Honda Twinstar Rebel 250 Nighthawk 250 1978–2003 Service Manual (P/N 0-89287-849-5)

• Exact model coverage: Honda CM185T Twinstar (1978-1979), CM200T Twinstar (1980-1982), CM250C (1982-1983), CMX250C Rebel 250 (1985-1987 and 1996-2003), CMX250CD Limited (1986), and CB250 Nighthawk 250 (1991-2002). No motorcycles in this series were produced for 1984 or 1988-1990.
• Document identity: A 307-page PDF of Clymer manual no. M324-5, fifth edition, second printing (April 2004). This is an independent Clymer service and repair manual, not a Honda factory publication.
• Engine coverage reaches from removal and installation through cylinder-head, camshaft, rocker-arm, valve, cam-chain, cylinder, piston, oil-pump, crankcase, crankshaft, connecting-rod, alternator, and kickstarter repair, with inspection limits and break-in guidance after overhaul.
• Clutch and transmission sections detail wet multi-plate clutch removal, inspection, and assembly; the Rebel-specific judder spring; in-frame external shift-mechanism service; four-speed and five-speed gearbox teardown; and gearshift drum and fork inspection.
• Fuel-system chapters distinguish the slide-valve carburetors on 185/200 models from the CV carburetors used on the 250s, then cover cleaning, inspection, reassembly, float and accelerator-pump adjustment, choke and pilot circuits, fuel-tank service, exhaust removal, and model-specific emissions equipment.
• Electrical diagnosis separates early charging and breaker-point ignition from later regulator/rectifier and CDI/ICM systems. It covers alternator tests, ignition coils and pulse generators, starter and interlock circuits, lighting and switches, plus year-specific wiring diagrams.
• Chassis repair includes drum and disc brakes, master-cylinder service and hydraulic bleeding, wheel and hub work, steering-head bearings, telescopic-fork disassembly, swingarm and shock service, and both chain- and belt-drive rear-wheel arrangements.

Clymer wrote the procedures for readers who may be working on the bike for the first time; the manual is well suited to mechanically capable owners, but it flags press work, precision measurement, caliper rebuilding, valve-guide replacement, and pressed-crankshaft repair as jobs for an equipped shop.

Variant-Specific Repair Information

All covered machines use an air-cooled SOHC parallel twin with a chain-driven camshaft, but the book identifies the displacement and construction differences that change repair work. Displacement ranges from 181 cc on the 185 models to 234 cc on the 250s. On 1978-1983 motorcycles the engine is a stressed frame member; beginning with the 1985 models, it sits in a semi-double-cradle frame. Rebel 250 models have a five-speed transmission, while the other covered models use a four-speed unit. The electrical sections also distinguish the 6-volt systems used through 1980 from the 12-volt systems fitted from 1981 onward.

The CMX250C and CMX250CD Limited differ only in striping, nameplates, and other appearance items, so the same mechanical procedures apply. A dedicated 1991-and-later supplement records the changes for later Rebel and Nighthawk models, including sealed batteries, Nighthawk charging-system checks, ICM ignition, clutch/sidestand/neutral starting interlocks, and the left-side front brake disc used on later Rebels. When a late-model procedure is unchanged, the supplement directs the reader back to the main chapter rather than duplicating it.

The 1983 CM250C is the belt-drive exception. The manual warns that lubricants and petroleum-based cleaners damage that belt; the remaining covered motorcycles use chain drive. During top-end repair, the cylinder head and camshaft must be removed only at room temperature to avoid warpage. These model-specific cautions matter when parts and procedures look similar at first glance.

Illustrations, Test Data, and Tooling

The repair text is paired with hundreds of photographs, numbered drawings, and exploded views. Particularly useful examples include the Rebel 250 Clutch Assembly, 5-Speed Transmission Assembly, CM185T/CM200T Carburetor Assembly, Rebel 250 Starting System, Rebel 250 Front Fork Assembly, and Front Master Cylinder and Brake Hose view. Full wiring diagrams are provided for the CM185T, each CM200T year, the 1982-1983 CM250C, 1985-1987 CMX250C/1986 CMX250CD, 1991-2002 CB250, and 1996-2003 CMX250C.

Quick-reference pages and end-of-chapter tables provide component-specific torque specifications, capacities and lubricants, wear limits, clearances, compression and tune-up data, carburetor settings, brake and suspension measurements, and electrical output, resistance, and continuity test values. Measurements are presented in both U.S. and metric units.

Special tools are identified where the repair calls for them. Examples include Honda flywheel pullers 07733-002000 and 07733-002001 (with K&N 82-0100 listed as an equivalent), fork-seal driver 07747-0010100 with model-specific attachments, and shock-compression tool 07959-3290001 with the applicable holder or attachment. The sealed rear-shock damper itself is replacement-only, and the book directs caliper rebuilding to a brake specialist.

Securely support the motorcycle before wheel or suspension work and disconnect the battery before ignition or electrical disassembly. Compressed shock springs and hydraulic brake components require the specified equipment, clean working practices, and the safety precautions given in the manual.