250 Articles
Dailies
A naked Ninja 250?
While we here in North America get a larger, Ninja 300, the rest of the world gets an updated 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 250; the smaller capacity better meets various tiered-license and insurance dealies elsewhere. Those other markets are traditionally more favorable to naked bikes too, especially the congested city streets of Europe and Asia. So removing the fairings from the new 250, fitting flat bars...
Dailies
I just bought a Honda CRF250L
I just bought a Honda CRF250L. It defies logic. I’m not a retiree looking to revisit motorcycle riding, nor am I 21, and swinging a leg over a bike for the first time. I’m 36 years old, married and, with regards to motorcycles, I would consider myself experienced. I’ve owned a slew of different bikes and though I’m not sure Honda knows who they’re marketing this bike to, I’m prob...
A polite question on the Suzuki Inazuma 250
According to Suzuki, this brand new Inazuma 250 is supposed to ignite ‘the spark for your inner engine.’ But how waterproof is that sparkling feeling on the first day of Japan’s rainy season? Suzuki’s new quarter liter, made in China, designed for East and West. Except the US. Twin Spark Suzuki's strictly secret Motorcycle Technical Centre at Komaba Iwata-Shi. It’s easier to get Human ...
The CBR250R gets dirty
Ridden a Honda CBR250R yet? You should, it’ll utterly change the way you think about size. It matters, yes, but not in the way you think. By being smaller, lighter and simpler than most other modern motorcycles, it recaptures a purity of experience and purpose others have been lacking. In short, it’s clean, simple fun. In an era of excess, it’s welcome counterpoint. Equipped with the same en...
2013 Kawasaki Ninja 250R: a facelift at 28
Is this the most significant new bike this year? Kawasaki is replacing the 5th best selling motorcycle in America with a heavily revised new model. The 2013 Kawasaki Ninja 250R just leaked; here's 62 images. Update: It's official, here's Kawasaki Japan's mini-site. Bikerpoint reports that both the crankcase and pistons are new, the cylinders are now die-cast, the frame is new and that ABS is ...
The next great Honda?
A list of awesome things: Honda CBR250R, riding off-road, low prices, accessible performance, lightweight bikes. Now imagine combining all those into a single product. We give you this new Honda CRF250L. Currently planned for Asia and Europe only, Thai manufacturing could, like that CBR, bring it to America at an incredibly small amount of money. Accessible, affordable and desirable, could this be...
23 photos of the fully liveried KTM Moto3 racer in action
These photos mark the first time we’ve seen the KTM Moto3 racer in all its fully-painted, ready-to-race glory. Including the rider, this tiny gem weighs just 326lbs and is powerd by a 250cc, four-stroke single making something in the region of 54bhp. Lap times are still slightly slower than the 125cc two-strokes its replacing, but Moto3 has yet to see even its first race, which will occur next m...
The $3,200 solution to the modern motorcycle
“Cool is being able to afford a bike that looks good and makes the owner feel good, but does not break the bank,” said the guy who designed this bike back when he first showed it to us in 2010. Finally, the Cleveland CycleWerks Misfit is available in the US. It’s not hard to define its USP — the $3,200 price tag — but, for that price do you still get a real motorcycle? HFL is the first...
Yamaha XTW250 Ryoku: 21st century adventure
This is the first ADV-style motorcycle to successfully break the GS mold, striking out with design and mechanical configuration all its own. One part Lego and one part Tonka truck, Yamaha describes the Ryoku as “a reliable tool for people who love the outdoors.” And they do mean tool. The engine guard detaches to form a handy shovel. We're the only people with these high-res images. Words...
Dailies
Learn to go fast on a Honda CBR250R
So you want to go fast on a motorcycle, huh? Well, you could do what all your peers did and buy a brand new liter bike, crash it and either hurt yourself badly or never ride again. It'll probably end up being both. But what if we told you there was a third way? Instead of looking for the bike to do the speed for you, learn to speed yourself. Do that and a whole new world will open up to you, you'l... 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250: less R, more money
This is the new Kawasaki Ninja 250. It’s the same as the old Kawasaki Ninja 250R, minus the R. It does have new colors (red and the special edition black/gold), but the North American market bike is still saddled with carbs over the rest-of-world fuel-injection. That means it’ll still be difficult to start and run poorly when cold. The big change? The price has increased from $3,999 to $4,199....