Both are actually different bikes, if we take into consideration the specs. Ninja is twin cylinders, CBR is single. Ninja is more track & performance oriented, CBR more of sport tourer.
One major reason why many, including myself, will prefer CBR over Ninja is the Price Factor. Bang on to the target for which it's being launched. If I had that kind of money, then I would have gone for Ninja but price factor is really too hard to ignore. I also feel CBR would be better choice as it's being launched, marketed & serviced by Honda unlike Ninja, which is being serviced by Bajaj, which I frankly feel, doesn't have sound technical knowhow. This is my personal feeling after owning a 220 Fi.
CBR has another advantage, as per me. Look wise I would rate it as 9 out of 10 & Ninja as 8 out of 10.
Hyosung will REALLY have to prove itself with quality & reliability if it wants to take these Japs head on.

YES. definitely YES.

• Price
• Mileage
• Its a Honda
• the CBR brand name (its definitely more popular and 'cool' than the ninja tag for the common masses)
• probably more suited to the indian road conditions with the power conc. in the low-mid ends.
• not many know the difference between single and parallel twin cylinder engine
• ABS
• looks (maybe )

The only people who'd go for ninja now are true bike enthusiasts with lot of money to spend. There would definitely be lot of enthusiasts who want a ninja but would have to settle with the CBR because of the price tag.

It took a year to sell 1000 ninjas. I'm thinking it'd take well over a year to sell the next 500.

At around 1200 bikes (the kawa) there is not much to kill is there??? Its a moot point... there is nothing to kill... the bikes are targeted at different segments... the 'drunken bull' is sports bike while the 'wing' is actually a commuter that also pretends to be a sports bike... the big question is will the Indian consumer understand the difference between these two and be discerning enough...

ninja sales will get hit during the initial months after the launch of honda. but after a couple of months it will be the quality that will decide how things will move forward. in India honda could not repeat the success with motorcycles it had with the scooter till date. 250 segment is definitely going to be flooded in 2011 with bikes. quite interesting.

ninja would face a tough competition, an honda 250 cc at 1.9 lac is killer price.

@sunny :- you should have also added the R15 and ZMR to the list, as they are closest to the CBR's pricing and then the Ninja.

Honda zindabad!

My vote goes to the new baby in town! For half the price of Ninja 250, we are getting another 250cc with 26Bhp. This is no mean feat! And it does not look bad either. For a tour enthusiast like me, CBR250R anytime over Baby Ninja (Although I feel Ninja looks stunning! Everytime I see it on the road or parked somewhere, I cant help but stop and admire for a while ).
I currently own a Honda Unicorn and I can vow on the quality of the machine, the perfect monoshock and the smoothness of the engine.
Way to go honda!!

true.

if the build quality isn't up to the mark with Honda 250R...
6 months from now... R15 sales will be killing CBR250R sales.

LOL, i was about to say that... Last i heard CBR 1000 has some battery issues due to ABS eating a lot of volts... , i just hope CBR 250 is also not infected with the same disease.

Hi Sunny,


i guess the speculations have still not died down

anyways, both bikes are for different categories respectively. CBR as stated by lot of magazines in their initial report a supposidly good tourer. And bad boy Ninja 250 as we all know is a track -cum-street-baby sports bike.

In terms of sales: india being price sensitive, definitely. Unless we see CKD options and price brought down for Ninja.

In terms of Performance:

Low end torque, Long touring capabilities= Honda (As per whatever reports have been shared on the net)

Top end whack and cornering capabilities= Ninja

I presume, Honda CBR 250R will be available throughout the country across Honda Showrooms...unlike limited pro-biking showrooms of bajaj across major cities. This gives a wider access to consumers in small cities and towns in india who are willing to spend the moolah for performance.

I will route for CBR solely because of touring. though still not sure how effective is the C-ABS model, will take a call only after the first ownership reports are out in xbhp .

Here is what i think of how the bikes compare on 10 parameters.

1) Style Quotient: Ninja is a beautiful bike, no doubts on that. AM yet to see a Honda in flesh but by the looks of it, it seems a beautiful bike. Moroever its got a fat ass rear tyre.
Note: Indians like fat ass bike
2) Power: 33bhp aint any thing bad on an Indian road. The Honda has only 26 and thats a disadvantage.
3) Acceleration: 0-100kmph in 5.75 seconds is what the Ninja does. THis is one figure I couldnt find on the Honda. If the Honda takes more than 9 seconds..I dont see a reason why ppl should buy the Honda in the first place.
Buy an R15 and take it to Joel and it will be faster and cost u less money too
4) Top speed: Ninja does 170 (140 in pretty quick time). The CBR should do 150.
5) Mileage: Ninja gives you anywhere in between 36-22 depending on how u ride. Am expecting the Honda to be similar, if not slightly better.
6) Maintenance: Both should be similar.
7) After sales: Both should be similar.
8) Price: HOnda, abs not doubt. (1.8 is far lesser than3)
9) Depreciation: Favors the Honda as its priced lesser.
10) Sound: The Kawi is a screamer but expect the Honda to be silent always. But an aftermarket can could change dat.

The Honda is a good VFM ..no doubt...but the key figure that will enable its sales are
Acceleration-If the acceleration is not better than 0-100kmph in 9 seconds ..i dont see any reason why ppl should quit a pulsar 220/R-15 and get to the Honda in the first place!! The sales would be purely attributed to how it can differentitate itslef from a P-220!!

To the question on whether it would be a Ninja Killer (in performance) - Yes..in your dreams and probably off a cliff

Doesn't the 250R come by the CKD route ?

@aargee thanks for correcting me..

for me its honda CBR250R..becoz honda has its own class of delivering a ultimate biking pleasure to rider and secondly its cheap as compare to ninja....normal guyz luks to cc and and price when comparing 2 bikes in same cc capacity.

I dont care, I dont want a 250!