HONDA The Power of Dreams

While the CBR brand was widely known for inline 4-cylinder motorcycle series, the CBR250R, a full-fairing sports model powered by a single-cylinder engine, suddenly expanded the scope of the CBR brand.

Development for the CBR250R was defined as “Sport Quarter for One World, CBR250R,” aiming to create a model that a wide range of people, from novices to seasoned riders, could enjoy.

Its engine, chassis, styling, equipment, and other aspects were considered in order to offer a global model of a size suitable for markets all over the world, and styling that would match the tastes and preferences of users in various regions, at an affordable price.

As a result, the new engine developed was a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 4-valve, single-cylinder DOHC engine. The CBR250R was designed to be easy to handle in the low- and mid-range rev range, and to be lively at high-revs to live up to the CBR name.

For the chassis, a lightweight and rigid truss frame was developed.

For its styling, a full fairing similar to the CBR1000RR’s mass-centralized design was chosen for a dynamic feel.

The CBR250R was sold in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asian countries such as Thailand and Japan. It was manufactured at Thai Honda Manufacturing, achieving both high quality and low cost.

As Thai Honda was mainly manufacturing commuters under 125c at the time, the CBR250R posed a challenge as it was bigger than anything they had handled, and it was their first sports model.

In October 2010, a spectacular launch event for the CBR250R was held in Thailand.

In 2014, the exterior was updated to a sharper styling, adding a special addition with unique livery.

In 2017, color options were changed. This was the last single-cylinder CBR250R road sports model, offering the nimble ride and controllable handling of a single-cylinder engine, at an affordable price, contributing to the expansion of the entry-level base.

The 250 cc CBR brand was succeeded by the 2-cylinder CBR250RR released that year.