1996年Honda NSR 250R

Honda NSR 250R-SP

The 1995 NSR SP changed it's colors to the HRC tri-colors with carbon fiber like stickers and it's high grip Michelin tires to celebrate Mick Doohan's 1994 GP 500 Championship. There are only a few of these bikes around as Honda again limited these bikes to a brief production run of 1,500 units. Therefore they hold there value strongly too. In 1996 there were no mechanical changes for the NSR's only new colors for the new models. The standard R model was discontinued and now there were only two types available.

The SE model with the dry clutch and it's fully adjustable cartridge type front suspension and rear adjustable damper. Plus the SP version in full Repsol colors. Honda had produced a large amount of early MC28 NSR's ( 1994-1995 ) They were having difficulties selling them off so in 1996 the amount of NSR's built were reduced. 1996 colors were available in Ross white and sparkling red with yellow accents, the other choice was in Ross white and violet with yellow accents that were the reversed colors of the other SE colors. SE model NSR's were priced at 720,000 Yen and there were no more color changes for the SE NSR's until their end of production in May 1999. 1996 was also the last year for the SP to be sold in the world. It was released in striking Repsol colors to once again celebrate Mick Doohan's 2nd consecutive world championship in the GP 500 class.

These wonderful Repsol SP bikes were limited to only 1,000 bikes so getting your hands on one is probably a good investment if you can find one for sale. These SP bikes were priced at 800,000 Yen due to there pricey and light weight wheels in black. NSR's were still selling for 1997 and 1998 but they were loosing popularity.

The racer replica boom was coming to an end with younger people preferring American style cruisers or Café racers in Japan. Sales for the NSR's were down and newly introduced laws in Japan that restricted current two stroke emissions led to Honda canceling the NSR for street sales. Who knows what could have been had Honda continued with the NSR. One of the greatest racing bikes in all of history.