Honda calls it the Game Changer.

The bravado used to describe the 2011 Honda CBR250R makes reference to the reason behind all the hand-wringing going on at motorcycle manufacturers right now. The issue has nothing to do with the current economic climate or the tragic natural disaster that recently hammered Japan, but rather, it concerns the future of motorcycling itself.

Honda, like other motorcycle manufacturers, is understandably concerned with the sustainability of motorcycle sales in this country. The wave they have been riding for so long, which relied on enthusiastic baby boomers, is beginning to crash ashore. The previously steadfast group of buyers is on the wane, resembling low tide at the Bay of Fundy, a bunch of craggy faces that have been around longer than anyone can remember.

The solution, or Game Changer to use Honda’s parlance, is a revitalization plan that includes drawing new blood into the sport. Spearheading this movement is the CBR125R (see sidebar), but realizing that new riders needed another rung in the experience-building ladder, Honda has now added the CBR250R to its line-up. The introduction of a quarter-litre sport bike dashed my hopes that Honda would decide on a capable 400 cc machine as a reprise to the CBR125R. I really wanted to chastise Honda for building what appeared to be a Johnny-come-lately model instead, but the reality is that the R&D costs of a motorcycle that we think would be ideal for a market as small as ours would make that bike prohibitively expensive.

Honda swears that their newest CBR wasn’t built to counter Kawasaki’s extremely popular Ninja 250R. In fact, development of the CBR250R started over three years ago with the goal of building a global motorcycle, one that would work well in every one of Honda’s markets. For many countries, especially those in Asia, a market where Honda annually sells over four million motorcycles alone, a 250 cc is considered to be a big motorcycle. According to Honda, a motorcycle with the features and specs of the CBR250R would be described as the Bike of Kings.

Of benefit to Canadian buyers of a motorcycle intended for a global market is the machine’s robustness. Not only over-engineered to handle the most adverse weather and riding conditions, its combustion chamber and high-ignitability iridium spark plug are also capable of dealing with poor-quality gasoline.

Along with high durability, ease of maintenance was another priority of the CBR’s design. The motorcycle’s large side fairing panels are held in place by only three bolts and can be quickly removed; the air filter is easily accessed by removing the seat; and the tank fuel line has a quick-disconnect to allow the tank’s removal for valve adjustments. Not that you’ll need to spend a lot of time working on this CBR – the engine is rated for 12,000 km intervals between oil changes.

It quickly became clear that Honda didn’t just slap together a cost-effective and rudimentary motorcycle to flood the developing world. There’s plenty of sophisticated engineering hidden under the CBR’s bodywork. With 9 engine- and 18 chassis-design patents, a lot of technology went into making the bike as bulletproof as possible and endowing it with decent performance for its size. The single-cylinder engine is entirely new; Honda decided on this layout instead of a twin because of its lighter weight and compact size. Honda says that a single-cylinder unit also gives the bike a lower centre of gravity for easier handling and better fuel efficiency, which they claim is in the neighbourhood of 3.7 L/100 km (76 mpg).

Although single-cylinder engines are notorious for vibration, this thumper uses a primary balancer and remains fairly smooth right up to its 10,500 rpm redline, an important attribute given that it performs best while having its neck wrung. To help cope with this constant thrashing, the engine has been fitted with roller rocker arms to reduce valve train friction. This is the first time that this technology has been used in a double overhead camshaft engine fitted to a motorcycle. A recess in the cylinder head allows the rocker arm to be moved out of the way to facilitate valve adjustments, which are done through the use of shims.

As with the CBR125R, the bike has a one-piece exhaust system protected at the muffler by a tip-over-friendly cover. Honda lists the cover as a selling feature, citing that it’s far less expensive to replace than an entire exhaust system.

The CBR’s frame consists of trussed steel tubing, tuned to provide rigidity during sport riding, yet also to allow flexibility in response to the road. The chassis incorporates the same fundamentals applied to high-performance machines, where a rider’s size and position, the bike’s ride stability, and its mass centralization are all factors of its design. MMM

Story by Uwe Wachtendorf

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Photos by Kevin Wing