All you get is a summary on this article. It's too recent, and
I don't want the copyright lawyers beating my door down! If you want
to purchase reprints, the magazine is Australian, it's published by
"Two Wheels" publications. It appears to be a special edition, titled
"Your First Motorcycle", and it's the 4th edition, 1996 issue. A
reprinted article runs $4.00. Their address is Secretary, Two Wheels,
P.O. Box 199, Alecandria, NSW 2015 (Australia). By the way, the
prices are in Aussie Dollars.
The author opens with a bit of Honda 250 history, telling how
years ago Honda refused to give in to the wave of screaming 2 stroke
machines from rival companies. As you well know, the 2 stroke street
bikes died out, and the victor, the 4 stroke is still around. The 250
is a veteran of this battle. In the author's opinion, although the
250 is dated by years, it has undergone enough modifications, i.e.
valves, and cosmetic changes, to keep it around. It is still a
reliable, well made bike, even if it's not exciting or energetic. In
his opinion, the cast wheels and standard appearance are probably to
blame for the slow sales. Not a sport bike, not a cruiser, just a
"motorcycle". My Comment: And what's wrong with that!!.
I agree with the author in that this is not an "image" bike, turning you into a "Harley wanna be", or a "boy racer", this is just a bike that you ride, and ride, and ride. After three decades, Honda understands what a 250 street bike is supposed to be. It's a simple steel frame, with the air-cooled engine forming the frame's lower section. The only bodywork is the tank, the seat, and the sidecovers. A pair of "suspension units" sit on the steel swingarm. Stopping is accomplished with a single disc in front and a drum in the rear (the U.S. version has drums in front and back). Normal CB instruments adorn the 250, a speedo, tach, with turn, high beam, side stand, and neutral lights. Old fashioned turn signal switch without a push to cancel.
The bike was a bit slow to warm up, but once warm it responded nicely. The author felt that the bike had little oomph up to 3,500 rpm, it picked up at 5,000, and was at its best between 7,000 and 8,500 rpm. Top speed was around 84 mph, with very little power to spare on the upper end. It gave the impression that the engine and transmission were well matched, enabling the rider to take full advantage of the power that was available. The author was impressed by the bike's stability, and nimbleness, definitely a machine you can flick around. The suspension was average, with big bumps kicking it around a bit, and lot's of fork dive, but all in all good steering and predictability, making the bike very easy to ride well. The brakes were good for a bike this size, and would be very understanding if a beginner started to clamp down on them. This bike would not be quick to lock up. The bike seemed at its best from around 45 to 60 mph, and vibration wasn't bad in that range. The seat was low (29.3 inches), and comfortable. The bike was also very economical, around 60 mpg. As for the rest of the machine, well, it's just a motorcycle. Sure, it's got a horn, a headlight, and a tool kit, but they're just average. There's no luggage rack, center stand, or passenger grab rail either. The best part about a CB250 is that it's cheap to own, a lack of frills to get scratched or broken, a simple and reliable design, and a relaxed and easy ride. When it comes to low bucks riding, nobody tops the CB250.
Here's how the author scored the machine on a 1 to 5 scale:
1=Poor 2=Below Average 3=Satisfactory 4=Good 5=Outstanding
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Vibration =3 |
High-speed stability = 4 |
Instruments = 3.5 |
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Bottem end power = 4 |
Low-speed maneuverability=5 |
Passenger comfort = 4 |
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Mid range power = 3.5 |
Stability on rough roads = 3.5 |
Two-up handling = 3.5 |
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Top end power = 3 |
City traffic = 5 |
Quality of finish = 4.5 |
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Fuel economy = 4 |
Front suspension = 3 |
Gear carrying = 4 |
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Starting =3 |
Rear suspension = 3.5 |
Fairing effectiveness = n/a |
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Ease of maintenance = 4.5 |
Range of adj.- front = 1 (n/a) |
Seat comfort = 3.5 |
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Engine braking = 4 |
Range of adj.- rear = 3 |
Ride position = 5 |
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Clutch operation = 4 |
Adjustment accessability = 4 |
Fuel range = 3 |
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Gearbox operation = 4 |
Stopping power = 4 |
Headlight = 4 |
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Steering = 4.5 |
Straight line stability = 4.5 |
Stands = 4 |
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Cornering clearance = 4 |
Braking in corners = 4 |
Mirrors = 4 |
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High-speed corners = 3.5 |
Resistance to fade = 3.5 |
Horn = 3 |
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Low-speed corners = 4.5 |
Brake feel at controls = 4 |
Toolkit = 3 |
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Changing line = 4.5 |
Switches = 3.5 |
Value for money = 4.5 * |
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