1987 Honda CBR250R review from New Zealand
"Fantastic, just make sure the last guy changed the oil!"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Bought the motorbike with low oil. Topped up before leaving to drive it home (1700kms). I changed the oil and it went another 400kms before it was running really badly - blown main and con rod bearings.
Got a replacement 2nd hand engine, which worked for 1000kms before holing piston #1!
Noisy cam gears - impossible to fix (tried using 3 different sets!), so I built up a new engine.
Goes through 428 (heavy duty) chains like nothing I've ever seen before! (probably should find out if I can get 520 chain for it)
General comments?
Wing mirrors actually work.
Handling is excellent.
The high red line and power band make it very fun to ride. Nothing else on the road sounds like it.
Brakes very well (mine has dual front discs)
Bike is big for a 250. Looks normal sized in height compared to other bigger bikes. I am nearly 2m tall and yes it isn't perfect but it's not bad.
Seat is hard. I have traveled long distance (up to 1600kms in 1 day) and you do get saddle sore onset after 4+ hours, but it never gets really bad.
Once I discovered the way to align the rear wheel properly that didn't involve the markings on the swing arm, fuel economy jumped from 180-200kms max (200-220 inc reserve) to a whopping 220kms + reserve of more than 20km. Fuel economy is consistently around 16-18km/L, riding fast or not.
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| What else do you want besides more power? |
|
| Fantastic |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1987 |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2006 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Acceleration marks | 7 / 10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Handling marks | 9 / 10 |
| Braking marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 7 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 7 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 26000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 39000 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Honda CBX250 |
| Date of Entry | 26th December, 2008 |