2011 Honda CBR250R first ride - 'the Ninja 250R has a real rival'

Although we’re likely to be waiting until February until the first shipments of Honda’s new CBR250R lightweight arrives in the UK (perhaps no bad thing considering the current icy snap), the newcomer has already been launched in south-east Asia.

• New Honda CBR250R v Kawasaki Ninja 250R

We asked our colleague Matt Shields at Austrailian MCN for his first impressions, this is what he had to say:

“The launch was held in the backyard of Honda’s factory in Thailand, which is where the new CBR250R is being built. But rather than hitting the bustling, overcrowded streets of Bangkok, it was off to one of two of Thailand’s race circuits – Bira, just outside the beachside metropolis of Pattaya.  

• Find a 250cc motorcycle for sale

“It was a track launch, but don’t think the CBR250R is intended to be a new baby Blade. It is well removed from a race-rep 250. The 250R has the civility that entry-level riders want with enough scope in its performance to broaden your riding skills with every ride, but it’ll never be the bike that takes you to track days on a regular basis.”

For the full Honda CBR250R first ride report, plus pictures and details on some Moriwaki and Mugen tuned CBR250Rs, see this week’s MCN, on sale Wednesday 15 December 2010.