Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 First Ride Review

I'd like to start off with a disclaimer. I ride a Yamaha, drive a Honda, my television and sound system are Sony, fridge Hitachi, microwave and washing machine Panasonic and watches mostly Casio. You get the drift. If it's Japanese, it's already earned my respect. When Suzuki launched it's first single cylinder, 250 cc, fully faired motorcycle in India, it was a reason to celebrate. It had been 9 long years since the launch of the CBR 250R and we were yet to see a fully faired single cylinder motorcycle by a Japanese manufacturer in this segment. The drought was finally over. I knew this bike would be special. I knew there would be hours and hours of Kaizen, Kanban and JIT put into it. I knew I had to try it out. Thankfully, the guys at Dream Suzuki, Andheri West obliged with a test ride. So here's my first impression of the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250.

Starting off with the way it looks. To me, the SF 250 looks like the love child of a Katana and a mid 2000s Gixxer 600 (Dhoom sidekick fame). The full led headlamp merges well with the face of the bike which is crowned by a short, Aprilia Tuono style windscreen. The clip ons go on to add to the sporty stance and design. With just the right amount of cuts and creases on the side panels and that neatly integrated led taillamp, this 250 looks ultra modern and at the same time not disturbing to the naked eye. The negavtive lcd dashboard looks impressively cool and displays information clearly even in bright sunlight. Apart from crafty essentials like trip and odometers, gear position indicator and clock, this dash also comes with a shift light. Suzuki have also thrown in their one touch easy start system just to pamper the rider that extra bit on engine startup. The only downer for me is that the motorcycle comes in only two colour options: matte black and matte silver. I only hope that Suzuki adds glossy variants and that stunning Ecstar Suzuki MotoGP livery to this Gixxer SF 250 line up soon. 

Straddle the motorcycle and you realise how ergonomically pleasing this motorcycle is. Your feet reach the ground well. The riding position is only as sporty as is needed to give you a commanding riding position. It is not overtly sporty as is the case with the Yamaha R15 v3. Your knees tuck in well into the tank giving you a good grip on the bike. Overall this riding position is apt for a multitude of purposes from city streets to national highways or even the racetrack. The mirrors open out wide enough to give you a clear view of enthusiastic drivers and riders approaching you from behind. The pillion seat is wider than what we have been used to seeing on fully faired sports bikes in the past and the pillion also gets grab bars that neatly integrate into the frame.

Coming to the heart of the matter. This is an all new 249cc, single cylinder, 4 valve, fuel injected, oil cooled, SOHC motor developed by Suzuki specifically for India. The motor churns out a healthy 26.5 PS @ 9000 RPM and 22.6 NM of torque @ 7500 RPM. So what's new in this set up? Well for starters, Suzuki is so confident of their new oil cooling system that they have done away with the engine air fins completely. The exterior of the engine makes you think that this is a liquid cooled unit. Suzuki also claim to have bits of MotoGP technology trickle down into this quarter litre motor. Also, this is the only oil cooled motorcycle in this segment offering 6 gears. The Yamahas and Apaches come with 5. Don't get deceived by the peaky looking spec sheet, this motor is actually quite linear in its power delivery. The motorcycle pulls cleanly off the line, surprises you with its mid range and continues to race smoothly towards its redline without any sign of stress or struggle. Again, this rev happy characteristic is unlike other oil cooled motorcycles which beg you for an upshift once past the mid range. With great power comes the need for great brakes and Suzuki have not disappointed here as well. The bike comes with discs at the front and rear and the brakes provide a good initial bite and back it up with great progression and feedback giving the rider a precise estimate on the braking distance required. Moreover, the safety net of dual channel ABS gives you the confidence to push harder knowing that Japanese electronics have got your back. 

Have Suzuki nailed it with the Gixxer SF 250 then? Has the long wait been worthwhile? Does this motorcycle pack enough to build upon the legacy of the Katana, the GSX-R and the Hayabusa and take it forward in its segment? Well, unfortunately, not quite. For starters, it's a heavy motorcycle. You feel the weight almost instantly as soon as you sit across it. More than the total weight, it's the placement of this weight that's bothersome. Well whom are we kidding? This is a 250cc motor strapped on to a 150cc diamond frame which has been fortified from the front to bear the extra stress. This puts a lot of weight on the front end and the motorcycle feels lazy and lethargic to steer. Quick direction changes need some prior planning and significantly more inputs at the handlebars, making it a tiresome experience to carve through fast moving city traffic. What adds to the city stress is the clutch pull which is on the heavier side. A slip and assist clutch is desperately needed here. 

Then comes the most important thing in a motorcycle to me: character. This motorcycle retails at 2.01 lakhs on road Mumbai. Anyone spending that kind of money on a motorcycle is looking for more purpose from it. Take the KTM Dukes and RCs for example, they are purpose built for performance on the street and on the track respectively. The dinosaur in the room, the Honda CBR 250R is purpose built for touring. Hell, even the Royal Enfields in that price range are purpose built for easy riding and building bonds with mechanics. That sense of purpose is missing from the Gixxer SF 250 and unfortunately, it's not a quick fix. Suzuki will really have to go back to the drawing board and redesign this motorcycle ground up starting from the chassis itself. Till then, it will remain that friendly neighbourhood motorcycle that is good at everything but great at nothing. A quick fix Suzuki? Just get the GSX-R 150 to India unchanged. The Yamaha R-15 has had a free run for over a decade now. It's time you pulled off an Alex Rins on Valentino Rossi in Austin 2019. You know what I mean. Eagerly awaiting. Ciao!