I'd go with the Karizma ,

1st Riding comfort -Have toured on a ZMA , found the seats great.
Ground clearance - quite tall , have taken it to Dudhsagar and other destinations with no roads.
Good highway cruiser-Not much top speed , but will happily run at 80 Km/Hr all day
Great choice of tyres for your every need.
Good reliable engine and spares.

Wait for the 2012 Ninja 650R ,
It has new fairing and seating (Total visual makeover)
And It has a new Speedo with Analogue RPM with looks much better (According to me)
And this is an actual Tourer and not a sports bike as it says itself...

Whaaaaaat????

Can you post this in Ninja 250R ownership thread pls? Let's hear what the owners got to say rather than yours & my riding experience of few 100 odd Kms with both the bikes!!!

According to me, if i was in your place, i would strictly narrow down it two bikes.

CBR250R and Ninja250R

Reason being very simple, something fast and somewhat different from the usual bikes ridden in life.

R15V20 is a strict no, i wont blame it the age but i guess the power delivery given by that bike is something that you may have already witnessed by now since you have years of riding experience. There wont be anything new to explore, alas you are cornering carver.

In accordance to that i would suggest the above mentioned ones.

ZMA or ZMR nothing new either.

If you have the money and are ready to invest then please go for the Ninja 250R. Pillion is bit pain though but since you have mentioned you would be solo most of the times so i think it wont cause any problems.

CBR250R is one heck of a machine, it can deliver superb performance from a commutouring (Commute & Touring) point of view, this one can be selected if you have financial crunch. But yes please check the Honda Service in your area. Spares are low compared to Ninja. Love this one out, I would go for it now if I have the money and being a 23 year old noob, but yes finances do not allow me. Love the posture too, relaxed and composed, i have learnt that every bike requires a special type of seating posture. It can be learned over the period of time, and backaches are just history.

Sir, you have been there and done that, so select the one which would give you another reason to live the way you want.

Exactly, +1 bhayya

Narrow it down to the two, Check whether you can afford the Ninja, its aftersales cost and choose it, CBR is VFM in my point of view.

CBR all the way!!

If you are in no hurry and can afford the bonnie then that's all you would need..

Hi,

Assuming that you intend to spend not more than 3-3.5 lkhs, i would definitely rate CBR as a better tourer over a Ninja 250R. However, having said that currently honda SVC centres are a pain in the A$$ to deal with.. non-availability of parts and shoddy work is an issue.

Ninja 250R although having a bit sporty riding position is a bullet proof bike and has a better after sales service.. as far as i have heard from my friends who own the same. I did a non -stop ride on a ninja for around 150-180 kms and didn't get any back aches or cramps. The bike has ample amount of power to have fun on the highways.

If your local area has a good svc then go for a Honda.. it is economical, cheap spares comparatively to a Ninja and nearly 1.3-1.4 lakhs cheaper than the green mean. If you are going for it then i would definitely recommend you picking up the top end ABS model one instead of the standard... brakes are not that great on the standard one.. current CBR owners may correct this liner if i am wrong.

Although Hero Zma/ZMR are proven tourers on xbhp..personally not a big fan of the looks. Besides, i would recommend going for a modern engine with FI which will tackle the altitude sickness carb'd bikes suffer in Leh - ladkh tours effortlessly (ZMR being Fi is an exception in this case!)...


Cheers,

Hello Ramesh,

I read the responses to your query and they span the range from Rs 80K to Rs 5.5L. It is therefore difficult for me to give a considered opinion due to lack of clarity on the most critical parameter for such a purchase - the price.

If you were to decide the price, some choice/s can be debated upon.

Regards,

Maneesh

Thanks Mr. Maneesh, my budget is somewhere less than 2 - 3lakh

There are not much adventure-touring bikes available in India.
It normally comes with 20liter Tank and good riding ergonomics.
This excluding cruisers like Intruder,Thunderbird..etc

Most are track/racing models which is not suitable for long distance.

But still these all are in my list

ZMA-R - Value for money
ZMR- FI advantage.
Kawasaki SF250- Not available India.
Yamaha Tenere 250- Available only in Mexico

Dear Ramesh,

Good that you have a practical budget in mind. My comments are my opinions so...

In this price segment, only three present bikes come to mind, namely, the CBR 250, the ZMA/ZMR range and the P220. There is some talk of Yamaha getting in a 250 naked which shares looks with the FZ; if that comes in before you take the plunge, it will be perfect for you.

For your ease of access and subsequent aid to decision making, here is a review that I had written about the CBR almost exactly 1 year ago.



There is little that has changed in my experience over this time frame which will cause me to alter my views at all. In fact, my perception has crystallised that the CBR 250 is a very good stepping stone between the 150s and the 600s. Yet, quite contrary to what I read about numerous user experiences, the CBR, for me, has indeed been a fill-shut-forget bike. No issues whatsoever barring atrocious tyres which fault lies with the tyre, not with the bike, per se. Three issues have prevented me from grand touring on this bike, namely, the riding position, the tyres and the low clearance of the lower cowling.

Post review, I have incorporated some minor mods aimed primarily at raising the height of the clip-ons by about an inch. This mod has increased the comfort but only marginally.

I will discard the ZMA/ZMR range on accounts of spare parts availability, fragile plastics and a slightly less than desired ground clearance of the front cowl.

This leaves one with the P220 which I consider the most pragmatic tourer in the country today. If it does not have the strengths of the former two, their deficiencies too are absent to a large degree.

Why do I refer the P220?

1. A comfortable upright riding position and saddle for extended hours in the saddle - the first and foremost criterion. My experience with the CBR brought this out in a most brutal fashion. None of your present and past bikes have had this issue and 36 is no age to encounter it for the first time.

2. Easy availability of spares, service and support - less chances of getting stuck due to their absence even in smaller towns in North and North East India. After the switch to the carb engine, matters have got cheaper and simpler.

4. A sufficiently powerful engine to enable higher speeds so as to reduce transit times between legs. Adequate torque for Leh as well as adequate power for the Golden Quad either singly or two-up, with adequate baggage for both.

4. Sufficiently large fuel tank for sustained cruising. One can do Leh- Pangong Tso - Chushul - Nyoma - Leh with just a 5 litre bottle of extra fuel.

5. Decent fuel economy for constantly increasing petrol prices. If she is kept between 80 and 100, she will return 35+ kmpl.

6. A good suspension for grand touring comfort and reliability. A point to ponder - the front fork tubes of the P220 are of a larger dia than the CBR...

7. Very good tyres for dry and wet riding. My experience with the CBR threw this aspect into sharp focus more so as it is not something which one thinks about much in everyday riding.

All things said and done, I don't think that the P220 will not be a suitable tourer for you. That is, till you up your budget AND if and when the Suzuki V Strom 650 comes to India.

I had personally wanted a larger, beefier version of my beloved P150 Classic so that I could do some good riding with my wife and luggage. This fantasy has become reality in the guise of the Bonneville which I shall proceed to book the moment the showroom opens.

Regards,

Maneesh

Sorry Maneesh,

I am not able to find the review, check the link pls

Thanks Maneesh, today checked a CBR250 and am impressed with it. looks like I would freeze on CBR

Strange, I copied the link from the page itself. Gremlins...

Here it is:

Review of the CBR 250R

It is still early days to write a comprehensive review of the bike: I have had it for less than a month and only 1210 kms on the odo. Yet, some issues are worth mentioning

The Ergonomics. To me, the very first prerequisite for a GT bike is comfort. The CBR is NOT a GT bike but will be used as such due to its long legs. Now, there is a catch in the ergonomics. If one sits close up to the fuel tank, the posture is more upright, there is less weight on the arms and the back is strained less. But and BUT, one's crotch is jammed up and after some time, the penis and scrotum feel numb. Also, the edges of the seat press up at a place where the elastic of the under brief pinches on some nerve leaving the butt with a very peculiar pain, not ache. Not good, not good at all. So one shifts back and the rear of the seat is quite wide and immediately, the pain reduces and one is actually comfy, in the "front" and the "rear" if you know what I mean. But and BUT, within minutes, the weight on the fingers, the lower arm and the triceps increases to a point where one again shifts ahead. Thus, on a long journey such as the one I made, one is continuously moving back and forth, bartering one discomfort for the other. In the end, all parties involved are aching. After 80 kmph, the wind starts hitting the helmet in right earnest. A practical cruise speed would be about 80 to 90 kmph. Grading: Since she IS NOT a GT bike, 8 out of 10.

A word about the arm pain. Due to the posture, one tends to grip the clip-ons with fists clenched tighter than on normal bikes. This causes cramping in the fingers, the inside of the lower arm and the triceps. I am considered to have strong arms and shoulders and yet, it was a good 3 days before that typical nerves related pain eased. For these 3 days, it was difficult to hold a pen; the arms feel almost lifeless and ached like I had been hit on the funny bone.

Raising the height of the clip-ons by just 2 inches should increase the comfort level manifold. Once I have settled down here, I will get 2 suspension bolts machined with an extra 2 inches of head space and two 2 in spacers. This will turn the CeeBee into an excellent tourer, I hope...

The InstrumentationThe Switchgear I would have expected a much higher quality of this on the CBR. All switches are strictly cost-cutting, parts bin stuff and have to be handled gingerly lest they break, specially those that are used frequently e.g. the horn, turn indicator and flasher. Heck, the Honda scooters have higher quality stuff. Grading: 6 out of 10

The Paintwork The quality, per se, is good. Two small bubbles have formed under the silver coloured paint of the inner fairing on either side of the headlight. When I tried to smoothen one out with a soft handkerchief, the paint peeled away exposing the black coloured base colour of the fairing. No accepted at all, Honda. Grading: 6 out of 10


The BrakesThe Engine. Till the first oil change, the engine sounded harsh, dry, scruffy and set my teeth on edge. Now, after 1200 kms/ oil + filter change, it is much, much smoother. The counter balancer does a fantastic job and it is only at tick over that the crankshaft torque causes the characteristic up and down heave of the chassis and those too are very small migrations from the horizontal. Grading: 8 out of 10

The Clutch. Is super light. The engaging span is generous so there is no sudden all out or all in kind of a response. The levers seem to be billet aluminium and are soft to the touch. Grading: 9 out of 10

The Gearbox. Is slick and positive shifting. No false neutrals. From the toe down 1st, it goes straight to the toe up 2nd without snagging in the intervening neutral. While downshifting it does, at times, slot into neutral and an extra sharp tap is needed to go to 1st. This is as per design, I suppose. The ratios are well spaced. These days, the engine is still new and 80 kmph is at exactly 5000 rpm in top. I think that with more running done, the rpm will reduce at the same speed. I personally wish for a higher 6th to get an advantage of about 1000 rpm at this speed. Till 4th, she will purr around town, needing an occasional downshift to 3rd. 5th is good for overtaking and 6th is strictly for the highway. Grading: 8 out of 10

The Throttle Response. On my bike, the throttle free play was set way too much for my style and the EFI felt jerky. It felt much smoother once I had reduced the free play to about 3/4 of an inch. Again, after the servicing, it is still better. Also improved in the response on wringing open the twist grip, especially in 3rd and 4th. She just shoots ahead and in a few seconds is at triple figures. On the highway, this eases overtaking to the point of being a no-brainer - just notch down one, twist, zip past, notch up one and cruise. Grading: 8 out of 10

The SuspensionThe Fuel ConsumptionThe Lights The high and low beam are both superb in intensity and envelope. Again, one stupid glitch: the right hand front number plate holder arm interferes with the beam adjustment rotary gear. As soon as I get some free time, I am going to re-locate the number plate to sit between the rear view mirror mounts. It would look better there and hopefully act like a splitter plate to direct the airflow over the helmet at 80 kmph +. The indicator relay could have incorporated a muted beeper to alert the rider to cancel it timely because in the CBR (big bummer), there is NO auto cancellation of the turn indicators a la Pulsar 200/220. Honda, this is really, really cheap. Grading: 8 out of 10.


Summing up

Ha!!! Never thought you'll fall for it; So Icemang hypnotized you succesfully; ROTFL; Good job Icemang saar Lol

BTW, welcome to the club