Introduced for the 1988 model year, this Honda 250 was part of the late-1980s NX dual-purpose family and was aimed at riders who wanted a lighter, more road-friendly machine with off-pavement styling and capability. It arrived during a period when Honda was reshaping its small-displacement lineup, and contemporary road tests show it was already on sale in 1988. U.S. model-year records also list the nameplate for 1989, and period coverage indicates it remained in the lineup through the 1990 model year before disappearing from the market.
The model has become notable as one of Honda’s more distinctive small dual-sports from that era: compact, practical, and considerably less common than the company’s longer-running trail and commuter bikes. Its appeal today is largely enthusiast-driven, thanks to its unusual place in Honda history and the fact that it was only offered for a brief run. This nameplate did not go through a later revival under the same exact marketed model name, so its history is best understood as a single production period from the late 1980s into 1990.