Japan-spec Honda CBR 250R borrows styling from the CBR 300R

With less than a month to go for the Tokyo Motor Show, Japanese auto giant Honda has announced a slew of motorcycle unveils. One such motorcycle that is an interesting development from the Indian perspective is the 2014 version of the CBR 250R, which gets a stylistic makeover that's inspired by the recently unveiled CBR 300R (pictured here). The 2014 Honda CBR 250R eschews the VFR-based styling for a design inspired by the Fireblade series. 

Prominent styling changes on the 2014 CBR 250R include twin headlamps, a new fairing and a new exhaust muffler design. Apart from these changes, the 2014 CBR 250R seems to retain the cycle parts from the older version and these include the telescopic front forks, a monoshock rear, disc brakes at both ends, alloy wheels and tyres. The motorcycle is also expected to retain its 250 cc four stroke-single cylinder engine without any change. The motor currently produces 26 Bhp-22.9 Nm and is mated to a 6 speed manual gearbox. 

Since Honda is unveiling the 2014 version of the CBR 250R, with design details borrowed from CBR 300R, it is clear that the CBR 250R will continue to sell in specific markets across the globe, in a strategy that's similar to what Kawasaki practices by having the Ninja 250R and 300R in production. It remains to be seen whether Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) updates the CBR 250R with the new styling or whether the motorcycle is replaced by the bigger engined 300 cc version. 

With the Honda CBR 250R seeming overpriced what with the likes of the KTM Duke 390 undercutting it, and the upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 375 also likely to undercut the CBR 250R quite significantly, the Japanese motorcycle maker would need to offer better value to maintain market share. Therefore, it does seem logical for HMSI to replace the 250R with the 300R in India, while keeping the pricing unchanged. All said, we'll have to wait for Honda's official word on these new developments and on how they impact the Japanese company's Indian line up. 

Source HondaNews