Honda announces CBR250R, and it’s coming to America

2011 Honda CBR250R – Click above for high-res image gallery

Entry-level sport bike riders look to get another solid choice for 2011 in the form of the new Honda CBR250R. Naturally, it’s most direct competitor is the Kawasaki Ninja 250, and the two match up pretty well, at least on paper.

Maximum horsepower for the single-cylinder CBR250R’s quarter-liter mill is 26 ponies at 8,500 rpm. Yes, that’s a little behind the Kawi’s 32 hp, but the Honda critically has more torque at 17 pound-feet and weighs 359 pounds (368 lbs with optional ABS!), which is a non-trivial 14 pounds less than the Ninja.

We’re also pretty keen on the littlest CBR’s (littlest in America, at least) styling and color scheme. We think the multi-tiered styling language that debuted on the latest VFR is better suited to smaller packages like the CBR250R, and the red, white and blue color palette is vintage Honda and, though it’s not currently on the U.S. options list, certainly appropriate for the American market.

And yes, the new CBR250R is headed Stateside. Check out our high-res image gallery below and hit the jump for a video. And Honda, please rethink the omission of the red, white and blue. Trust us.

Gallery: 2011 Honda CBR250R