What happened to them?

[mark247]

I was just thinking, why is it that none of the big motorcycle companies make sporty ( cbr250, gsxr250, fzr250 etc etc ) 250cc motorcycles anymore? Or have i just not seen them?

The only new 250's i see these days are cruisers or real learner bikes like the hyosungs and cb250's and GPX250's which arent inline fours.

Why don't companies bring out inline 4 250's anymore?

Just wondering.... :dodge:

[deanohit]

Yea, know what you mean mate. Would love to see some new 250 performance bikes.:scooter: The GTR250 is awesome but theres no compatition for it, stuff like a faired VTR or a new CBR with farings similer to the TYGA kits.:Punk:

[HDTboy]

Perhaps you could do a search on the subject here

[Waylander]

How many people do you know that would willingly spend more than just their learner and restricted licence periods on a 250?




There is your answer.

[mark247]

How many people do you know that would willingly spend more than just their learner and restricted licence periods on a 250?




There is your answer.

What difference is that now compared with 17 years ago? Thats my question. DAHH!

[98tls]

Not sure of the answer mate but theres still the odd one being made...Aprillas 250 is a rocket for sure.May be that theres so many very small/light and quick 600s around has somthing to do with it.

[Grahameeboy]

Arh..the good old days...Suzuki X7, Yamaha RD250, LC, YPVS, Suzuki GSX250, Kawasaki 250H, Gamma 250...........that Suzuki X7 was a shifter.............

[jafar]

They do make them , just not brought in here. Try finding a 350 or 400 cc bike they are like rocking horse :shit: as well. :angry:

[James Deuce]

What difference is that now compared with 17 years ago? Thats my question. DAHH!

It's quite simple. Licensing laws the world over have changed. Markets that still have 250cc learner laws are diminishing. Combine that with schemes that see older buyers using direct access schemes to go straight to big bikes or draconian restrictions limiting learners to 125cc and 12hp and the 250s become irrelevant.

No manufacturer is going to go out of their way to make maybe 200 bikes for an overseas market. Not every learner wants a sports bike, so don't go looking for stats on how many 6L and 6R license holders there are.

[jade]

Not sure of the answer mate but theres still the odd one being made...Aprillas 250 is a rocket for sure.May be that theres so many very small/light and quick 600s around has somthing to do with it.
aprilia's rs250 ceased production in 2003.

[jade]

p.s - the gsxr 250's of today dont have a shitshow against an 87-90 gsxr

[James Deuce]

p.s - the gsxr 250's of today dont have a shitshow against an 87-90 gsxr

They're not GSX-R's. They are known as a GSX250F and are based on a 30 year old parallel twin engine.

[bimotabob]

I was just thinking, why is it that none of the big motorcycle companies make sporty ( cbr250, gsxr250, fzr250 etc etc ) 250cc motorcycles anymore? Or have i just not seen them?

The only new 250's i see these days are cruisers or real learner bikes like the hyosungs and cb250's and GPX250's which arent inline fours.

Why don't companies bring out inline 4 250's anymore?

Just wondering.... :dodge:


Hi

This is what I know, it may help you.

By the late eighties the jap giants all were putting plenty of dosh into these great models both 2 stroke and four to the local masses.
It seemed the Japs loved the race replica look.
These bikes had a lot of then high tech design.
CBR,NSR GSXR,RGV ZXR,KR1 FXR,TZR
We got a few models here new at the time but many were JDM imports brought in due to high demand here for fast flash rice rockets for learners.
I worked at a company that brought large numbers here to Hamilton.

The early ninties brought the last development for both 2/4 stroke engines types. Then only paint changes (mostly) were done till around 1995 when all the japs stopped making them completely.

The japs then went on to make fairingless "street fighter" type bikes like
Zephurs bandits etc.

Maybe the locals got sick of them and wanted a change?'
Maybe the feds put pressure on the companies?
Maybe the licensing regs changed?
Mybe Jap teenagers went and got high performance cars instead?
I don't know why they canned them but the full fairing bikes were and still more popular here than what followed.

Now our 250 market is boring and we have either chinese, Korean or old Jap models and parts regurgatated into "new bikes"

The CBR250 MC22 was/is the best of the 4 strokes in my opinion, although
the others excluding the dreaded GSXR250RR (alloy frame) are all good.

I don't think the 2 strokes will return but if demand in Japan ever returns
more could follow - imagine how good they could be.

Regards
BB

[mark247]

The CBR250 MC22 was/is the best of the 4 strokes in my opinion, although
the others excluding the dreaded GSXR250RR (alloy frame) are all good.


What was wrong with the gsxr250rr?

[bimotabob]

What was wrong with the gsxr250rr?

Note: these are almost a completely new bike to the venerable steel framed GSXR250R.
With the neat frame and braced swingarm these looked nice enough BUT
The engines were not bulletproof.
They dropped valves and destroyed engines readily.
One bike shop I know had a huge cost as one of the female staff got one
from them and it blew up costing them many thousands.
Someone may have more knowledge of what when wrong and why but the fact is they didn't like the high revs these 250's were made for.

Never buy one -EVER.





Regards
BB

[megageoff76]

Arh..the good old days...Suzuki X7, Yamaha RD250, LC, YPVS, Suzuki GSX250, Kawasaki 250H, Gamma 250...........that Suzuki X7 was a shifter.............

Damn right mate, the X7 was my first 250, and after a CB125 that thing felt fucking fast. i'd still rather have nice one of those compared to the crap they are peddling these days for learners.

[Waylander]

Note: these are almost a completely new bike to the venerable steel framed GSXR250R.
With the neat frame and braced swingarm these looked nice enough BUT
The engines were not bulletproof.
They dropped valves and destroyed engines readily.
One bike shop I know had a huge cost as one of the female staff got one
from them and it blew up costing them many thousands.
Someone may have more knowledge of what when wrong and why but the fact is they didn't like the high revs these 250's were made for.

Never buy one -EVER.





Regards
BB
Anyone know which one Quartermile rides?

[Panther]

Shouldn't this thread have been, you know, moved or something, someone handed a slap on the wrist etc, for not searching, maybe an infraction given out? what are the mods up to these days?

anyhoo, relevant comment:
the cbr250rr's were definately the best:love:

[NordieBoy]

Nah, the VT250 range is the best :woohoo:
1989 VT250F Integra - Still wish I'd kept it :(
Twin disc front.
Hydro clutch.
Air adj. front and rear.
13500rpm redline.
Bullet proof.

Unfortunatly the next owner found it wasn't t-bone proof.

[Quartermile]

Hi

This is what I know, it may help you.

By the late eighties the jap giants all were putting plenty of dosh into these great models both 2 stroke and four to the local masses.
It seemed the Japs loved the race replica look.
These bikes had a lot of then high tech design.
CBR,NSR GSXR,RGV ZXR,KR1 FXR,TZR
We got a few models here new at the time but many were JDM imports brought in due to high demand here for fast flash rice rockets for learners.
I worked at a company that brought large numbers here to Hamilton.

The early ninties brought the last development for both 2/4 stroke engines types. Then only paint changes (mostly) were done till around 1995 when all the japs stopped making them completely.

The japs then went on to make fairingless "street fighter" type bikes like
Zephurs bandits etc.

Maybe the locals got sick of them and wanted a change?'
Maybe the feds put pressure on the companies?
Maybe the licensing regs changed?
Mybe Jap teenagers went and got high performance cars instead?
I don't know why they canned them but the full fairing bikes were and still more popular here than what followed.

Now our 250 market is boring and we have either chinese, Korean or old Jap models and parts regurgatated into "new bikes"

The CBR250 MC22 was/is the best of the 4 strokes in my opinion, although
the others excluding the dreaded GSXR250RR (alloy frame) are all good.

I don't think the 2 strokes will return but if demand in Japan ever returns
more could follow - imagine how good they could be.

Regards
BB


Note: these are almost a completely new bike to the venerable steel framed GSXR250R.
With the neat frame and braced swingarm these looked nice enough BUT
The engines were not bulletproof.
They dropped valves and destroyed engines readily.
One bike shop I know had a huge cost as one of the female staff got one
from them and it blew up costing them many thousands.
Someone may have more knowledge of what when wrong and why but the fact is they didn't like the high revs these 250's were made for.

Never buy one -EVER.





Regards
BB

WHAT PUNK!!!!!:mad:

[Lucker]

I live in Japan and through my limited Japanese skills it seems that due to emissions laws it is or is becoming illegal to produce 2-strokers due to their un-eco friendliness. Correct me if I`m wrong :yes:

[bimotabob]

Nah, the VT250 range is the best :woohoo:
1989 VT250F Integra - Still wish I'd kept it :(
Twin disc front.
Hydro clutch.
Air adj. front and rear.
13500rpm redline.
Bullet proof.

Unfortunatly the next owner found it wasn't t-bone proof.

Be very happy you sold it.
Who told you these are bulletproof?
They destroy crankshafts.
I worked at a bike wrecker and believe me people always wanted motors.
Twin disc front integra? - I can only recall seeing the common inboard single disc front and drum rear model.
I even had a mate with a 1988 model that blew up and he wasn't even a hoon.
Apart from that they were good bikes.

Cheers

[ManDownUnder]

More money in big bikes... so encourage the punters to get up onto them - they make more moneya dn save $$$ on not having to set up production lines for a much wider range of machines.

Keep the inventory low and the sales high. Higher throughput = less cash tied up in inventory - profitability...

[mark247]

Be very happy you sold it.
Who told you these are bulletproof?
They destroy crankshafts.
I worked at a bike wrecker and believe me people always wanted motors.
Twin disc front integra? - I can only recall seeing the common inboard single disc front and drum rear model.
I even had a mate with a 1988 model that blew up and he wasn't even a hoon.
Apart from that they were good bikes.

Cheers

Been told the same thing, i bought a 88 VT250 for $850 and went around a few shops asking about them AFTER i bought it. Every mechanic i talked to told me they did cranks like crazy. So i sold it for 2 grand a week later =D

[NordieBoy]

Be very happy you sold it.
Who told you these are bulletproof?
They destroy crankshafts.
I worked at a bike wrecker and believe me people always wanted motors.
Twin disc front integra? - I can only recall seeing the common inboard single disc front and drum rear model.
I even had a mate with a 1988 model that blew up and he wasn't even a hoon.
Apart from that they were good bikes.

Cheers

Well the 95,000km on mine sorta suggested a degree of bulletproofedness.
170kph at 13000rpm, 13500rpm redline.
Twin camchain per cylinder so that was a bit noisey (they went back to a single camchain soon after).

<img src=http://www.photostorage.nelson.geek.nz/sports/motorsport/mybikes/others/slides/vt250.jpg>

[imdying]

That's the exception proving the rule.

[NordieBoy]

Yep, all of the VT250 I've ridden got above 90000km no issues.