If you’re reading this then probably you are in a hunt for a performance bike without making a huge dent on your pocket. Recently we have noticed a HUGE surge of performance bikes in India within the price range of 3 lakhs. Some really interesting offers are avialble in the market from automotive giants like Yamaha, KTM, Bajaj, Mahindra( Mojo) .
Now the BIG question, Does it makes sense to buy a CBR250r in 2017 especially when there are better bigger capacity bikes available in the same price bracket.
It has been 3 years since I am riding my baby CBR. I am reviewing my bike in terms of Performance, Mileage, Reliability, Dealer satisfaction, Road grip, Maintenance and Appeal. Below points may help you in deciding if this is the kind of bike you are looking for.
Performance: The bike is a pleasure to drive. Lot of it is due to the strong mid range setup of the bike where you don’t have to twist the throttle a lot to get those 3 digits. Driving in bumper to bumper traffic could be a pain since the radiator fans kicks in early and throws a lot of heat directly to your thighs. Overall the bike offers decent performace on highways and you can easily cruise on 3 digits without putting a lot of stress on the bike’s engine.
Mileage: Throughout my term with the bike, I am constantly getting an average of 30-35 kmpl which seems to be quite decent for the performance it offers.
Reliability: I would rate OK on how much the bike is reliable. I have quite number of issues while riding it. Some of them are oil seal breakage in the front shock absorbers, rattling sound from the Visor, self start did give up at some occassions( not sure if the problem is only with my bike), timing chain and taped issue.
Dealer Satisfaction: I get my bike serviced at JSP Honda, kukatpally branch, Hyderabad. Technician there are good, the only major problem I faced is with the availability of the parts.
Road grip: CBR comes with MRF zapper tyres which provide a decent grip. However I recently switched to C2 tyres and believe me the feedback is awesome. The bike is easily manoeuvrable at high speeds. The perfect riding position of the bike is suited for both highway and city rides. It’s a fantastic sports tourer. I have done few rides myself and covered around 400kms ina single day without wrecking havoc on my back.
Maintenance: I get it serviced once every 4 months. Usually the end cost sums upto 2-3k depending upon the services you opt for. Maintenance cost is well justified by the performance it offers.
Appeal: Looks are subjective. However this bike sure is a head turner and still holds a strong presence on the Indian roads.