2010 Honda Vtr 250

[visions]

Sure.. I have another one going that we are going to see the VTR 'in a month' thats about halfway through by now.

I would love to see a 250 CBR at that kind of money, would be great for the bike scene here.. I just find it doubtful that Thailand gets the first shot at a new major release like that.

Curios...what are the reasons you think it couldnt be manufactured/released in Thailand first? Thailand has good facilities and a reasonable roading system compared to the other low cost Honda plant locations.. Possibly a bigger buyer market than the other areas also?? Although Im guessing on that.

If Kawa can export the Ninja globaly from Thailand Im sure Honda can do likewise?

The bike as pictured would make sense as a good replacement for the 150 and extend market coverage for Honda. Although I suspect sales of the Ninja 250 arent that great now the competitive pricing of the 650 brings it in range of buyers compared to the 600cc 4 inline bikes.

But as mentioned in another post, it would be sacriledge to put a single banger in it. (which is what it appears to be in the pic) If it is the VTR V twin I hope its mated with a 6 speed box, not the 5 speed VTR unit??

I am looking at replacing my 150 in the next couple of months, but with nothing else similar (except 250 Ninja) I wasnt sure what to buy. Now maybe?? if this proves true.....I will have a replacement,

[visions]

Perhaps thsi artical also ties in with the rumours?

Honda's press office is keeping their mouths shut, but it seems that the Japanese motorcycle company will be debuting not one, but eight new models at the 2010 EICMA.

Last year Honda decided to skip the Milan fair citing the world economic crisis, but this year will be back stronger than ever to feature their latest in motorcycle technology and new models, while at the INTERMOT show in Cologne (October 6-10) they be presenting a range of new colors for their best selling models.

The new Honda models will be unveiled to the international press on November 2nd and your guess is good as ours at what Honda will be presenting.

Now all we need is Yamaha to come out with a 250 sporty and the market will go from famine to feast.

Edited September 16, 2010 by visions

[dave_boo]

I don't want to sound like a wet blanket, but can we consider all the facts?

Fact 1:

The VTR 250 is currently in production. It's MSRP is approximately 121% of the Ninja's price. Meaning you're going to end up paying some 181xxx THB for it, disregarding any import fees. In price it slots between the sporty Ninja 250R and the similar, but arguably better, ER-6* series. Not a convincing bike at that price point. A very capable city bike it's not all that sporty even if you were to wrap it in fairings. The 5 speed gearbox is a big miss, and AFAIK there are no 6 speed Honda boxes for that class. Nobody has claimed there has been in emission testing done on the bike. However it's one of my leading favourites to replace the CBR 150R.

Fact 2:

There are no concrete (as in from established sites, including Honda) information suggesting that a bike based on the CRF 250 is going into production. As far as I can tell, this website was the first to report it. Don't know how many board members read Spanish, but there's a lot of speculative tone going on, both directly (contacto con ingenieros y diseñadores salen rumores, ‘tal veces’, ‘es posible’ y esos ‘síes’, que no sabes si son sí o son no, sobre futuros nuevos modelos. -- contact with engineers and designers resulted in rumours, 'maybe', 'it's possible', and those "yes", so that you don't know if are yes or no in regards to new models) and indirectly in regards to tone (de la que parece que uno de sus próximos nuevos modelos debería atacar de lleno el sector de mercado que se llevan la Kawasaki Ninja 250 -- that appears to be one of their next new models that should fully attack the sector of market that carries the Kawasaki Ninja 250). I highly doubt this engine would pass Thailand's emission's standards and be anywhere near the power offered in a CRF.

Fact 3:

Getting dies, tool, training, QA (we are talking about Honda not JRD), etc. takes time. 45 days to get all that in country and set up?

Fact 4:

Thailand's big bike market is minuscule. Any bike built there is sold globally (try and think of a 250cc+ bike that isn't). Why would Honda develop and introduce a bike solely for that market? That rules out the CRF unless it's also bound for Euro-land, and considering the dearth of information from the press there, especially bike review sites, I'd have to say that is not going to happen. The VTR is possible considering this though....

But if rumours are like <deleted> (everyone's got one), than here's mine:

The CBR 150R replacement is going to be an inline 4 (5 valve per) spinning out to 20 000 RPM with direct injection producing over 65 HP. The engine being made of aluminium, titanium and magnesium and a stressed member the bike will weigh 108 kilos. 0-100 kph times of 3,4 secs. The engine's cylinders are also rotated backwards to improve handling. Direct Injection obliterates the need for a catalytic converter resulting in a superlight titanium exhaust. Carbon fibre is used extensively thoughout, to include the seat's subframe and the structure for the console/nose. Traction control and Honda's latest ABS will keep you safe. Upside down forks and a banana swingarm will keep it funk-fresh modern. Ohlins developed the suspension exclusively for the bike. Available in 4 solid colours (Honda Red, Jet Black, Metallic Blue, and Pearl White), there will be a Repsol version available immediately. Shipping from factory is to start 20 Dec 2010, in time for everybody to get one for Christmas.

And you can take that to the bank!

[CMX]

Dave,

Your rumour is the best of all - or would be if it had included a price. The 5 valves/per cylinder alone will have me adding the new Honda to my debt-load.

[visions]

But if rumours are like <deleted> (everyone's got one), than here's mine:

The CBR 150R replacement is going to be an inline 4 (5 valve per) spinning out to 20 000 RPM with direct injection producing over 65 HP. The engine being made of aluminium, titanium and magnesium and a stressed member the bike will weigh 108 kilos. 0-100 kph times of 3,4 secs. The engine's cylinders are also rotated backwards to improve handling. Direct Injection obliterates the need for a catalytic converter resulting in a superlight titanium exhaust. Carbon fibre is used extensively thoughout, to include the seat's subframe and the structure for the console/nose. Traction control and Honda's latest ABS will keep you safe. Upside down forks and a banana swingarm will keep it funk-fresh modern. Ohlins developed the suspension exclusively for the bike. Available in 4 solid colours (Honda Red, Jet Black, Metallic Blue, and Pearl White), there will be a Repsol version available immediately. Shipping from factory is to start 20 Dec 2010, in time for everybody to get one for Christmas.

And you can take that to the bank!

Whooeeeeee, I hope you are going for the top design engineers job at Honda Bike Development!!

Mind you, The acounts dept may dampen some of your inspired ideas.

Rumours rumours...all we can do is wait and wait, untill something finally arrives. Just hope its a decent bike not some washed out underpowered shopping trolley. There are so many rumours and dates all sort of matching that something must be happening???

Edited September 17, 2010 by visions

[happyfalangme]

"Just hope its a decent bike not some washed out underpowered shopping trolley."

This is what i believe it will be. AP Honda have NO idea about the big bike market in Thailand. Kawasaki's bikes are actually ideal ALTHOUGH it would be nice to have an unfaired 250 with a normal seat in the range.

(i am really hoping that one of the new Honda bike's WILL be a VTR250.At 144,000b or less)

Edited September 17, 2010 by happyfalangme

[jackcorbett]

Realistically-----All that high tech leading to high horsepower levels for a 250 is going to cost a bundle. Might as well get a Kawasaki 650 machine. And I can just imagine how smooth and tractable a bike is going to be in Bangkok or Pattaya traffic that puts out something like 50 or 60 horsepower at 20,000 rpms.

[dave_boo]

Realistically-----All that high tech leading to high horsepower levels for a 250 is going to cost a bundle. Might as well get a Kawasaki 650 machine. And I can just imagine how smooth and tractable a bike is going to be in Bangkok or Pattaya traffic that puts out something like 50 or 60 horsepower at 20,000 rpms.

IIRC, the original cbr 250, which was one of the most advanced bikes from Honda at the time, cost as much or more than the 600.

Obviously on the bike I'm rumouring they're going to offer there would be a super long pull throttle. Even with that consider the Ninja 250. Makes 60% the HP in approximately 1/2 the RPM. Nobody would claim that it's not smooth or tractable. When you're talking about HP spread out over that much rpm range even a ham fisted gorilla like meself could look like a throttle god.....

[LivinLOS]

Curios...what are the reasons you think it couldnt be manufactured/released in Thailand first? Thailand has good facilities and a reasonable roading system compared to the other low cost Honda plant locations..

Thailand's big bike market is minuscule. Any bike built there is sold globally (try and think of a 250cc+ bike that isn't). Why would Honda develop and introduce a bike solely for that market?

Getting dies, tool, training, QA (we are talking about Honda not JRD), etc. takes time. 45 days to get all that in country and set up?

and considering the dearth of information from the press there, especially bike review sites, I'd have to say that is not going to happen

That about sums up what I think..

[apetley]

But if rumours are like <deleted> (everyone's got one), than here's mine:

The CBR 150R replacement is going to be an inline 4 (5 valve per) spinning out to 20 000 RPM with direct injection producing over 65 HP. The engine being made of aluminium, titanium and magnesium and a stressed member the bike will weigh 108 kilos. 0-100 kph times of 3,4 secs. The engine's cylinders are also rotated backwards to improve handling. Direct Injection obliterates the need for a catalytic converter resulting in a superlight titanium exhaust. Carbon fibre is used extensively thoughout, to include the seat's subframe and the structure for the console/nose. Traction control and Honda's latest ABS will keep you safe. Upside down forks and a banana swingarm will keep it funk-fresh modern. Ohlins developed the suspension exclusively for the bike. Available in 4 solid colours (Honda Red, Jet Black, Metallic Blue, and Pearl White), there will be a Repsol version available immediately. Shipping from factory is to start 20 Dec 2010, in time for everybody to get one for Christmas.

And you can take that to the bank!

Actually it's engine layout is going to be 'half' of the old NR500 GP bike. 8 valves per cylinder + two con rods per piston, detuned to 60 bhp at 20,000 rpm.

Price will be 'comparable' to the 250 Ninjas.

[skybluestu]

http://www.aphonda.co.th/superbike/product.asp

[LivinLOS]

http://www.aphonda.co.th/superbike/product.asp

Said that for years now tho hasnt it.

[dave_boo]

http://www.aphonda.c...ike/product.asp

Said that for years now tho hasnt it.

Since at least 19 Jan 09 (nearly 2 years). Don't know why that was dragged into the discussion.

Here's a gallery of bikes from the same website. Notice they do have the CRF listed, which I suppose could lend some credence to claims earlier in this thread, but curiously no baby CBR--of any sort. They don't even have the VTR 250 listed. Perhaps they'll bring the XL700V at ER-6N prices? One can always dream.....