Took a ride up Mt.Lemmon, today...
A buddy let me ride his new 2011 Honda CBR250R for about 20 miles of twisties...
That's the best handling bike I ever rode!... smooth as silk, rides on rails...
Good pep for a 250 single... (his has an aftermarket muffler)... 87mpg!...
Excellent machine...
Funtabulous!... ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_CBR250R_%282011%29

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 09/21/12 at 21:33:10:

Only reason I didn't wring it out and crash it,.. was it wasn't my bike...
It begs you to ride the hairy edge...
...
I'll stay with my Savage...  faster 0 to 80mph,.. but much more willing to putt...
BTW,... the guy with CBR250 rode my bike (he tends to own about 20 bikes a year, of all shapes and sizes),... told me, my bike felt super good on the road...
The two bikes are near tied in the twisties,... he gets a slight edge in deep turns,... I get it back on the exit...
The difference is,.. I'm turning about 4k average,.. and he's at about 6.5k... (still calm on that bike)...
... and he's a better rider than me... (beginner and advanced track trained)...
I can pick a better line,.. but he can really lean that thing with confidence...
He's the best rider I know...

I wish I could make my bike stick like that little 250... Honda really got it right...  I've ridden Kawa 250 and 500's and 650, Honda 750? crotch rocket (the one with the variable cam)... and Triumph sport model...
This little thing wipes them out in handling... it only lacks a little in HP's...
...probably safer that way, for me... ...

If I didn't already have a 250 Ninja I would be extremely interested in that Honda. I have liked the 250 size range for a long time, and would cheerfully trade off my S40 for it. But I think I would spring for the ABS version.