The
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
CB250RS is a 250 cc
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
designed for road use. It was produced until the mid-1980s. It has a high-compression
four-stroke
A four-stroke (also four-cycle) engine is an internal combustion (IC) engine in which the piston completes four separate strokes while turning the crankshaft. A stroke refers to the full travel of the piston along the cylinder, in either directio ...
,
four-valve,
air-cooled
Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over heat dissipation fins or hot areas of the engine to cool them in order to keep the engine within operating temperatures. In all combustion engines, a great percentage of the heat ge ...
,
single-cylinder
A single-cylinder engine, sometimes called a thumper, is a piston engine with one cylinder. This engine is often used for motorcycles, motor scooters, go-karts, all-terrain vehicles, radio-controlled vehicles, portable tools and garden machinery ( ...
engine, which was an upgrade of the engine built for the earlier XL250S trail bike. The RS is known for its slim build, with a dry weight of only 128 kg, and nimble handling. The engine featured counter rotating balancers, which reduced vibration and allowed a lighter frame. Further weight savings were achieved by making the engine a stressed component. Early models were
kick-started (with an automatic decompression lever), while later Deluxe models (designated RS-D / RSZ) came with
electric start and different paintwork. The bike has a front
disc brake
A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...
and rear
drum brake
A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum.
The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...
, and while it had only a single-cylinder, it had twin exhausts; one for each port.
The engine generates modest power and achieves a top speed of around 136 km/h or 84 mph. Early models produced a claimed 26 hp, while later models claimed 33 hp. It claimed
fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency is a form of thermal efficiency, meaning the ratio of effort to result of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier (fuel) into kinetic energy or work. Overall fuel efficiency may vary per device, wh ...
of up to 70 mpg (3.4 L/100 km). Known issues include failed
ignition coils and
CDIs. Lack of battery cranking power can be an issue with the RS-D if an inadequate replacement battery is fitted.
CB250
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