Archive for December 2010
Max torque hits at 7000 rpm and peak horsepower arrives soon after at 8500 rpm. The CBR250R is grunty off the line, user-friendly, and comfortable for short-to-average size riders.
2011 Honda CBR250R
While seated on its 30.5-inch-high saddle, and neutrally postured with slightly rearset pegs and a minor forward reach to the bars, the wind screen and fairing offer typical sportbike protection. At 6 feet tall, and with long legs, I could sit back a little too easily into the passenger pillion. And while I hunkered on the bike, with long legs folded to the point that former Motorcycle.com editor Gabe Ets-Hokin – who was along for the ride – said I looked too big on the bike, it felt manageable, and if starting out, I’d still consider it.
The bike accelerates acceptably quick to highway velocity. After cresting peak power, particularly in fifth and sixth gears, additional speed comes sedately. More specifically, a kitted-up 185-lb rider can hit 65 no problem. Reaching 75 is a bit more effort. And after that, the next 10 mph comes considerably slower. Once into the upper 80s, a long stretch is required to push its indicated speed past that big 9-0, maybe into the low 90s – and Japanese speedometers are notoriously optimistic by a few percent.
We’re giving you this detail because lots of people want to know how it stacks up against Kawasaki’s Twin-cylinder Ninja 250R. We’ve seen that bike hit an indicated 101 mph, and in stock form Gabe tells me it has been clocked at a true 93 mph or better.
2011 Honda CBR250R
The 13,000-redline Kawi is quicker, but you have to scream it. The 10,500-rpm Honda delivers better low-end thrust without the drama. It’s that simple. Pick your preference, and keep in mind, a good bike is not only measured by its top speed.
With regards to handling, the Honda inspires confidence in the twisties at all speeds. Its geometry balances stability and nimbleness. Like the Kawasaki’s suspenders, the lighter-weight Honda’s non-adjustable fork, and preload-adjustable shock are fairly soft, while offering a good compromise between compliance and control. When banked over, it can be unnerving to suddenly traverse rough spots, but then that is true of a lot of bikes.
Our group of experienced riders was pushing somewhat briskly, and during these spirited stints I found myself lifting off the seat to compensate for the budget-minded suspension's inability to perfectly absorb the jabs, right hooks and undercuts thrown at it by several sections of especially rugged pavement. My knees, while having no external adjustments either, do offer decent rebound and compression compliance. It’s a trick anyone who’s ridden off road knows. If necessary, in lieu of sophisticated suspenders do it like they do it in the dirt.
The CBR250R’s overall stopping power is acceptable. Then again, if my seat-of-the-pants decelerometer is accurate, I’d rate braking close to the Ninja 250R.
Honda's Combined-ABS (C-ABS) links the rear brake with one of the front caliper’s three pistons, and if pushed past the limit, linearly hauls the bike down with the usual mild pulsing. The front ABS brakes work the same but actuate the front caliper only, while audibly chirping the not-too-soft compound IRC Road Winner tires.
These basic rubber-Os, while one of the ways Honda kept the cost down, nevertheless do the job. We cornered in the wet and dry. When somewhat pushed, naturally the tires will break loose sooner in the wet. They are not scary slippery, but even on good dry pavement no one was willing to drag a knee.
2011 Honda CBR250R
The CBR250R runs quiet. It’s obviously choked down to satisfy Uncle Sam, and his syndicate bosses at the EPA. The conservative ECU settings the Feds extorted from Honda, combined with the catalytic converter and narrow single exhaust pipe, sap power.
I think this is an engine that begs to be opened up. If you are a member of the Sierra Club, and take offense, none intended.
Instrumentation is clear and functional. Official EPA figures are not available yet, but should be in the neighborhood of 60 mpg. No fuel stops were necessary after several hours of spirited riding, and fuel gauges on our press bikes indicated several bars left. A full tank should achieve the 200 miles, more or less, as estimated by Honda.
Is the CBR250R a Ninja 250R killer? No. Is it solid competition? You bet. That the CBR is fuel injected -- albeit as a Single, not a Twin -- is itself a value. And to some riders, the optional ABS may add enough value to the littlest CBR so as to outweigh the extra $500 required beyond the $3999 MSRP. Honda says the CBR250R will be available some time in the spring.
Overall fit and finish for both the Red/Silver and Metallic Black were good on the bikes we rode. There’s a small cubby with room for a few essentials under the passenger pillion.
We look forward to doing a full review as soon as Honda will give us a CBR250R for more time. At this juncture, we can tell you it may not win a drag race with some other 250s, but it is a winner in its own right.
Engine
The Honda PCX125 has a liquid-cooled 4-stroke 125cc motor that’s good for 70mph on the clocks, which is pretty quick for a 125 scoot. It zips away from the lights and benefits from a slick and direct throttle response not always found on scooters. Then there’s the stop-start system - pull up to some traffic lights and after three seconds of idling, the engine cuts out. A blinking orange light marked ‘stand by’ (like a DVD player) lets you know that you’re in idle stop mode. A simple twist of the throttle will fire it back up again with next-to no delay, but it can be turned off via a switch on the bars if you’re not into it.
Honda says the system improves fuel efficiency by up to 5%. On a scooter that they claim is capable of 130mpg anyway, that’s hardly going to change the world, but if you are environmentally (or wallet) conscious there’s a warm glow that comes from knowing you’re saving fuel where possible.
At just 124kg wet the PCX125 is very easy to manoeuvre and the handling is stable and reassuring. It’s fitted with 14inch wheels, which are a nice compromise between the 12” wheels of standard scoots and the 16inchers of big-wheelers. Lack of wind protection from the low-slung bodywork limits comfort on the open road, but it’s clearly intended to be a practical commuter for the stylish and city-bound and in urban areas it excels. Like a lot of modern Hondas the PCX features combined brakes, which do a great job of keeping things balanced under braking and they’re very novice-friendly (at the cost of a little bite).
Equipment
You could be forgiven for thinking the PCX125 looks like it’s more about style than substance, but it does boast practicalities like an underseat storage bay big enough for a full-face lid, rider backrest and a decent-sized cubbyhole on the dash. Despite its small size there’s loads of leg-room too.
In terms of build quality and overall presentation the PCX125 is in a different league to some other scooters on the market - to be fair you’d expect no less from Honda. Reliability shouldn’t be an issue and you have the benefit of an established dealer network to fall back on.
Value
At £2,270, the PCX is competitively priced – Honda’s own PS125i is £2,570, the Yamaha BW’s 125 is £2,499 and neither of those have coffeehouse-kudos stop-start tech. You can get a 125 scooter for cheaper, but the PCX offers something unique in a very solid package.
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Top speed :70mph
1/4-mile acceleration :secs
Power :11.1bhp
Torque :8.5ftlb
Weight :124kg
Seat height :761mm
Fuel capacity :6.2 litres
Average fuel consumption :mpg
Tank range :miles
Engine size :125cc
Engine specification :liquid-cooled 4-stroke 2v single
single
Frame :tubular steel
Front suspension adjustment :none
Rear suspension adjustment :none
Front brakes :220mm disc, 3-piston caliper
Rear brake :130mm drum
Front tyre size :90/90-14
Rear tyre size :100/90-14
Engine
The Via Montenapoleone is powered by a 278cc motor with 22bhp, but it feels like more, maybe because you don’t initially expect a scooter of this size to have so much go. It rips away from the lights and pulls well all the way past 70mph to a top speed of around 85mph. It’s a fantastic engine that’s fun to use and strikes a great balance between power and economy – perfect for the city.Ride and Handling
Equipment
Quality and Reliability
Modern Vespa scooters are all high-end machines and the GTV is no exception. The build quality, finish and handling mark it out as something a bit special compared to the competition. The brand power of Vespa isn’t to be over-looked either – people can and do pay extra for the quality and just to be seen on one. They’re like the Ducatis of the scooter world.
Value
In some ways it’s hard to think of the GTV as good value because it costs a fairly hefty £4,499. But the quality and finish is in a different league and the GTV (and the whole Vespa range) are objects of desire rather than just commuting tools. They hold their value well too, so you won’t get stung on depreciation. Fact is you can get a scooter for a lot less if you want to – but it’s not a Vespa. And for a lot of people, that matters.
Specifications
| Top speed | :85mph |
|---|---|
| 1/4-mile acceleration | :dry |
| Power | :22bhp |
| Torque | :16.4ftlb |
| Weight | :148kg |
| Seat height | :790mm |
| Fuel capacity | :9 liters |
| Average fuel consumption | :70mpg |
| Tank range | :170 miles |
| Insurance group | :7 |
| Engine size | :278cc |
|---|---|
| Engine specification | :4v l/c single, automatic |
| Frame | :Pressed steel |
| Front suspension adjustment | :none |
| Rear suspension adjustment | :preload |
| Front brakes | :220mm disc |
| Rear brake | :220mm disc |
| Front tyre size | :120/70 x 12 |
| Rear tyre size | :130/70 x 12 |
The 2011 Kawasaki ZX-10R is the bike to change this. It is the first of the Japanese bikes to come out fighting against the storming BMW and, based on MCN’s first ride (at Qatar’s Losail circuit), the Kawasaki’s superb blend of handling, braking, usable power and decent suspension will make it a better road bike than the BMW. As for track use? At 198kg fully gassed, the ZX-10R has the best power to weight ratio, and it isn’t as intense to ride as the BMW and so
ENGINE
As expected, the motor’s an all new lump, with taller stacked gearbox to reduce size and maximise mass centralisation, and the cylinders are offset by 2mm to the crank to reduce thrust forces and enable shorter, lighter pistons to be used. A secondary balancer shaft keeps vibes to a minimum until near peak revs. Bigger dual-butterfly injectors ensure the bike keeps pulling at high rpm at speed. And for factory produced exhaust downpipes they are stunning to view (build quality) and only need a decent aftermarket end can and link pipe to extract more lunacy.
Ride and Handling
The end result is a bike whose handling harks back to early 90s ZX and ZX-R 750cc WSB bikes where front end stability and feel is top notch and the bike is effortless at being hauled around.
Equipment
The decent ‘horizontally’ mounted single shock: tick. Showa BPF forks: tick. LED bar graph tachometer: tick. Dash that switches to race-like info for track use: tick. Sports ABS on the ABS (doh!) version: big tick. Powerful but usable engine: tick. Wavy discs: tick. Adjustable footrest height: tick: Traction control: big thick tick x 3.Kawasaki’s traction control system is stunning. It relies on front and rear wheel speeds matched to rpm, throttle position, gear selected and other sensors to predict tyre slippage and alter ignition/fuel settings to balance acceleration against loss of traction. Switchable power modes are via a bar mounted button, but greater power delivery can be instantly accessed according to throttle position i.e. fully open.
Quality and Reliability
Even on the pre-production bikes the panels all fitted perfectly. And the support-less fairing screen is a touch of genius – albeit a bit short for taller riders. Everything worked fine, too. Even the front brake refused to fade after repeated 170mph braking – something early ZX-10R owners will appreciate.
Value
The ZX-10R’s price drops it neatly behind the BMW by £1. Yep, a whole quid. And if it runs the BMW as close as we think it will, then it is good value. Granted £11,699 is a lot of money – and another £1000 for the ABS version (which adds 3kg) – but this is the price we are going have to pay for the elite of motorcycling. Kawasaki summed it up neatly by saying the ZX-10R features ‘trickle technology’, whereby new technology (sports ABS, revised cylinder mounting etc) will ‘trickle’ down to other models at lower costs.Specification
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