Posted by Marissa Baecker | | Comments: 0
Jasmin: At the Vancouver Motorcycle Show this year, we got the opportunity to check out the 2011 Honda lineup and their newest creation – the CBR250.
They say you never forget your first love and for me, I believe the same holds true for your first motorbike. I started my riding adventure on the Honda CBR 125. A small cc engine, sportbike style ride, for commuting and just getting used to this whole new thing of being a motorcyclist. I loved my 125. I used to spend $5 a week to ride 300km to and from work and over half of my commute was on the highway. I could keep up with the traffic but I had to be extra vigilant about staying out of trouble because I didn’t have the power to call on to get myself out of a jam. I also could not go for a ride with any other friends on larger bikes because they’d leave me in the dust. The great thing for those first 9 months of riding the 125 is that the lightweight and limited power allowed me to reach the maximum of the bikes ability. I felt like I conquered the 125, sold it and moved on up the power grid to a 650 standard sport.
Three years later the Honda CBR 250 emerges. Same great sportbike styling, kind of half way between a supersport and a standard sport body position. Obviously a touch more power to draw on and no problem keeping up with the friends on a ride. As soon as I sat on the 250 I was flooded with the memories of riding my 125. They even sound the same, incredibly quiet. Now I know why my neighbours liked that first bike of mine, because the noise didn’t wake them up in the morning when I took off for a ride.
The bike has the same lightweight feel that lets you believe you’re in control. There’s no wobbliness at the stop lights or signs, it’s easy to push thru the corners, the turning radius is super tight for u-turns and every minute I spent on the bike I had a smile on my face. With the lower cc’s you find yourself constantly shifting up and down to find the right rpms for the terrain and that practice is great for a newer rider. I remember those early days when I’d push my left foot down instead of up and up instead of down. It can take some practice before shifting becomes the right habit and on the smaller cc bike, you get lots of practice.
If you’re new to riding, like the sport styling and want to gain confidence, the Honda CBR 250 is a great starter bike.
If you’re a commuter, the Honda CBR 250 is easy on the pocketbook, easy on gas and can keep up when you want to go for a ride with your buds.
Marissa: Being used to a cruiser style ride – riding the CBR250 was a pleasure. What a great bike. If you want to experience sport bike style riding but aren’t sure if it will be the right style for you, you can’t go wrong with investing in a CBR250. The styling is deceiving because even though it is a 250cc engine, it’s outside appearance would never give that away. It mirrors the looks of a 400 or 600 series CBR.
This bike is perfect for someone new to riding, who has a strong beginner sense, more confidence, and who is looking for a bit more power than a scooter offers. If you are on a budget and looking to curb commuting expenses, the CBR250 is affordable not to mention that you will get everywhere with minimal fuel expenses. I was pleasantly surprised the day we were riding as the CBR handled great at highway speeds and was effortless in the corners.
As for suspension, you get the soft ride of a standard sport bike yet like Jasmin mentioned, you have a bit more lean like a supersport.
The only downside for me was that first gear seemed to lack the torque that most higher cc models deliver but hey – it’s a 250.
