1996 Honda CBR250RR Motorcycle

Description

Originally launched in 1986 at a time when the popularity of motorcycle racing was at an all-time high and the Japanese economy was booming, Honda’s first four-cylinder 250cc sport bike was designated the CBR250F.  The original MC14 evolved into the MC17/MC19 CBR250R before the ultimate MC22 CBR250RR arrived in 1990 and while few would argue the high-revving gear-driven DOHC engine was a remarkable piece of engineering, the chassis was also hailed as a masterpiece by critics at the time.  The twin-spar aluminium frame was perfectly balanced, providing excellent stability and had the ability to get the very best from the small capacity engine.  Redlining at an astonishing 19,000 rpm (it was another decade before Formula One cars reached that ceiling), the 250cc in-line four would idle happily at 1,200 rpm and was perfectly tractable on the road – so long as you were happy to work the gearbox through all six ratios.  Braking ability was sensational thanks to twin pot calipers and dual 275mm stainless steel discs up front, while the 17-inch six-spoke wheels wore 110/70 section front and 140/60 rear tyres.  Rivals included Kawasaki’s ZXR250, Suzuki’s GSX-R250 and Yamaha’s FZR250 but the Honda remains the head of its class – a recent test of the quartet by Cycle World concluded "Every rider that came off the Honda was spouting superlatives, and many said it would not be out of place at all in 2019".