Abundance Of Cbr250Rs

[DerekAbroad]

I've seen more and more Honda CBR250Rs for sale in the TV classifieds and other sights. What gives? They are all about a year or two old with less than 20k km. It just seems odd that there are so many new bikes for sale.

Something wrong?

I'm considering getting a new one, so I'm wondering if I'm walking into a disaster.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect App

[KRS1]

rainy season, people are leaving.

a lot of people are selling in anticipation of the Ninja 250/300 also.

Edited August 29, 2012 by KRS1

[thaicbr]

rainy season, people are leaving.

a lot of people are selling in anticipation of the Ninja 250/300 also.

Or the Honda Cbr400.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[JonnyF]

Nothing wrong with them, I think a lot of people have ridden the older style 250 smokers like the NSR250, TZR250, or maybe even the old inline 4 CBR250 and then they expect that type of performance from the new model. So they buy it and then realize it's not what they thought it was, hence all the low mileage bikes for sale at the 80k mark.

[SumetCycle]

A lot of guys buy them and then within six months to a year they want to move up to something bigger, that's all.

[siampreggers]

Remember it was the same with the ninja 250, there was 3 or 4 of them on every classifieds pages every time you opened them in their second year.

The CBR250 is such a good bike that just going by the numbers sold there's going to be a lot in the classifieds from the smallish amount of owners that will want to move up in CC from 250. Especially with cheap used Er-6's also in the market.

Edited August 29, 2012 by siampreggers

[dave_boo]

And you need to remember that Honda sold more CBR 250's than Kawasaki sold of ALL their big bike numbers. While undoubtably there is a non-trivial percentage of those sales due to the owners wanting to upgrade, to see so many and question why they are for sale is not looking at the whole picture. Instead of comparing the number being offered for sale compared to the other 250 competitors look at how many big Kawasaki bikes are for sale compared to how many CBRettes. And remember there really is no factory supported legal bikes bigger than the er-6* unless you get into stupid money.

[William Osborne]

Because lots of people got fooled by the sporty fairings and thought they were buying a mini sports bike, where in fact they were getting one of the most under-powered 250s ever made by Honda... Honda didn't help either by their misleading brochure ............friend of mine who never even had bikes before complained of lack of power after 2 weeks....

Edited August 29, 2012 by William Osborne

[T_Dog]

Remember it was the same with the ninja 250, there was 3 or 4 of them on every classifieds pages every time you opened them in their second year.

The CBR250 is such a good bike that just going by the numbers sold there's going to be a lot in the classifieds from the smallish amount of owners that will want to move up in CC from 250. Especially with cheap used Er-6's also in the market.

Back in 2006 it was the same with CBR-150's. You could see them for sale all over the place and a buddy and I bought a pair of identical twins at the same shop, each with (a reported) 5000 km on the odometer.

[poanoi]

Like with the Steed, there are plenti of them so spare parts should be both cheap & plentiful.

It is still only 250cc tho,

so i think i rather stick with a phantom if that is the cubic range you are looking at,

-even much cheaper yet, and any backwater mechanic can do it,

and also have spare parts at hand

[thaicbr]

Like with the Steed, there are plenti of them so spare parts should be both cheap & plentiful.

It is still only 250cc tho,

so i think i rather stick with a phantom if that is the cubic range you are looking at,

-even much cheaper yet, and any backwater mechanic can do it,

and also have spare parts at hand

Phantom is chalk and cheese compared to the Cbr. Cbr wins hands down.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[poanoi]

250cc is still a scooter, and Phantom win on economy any day

[monty1412]

A lot of guys buy them and then within six months to a year they want to move up to something bigger, that's all.

100% Correct, exactly what I did.

[monty1412]

Because lots of people got fooled by the sporty fairings and thought they were buying a mini sports bike, where in fact they were getting one of the most under-powered 250s ever made by Honda... Honda didn't help either by their misleading brochure ............friend of mine who never even had bikes before complained of lack of power after 2 weeks....

They weren't that bad mind you I jumped on the earlier model the other day.. a CBR250RR with 4 cylinder engine that just wanted to rev (17,000 RPM). Honda used to make some great bikes.. this cbr250rr was just a little beauty.

[thaicbr]

250cc is still a scooter, and Phantom win on economy any day

i disagree.. and the Cbr250 is a motorbike not a scooter. stop being obtuse.

[Richard-BKK]

The amount of second hand Honda CBR250R's is actually less than expected, in Thailand it's very common that after 6-months to one year after a new motor vehicle is launch/introduced on the Thai market the second hand offerings will peak...

Thai people are very impulsive buyers, and often forget to look at the different aspects of buying a car, motorcycle or even the latest phone... They just buy it because it's new...

For the people who still hope that Honda will move 400cc production to Thailand, you can forget it. At least you can forget it until the BOI changes its policy for motorcycle engines below 500cc and bigger than 250cc.

[T_Dog]

How low are the prices on the used CBR-250's? The classified ads I have seen are fairly high in price and am wondering what they are really selling for.

[KRS1]

80k with the occasional 70k.

[Richard-BKK]

250cc is still a scooter, and Phantom win on economy any day

How can the Honda Phantom TA200 can win on economy from a Honda CBR250R. Even at the cruising speed of the CBR250R the Honda Phantom TA200 will have trouble to keep up (and burning fuel like it came for free).

Maybe on paper the Phantom TA200 wins, if the two bikes will run 60km/h for several kilometer without any acceleration or deceleration... but even with this virtual test it would be very difficult for the Phantom TA200 to come even close to the performance of the latest Honda PGM-FI (fuel-injection) system.

And not even discuss that the Honda Phantom TA200 cannot run on all the fuel available in Thailand, touring the country side is a no no because you need to plan a path where gasoline is still available...

[siampreggers]

80k with the occasional 70k.

90k with the occasional 80k.

[siampreggers]

For the people who still hope that Honda will move 400cc production to Thailand, you can forget it. At least you can forget it until the BOI changes its policy for motorcycle engines below 500cc and bigger than 250cc.

any news on this Richard:

April 2011:

First, yes, in the near future you would be able to go to selected motorcycle shops to hook up your Honda CBR250R to load a new fuel map...

[thaicbr]

For the people who still hope that Honda will move 400cc production to Thailand, you can forget it. At least you can forget it until the BOI changes its policy for motorcycle engines below 500cc and bigger than 250cc.

any news on this Richard:

April 2011:

First, yes, in the near future you would be able to go to selected motorcycle shops to hook up your Honda CBR250R to load a new fuel map...

hahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahaahhaahahaha

[dave_boo]

Nothing wrong with them, I think a lot of people have ridden the older style 250 smokers like the NSR250, TZR250, or maybe even the old inline 4 CBR250 and then they expect that type of performance from the new model. So they buy it and then realize it's not what they thought it was, hence all the low mileage bikes for sale at the 80k mark.

A lot of people who purchased the CBR 250 rode those extremely hard to find 2T beasts? And they were surprised that some 2 ¹/₂ years after the Ninja 250 release, which is rated a whopping 7 BHP more powerful than the CBR, the more economy minded bike wouldn't hang with a smoker that produced huge amounts of HP?

But back to the OP's question. The CBR sold large numbers because it was a bigger bike, in a price bracket that was affordable by the masses (as important as expats think they are we are an insignificant part of the market), and maybe most importantly had the 'right' brandname.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that not enough power may be a factor in some of those sales, but if true the people who thought that most likely purchased a Ninja when they became available and grew bored with the lack of power and upgraded to one of Kawasaki's other excellent bikes. However I doubt that many, for either the Ninja or CBR, upgraded for that reason alone as the 250 class is some 12-17 months' of salaries versus some 30 for the 650 class.

I have came across no stories of mechanical issues with the Ninja and yet some 70% of boardmembers upgraded their bikes in the same timeframe. There's been the posting of the one CBR that was not serviced properly and self destructed. What's the percentage of boardmembers who have upgraded from the CBR? So I don't think reliability has anything to do with the number for sale.

I think that Richard-BKK is (finally) right. Once realisation sets in they can not keep up with the Jones there's going to be a decent amount on the market. Case to prove my point; how many mechanically sound ER-6*/795 are for sale by the locals? Are they upgrading or trying to get out of debt?

[siampreggers]

Just out of interest, when was the last time a board member on here bought a new (or even used) Ninja 250?

Edited August 30, 2012 by siampreggers

[SumetCycle]

A lot of guys buy them and then within six months to a year they want to move up to something bigger, that's all.

100% Correct, exactly what I did.

It is a beginners bike after all. I learned to ride on it, built up my confidence, and moved up to something bigger. 250s are like a gateway drug to a more powerful fix. At least half the members of our CBR 250 Nonthaburi group have already moved up to 650s. A couple have gone straight to liter bikes. Also, quite a few got in over their heads and couldn't keep up with the payments. There are also expats who buy them and decide to go back home, so they end up selling them.

[Richard-BKK]

For the people who still hope that Honda will move 400cc production to Thailand, you can forget it. At least you can forget it until the BOI changes its policy for motorcycle engines below 500cc and bigger than 250cc.

any news on this Richard:

April 2011:

First, yes, in the near future you would be able to go to selected motorcycle shops to hook up your Honda CBR250R to load a new fuel map...

First, I not really see what the Thailand Board of Investment has to do with the Honda PGM-FI as found on the CBR250R, second, the idea behind the PGM-FI (Programmable Fuel Injection) is that it easily programmable. Third, there's a Thai company who is still working on doing exactly that. Actually the company twice almost launched the product, but bugs seem to plague them. At the time I just repeated the words said by the company which was working on it...

To go back to the question of a 400cc, the Thailand Board of Investment has a benefit plan in place for engines of 250cc and engines bigger than 500cc

Big-Bike, 4-Stroke Engine Motorcycles (over 500cc)

Under the new scheme, a minimum annual capacity will not be required, whereas previously it was set at 50,000 units/year or more. There are also no restrictions on foreign ownership, compared to a minimum of 60% Thai ownership previously required. Regardless of the plant locations, big-bike motorcycle manufacturing activities will be eligible for exemption from import duties on machinery. For projects that include engine manufacturing starting from machining key parts, such as cylinder heads and crank cases, the corporate income tax holiday may be extended for 3-8 years depending on the plant location.

Source: http://www.boi.go.th/index.php?page=opp_automotive

[SumetCycle]

So it looks more likely that we will see a CBR 500.

[SumetCycle]

I have also heard that Kawasaki has a 500 in the works. It's supposed to be an inline 4. Perhaps to compete directly with Honda's offering.

[siampreggers]

First, I not really see what the Thailand Board of Investment has to do with the Honda PGM-FI as found on the CBR250R, second, the idea behind the PGM-FI (Programmable Fuel Injection) is that it easily programmable.

Firstly, PGM-FI doesn't stand for Programmable Fuel Injection, it stands for Programmed Fuel Injection

there's a Thai company who is still working on doing exactly that. Actually the company twice almost launched the product, but bugs seem to plague them. At the time I just repeated the words said by the company which was working on it...

What company is this? I hope you're not talking API-Tech and their failed aftermarket ECU units?

[SumetCycle]

First, I not really see what the Thailand Board of Investment has to do with the Honda PGM-FI as found on the CBR250R, second, the idea behind the PGM-FI (Programmable Fuel Injection) is that it easily programmable.

Firstly, PGM-FI doesn't stand for Programmable Fuel Injection, it stands for Programmed Fuel Injection

there's a Thai company who is still working on doing exactly that. Actually the company twice almost launched the product, but bugs seem to plague them. At the time I just repeated the words said by the company which was working on it...

What company is this? I hope you're not talking API-Tech and their failed aftermarket ECU units?

Siezed the piston on my friends CBR 250 twice. Apparently they are working on the new one. They also had problems with the one for the PCX. Again, they say they are working on a new one.