Honda has officially unveiled the new NSF250R Moto3 250cc four-stroke racer with Executive Vice-President Shuhei Nakamoto and Project Development leader Yoshiyuki Kurayoshi of Honda Racing Corporation doing the honours this afternoon at Montmelo.
The NSF250R will be available for purchase for € 23,600 starting from December 2011.
Here’s Honda’s press release with technical specs: The NSF250 engine was developed exclusively for road racing, to ensure superior quality and greater potential for commercial racing machine.
With a development concept of “lightweight, compact, high output and efficiency,” numerous technological advances were introduced to create an engine befitting a racing machine.
The DOHC single-cylinder 249cc engine demonstrates a racing machine’s power delivery and response, with intake from front and exhaust to rear to improve air charging efficiency, and a cylinder tilted back 15 degrees to concentrate the engine’s mass, primarily to improve its stability.
In order to deliver ample power into the high rpm range, the DOHC system incorporates titanium valves for both intake and exhaust (Honda patented).
“The new design also offers improved air charging efficiency along with ram-air intake, thanks to the straight intake port and throttle body with 50-mm diameter bore.
In shaft layout, the balancer shaft is placed above the crankshaft to make the engine shorter and concentrate the mass.
”“The NSF250R’s frame is based on the RS125R’s proven unit.
To optimise the rigidity in balance and torsion of a 4-stroke engine, frame specifications were determined from actual riding tests and CAE analysis.
For the front engine hanger and the main pipe section, optimum balance was achieved mainly by enhancing torsional rigidity.
“A newly configured swing-arm and frame body also resulted in a structure allowing smooth torsional characteristics.
On the whole, stability during braking is improved, and a leeway and nimbleness during cornering exceeding those of the RS125R is ensured.
The frame offers superb handling so that riders will not feel the weight increase of a 4-stroke engine, even when approaching corners.
”Spain’s first MotoGP world champion Alex Criville will complete demo laps on the bike during this weekend’s Catalunya Grand Prix.
Honda Racing Corporation will launch the NSF250R, a newly developed machine for the Moto3 class that will be added to the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix (WGP) in 2012.
Sales of the new vehicle are planned to start in December 2011.
In developing the NSF250R, Honda took the “Next Racing Standard” as its development concept and reaped the benefits of racing technology cultivated in the RS125R, thereby achieving a high-level combination of outstanding controllability and racing competitiveness.
The liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, single cylinder, DOHC, 249 cc engine was specifically designed for Moto3 to be lightweight and compact while delivering high output.
To achieve this high output together with excellent responsiveness, the machine incorporates a front-intake/rear-exhaust configuration with high charging efficiency, while adopting a layout with the cylinder tilted back 15° to concentrate mass.
To ensure power delivery all the way through to the high rpm range, the NSF250R adopts titanium valves for both the intake and exhaust to reduce friction.
Furthermore, the design reduces friction between piston and cylinder and improves durability by offsetting the cylinder centerline and applying nickel silicon carbide (Ni-SiC) for the cylinder surface treatment.
The easily replaceable cassette design selected for the close-ratio 6-speed transmission, allows gear selection to be optimized over a large variety of racing circuits.
The frame ensures a degree of freedom in cornering and nimbleness that matches and goes beyond the RS125R by revising the rigidity balance and the shape while inheriting the compactness of the RS125R.
Even though the basic structure of the front and rear suspension is the same as the RS125R, the NSF250R-exclusive settings produce a machine with excellent riding stability.
The cowling makes the NSF250R the equal of the RS125R in aerodynamic performance, while a cooling duct on the under cowl improves the engine’s cooling performance.
As a new-generation road racing machine that complies with Moto3 regulations, the NSF250R will help revitalize road racing while meeting the expectations of road racers.
Honda NSF250R Technical Specifications:Model name : NSF250RModel type: MR03Overall length × Overall width × Overall height(m) : 1.
809×0.
560×1.
037Wheelbase(m): 1.
219Ground clearance(m): 0.
107Seat height(m): 0.
729Caster angle(degree) :22°36″Curb weight(kg) : 84Fuel tank capacity(l): 11Engine type: liquid-cooled 4-stroke DOHC single cylinderDisplacement（cm3）: 249.
3Bore × Stroke(mm): 78.
0×52.
2Maximum power（kW/rpm）: 35.
5/13,000Maximum torque(N･m/rpm) 28.
0/10,500Oil Capacity (ENG OIL/T.
M OIL) (l): 1.
27/0.
55Transmission Type:Constant meshGear ratio: 1st 1.
875; 2nd 1.
524; 3rd 1.
304; 4th 1.
167; 5th 1.
077; 6th 1.
000Reduction gear ratio: Primary 2.
952; Secondary 2.
333Devices (Intake): IACVFuel supply system: PGM-FIIgnition type: Full-transistorClutch type: Wet multiplateLubricating type: Semi-Dry SumpTire size Front: 90/580R17Rear:120/600R17Rim size: Front 2.
50-17; Rear 3.
50-17Brake: Front Type Hydraulic disk – Diameter:φ296 – Rear Type: Hydraulic disk – Diameter φ186Suspension Front:Inverted telescopicRear:Pro-link suspension systemFrame type: Aluminum twin tube