While 250cc single-cylinder motorcycles are pretty popular in our country, elsewhere, the battle between 250cc multi-cylinder motorcycles is raging on. Kawasaki recently unleashed the ZX-25R officially and there are rumours floating in the air that Yamaha too, is developing a motorcycle to take the fight back to the ZX-25R. Amidst all this, Honda has updated the CBR250RR for MY2021 and has launched the quarter-litre supersport motorcycle in Japan. The baby CBR now makes more power, more torque and has gained some additional goodies.
The CBR250RR used to be one of the most powerful and equipped motorcycles in its segment. It still is but the arrival of ZX-25R changed things a little. This should be considered a counter-attack by Honda to let Kawasaki know that they are still in the game.
How much power does it make now?
For MY2021, Honda has made several mechanical changes on the CBR250RR in order to make it more powerful than before. The engine has been tweaked heavily to churn out more power than its previous iteration. The 249cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine now makes 41PS of maximum power at 13,000rpm and 25Nm of peak torque at 11,000rpm. That is a significant power bump as compared to its previous iteration which used to make 38PS at 12,500rpm and 23Nm at 11,000rpm. This has been achieved by re-designing the pistons, piston rings, and connecting rods for the updated machine. Honda has also updated the intake system and ignition timing.
Additional goodies
The CBR250RR is not only more powerful than before, but it is more equipped too. Honda has thrown in a slipper/assist clutch on the tiny CBR along with an optional quickshifter. Some people might argue that these goodies won’t be of that much use in a motorcycle which displaces just 249cc but if you intend to take the CBR250RR on the track, these additional goodies can save precious seconds at the track, meaning the difference between a podium or finishing out of the points.
Pricing
We have been drooling over the CBR250RR ever since it was first unveiled but it is unfortunate to report this for the umpteenth time that the chances of this baby CBR coming to India are very slim. The 2021 Honda CBR250RR is available in four colour options including Matte Gun Power Black Metallic, Pearl Glare White, Grand Prix Red, and Grand Prix Red with stripes. All of them come with gold alloy wheels. The Matte Gun Power Black Metallic, Pearl Glare White, and Grand Prix Red colour schemes cost JPY 8,21,700 which converts to INR 5,78,563 whereas the Grand Prix Red with stripes has been priced at JPY 8,54,700 (INR 6,01,798).
Also read: Honda CBR500R: What To Expect From The Upcoming Faired Sports Bike?
Reportedly, Yamaha is working on its own 250cc four-cylinder sports bike, in the form of a YZF-R25M. Though there isn’t any official word from the manufacturer itself, rumours are blowing the lid in Indonesia that Yamaha is planning to unleash its own 250cc four-cylinder sports bike. It seems like Indonesia is going to be the target country for this new crop of motorcycles because the Kawasaki ZX-25R was launched there too. Yamaha currently has the R25 in their portfolio but that motorcycle utilizes a twin-cylinder engine and that is no match for the level of performance and equipment the Kawasaki ZX-25R offers. The ‘M’ moniker suggests that the motorcycle will likely be a high spec, track-oriented motorcycle, with the ‘M’ part of the name signifying the top-spec version of the series. It’d also make sense for Yamaha to produce a more street focussed bike once the ‘M’ version is launched.