BrownBrady
Well-known member
[video=youtube;PXS-GgUNMgA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXS-GgUNMgA[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXS-GgUNMgA
This is for new riders thinking of switching from their CBR125R to a CBR250R/A. I traded in my 2011 Honda CBR125R for a 2013 Honda CBR250RA last week. In this post, I’m going to draw comparisons between the two bikes based on my first impressions and my limited experience as a new rider.
I had been riding my CBR125R for over a month, and while the CBR125R was a good bike for me to learn on, I felt that I needed a little more power, a little more weight, and ABS.
I found my CBR250RA on GPBikes listed for much lower than other private listings on Kijiji based on condition, mileage and the availability of ABS. It was also my favorite color out of the other possible color combinations. I received the bike with no scratches, but within 3 days, I dropped it on my driveway beside my car, scratching both the bike and my car. I stood there for several minutes cringing with a sick feeling in my stomach. Luckily, the scratches were minor, except for the black exhaust which now has obvious scratches.
I found many similarities between the two bikes. For instance, the body style is so similar that to the untrained eye, you couldn't tell which bike is which. The dashboard cluster is almost identical except for the speedo display which now has a blue backlight which I prefer. The seat heights are also the same, but the seating position is slightly more upright on the 250, and the footpegs are lower. On a couple of 30 min trips, I could tell right away that I can ride this bike longer because the seating position felt more comfortable.
Many buttons and levers have a more premium look and feel than the CBR125R. For example, the headlight controls use rocker switches instead of the slide switches and are larger. Instead of a large hole on the CBR125R, the ignition keyhole has a spring-loaded door and is flush with the crossbar.
I had only taken a CBR250R for a test ride in first gear when I borrowed a riding buddy’s bike for a ride around a parking lot. The only other 250 cc bike I ever rode was a Suzuki Maurader at RTI. When I rode the CBR250RA off the dealer's lot for the first time , I was very careful not to twist too hard. Immediately, I felt that this bike had a lot more power than the CBR125R. I can now stay longer in the lower gears when riding around town, although the fun factor of frequent gear shifts is still there. I had taken this bike on highway 401 for a short ride just to test it and it gave me comfort that the RPM’s were much lower than the 125 at 100 kph.
With a slightly larger frame, longer wheelbase, larger tires, and ABS, the CBR250RA is 50 lbs heavier than the CBR125R. This was evident on the highway test ride as I felt more stable at highway speeds. This additional weight was also the reason why I sprained my wrist after I stood up the bike after I dropped it in my driveway.
Finally, the availability of ABS is the biggest reason why I wanted to upgrade because of a recent close-call. I was riding my CBR125R last month when it started to rain a few minutes later. I was 5 minutes away from home, so I turned back. As I was slowing down on my approach at a red light, the rear tire locked after I hit a slick patch at 40 km/h. When I released the brake, the bike began to fishtail at 30 km/h through the intersection. I was lucky that the intersection was just a 3-way intersection and the drivers saw me struggling and they let me through without incident. ABS is not available on the 125 and could have helped prevent the wheel lockup. I was also pleasantly surprised that my insurance premiums became slightly lower despite the increase in displacement.
There are only a couple of things that I wish was different on the CBR250RA. First, I think that the kickstand is too short making the bike’s lean too upright. This was a big reason why I dropped my bike in my driveway. As I was dismounting, the bike leaned the other way without warning. Now I have to be extra attentive to slopes before I use the kickstand. The second are the headlights. The CBR125R had those halo projector lights which I thought were pretty cool. I wished they used the same ones on the CBR250RA.
Overall, the CBR250RA has been as much fun to ride as the CBR125R but with the added benefit of more power, more weight and the security of ABS. I hope this comparison helps new riders who are thinking of making this upgrade.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXS-GgUNMgA
This is for new riders thinking of switching from their CBR125R to a CBR250R/A. I traded in my 2011 Honda CBR125R for a 2013 Honda CBR250RA last week. In this post, I’m going to draw comparisons between the two bikes based on my first impressions and my limited experience as a new rider.
I had been riding my CBR125R for over a month, and while the CBR125R was a good bike for me to learn on, I felt that I needed a little more power, a little more weight, and ABS.
I found my CBR250RA on GPBikes listed for much lower than other private listings on Kijiji based on condition, mileage and the availability of ABS. It was also my favorite color out of the other possible color combinations. I received the bike with no scratches, but within 3 days, I dropped it on my driveway beside my car, scratching both the bike and my car. I stood there for several minutes cringing with a sick feeling in my stomach. Luckily, the scratches were minor, except for the black exhaust which now has obvious scratches.
I found many similarities between the two bikes. For instance, the body style is so similar that to the untrained eye, you couldn't tell which bike is which. The dashboard cluster is almost identical except for the speedo display which now has a blue backlight which I prefer. The seat heights are also the same, but the seating position is slightly more upright on the 250, and the footpegs are lower. On a couple of 30 min trips, I could tell right away that I can ride this bike longer because the seating position felt more comfortable.
Many buttons and levers have a more premium look and feel than the CBR125R. For example, the headlight controls use rocker switches instead of the slide switches and are larger. Instead of a large hole on the CBR125R, the ignition keyhole has a spring-loaded door and is flush with the crossbar.
I had only taken a CBR250R for a test ride in first gear when I borrowed a riding buddy’s bike for a ride around a parking lot. The only other 250 cc bike I ever rode was a Suzuki Maurader at RTI. When I rode the CBR250RA off the dealer's lot for the first time , I was very careful not to twist too hard. Immediately, I felt that this bike had a lot more power than the CBR125R. I can now stay longer in the lower gears when riding around town, although the fun factor of frequent gear shifts is still there. I had taken this bike on highway 401 for a short ride just to test it and it gave me comfort that the RPM’s were much lower than the 125 at 100 kph.
With a slightly larger frame, longer wheelbase, larger tires, and ABS, the CBR250RA is 50 lbs heavier than the CBR125R. This was evident on the highway test ride as I felt more stable at highway speeds. This additional weight was also the reason why I sprained my wrist after I stood up the bike after I dropped it in my driveway.
Finally, the availability of ABS is the biggest reason why I wanted to upgrade because of a recent close-call. I was riding my CBR125R last month when it started to rain a few minutes later. I was 5 minutes away from home, so I turned back. As I was slowing down on my approach at a red light, the rear tire locked after I hit a slick patch at 40 km/h. When I released the brake, the bike began to fishtail at 30 km/h through the intersection. I was lucky that the intersection was just a 3-way intersection and the drivers saw me struggling and they let me through without incident. ABS is not available on the 125 and could have helped prevent the wheel lockup. I was also pleasantly surprised that my insurance premiums became slightly lower despite the increase in displacement.
There are only a couple of things that I wish was different on the CBR250RA. First, I think that the kickstand is too short making the bike’s lean too upright. This was a big reason why I dropped my bike in my driveway. As I was dismounting, the bike leaned the other way without warning. Now I have to be extra attentive to slopes before I use the kickstand. The second are the headlights. The CBR125R had those halo projector lights which I thought were pretty cool. I wished they used the same ones on the CBR250RA.
Overall, the CBR250RA has been as much fun to ride as the CBR125R but with the added benefit of more power, more weight and the security of ABS. I hope this comparison helps new riders who are thinking of making this upgrade.
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