45-50HP?

[Dutchbike]

And if you compare the specs of Honda's Budget single cylinder CB 250 RS ( 26HP) from 1982 with the CBR 250 (23 HP) from 2012.

That's the result of 30 years....................????

[wow64]

I just read a wiki on the CBR250RR. What an amazing bike that was for its time. What's more amazing is we don't have anything like that today as you said, despite even all the advances in bike technology made over the last 20+ years.

The new R3 is the only thing I think that comes even close to having that kind of HP on a Japanese made bike in that size class, but alas it still doesn't have the same kind of torque or acceleration that this CBR did. I think manufacturers are more concerned about fuel efficiency too now on small bikes, so I would be surprised if we ever see a 4 cylinder bike made again in a Japanese bike factory in that size class.

It's also very apparent, that when they came out with the new CBR250R in 2011, that they started going backwards instead of forwards with a single cylinder engine and only 23HP. Perhaps the new CBR 250 and 300 now has a slightly better suspension, and might be more comfortable for longer distance riding, but that's about it I think. No double headlight, no double front disc brake, etc.

Frankly, to think that Honda recently got rid of making the 2011 model CBR250 and replaced it with a CBR300 that only has a few more horsepower seems pointless. Again, probably for marketing purposes to get more people interested in them if they have a 300cc engine instead of just a 250cc. But to make a 300cc bike with under 30HP is pretty disappointing, considering they are charging almost 140,000 Baht for them.

Now that the competition is getting stronger in that size class though maybe Honda will eventually step up with a more exciting bike in the 250-300cc range, but I'm not going to hold my breath. The best case would be if they scrapped the CBR500 all together and brought back a 4 cylinder 400cc sport touring model of some sort. Or even a 400cc 4 cylinder with a street fighter type design like the Kawasaki Z series.

By the way, I'll bet the Kawasaki Z300 doesn't pull very hard either in that size class? It is a nice looking bike though.

The CBR250rr my first road bike... was a little beast... reving it too 20K sounded awesome...

Funny that when I owed it couldn't wait to get rid of it... wanting a 750... now I would love to have that bike again.

There is a CBR400R in japan which looks like a good bike.. but only 2 Cyl it has 46 hp... would be good if we had it here.

Jap made.. would be interesting to see the diff between it and the 500 in build quality.

Edited June 16, 2015 by wow64

[macknife]

The Ninja 300 is a better bike than the R3. I wanted to buy an R3 but when I saw it I changed my mind. The front end looks great but the quality of the rest of it is poor in comparison. Plastic odd shaped tank, almost pig iron rear sets and components etc. I agree that the R3 is probably slightly quicker having 20 more CCs (2HP more) but I've read reviews that say otherwise.

The Ninja is more expensive than the R3 in most of the western world for a reason, yet here the R3 is more expensive. I know whom I'm inclined to believe more.

[WingNut]

The Z300 looks the prettiest of all of them I think.

[mania]

Real world riding torque is good I guess but for me I flog my bikes and find I need to regrip the throttle to open it all the way which I do not have to do on the 500.

Hi Mark

I don't login much these days but was browsing & saw your post

Something you may want to try as a work around on that long pull throttle is a throttle tube with a larger diameter

take-up

Surprisingly one of the best is the one off the R6 Yamaha & they usually stock them in Thailand Yammie dealers.

I bought one for a Ninja250 I had

Here are some pics

The first is the stock Ninja throttle tube

The second the Yamaha replacement & you see the difference

Third is the Yamaha part number

It is not expensive...700 baht if I remember right (with a grip already on & fit inside the stock Kawasaki throttle housing so I am betting it would also fit in the R3 housing

Anyway...........might be something you would like to try as it is much cheaper than a full short throw throttle set & makes the throttle a one grip closed to full affair

***Does not make the throttle touchy at all either***

Edited June 18, 2015 by mania

[mark131v]

Real world riding torque is good I guess but for me I flog my bikes and find I need to regrip the throttle to open it all the way which I do not have to do on the 500.

Hi Mark

I don't login much these days but was browsing & saw your post

Something you may want to try as a work around on that long pull throttle is a throttle tube with a larger diameter

take-up

Surprisingly one of the best is the one off the R6 Yamaha & they usually stock them in Thailand Yammie dealers.

I bought one for a Ninja250 I had

Here are some pics

The first is the stock Ninja throttle tube

The second the Yamaha replacement & you see the difference

Third is the Yamaha part number

It is not expensive...700 baht if I remember right (with a grip already on & fit inside the stock Kawasaki throttle housing so I am betting it would also fit in the R3 housing

Anyway...........might be something you would like to try as it is much cheaper than a full short throw throttle set & makes the throttle a one grip closed to full affair

***Does not make the throttle touchy at all either***

1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg

Cheers Mania, thanks for that definitely worth a look and like you say for B700 nothing really to lose!