W40 oil installed for the first 1000kms and then replace it with the LiquiMoly Street Race 10W40. Your CBR almost feels like a tuned 600cc. I'm not kidding.

Also, ass per your priorities:

• Mileage in the city : 31-35 kmpl easily. Try staying at 5-7k RPM and you might be able to squeeze out just a bit more. Highway is above 35kmpl easily.
• Comfort : I had ridden my friend's R15 V4 recently. When I compared the seating position of the V4 to mine, my CBR felt like a recliner sofa. Again, I'm not kidding. I'm a heavy build guy at 6 feet tall and above 100kgs in weight. Still i feel comfortable. Traffic can get to you a bit in the shoulder area, but since you're saying that you have a highway commute (>30kms one way), it should be more than comfortable to you. It's the right mix of sportiness and comfort.
• Reliability : It's a Honda. Do I need to tell you anything else? It will only stop running if the fuel is finished. Or else it will outlast you too.
• Cruising Ability : When this baby CBR was launched in western markets, they called it a sports cruiser. I myself used to experience this on a daily basis. Post the oil change I had spoken of previously, the bike is very quick to reach 80kmph and has a very addictive surge. It's equally thrilling and dangerous, provided you can keep it under control. It can do triple digit speeds all day, and I'm assuming that you're lighter than me. So in that case, the bike can reach higher speeds even faster.

You can do office commutes, rides with other big bikes, highway trips, dates (just in case - they won't complain about the backseat too; it's got a lot of padding to keep them comfortable) and other activities. The design is timeless and still turns heads wherever you go. You name it, CBR can do it with style, grace, elegance and comfort.

This bike has no red flags as such, just look out for the ticking noise. I'll share the link of my thread, where it has been discussed at length.

I'm so sorry that I forgot about the bike you asked about. Please DM me using this same username at Instagram and I will be able to help you instantly, and at length.

Try haggling for atleast 80k. Anything above that doesn't make sense. Tell that you need to upgrade to an LED bulb, brake pads, tyres, etc. Most importantly, check the pending traffic violations on the vehicle and use that to reduce the price. We can do it here in Hyderabad. I dont know the case for Bangalore.

In the case of upgrades : halogens don't make sense in 2023. Upgrade to an LED main bulb. And your stars will thank you. I've observed that the Versah brake pads offer better brake feel. It's immediately noticeable. You can easily upgrade to it. Get an Exide battery, my Amaron has been giving me problems recently. Here's a link yo my thread.

Here's what BHPian Ratan Prabhu had to say on the matter:

80k for a 3rd owner bike is a very bad deal in my opinion. You can easily get a very well maintained 1st owner CBR260r ABS version for less than 1 lac (2016-2018 models which were right before the BS4 ones)

Regarding your requirements from the other post,
It is a comfortable sports tourer. If you are used to commuter bikes or cruisers, then it will take time for you to get used to it. If your usage is city only, the bike isn't fun to ride. It's a sports tourer and hence, the real fun is to ride on highways at speeds of 80+ on top gear.

I've owned the bike since 2012 and have been constantly getting a fuel efficiency of ~28 kmpl in city and 33 kmpl on highways.

The sweet spot of this bike is between 5k and 6k RPM on top gear. That translates to speeds between 80 and 96 kmph where the engine vibrations are lowest. It can do high speeds too ofcourse but the engine is mostly relaxed between 5-6k RPM. At those speeds constantly, you can expected a mileage of 35kmpl.

The spare parts are an issue at service centers. Will take time to order slow moving parts (regular service parts like oil and air filter, fork oil seal, etc are available). Doesn't matter how reliable Honda bikes are but if the bike is owned by 3 different owners, I will not trust it even if the price is low.

Conclusion from me - look for a first owner CBR ABS bike from 2016-18 and don't mind paying 1L for it after getting it test ridden yourself and inspected by a trusted mechanic.

Other option - there are other decent options other than CBR. Example - FZ250, Honda Hness, Gixxer 250, etc which offer good refinement equal to or better than the CBR and are more comfortable and give better fuel efficiency (and isn't discontinued yet)

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.