Honda Cbr250r Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Honda Cbr250r options? We analyzed 3 model years (2011–2013) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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Model-year trends show patterns — they can't tell you whether this car was crashed, flooded, or rolled back. A VIN check can.
- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Honda Cbr250r has 13 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls across model years 2011–2013. The most reported issue area is ENGINE.
- Make
- Honda
- Model
- Cbr250r
- Model years analyzed
- 2011–2013 (3 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 13
- Safety recall campaigns
- 0
- Crash-related complaints
- 1
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2012 (11 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Good
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
NCAP crash test ratings for this model are not yet loaded or this vehicle was not tested in the years analyzed. NHTSA tests a subset of new vehicles each year. Check nhtsa.gov/ratings directly for the latest results.
What the complaint data suggests
GoodThe HONDA CBR250R has 13 NHTSA complaints and 0 recalls on record. 1 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 13 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 0 federal recall campaigns
- 1 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
0 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
No NHTSA recalls were found in our database for this model. Always verify open recalls using your specific VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2011–2013. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 13 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
13 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA CBR250R MOTORCYCLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.
ENGINE STALLS OUT WHEN DOWNSHIFTING, PARTICULARLY AT THE MOMENT WHEN THROTTLE IS RELEASED AND CLUTCH IS DISENGAGED. IT SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO THE REPORTED INCIDENT ALREADY ON FILE WITH NHTSA FOR THE KAWASAKI NINJA 300 (HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2013/06/24/KAWASAKI-FACES-N-H-T-S-A-INQUIRY-OVER-POSSIBLE-STALLING-ISSUE/). THE ENGINE STALLING HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 WEEKS. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PURCHASED NEW AT MISSION MOTORCYCLES IN DALY CITY IN MARCH 2013. THE BIKE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER ON JULY 3RD TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. DEALER REPORTED "THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE", THEREFORE NOTHING COULD BE DONE. I FEEL THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE THE ENGINE STALL WHILE DOWNSHIFTING AND HOPE NHTSA INVESTIGATES THIS MATTER. FURTHER REPORTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH THE HONDA CBR250R CAN BE FOUND AT THESE FORUM: HTTP://WWW.CBR250.NET/FORUM/CBR250-PROBLEMS-ISSUES/2100-MY-CBR250S-ENGINE-TURNS-OFF-WHEN-DOWNSHIFTING.HTML. *TR
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON A COUNTY ROAD, GOING STRAIGHT ABOUT 55 MPH, MY BACK WHEEL LOCKED UP, WITH NO WARNING. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PUSH IT OFF THE ROAD BUT THE BACK WHEEL WILL NOT TURN FOR ANY REASON AND THE CLUTCH IS ALSO EXTREMELY LOOSE NOW.
THE PART THAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM IS A KNOWN SOFTWARE PROBLEM ON THE BIKE AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE BIKE IS STALLING AND CUTTING POWER WHILE I AM RIDING OR AT A STOP, IT SEEMS TO BE RANDOM. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I RIDE, HOWEVER, AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE OTHER NIGHT MY BIKE JUST SHUT OFF WHILE CARS WERE FOLLOWING ME AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND I WAS NEARLY HIT. THIS CAUSED THE OTHER MOTORISTS TO BECOME ANGRY WITH ME AND NEARLY PUT ME IN A TERRIBLE SCENARIO. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG CBR250 OWNERS AND IT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY HONDA. THERE ARE A TON OF VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER RIDERS AND YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW DANGEROUS IT IS. THE MOTORCYCLE ONLY HAS 2K MILES ON IT AND I HAVE CHECKED ALL FLUID LEVELS SO I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TROUBLES. AGAIN, IT IS HAPPENING FAR TOO OFTEN, SOMETIMES MULTIPLE TIMES IN A SINGLE 10 MILE TRIP. IT MAKES ME NOT WANT TO RIDE THE BIKE, WHICH IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AT THE MOMENT. HONDA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT AND SUES THEM OR, EVEN WORSE, LOSES THEIR LIFE. IT SHOULD BE EASY ENOUGH FOR HONDA TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, AS THIS IS SUCH A POPULAR BIKE. IF THEY DO NOT, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO FACE THE CONSEQUENCES AS SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN DUE TO THIS PROBLEM.
MOTORCYCLE WILL STALL INADVERTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT. THIS WEEK, IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE. SEVERAL TIMES THE WEEK BEFORE AND I DOUBT I AM THE ONLY PERSON EXPERIENCING THIS BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=R51AHFOFVOK MY STALLING IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE VIDEO ABOVE. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND CAN POSSIBLY BE DEADLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CBR250R. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE MOTOR SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5.
Read 7 more owner reports
BASICALLY WHEN YOU DOWNSHIFT ON THE BIKE NO MATTER WHAT SPEED OR GEAR IT WILL JUST SHUT OFF EVEN WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PULLED IN. IT DOESN'T DO IT EVERY TIME BUT IT WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TIME I RIDE. *JS
I WAS GOING AT ABOUT 30MPH IN MODERATE TRAFFIC ON MY MOTORCYCLE, AND HAD TO USE THE FRICTION ZONE ON THE CLUTCH A LOT. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN I DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY, AND ALSO CLOSE THE THROTTLE (TO NOT GIVE THE MOTORCYCLE ANY ADDITIONAL GAS), THE ENGINE WILL CUT OFF AND DIE COMPLETED. USUALLY, WITH CLUTCH DISENGAGED AND GAS OFF, IT WOULD IDLE AT 1500RPM AND THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD CONTINUE TO ROLL. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DIED (0RPM, TWISTING THROTTLE DOESN'T DO ANYTHING), AND IT WOULD NOT START UP QUICKLY ENOUGH. SINCE I STOPPED GOING FORWARD BECAUSE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START, I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A CAR, BUT IT WAS NOT TOO SERIOUS OF AN INJURY. MY HONDA CBR250R HAS DONE THIS A LOT OF TIMES, THOUGH USUALLY I WOULD BE ABLE TO START THE ENGINE QUICKLY ENOUGH BY PRESSING THE START SWITCH AGAIN. HOWEVER, IT IS DEFECTIVE SINCE THE ENGINE DIES RANDOMLY IF I DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH AND ALLOW THE ENGINE TO IDLE. *JS
2012 HONDA CBR 250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MOTORCYCLES FAILED TO START. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SECOND OCCURRENCE, WHICH WAS SEPTEMBER 2012, THE MUFFLER FELL OFF THE BIKE, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE MUFFLER MAY HAVE VIBRATED LOOSE. OCTOBER 5, 2012, THE MOTORCYCLE WOULD NOT START. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED, WHICH THE CONSUMER DID NOT REQUEST. NOVEMBER 2012, THE BIKE FAILED TO START. FEBRUARY 2013, THE CONSUMERS SON REPLACED THE FULLY CHARGED BATTERY, BUT THE BIKE STILL WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMERS SON WAS TOLD TO CONTINUE TO ATTEMPT TO START THE BIKE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS, A STRANGE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE BIKE. LATER, THAT AFTERNOON, THE CONSUMERS SON RECEIVED A CALL, INFORMING HIM THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A BLOWN SPARK PLUG. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A RESULT OF TRYING TO START IT TOO MANY TIMES. THE CONSUMERS SON STATED HE WAS ONLY FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS HE WAS GIVEN. ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 11, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SALES MANAGER, WHO INFORMED HER, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE TANK/FUEL LINE. HE SUGGESTED HER SON LEFT THE BIKE OUTSIDE AND UNPROTECTED, WHICH IS HOW WATER ENTERED THE TANK/FUEL LINE.
SLOWING DOWN DOWNSHIFTING THE ENGINE TURNS OFF AND ALL DASH DISPLAY DEAD. KEY OFF/ KEY ON ENGINE STARTS FINE. 2400KM HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES. BIKE GOING TO SHOP FOR WARRANTY REPAIR. *TR
ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN DOWNSHIFTING OR GETTING READY TO TAKE OFF FROM STOP. *TR
WHEN COLD THE BIKE STARTS AND THEN THE IDLE INCREASES TO 4000-5000 RPM AND STAYS UNTIL THE THROTTLE IS OPENED AND CLOSED. NORMAL IDLE SHOULD BE 1500+/-. *TR
SINCE AROUND 550 MILES(MOTORCYCLE NOW HAS 637 MILES) MY MOTORCYCLE HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY STALLING WHILE PULLING IN CLUTCH TO DOWNSHIFT. I LET OFF OF THROTTLE, PULL IN CLUTCH TO DOWNSHIFT AND THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING ANYWHERE FROM 45-60 MILES AN HOUR. THIS MACHINE WILL ALSO STALL ON FIRST START 99% OF THE TIME AND HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE. SEEMS THE STALLING ISSUES ARE RELATED, BECAUSE THE STALLING WHILE RIDING DID NOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE STALLING ON START UP STARTED FIRST. DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC TELLS ME THAT HONDA HAS NO FIX FOR THIS ISSUE AND DOESN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS AN ISSUE. EVEN THOUGH, HONDA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS STALLING PROBLEM, SINCE 2011 WHEN SOME OF THOSE OWNERS FIRST STARTED TO COMPLAIN. CURRENTLY I HAVE HAD MY BIKE INTO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE NOW WITH NO RESOLVE. I HAVE VIDEO PROOF OF THE ENGINE STALLING ON START UP, BUT APPARENTLY THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. *TR
Showing 13 of 13 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Honda Cbr250r
These pages show model-year patterns across 3 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Honda Cbr250r, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Honda Cbr250r has 13 complaints on record across 3 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Honda Cbr250r has 0 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 1 of the Honda Cbr250r's 13 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Good) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Honda Cbr250r vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Honda Cbr250r vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Honda Cbr250r has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Honda Cbr250r.
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Honda Cbr250r reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Honda Cbr250r reliable?
Good. The Honda Cbr250r has 13 NHTSA owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Honda Cbr250r years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2012 (11 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Honda Cbr250r problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (12 complaints); VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (4 complaints); FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (2 complaints).
Does the Honda Cbr250r have recalls?
No NHTSA recall campaigns are currently on record for the Honda Cbr250r. Always verify with a VIN check as recalls can be added at any time.