In the first year of a varied run that lasted until 1996, the Honda NS250R was a race replica 2-stroke that was related to a caped crusader over at Honda Racing Corp. Capitalizing each year on developments made to the 250 Grand Prix racer, the NS250R improved each year and was presented in many different commemorative liveries. With Rothman’s colors here is one of the first, and while it’s been hidden away for quite a while, it could be a perfect winter project.
1984 Honda NS250R for sale in eBay
Housed in an aluminum cradle, the 249cc V-twin makes a surprising 45 hp at 9,500 rpm. The 6-speed transmission is almost a requirement for the peaky engine. The exhaust routes the front cylinder down by the left footpeg and the rear winds its way under the seat. Front forks are air-adjusted, with TRAC anti-dive, and the rear has Pro-Link monoshock. The triple-disk brakes are almost gratuitous on the 250. Full fairing hides some of the works up front, and the dual seat has large side panels underneath. The 17 inch wheels are assembled, star hubs riveted to the rims.
But the real story is the powerplant – this year’s model saw the electrically controlled exhaust chamber system ATAC employed on the front cylinder only, helping stretch out the torque band. But from zero to 10,500 rpm there are a lot of different conditions, and the NS250R reviewed as a challenge to modulate, more fun to ride out where you could open it up than in traffic. But if you could keep it in the power band, there was fun to be had in the light weight and crisp handling.
In storage for some years, this NS250R will require a thorough going over. However, the owner verified a running engine, as he states in the eBay auction:
Up for bid is a NS250R Rothman’s edition Honda. It has a clear U.S. title, it has been in storage for several years, The mileage is 22639 kilometers {14,000 miles} I put a battery in it and bottle fed some gas to it and it fired on the 3rd. kick. I let it run a few minutes and shut it off. This bike should have all fluids checked and serviced as with any bike that has been in storage. All of the signals ,lights and horn work. The exhaust pipes have some scrapes on the covers, the gas tank has a few small dings, the plastics have some scuffs, and the upper fairing has a broke piece by the mirror.
Looks like it’s all there, even the little triangular kickstand fairing. Bravely showing the bike without its fairings, the photographs show the work to be done. However, it doesn’t look insurmountable for even a skilled hobbyist with a friend at the Honda parts counter. Maybe you have that kind of time and attention to detail. Or might know someone who does, and who’d like to be attacking the corners next spring at just under 9,000 rpm…
-donn
Another ns250r even harder to get parts for then that nsr250 Rothmans which is mostly nla too only mc21 and mc28 are the only models you can still get parts easily for without searching the corners of the earth for a rare nos parts.
Does anybody know what something like this is worth?