210 replies to this topic

[rahul_rn]

D bhai i dint say that it will not sell, infact actually this is actually a bike i am looking forward to upgrade (next year probably), the cbr somehow doesn't cut the chase for me and nor do i want a bike to pop a wheelie in third gear a.k.a the katoom.. N250 i think too stupidly priced.. And i doubt i can look at the 600's within an year..
P.s anyone know any 400 that might be heading our way, later this year or next year..?? (HMC we are still waiting for the diesel...) Would think of it over this then..

And the thing about this bike is, it is big and also has substantial poser value but somehow it isn't that well made and nor do the brakes bite in hard.. i.e. atleast for the current gen. So if there is a new GT250R coming then i am hoping that they might have addressed these issue's and updated the headlight's a wee bit.. Frankly that one needs update while rest of the bike can do as it is with the looks but with better parts, fit and finish..

[arn]

Rahul, before you make a purchase decision ask ANY Hyosung owner till date about how company supports the bikes they sell. Any Aquila/ comet owner. Regardless of what else you do, you'll have to buy spares and interact with the service people at some point of time.

A company that comes out with a public statement that riders are supposed to lend their helmets to mechanics who take their bikes for a test ride is not worth purchasing anything from.

[rahul_rn]

Agreed doc, i have read about people's woes that too after owing the GT650 but the thing is there is nothing else in the segment that i can look out for..
Yammie i guess is sleeping i.e. no R25 nor fz26 i am guessing (again here if the fz is coming naked then i might skip it as i would be using it for some long distance touring/commuting, so atleast bikini fairing is what i am looking for)..
Suzuki 250 still seems in air so cant even look there that too if its the GW then it will be a no-no..

I have kept cbr as my last option.. I love the bike but somehow after reading your review i am still guessing about it.. I don't like Honda's attitude (i.e. people at Honda's ASC) they seem to have the thought that they have the best bike.. And nothing can ever go wrong with them.. Here agreed they have good engines but the fit and finish of the products says otherwise..
Have to see the new edition of the cbr though, if its sorted out the issue's then will definitely look forward to it..
I doubt that the cbr engine will make its way into HMC's bike, even if it does then chances seem to be less that it will not come soon..

[Silver Phantom]

Frankly speaking i guess that the Fiber parts vibration issues can be sorted out in a simple way.. Add webbings to the inner sides.. either use fiberglass or FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic).. By webbings i mean...

you can see the Plastic Reinforcement, on the blank parts, where it is at a 90° with the base.. that kind of a construction lends a kind of support and reduces vibrations. you could even use old plastic powder containers to make such reinforcements.
Cut open the container, so it can be made flat. dip the whole container in boiling / hot water, and after it becomes a bit soft remove it and place it on a smooth flat surface, and place a plywood or another flat surface and put some weight on it..
after it cools it will remain flat (hopefully. if the water was cool, it might spring back to its original position or become warped).
once you get the flat peices, cut it into strips, or as per the internal curves of the Fairing in requirement of reinforcement.
fix it to the fairing using Fevikwik / Fevibond / Hot-Glue / Plastic Chemical Bonder / Araldite / Silicon Sealant etc.. best to try it out on some rough peices..
make sure you manage to crisscross the reinforcement so that the stress is distributed throughout the reinforcement and the fairing, thus reducing overall vibration, and reducing stress fractures in the reinforcement.
i guess that Doc will be able to make something like this as he has already got some experience working with FRP.
Good Luck...

[maverick1]

rahul_rn, on 30 March 2012 - 05:09 PM, said:

Ya i know the current gen is a fat dog on which you will be riding, but heard rumors that the next gen has addressed its issue's.. and pricing might be good considering its elder brother prices then maybe 2 around lakhs..

you mean to say the gt250r rumoured to get launched in april 2012 is rumoured to have sorted those issues? cna you please divulge source/sources. i googled extensively for 2012 gt 250r and found it exactly same as 2011. if 2012 is improved i will go ahead with it specially if they increase bhp or reduce kerb weight somehow

looks to me you have similar taste as me , i read your post regarding cbr quality issues, i can safely say i test rode 2012 cbr HRC a week back or so and looks wise quality has got quantum leap then 2011 cbr.

arn, on 30 March 2012 - 11:24 AM, said:

Maverick 1, I cannot compare the CBR as I have not ridden the Duke, Ninja 250 or any of the other bikes you have mentioned.

ALL bikes get smoother (engines  + gearbox) after a few thousand km, and the only true way to compare bikes is to ride them back to back, being aware that there will be variations between individual pieces. I'd compare between the KTM and the CBR, discounting the others.

N250=orphan, Bajaj uninterested, will have guaranteed very poor resale value
Yam 250= Hot air till date
Suzuki= No info
Hyosung=Treats it's 650 customers like shit, best of luck with 250 purchase.

i read the issue regarding melroyal gt650r really pathetic service, but was that isolated issue or other owners were treated bad as well etc?

Doc, have you ridden gt 650r or sat on one? how did you find the general quality fit finish, and if you rode it riding impressions?

[maverick1]

pulsurge, on 30 March 2012 - 08:33 PM, said:

1)Revvy and throaty sounding engines always feel exciting to ride
true only if someone finds throaty exhaust exciting , i find it noisy, i like deep rumbling, sound or like the one in rd 350 or like the one in 4 cylinder inlines, vtwins

2) I don't think the exhaust has a mechanical clatter...a short stroke fast revving engine is bound to sound like that. Also stress am not sure- even the bigger KTMs sound crazy. A naked bike will have more air flowing over its engine than a faired version...in the end its a water cooled engine. So no worries on the cooling part.
i beg to differ on this point, i found it to have mech clatter, may be i will decrease after the bike is run in and you tested a bike runned in while i tested a brand new with 4-5km on odo.
regarding cooling thats my point that even with aid of air plus water cooling there are numerous post of frying omlette between legs
i even felt that in td of 7-8 kms it got heated upa lot while i hardly experienced bumper to bumper traffic.




3) KTM winning Dakar races and other endurance events are a proof of their engineering and reliability.
true, but have read reports that duke owners abroad and one indian as well often experience  screws, bolts getting loose  warranting application of loctite over them to secure them, still i think they have to go long way to match honda's legendary bulletproof reliablity and low maintenance. on that point i do believe baja has better service and equipments and dedicated trained staff for duke and ninja, while i have no idea still wheter honda gives any prefrrential treatment to its customer.

4) I didn't ride the Duke for long..it was a small test ride. But then it was decent enough to get the hang of the bike. Hit 148 kph yday on the CBR- and it feels amazing planted. Am sure on the KTM you will feel a tornado hitting you. But then how often do you hit these speeds? Handling of the KTM, well can't say- though I found it really well planted flicking and sudden braking etc. I did see Yogesh Gehlot negotiating a few tight and wide twisties and he was doing it absolute effortlessly. I think you can ask people in the KTM ownership thread about the handling.

i also felt it to be planted but same for cbr as well till 92-98 kms per hour.

5) I feel the KTM will turn in a shorter radius than the CBR..though haven't measured it- but feelwise.
i feel the same and thanks for the info.

6) Naked or faired....quality is quality!
true

7) The CBR is a faired bike and KTM a naked...and I doubt if you are going to strip down the fairing of the CBR

i may, buying a faired bike gives an option of converting it to naked bike while in case of naked you cann ot turn it to faired.

8) The KTM am sure will score in traffic, as its much much easier to manouvre than the Honda. Getting louder horns is half an hour job. Even Superbikes come with punny horns.
somehow slightly forward lean inspired more confidence in me during turning etc.

9) KTM is more upright compared to the forward lean position of the CBR. So lesser stress on your wrists and shoulders. Also an upright position means you rest completely on your butt. CBR's suspension is good too, but that slightly front lean position makes the KTM take the comfort score.

again,i felt may be i am wrong that cbr does put effort on wrist mroe  but back was more comfy on cbr then duke.

[rahul_rn]

maverick
buddy unfortunately i too don't remember where i read that... I was going through many sites that time.. But the thing is i too have read it only on one site so chances seem to be pretty less.. I hope they atleast sort out the quality issues rest other things can be adjusted too.. i.e. brakes..
Looks well they are subjective, i like everything else but the headlight..

And if the cbr is good and the gt hasn't changed anything then i will settle for cbr itself..

[maverick1]

pulsurge, on 30 March 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:

If it looks like this...its going to sell man...IT WILL SELL...at least the poser value will be far far greater than the CBR, KTM or even the N250R. This one looks BIIIIIG:










Just for size...the GT250 looks like a 600

it simply look better then if  i may say better then ninja 650 2012,and v twin engine should hae excellent exhaust note and better mid low torque then ninja but any idea that does 2012 model has undergone changes in mechanicals? cause 2011 has frame of 650 thus too heavy etc. also any idea of launch date

Hi rahul_rn, thanks for getting me interested in gt 250r sure it s beauty and twin cylinder has its charm with superb exhaust note one of the perks but liek you i am concerned about t he bike quality after sales etc.


Do you know or for that matter any one who is readingthis post about  any GT 650r owner who is wishing to sell his bike ? also places where i can search for one ?

[rahul_rn]

The torque if i am not wrong is better then both ninja and cbr.. And the chassis doesn't seem to be changed for the good unfortunately, they seem to be in a hurry to launch the bike and i doubt they will go through the pain of RnD and waste time + loose potential customers... So it will be heavy, maybe once they launch it here and get some money rolling in they might think of a 2013 or 2014 version with chassis for a 250..

well i know nobody who wants to sell his 650.. And garware is trying to improve on service is what i heard from my friend (although he too doesn't own one but he knows someone who does)

[arn]

There are comparative reviews of the GT250, N250, and CBR250 on the net. Where it failed was the handling.

Melroy's incident is an extreme case (+ I've not ridden the 650), but I'd like to reiterate what I said about Hyosung service - don't know a single satisfied Hyosung owner in that regard. The GT250 I rode long ago for a short ride only was nice, but I can't say it was anything great, and neither did it have the sort of low end torque as the CBR which makes life so nice in traffic. But then it was somebody else's bike, and I dunno what sort of maintenance was done on that thing.

I'd like to make one thing clear though.

Rattly panels, poor quality plating on fasteners, these are minor issues in the larger scheme of things. They are not problems. Problems are things that cost a lot of money to sort out, and the CBR does not seem to have any of that. Panels don't break (the rattles seem to have got sorted out, too), and the engine can run all day and night without a single hiccup. There has been NO spend on the engine or engine related components till date. In contrast, by this time my ZMA already had an entire engine replacement done under warranty caused by sudden (and unknown to me) oil loss due to the breakage of a countershaft bearing. I'd already replaced one front fender, and many of the lugs holding the plastic panels together had already gone west. The 6K km service interval is hugely welcome too.

In a month's time I should be able to give you the 1 yr ownership review, with hopefully, a quarter covered (it's already at 23+).

[rahul_rn]

Doc i am not saying that the cbr is bad mechanically, its a Honda and it is bullet proof.. I just said i don't like it when people at their ASC see you like you were pointing at God and saying there's a flaw when you find one in their machines.. And the cbr will be on my "to look our for" list, as this year's bike as said by many is better then previous years... The added factor that Honda can be serviced in any city is a bonus going its way, if i were to go for the GT, i rarely have that option..

And about the handling part i had said it before itself, its a fat dog.. it will never corner like a impala or cheetah...

[arn]

rahul_rn, on 01 April 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

And about the handling part i had said it before itself, its a fat dog.. it will never corner like a impala or cheetah...

Corners a lot better than the R15 at speed. Ridden back to back, the R15 is a huge disappointment, the skinny rear starts to slide while the Honda has still another 20 rock stable kph to go. Ride both into a reducing radius corner at 110 and see....

[rahul_rn]

arn, on 01 April 2012 - 03:48 PM, said:

Corners a lot better than the R15 at speed. Ridden back to back, the R15 is a huge disappointment, the skinny rear starts to slide while the Honda has still another 20 rock stable kph to go. Ride both into a reducing radius corner at 110 and see....

Doc i meant the handling of GT250 and not the cbr. I know cbr has really good handling coupled with rubber that knows only to stick no matter what..

[pulsurge]

maverick1, on 01 April 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

again,i felt may be i am wrong that cbr does put effort on wrist mroe  but back was more comfy on cbr then duke.

I think you are sold for the CBR  Get one...not a bad bike at all!

Just came across a small pricelist from a N250R owner on XBHP:

16k for a single front fork (so 32 for two- more expensive than the USD forks of the KTM)
25k for rear shock
38k for radiator
26k for rear alloy
3.5 k for sidestand
15k for starter motor
6k for front fender(mudguard)
25k for speedometer

PHEW!!!

[maverick1]

pulsurge, on 02 April 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

I think you are sold for the CBR  Get one...not a bad bike at all!

Just came across a small pricelist from a N250R owner on XBHP:

16k for a single front fork (so 32 for two- more expensive than the USD forks of the KTM)
25k for rear shock
38k for radiator
26k for rear alloy
3.5 k for sidestand
15k for starter motor
6k for front fender(mudguard)
25k for speedometer

PHEW!!!

thanks for reply pulsurge, actually i am not entirely , only if it looked better i would have bought it straight away, looking at links to modify its looks nowadays specially headlights, tail end,