Motorcycle MadnessAll you need to know about MOTORCYCLES

The Ninja 250R runs at high rpm – as high as 8-12,000 rpm or more on the highway – but it’s built for it with features like reinforced pistons and direct valve actuation. The powerband is healthy throughout this range, and begins to taper below redline so riders are less tempted to excessively hammer it. This is a deliberately engineered safeguard meant to discourage over-revving, thereby increasing longevity. At 374 lbs, the quarter-liter Ninja is kind of porky considering the lightest literbikes weigh only 65 lbs more. On the plus side, this weight makes it more stable when holding your space among large vehicles on open roadways, and in staving off the affects of strong crosswinds.

A big center-mounted speedometer dominates the functional instrument cluster, and a smaller tachometer on the left matches the right-side fuel gauge. Switchgear is likewise functional, and of typical good Japanese quality.Around town, the gearbox still gets used a lot. Running up a suburban side street can require two or three gear changes. Handling and braking are confidence inspiring here, as they are everywhere else.The 250R has a known-good reliability record and is built to last. There are a couple other Asian 250s in the sportbike class, but as the only Japanese 250 imported to the U.S., the Ninja 250R is a class act that’s in a class by itself.

The Ninja 250R is sane fun for the street. We won’t pretend to say it’s as adrenaline-inducing as a ZX-6R, but it didn’t exactly put us to sleep either. Acceleration is brisk, and gear changes come fast and crisply. If determined, a rider can twist its tail into the indicated red zone. Whether this is good policy or needed is another issue. Power progressively drops off past 11,000 rpm, so there’s not much point to flogging it. When the road gets twisty, cornering is predictable. Its suspension, with 4.7-inches front and 5.1-inches rear travel is reasonably compliant for riders up to 220 lbs or so. Much heavier riders, or those intending to trounce down rough roads, may wish for more adjustability.

One compelling reason to consider a bike like the Ninja 250R is, if you live in the U.S., you can use all the power this bike has on the street legally. Novel concept, isn’t it? Anyone who’s ridden a fast 600 or literbike knows what I’m talking about. Scream it through four gears, and you’re doing a buck-fifty in about 12-15 seconds. Kids, don’t try that at home. But if you do, you could get a prize. Yep, your local government will be more than happy to give you a free ride in a police car!

The Ninja 250R’s aerodynamic bodywork and styling looks remarkably similar to the ZX-6R and ZX-10R, and that is purely not coincidental. There’s no “250” emblem on this big little 250, and that’s no mistake either. But before we start talking about the Ninja’s sporting capability, let’s be clear about its mission. It is an entry-level sportbike, to be sure, but its upright handlebars and low 30.5-inch seat height make it a user-friendly all-rounder, not unlike Kawasaki’s larger parallel-Twin Ninjas.

As such, this bike is quite suitable for commuting, and we saw upwards of 50 mpg sipped from its comparatively large 4.8-gallon fuel tank, even while testing redline on a regular basis. Its fairing and windshield offer suitable protection from wind buffeting, and if we can be utterly biased for a moment, we think commuters also looking for a bit of weekend fun might be more satisfied with this 250 over, say, a comparable displacement scooter.

Motivated by a smooth-running DOHC 249cc parallel-Twin pushing a peak of 25.4 hp to the rear wheel, this 374-lb machine offers enough power to stay ahead of around-town and suburban traffic, and will top out around an indicated 100 mph or so.

Its twin Keihin constant-velocity carburetors aren’t as sophisticated as the fuel-injection on the Euro version, and the twin carbs are jetted lean to pass emissions regs. This results in an engine that needs to be warmed up before it’s able to be ridden away, and low-end throttle response is a bit soggy.

Once warmed up after a few minutes, the machine will accelerate from a standstill with the revs at around 3,000 rpm while slipping the clutch. Carburetor tuning is not a pre-requisite, but to make it run the way it could, it is something we would do.

Boosting the bike’s popularity was the introduction of the CBR125R Challenge in 2008, a spec-class racing series aimed at nurturing fledgling amateur road racers aged 13 and up. The series has been gaining popularity with both race fans and competitors, and after two years it is fielding grids of more than 20 riders and growing.

Internal engine modifications are prohibited to keep costs to a minimum, and horsepower is limited to 14 at the rear wheel. Honda Canada also provides riding instructors, mechanics and free transportation for competitors’ machines to all rounds of the Parts Canada National Superbike series, in which the CBR125R Challenge is a support race.

The CBR125R will go a long way on a tank of gas – we averaged 84 mpg even when doing a fair amount of flat-out riding. This gives the CBR a big-bike-like range of about 218 miles from its 2.6-gallon gas tank. Back off the throttle a bit and keep a steady 50 mph in top gear, and it will return even better fuel economy, easily going 90 miles on a gallon of regular. It’s also quite clean; its exhaust system incorporates a catalytic converter.

Chassis geometry is on the sporty side, with 25 degrees of rake, 3.4 inches of trail and a 51-inch wheelbase. Steering is exceptionally light and the bike’s super-narrow tires (80/90-17 front and 100/80-17 rear) cause it to fall into turns almost too abruptly. You get used to it after a while, and the skinny IRC tires provide enough grip to scrape the footpeg feelers.

Despite spinning between 9,000 and 10,000 rpm at 60-65 mph, the little Honda’s counterbalanced Single remains remarkably free of vibration. If you’re heading out for a weekend cruise, though, you’ll prefer riding partners on bikes of similar displacement and power, otherwise you’ll struggle to keep up and passing will be a challenge—it has to be well planned.

But this is really a city bike, and the tiny Honda is a real gem around town, where its light weight and nimble handling make it an ideal commuter. Its slender profile and stealthy exhaust note (I sometimes found myself blipping the throttle at a stop to see if it was still running) are conducive to snaking through idle traffic without irritating the caged-in cagers.

You can easily stay ahead of most city traffic coming off a stoplight, but if the Prius beside you does manage to get a holeshot you can at least take comfort in the fact that the CBR burns less fossil fuel than it does.

An eighth of a litre isn’t that much. It’s about how much coffee you’ll get if you order a short cup of brew at Starbucks. If we’re talking streetbike engine displacement, that’s 125cc. But don’t let the small piston fool you, Honda’s CBR125R is as much fun as a barrel of Bonobos wired on caffeine.

The CBR125R is powered by a modern, liquid-cooled and fuel-injected SOHC 125cc Single that claims 13.5 horsepower. Admittedly, those aren’t superbike numbers, but there’s enough power to keep you ahead of city traffic and to maintain a safe pace along secondary roads. Mild hills require a downshift or two, as does turning into the wind, both of which shave speed off the CBR. And along winding, hilly roads you’ll be rowing through its slick-shifting six-speed gearbox like a ’60s hippie throwback rows through vinyl in a vintage record shop.

The good news is you can keep the 125R’s throttle pinned without worry of getting speeding tickets. However, with a top speed of 75 mph tucked in and with a tailwind (and it takes some time to get there), you’d be wise to avoid multi-lane freeways.