Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Topic Approved.

You'd be better off with a modern engine, if you do not have a distinct connection, need or liking towards Royal Enfield bikes specifically.
Of course, RE have their own charm, engine characteristics, sound, etc. but if you're just "looking for a bike", then probably RE is not for you. Don't worry, it isn't for me either.

Duke 390 is costing around Rs. 1.98 Lacs on road. I have it, and its such a dominator on the road, that the rider fears that some other road user might get embarassed or agitated by his lightning fast overtake. Its that good (in comparison to the general traffic). It fares well in around 400~ kms/ day sort of touring, and in most probability the rider will give up before the bike does. Touring would be better if you get proper tank bags (that are now available specifically for this bike).
But Duke has a small rear seat, and if you're not single (or won't remain so, in near future) than you might avoid this bike. Otherwise, its a good sensible choice.

SS400 has been seen (probably) in spy pics and so, but it isn't quite here yet. Will be soon though. RC 390 might be seen in the middle-end of this year. Both are expected to be based on the present engine of Duke 390, with different tuning. So, they're most probably singles. YZF R25 is not yet announced for India, but Yamaha might go about using India as an Export hub, and that would be the safest way for Yamaha to go. Regarding them being twin cylinder engines, from what I gathered, only YZF R25 might be twin, the rest of these are expected to be singles.

The present 250 twins in the market are Hyosung GT 250R, Kawasaki Ninja 300 (if you can include it here), Suzuki Inazuma. All these are out of your present budget of 2.2 Lacs. Ninja 250 is discontinued but its available in the second hand market, in fact one of my good friends is selling one. You can consider it.


For your present purchase, given your budget and needs, I would suggest you choose from CBR 250 and Duke 390.
CBR excels in touring and with-pillion rides. CBR has a full fairing which aids aerodynamics which the Duke desperately lacks.
Duke excels in engine & chassis performance. Duke is also supplied with far superior Metzeler tyres that grip amazingly well.
Some people however consider CBR 250 (or Honda in general) to be more reliable, but in 2014 this belief is quite debatable with many guys going in for both TVS & Bajaj regularly.

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Hi.. If this is your first bike, then why don't you consider Yamaha R15? Its reliable machine and now it's available in attractive colors also. In future you can upgrade This is just my opinion

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Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Among present bikes you can go for CBR250r. It features attractive looks and touring capacity and maintenace wise is not that pocket-killing. Having budget you may pick the ABS version.Among upcoming bikes, I'm eagerly waiting for KTM RC200 and Bajaj Pulsar 400CS.

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

I find the CBR250 to be a better bet as compared to the R15. Since I would be using it mostly for weekend rides and occasional outstation touring, I think CBR would be better because of the better top end power delivery.

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My mind seems to be going away from the Duke 390 all the time. The riding posture felt too upright when I sat on the bike, and I felt that the footpegs are positioned too far behind for a comfortable long ride.

The only thing that bothered me about the CBR was the unavailability of enough torque at low speeds. Other than that, I found it to be a good package as I would rarely use it for daily commuting in the city.

I am 5'7", weigh about 95kgs, and I live in Delhi. At the age of 25 years, this will be my first bike and my purpose is to use it for weekend riding and the occasional outstation trips. Since this is going to be a long termer, I dont want to mess up this decision and would want a bike which can teach me the art of riding.

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

I think r15 or cbr150 is best for u since its ur first bike, 250 bikes have higher bhp which can be a bit bothersome for 1st timers
Just my opinion

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Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Get a cbr 250 ABS !! It suits your requirements and the running cost is also reasonable.

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Booked the red CBR250 ABS. Dealer says he can give me the bike in 15-20 days. Its going to be uneasy for the next few days, waiting for the bike to come home. Anything that should be kept in mind while taking delivery? Is there a PDI checklist?

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Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

You might get another option tomorrow. Just keep watching Yamaha news ;-)

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

You have done the perfect thing, the best choice in this category, available here and now and total VFM.
Just go through the CBR ownership thread in the other section and you will get all the details, but mainly check that the odometer, electricals, throttle, brake and other things work as expected and check the bike visually thoroughly for any loose things.

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

I will do that. I have a PDI checklist that I'm going to follow rigorously. The only thing is that since its my first bike, I dont know too much about the visual check-up part. I will, though, try and look for scratches and rust on the body.

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I've already booked the Honda CBR 250. Is it the R25 you're talking about?

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

I still have 2 queries:
1. The dealer is offering 2 coats of teflon, one at delivery and the other at the 1st service for Rs 600. Should it be taken?
2. For Rs. 1200, I can take extended warranty. Standard 2yr/36000km will be extended to 5yr/72000km. I'm thinking of taking it as the cost doesn't seem much.
3. I would need to buy some basic riding gear because the dealer isn't giving even a helmet. Any suggestions on that?

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Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

CBR 250R is a good choice, given your needs.

1. Check the quality of teflon. Some teflon coating can be low quality so that when heat strikes, the teflon melts and starts chipping away the paint of the vehicle. If you're not sure, stay away from such deals. A friend of mine had a Karizma ZMR, which is in pathetic condition due to an inferior teflon coating.

2. I suggest you take this warranty. Do retain your proof of payment, and all the documents they give you.

3. What kind of riding gear you're looking at? You have to mention more details than that. How do we know if you are looking for safety or affordability, isn't it?

As for cheap-good helmets, Vega Axor is ISI & DOT certified. KYT RC Seven is ECE certified. These are cheapest "safer than other Indian helmets" kind of helmets. Other good quality affordable gears are available at Planet DSG, RJays, etc.
For more details, you can go here & search (or even post your query):--> https://www.xbhp.com/talkies/univers...rs-thread.html

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Thanks for the reply Samarth.

I had thought of a budget of approx. Rs 10000 for a helmet, riding jacket and maybe a pair of gloves. I dont know if that is enough or if I would need to shell out more. This will be my first bike and I'm not too experienced with all these things.

Helmet is a priority because I need to buy it before taking delivery. Do you know of some stores in Delhi where I could find good quality stuff?

Re: Which Bike in the 250cc segment?

Any suggestions on riding gear? gloves and jacket?