Honda CBR 250R first India ride

The most anticipated motorcycle of 2011 the Honda CBR 250R is finally here in India. When we rode the CBR 250r in Thailand we were very impressed but, a quick spin in Indian conditions was what we were curious to know more about.

The ride started at Saki Naka, one of the most congested areas in Mumbai, that too in peak office hours. The CBR's 250cc engine is a short stroke design developing 25bhp of power at 8500rpm. Robust 2.3kgm of torque is developed at 7000rpm. However, even at low rpms there's sufficient torque in tap. The CBR felt quite at ease crawling through traffic. It didn't have to be kept on the boil. Instead, shifting up a gear or two on the slick 6-speed gearbox works well as the torque takes care of the rest. The crisp light action of the clutch doesn't put any strain either.

The most action packed zone is in the mid range. Snap the throttle open, let the revs cross the 4000rpm mark and the CBR just leaps forward. It will pull relentlessly to its near 11000rpm redline. Honda claims a top speed of 150kmh. liquid cooling and 4-valve technology let the CBR feel effortless even when pushed hard.

The conventional down tube forks at the front and the pro-link rear may feel a bit soft for the race track, but out on our far from perfect roads, the CBR felt incredibly comfortable to be on. It glided over un-tarred patches, and didn't crash in potholes either. The seating position isn't too hunched over so there isn't any strain on your wrists or shoulders. Steering it through traffic was a breeze too. While it was light to steer, the wide fairing mounted mirrors took a bit of getting used to, but after that it was no problem to slip through gaps. A must have feature is the combined abs system; Knowing that the wheels cannot lock up and land you on the tar makes riding a lot more fun, especially since unpredictable and potentially dangerous surfaces are in no short supply. So, the CBR felt comfortable in more ways than one over our roads.

This delicious motorcycle has already attracted 3600 bookings. It's VFR1200 inspired headlamp, the CBR1000RR inspired fairing give it a really upmarket, big bike look. The pricing too is hard to miss. The non-ABS version costs Rs1.51lakh while the C-ABS version costs significantly more at Rs 1.77L. The CBR 250R promises to be a versatile motorcycle that'll be easy to live with. Stay tuned for a full

report as we test the CBR250R's claims and put it through its paces.

Video Review:

Honda CBR250R in India