So, I've found, from previous vehicles, that the best way to learn the ins and outs of your vehicle is to be active on a forum dedicated to it!

So, I figured I'd post up here and see what you guys have to say!

I had a 600f4i from 06-09, but sold it off when i moved into my current residence(no safe place to park it in this city). I would've gotten a 250 had they been available from Honda when I started riding.

As I progressed on my 600f4i, I learned the sheer joy that is corner carving. And have never really gotten much thrill from straight line speed. I have heard many others talking about how great a 250 is for being so light and easy to whip around curves. So that's my main thought process there.

A side note would be the great fuel economy potential with a single cylinder 250. Since I drive a hybrid now and get 50mpg, anything else is going to seem like a fuel guzzler, haha. i am planning on using it as my primary commuter once i move to SC, since my car has 207k miles on it.

Also, the size is a little bit of an issue. I am only 5'6" and not incredibly strong. and while the f4i wasn't -really- too big for me. i did find myself in a sticky situation here and there, where i couldnt reach the ground easily enough to maneuver.

So, my question to you is just what everyone's thoughts are on the 250r, for things like commuting, corner carving, overall fun? Also, opinions/facts about ABS would be great, since I've seen so many different arguments for/against it.

 

250s are okay, if youve never ridden a 600. since you have ridden a 600, youll feel like its missing something. like a sugar free cookie or non-alcoholic beer. and whats missing is the power. 250s can get up to illegal speeds just like any other bike, but if you do a lot of interstate travel at 70mph they might seem a bit buzzy. the good news is people tire of the 250s quickly, so finding a used 2 year old bike for a fair price is pretty easy. gas mileage is excellent as expected.

another option if you are in the new market is hondas new 500cc offerings. power and mileage somewhere in between the 250s and 600s. 3 different models depending on how sporty or commuter oriented you are. im sure they are a blast to ride without the learning curve of a peaky 600. if i didnt have an awesome f4i in my garage, id probably be eyeballing the cb500f.

 

yea, maybe i will check out the 500 instead. might be a good middle ground for me!

any thoughts out there on ABS? im sure theres a 100 threads about it, guess i should search some, haha

i've also always wanted the repsol paint. i wonder how long it will take for the 500r to come out with it?

 

My second bike was an "off-brand" v-twin 250 sport bike (which I adored) and I actually have had the privilege to ride a Honda CBR250R about 15 miles to deliver it for a customer. It's a terrific bike that is surprisingly spry for what it is. My current litter includes a 1000cc i-4, 1000cc v-twin and an f4i with a 54 tooth rear sprocket so I'm used to hearty acceleration. Regardless, I still found the 250r fun to whip around as it was light and nimble and didn't find the power so lacking that I was in any real danger on a local highway. You kinda have to get it wound up, but the motor's designed to handle that. The suspension handled me far better than expected considering I'm in the 220lb range.

Repsol paint schemes are only done on Hondas on odd years and on a "proven" bike. The 500cc bikes coming out are supposed to be budget minded so we'll see... if they sell well, they'll probably make a Repsol version in 2015.

You're not that far from Manhattan, come by the motorcycle show at Lincoln Javitz this weekend and check out the new bikes. They are gonna be parallel twins so you can expect an even/flat, but "chubby" powerband that's very compliant and they are using the same "hubless" brake rotor mount that they used on the NC700 so I'm sure the brakes will be fantastic.

One of my current bikes has ABS and I love it and I'll probably choose it as an option on my next bike if it's available. I've had ABS kick in only a few times and I'm glad it was there. You never know where there can be gravel, mud or an oily spot you just didn't see and it's nice to have it in those instances.

 

thanks for all the info ^



unfortunately, i am working all weekend, so no motorcycle show for me. once i move down to SC this summer and get settled, i will test ride the 250, 500, and probably a new 600rr, and compare them all in my own hands. i think that will be the best way to really get a feel for what i will like best.

 

I have the 250r repsol, I love it. I have rode bigger bikes before an got to say the 250 is fine. U like going through corners? Well u can get a 600 or 1000 anyday but can only go so fast through corners Even these big bikes can't do 180 through the corners near my house so there is no advantage to buying a bike that goes that fast unless u want to do straight line ridding.

 

I'm gonna go with Scotty F4i here and encourage you to check out that new 500 Honda is coming out with. It looks like an all-around winner.

You mentioned that you're 5'6"; if your weight is proportional to your height I'm imagining that the F4i was just as fast as lightning. A 500 cc bike will also seem blazingly quick, and even a 250 or Kawasaki's new 300 may be worth a test ride for you.

 

yea, i weigh about 130 lbs, the f4i was insanely fast. got pulled over doing 104 in a 55mph once. didnt even realize how fast i was going, just didnt look at the speedo for a couple minutes, haha. another reason im steering away from the bigger bikes. too easy to go too fast without even meaning to.

And no Kawasucki's, im a honda humper through and through, and knowingly blindly biased, haha

 

I'd like to introduce you to the 2013 Honda CBR500R

 

Looks alright.