2004 Honda CBF250

The intermediate 250cc motorcycle class commands a small but important segment of the European motorcycle market, providing an easy and economical step up from the license- and power-restricted entry-level 125cc class on the way to the more challenging models of the 600cc midrange class and beyond.

Honda produces several models in this class, including its Jazz and Foresight big scooters, the Rebel 250 American-style cruiser, and the basic standard CB250, which has enjoyed over a decade of steady sales owing to its low entry cost, stable performance and almost bullet-proof reliability, not to mention its dramatically lower insurance and road tax charges compared to the big bikes. However, in spite of these advantages, the class has continued to lack much in the way of excitement and strong appeal in its on-road segment that could attract new users to this comfortable and highly satisfying range of motorcycling enjoyment.

Honda has long felt that what the class needed was a more sporty and exciting new offering that combines sleek, highly attractive styling touches with full-bodied riding performance that could attract a broader cross-section of riders, both those who are relatively new to the sport and more experienced riders looking for a relatively cheap runabout. A compact, confidence-inspiring and highly economical mount offering features more often associated with much larger displacement machines, with plentiful power and sharply responsive handling to keep the fun meter running high.

So, for 2004, Honda developed an all-new 250cc standard with a more sporty outlook to succeed the venerable CB250. One that injects a lively new feeling of excitement into the class with sharp and modern style, impressive get-up-and-go, and swiftly responsive handling that really lets a rider experience the fundamental joys of motorcycle riding through its strong acceleration and effortless cornering control. A new name that all of Europe will soon come to know and love-the new CBF250.

Development Concept

Adding a much-needed jolt of spice to the often overlooked 250cc class, the new CBF250 was designed to set pulses racing with swift-looking styling and light, responsive performance that never fails to excite. No boring, low-cost two-wheeled transporter, the new CBF incorporates many of the top performance features of Honda's most popular street bikes in a compact and light-handling configuration that quickly brings a smile to the face of all who ride it.

Built for easy and inexpensive fun, the CBF's rush of exciting acceleration comes by way of a new DOHC 4-stroke single-cylinder engine that pumps out a satisfying charge of power for a wide variety of riding scenes, from quick cross-town trips to daily city commutes to breathtaking sweeps through tight mountain and coastline twisties. The CBF's chassis and handling was also specially configured for exciting yet always confident control, with smoothly responsive suspension components and wide tyres providing not only the look but the exhilarating feel of full sport riding-oriented performance.

Besides its sporty looks and performance, the new CBF250 was also designed to be rugged, reliable and up-to-date with Europe's latest emissions regulations, providing a wealth of riding fun with minimal impact on the environment-and a rider's pocketbook.

For exciting and economical riding enjoyment, nothing comes close to the new CBF250 for its class-leading combination of looks, performance and all-round dependability. Just one ride proves it.

Styling

The new CBF250 sets a whole new standard in 250cc-class streetbike performance and aggressive style with a slim, sleek and sporty design that should prove to be a big attraction for a wide range of riders, whether new to the sport or experienced enough to know that big fun very often comes in small packages. Displaying its engine to maximum effect, the new CBF's compact naked configuration makes it a great all-round fun bike and daily commuter, with clean, curvaceous lines tapering back from the wide, smoothly integrated shrouds surrounding the front of its fuel tank into the sharp edge of its tail for a look of swift, quick-handling performance. These shrouds also direct a large volume of air at higher speeds to both the engine's head area and its frame-mounted oil cooler for enhanced cooling efficiency. Up front, a sleekly curved, colour-matched mudguard features a sporty aerodynamic form that closely hugs the perimeter of the wide front tyre.

The CBF's beautifully contoured 16-litre fuel tank is large for its class, for a greatly extended range of riding enjoyment between refills. Its form curves inward at the back to meet the narrow front lines of the overlapping seat, providing the rider with a comfortable riding position for both easy commuting and quick handling when the tarmac gets twisty. Medium height handlebars offer excellent leverage for quick and effortless changes of direction, giving riders of all sizes and levels of experience greater confidence to ride fast and corner smoothly.

The seat's stepped shape also provides pillion passengers with a broad, firm and comfortable mount, further assisted by a pair of tubular steel hand grips protruding out from under either side of the seat, and foot rests mounted to the frame on sturdy and attractive cast aluminium step holders.

The CBF's distinctive aluminium-finish sidecovers suggest the look of a hightech sportbike frame design, their lines blending with the cast aluminium step holder pivot plates to accentuate the bike's look of quality and technical refinement. Behind them resides a powerful maintenance-free battery providing plenty of charge for instant engine starts in all conditions.

Even the CBF's wheels accentuate its agile sportbike looks with slim, racer-style spokes, wide, low-profile tyres and an impressive large-diameter front disc brake.

The CBF's stylish meter assembly mounts its large speedometer and tachometer dials inside a single, sleek aerodynamic package that accentuates the bike's speedy looks. These high-accuracy, fully electronic meters are joined by a handy fuel gauge and a large liquid-crystal odometer/trip meter display that also provides a clock readout. Large, bright LED indicators provide a highly visible warning of standard operating parameters.

Bright Multi-Reflector Headlight

With its clear front lens and large internal reflector, the CBF's bright multireflector headlight keeps the riding confident well after the sun goes down, providing a brilliant, long-distance view of the night-time road ahead. At the back, a high-visibility multi-reflector taillight is beautifully integrated into the underside of the slim upswept tail cowl for an impressive closing statement on the CBF's sporty riding intentions. Front and rear indicators are compact and brightly visible.

Colouring Concept

The new CBF250 will be released in three attractive colour variations that best accentuate its sleekly modern design. A rich metallic silver complements the metal finish of the CBF's engine, exhaust and sidecovers for an accentuated look of urban style, while bright candy red and solid black emphasise its inherent agility and spunky performance. Large, sharply angled sidecovers and lightweight 5-spoke wheels share a silvery sheen like bare metal that further corroborate the CBF's impressive sport riding credentials.

Colours

• Force Silver Metallic
• Candy Brava Red
• Black

Engine

Sporty DOHC 4-Valve Performance

The new CBF250 is powered by the first new 250cc-class air-cooled singlecylinder engine Honda has introduced on the European market in well over a decade. Like the most powerful sportbikes on the road today, this new engine features a pair of chain-driven camshafts in a highly efficient double overhead cam (DOHC) configuration that directly actuate the compact combustion chamber's four valves for a major step up in performance compared to its predecessors-a full 15kW (or 20.4PS) of peak output compared to the two-cylinder CB Two-Fifty's 13.4kW (18.2PS).

However, peak power output is not where the CBF250 was meant to excel. Instead, this quick-revving DOHC single delivers a satisfying rush of acceleration from deep in its powerband, with a strong midrange to zip a rider up to speed and through traffic with confident ease, for a major boost in riding fun and excitement that reacts instantly to every input. Its highly responsive 32mm constant velocity carburettor combines with an advanced digital electronic ignition system to ensure strong, reliable performance throughout its rev range, while a push-button electric starter combines with the hot-firing ignition to make start-ups quick and easy, and ensure smooth and strong operation right from the start.

Besides being lighter and simpler in configuration, the head's shim-underbucket lifters also maintain more precise valve clearance settings over much longer service intervals than conventional screw-type adjusters, for both reduced maintenance and more reliable performance at higher engine speeds. Once up and running, the engine's built-in balancer chases away the buzz of secondary vibration for an exceptionally smooth and comfortable ride for this class of motorcycle. And since the new CBF250's sporty appearance almost begs to be ridden hard, a compact yet high-capacity oil cooler takes up position under the steering head to ensure that stable engine temperatures are constantly maintained for smooth, strong and reliable performance, however hot the riding becomes.

High Fuel Economy and Low Emissions

The new CBF250 is also a miser with fuel, a feature that will certainly appeal to rider pocketbooks as much as its sleek styling tickles one's sense of riding enjoyment. Its engine's four-valve configuration ensures optimum combustion efficiency for both top performance and a longer riding range on a tankful of fuel.

The engine's DOHC 4-valve head also makes a significant contribution toward reducing emissions of harmful exhaust gases. Exhaust emissions are further reduced by a built-in Air Induction system, which feeds a jet of fresh air into the exhaust port to ensure more complete burning of exiting gases. After this, a perforated catalytic heat tube installed at the entrance to the exhaust system's silencer scrubs down emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxides(NOX) and hydrocarbons (HC) to achieve cleaner exhaust that easily passes Europe's strict EURO-2 emissions regulations.

Finally, the light staccato exhaust note purring out of the tilted end of the exhaust system's attractive canister-style stainless steel silencer provides an exhilarating accompaniment to all the quick and lively riding fun the CBF has in store. Quick-Shifting 6-Speed Transmission

The CBF also features a close-ratio six-speed transmission which has been specially configured to take optimum advantage of the engine's broad band of power for an impressive combination of swift acceleration and strong performance in all riding situations, whether dicing through dense traffic or climbing hills in a bout of sport riding fun.

Chassis

The CBF250 gains its sporty handling by way of a lightweight and rigid semidouble cradle frame that incorporates a large-diameter steel tube backbone and squaresection front downtube for enhanced resistance to the torsional stresses generated by spirited sport riding.

High-Performance Suspension

Suspension components are also top-notch, with a sturdy 37mm fork up front providing both excellent rigidity for precise handling and 130mm of smoothly compliant operation for excellent road tracking capability.

The new CBF also features a lightweight and rigid box-section aluminium swingarm, which is effectively supported by a monoshock damper for 100mm of progressive axle travel that provides superb riding comfort and confident control when the riding gets brisk and the roads twisty.

Lightweight, Sporty-Looking Cast Aluminium Wheels

Grippy, low-profile tubeless tyres, including an ultra-wide rear tread, are mounted on racy-looking 17-inch 5-spoke cast aluminium wheels, providing light handling and impeccable control in both city traffic and on twisty mountain roads. Strong, Responsive Brakes

Adding to its look and feel of sporty performance, the front wheel mounts a largediameter 276mm drilled disc brake rotor which is quickly and confidently stopped by a lightweight and compact dual-piston calliper that assures instantly responsive braking control. Operation is smooth and linear, providing confidently strong stopping power which requires very little time to become accustomed. At the back, a 130mm leading/trailing shoe drum brake provides highly effective rear wheel braking capability for a smoothly assured balance of control.

Specifications CBF250 (ED-type)

• Engine Type - Air-cooled 4-stroke 4-valve DOHC single
• Displacement - 249cm3
• Bore x Stroke 73 x 59.5mm
• Compression Ratio - 9.3 : 1
• Max. Power Output - 15kW/8,000min-1 (95/1/EC)
• Max. Torque - 22Nm/6,000min-1 (95/1/EC)
• Idling Speed - 1,400min-1
• Oil Capacity - 1.8 litres
• Fuel System Carburation - 32mm VE-L type carburettor
• Aircleaner - Viscous, cartridge-type paper filter
• Fuel Tank Capacity - 16 litres (including 2.5-litre reserve)
• Electrical System, Ignition System - Digital transistorised with electronic advance
• Ignition Timing - 10° BTDC (idle) ~ 25° BTDC (3,000min-1)
• Sparkplug Type - CR8EH-9 (NGK)
• Starter - Electric
• Battery Capacity - 12V/7AH
• ACG Output - 204W
• Headlights - 12V 60W x 1 (low) / 55W x 1 (high)
• Clutch - Wet, multiplate with coil springs
• Clutch Operation - Mechanical; cable-actuated
• Transmission - Type 6-speed
• Primary Reduction - 3.100 (62/20)
• Gear Ratios - 1 - 2.769 (36/13), 2 - 1.882 (32/17), 3 - 1.333 (28/21), 4 - 1.083 (26/24), 5 - 0.923 (24/26), 6 - 0.814 (22/27)
• Final Reduction - 2.846 (37/13)
• Final Drive - O-ring sealed chain
• Frame Type - Semi-double-cradle; steel tube
• Dimensions - (LxWxH) 2,035 x 745 x 1,050mm
• Wheelbase - 1,370mm
• Caster Angle 25° 34'
• Trail - 99mm
• Turning Radius - 2.3m
• Seat Height - 780mm
• Ground Clearance 175mm
• Dry Weight - 138.5kg
• Kerb Weight - 152kg (F: 71kg; R: 81kg)
• Maximum Carrying Capacity - 175kg
• Loaded Weight - 302kg (F: 101kg; R: 201kg)
• Suspension Type - Front 37mm telescopic fork, 130mm axle travel, Rear Monoshock, 100mm axle travel
• Wheels Type - U-section 5-spoke cast aluminium, Rim Size Front - 17M/C x MT2.15, Rear - 17M/C x MT3.00
• Tyre Size Front - 100/80-17M/C 52S, Rear - 130/70-17M/C 62S
• Tyre Pressure Front - 225kPa, Rear 225kPa (with passenger: 250kPa)
• Brakes Type - Front 276 x 4mm hydraulic disc with dual-piston calliper and sintered metal pads, Rear 130mm leading/trailing drum

All specifications are provisional and subject to change without notice.