To the uninitiated, Honda’s alpha-numeric naming convention can get confusing, and it’d be easy to mistake this RS250R for something like a garden-variety NSR250R with a set of track-day fairings. But unlike the road-legal, race-replica NSR250R, the RS250R was a production race-bike, a Grand Prix machine in miniature. With the fairings removed, the elegant simplicity of this lightweight machine is clearly visible.
It’s absolutely not a learner bike, or a practical track-day ride: it’s a pure GP racing motorcycle, and needs the attention you’d expect to keep it running properly. Powered by an ever-so-slightly undersquare 54×54.5mm two-stroke v-twin that could be tuned to snarl out over 90hp, the complete package weighed 223lbs dry, which should make loading it back into your van or pickup at the end of the day much easier than even your average 600cc sportbike.
Bikes up until 1993 used a 90° v-twin, but this later example uses a redesigned 75° unit, presumably because it is more compact, and the increased vibrations caused by the imperfect primary balance would be of limited concern for a racebike, especially considering the minimal mass of the tiny pistons and rods.
From the original eBay listing: 1998 Honda RS250R for Sale
Honda RS250R NX5 98, Most of you know what your looking at, for those that don’t: this is a rare factory GP bike for racing use only, It is NOT street legal! Not recommended for the novice racer or trackday guys either, these 250 GP bikes reward talent and punish mistakes. Very sorted and capable machine with all standard equipment.
One sprint race in ’13 on full engine and chassis rebuild. Rebuilt and rechecked this fall 2016. We went through the bike and installed new Pirelli slicks (green) on freshly powder coated wheels, new OEM clutch, new silicone hose kit, rings, RK chain, refinished pipes and professionally painted bodywork with new wind screen. Needs nothing except a discerning owner. Some spares are available separately.
This was Brian Kcraget’s B bike, Brian last raced this machine and WON on it in 2013 (see podium pic). Has been stored properly since and not used.
It is absolutely amazing the factory versions of these were capable of 150 mph.
I have always lusted after these. Unfortunately, actually using is is going to be difficult due to rarity, parts being discontinued, and thin grids in the dwindling 250 class. Still a pretty rare opportunity to get a ready-to-race piece of sexy GP history, especially in the US.
Further, touting the fact that Brian Kcraget won on it at VIR is not really an endorsement for this particular bike. Brian Kcraget can win on a slick-shod moped at VIR 🙂
I think parts availability is better than you think. Pistons are the same as 125s, as is some of the drivetrain. At the best of times the parts replacement schedule (crank, pistons) will make 4 strokers glad for their own comparative durability.
There’s some people out there starting to make nla parts like the crank. A guy in Italy just made some NXA cylinders made which might work on the NX5 so keeping these running aren’t so bad anymore. $12,000 is a decent price too. The later NX5s I’ve seen lately have sold for more.
Collin, I’m really interested in any info regarding nla parts, cranks in particular. Can you provide some details?
Talk to Leonard, he may have other things available not shown on the site.
http://www.tso.us.com/parts-book/honda/0250rs250/1998/3_part_pages/e_08.asp