HONDA CB250SC Nighthawk (1995-1996) Specs, Performance & Photos

In 1996, Honda launched the CB250SC Nighthawk, a standard motorcycle part of the CB series in Honda's range, in its sixth year of production that didn't bring any changes whatsoever. The bike was still powered by the engine used on the 1985-1987 CMX250 Rebel, updated with new wiring, new components, a larger carburetor, a new valve cover, and a reshaped cylinder head.

The Nighthawk was a lightweight, maneuverable, inexpensive, and easy-to-maintain motorcycle that was also used by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) motorcycle training. With its small size and low seat height, the bike was popular amongst riders of smaller stature.

Also, compared to the Honda Rebel 250, which offered similar specifications, the CB250SC Nighthawk was considered a standard street motorcycle for urban street use.

The bike rolled out from the manufacturing plant wearing standard features, such as a chromed dual exhaust system, a wide handlebar, a one-piece dual seat, a round headlight with a chromed ring, a black-finished steel frame, and wire-spoked wheels.

For suspension, the bike packed a 31 mm telescopic fork on the front and dual shock absorbers with five-way preload adjustability on the rear, while the braking performance was handled by two 152 drum units both front and rear.

In the powerplant department, the 1996 Honda CB250SC Nighthawk had its soul brought to life by a 239cc four-stroke twin-cylinder air-cooled engine fed by two Keihin carburetors that helped deliver an output power of 20 hp with maximum strength at 9,000 rpm and 18 Nm (13 lb-ft) of torque available at 6,500 rpm.