Suzuki GSX-250 R test

Menus

• The everyday sportswoman
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• On the highway
• On departmental
• Braking
• Comfort / duo
• Pneumatic
• Convenient
• Consumption
• Conclusion
• Suzuki GSX-250 R video test

The everyday sportswoman

There was a time when the under 20s knew each year the arrival of a new sporting evolution, with a rotation every two years, between small displacement (600) and large (1000). What can we say today about these small cars which have almost all disappeared except Yam with his R6 and the euro3 version of the ZX6R. On the other hand, the very small displacements arrive in versions 250 or even 300, as well on the roadster side, as trail and especially sporty. And that is good news and not only for A2 licenses which are also aimed at these motorcycles. Suzuki follows suit with its GSX 250 R … Test drive of a 25 horsepower sports car…

Discovery

Frankly, the GSX 250 R impresses. From a distance, next to a bigger one, we would give it almost its 500 or 600 cm3, especially in the face of the miniaturization of the bigger ones. Closer, no doubt, it’s too big to be just a 125. In short, it imposes, especially in its full replica livery of the models entered in the World Endurance Championship and in MotoGP. If the small ones often have their own look, the GSXR 250 has a sporty look with a larger displacement and that is rewarding for its owner. It will not – too much – the impression of being fair on a 250, especially when stationary, it attracts attention.

Under the plumage, we find the engine which previously fitted the Inazuma 250. If it is not a lightning of war a priori, there are 25 horses with a breaker at 11,500 rpm, enough to tease the horses. at the top of the tachometer. There are even petal discs, like on the biggest sports cars. She has the coconut look !

The finish is there, both in terms of the quality of the paints, the plastics, or the exhaust rather rewarding but not exuberant (we would dream of the same on other models with an ideal size and not my tough guy). Only the rear light would have deserved better and is reminiscent of other lights of the brand.

In the saddle

Who says small displacement does not necessarily mean, dwarf motorcycle. The GSX-R 250 is no exception to the rule and is at the same height as many sports cars with a saddle culminating at 790 mm. Suddenly, the 1.70m pilot will barely put his feet on the ground, but fortunately, it remains relatively light with its 181 kilos fully loaded; a relative lightness since many 600 were even under this weight, but with 75 more horsepower.

It may be the meter that makes rikiki here with a fully digital screen, but which offers all the information, including baregraph tachometer, speedometer, gear engaged, fuel gauge, clock, partial double trip and a shifter that is adjusted. In other words, we can tell it at what engine speed, it should start flashing to encourage shifting to the next gear. We can of course deactivate it completely.

With the warning, everything is there.

The bust barely bends to put the hands on the handlebars. It is a little more leaning forward than a roadster, but we are very far from the habits of sportswomen with broken wrists. Nothing like it here and the position is almost natural.

Contact

The 248cc almost snorts in a deep sound. There, either, it is not a rattling noise which greets the pilot (we are on a sports car, so it is necessarily a pilot). The box is a bit rough, but compared to other brands in this capacity and perfectly comfortable on a daily basis. The gears are mounted on the fly and you just have to be a little more respectful when lowering the gears..

In the city

Who says small displacement often says, ballerina in traffic. In fact, we must above all stay in line. The turning radius first is poor and then the mirrors are just at the same height as those of the cars. As a result, it is less easy to pass between the lines than with a larger motorcycle. In short, you have to be careful. The starts at the red light are on the other hand worthy of a race start and the reports can be linked much too quickly in town. In fact, if we respect the legal speeds, we could even stay in second gear, without being in the red zone. At best, some will pass third gear, just not to flash the shifter set too low. However, after two weeks in the city, driving is nevertheless possible or even easy. It is easily released from the flow of traffic and allows anyway to be much too fast. And its small size (apart from the mirrors) make it a toy in town. The engine accepts however to wind in the sixth and last gear at 1,500 rpm, at only 30 km / h, which makes it rather a versatile toy. Better, the GEX accepts to simply wind on idle at 25 km / h. It’s hard to be more flexible and it doesn’t even hit. Obviously on the other hand, the recovery is a little soft then.

On the highway

This is the big difference with a 125. There, where the 125 arrives at the end of the motorway race and struggles to climb in the towers, the 250 arrives quietly and directly inquires the 130 km / h to go then titillate the 140 counter enough quickly (i.e. 130 real). And well launched, handle by knock, it does not even break systematically. Stability is excellent at this speed and allows large curves at the same pace, with a healthy chassis. We can then slip partially behind the bubble which protects well at this admirable speed.

On departmental

You immediately have the impression of being a pilot on the handlebars of the GSX-R 250 and you have to look down to see that you are only at 80 km / h. The sensations provided on the handlebars are immediate with an engine that goes up briskly in the towers. The third takes place at 100, then each following gear at 10 km / h more with the fourth at 110 and the fifth at 120 (on national suddenly). If the first 4,000 rev / min are rather calm, the engine begins to take its turns towards 5,000 then finally really breathes from 6,500-7,000 and does not let go until 11,000 r / min. However, it is not completely anemic under 5,000 rpm and thus allows a fairly wide usable speed range for the beginner and a little tighter for the pilot who will extract all the quintessence between 7.000 and 11,000.

Braking

The GSX-R 250 brakes well with a pretty good feeling, all with discreet Bosh signed ABS. We are now far from the bite of the upper category and this will obviously be for the comfort of the A2 rider who will not risk being surprised, including in the rain. But in any case, it’s gradual and it gives you confidence.

Comfort / duo

In the sports category, it is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable if we compare it to some 600. The shock absorber is rather flexible and even the backs of donkeys can be caught in a a little violent way without having the impression to be on a trampoline. The fork plunges a little on very strong braking but nothing destabilizing.

Pneumatic

IRCs do the job in the dry and you can take a lot of angle without worry. In the wet, Mr Hyde becomes Doctor Jekill and will bring his share of fear, unless you force to go really cool, especially on the white lines and whatnot naturally slippery of the pavement..

Convenient

We are talking about a sportswoman so we will not talk about carrying capacity, especially since there is just enough to place a small disc unit under the saddle, or even the famous mandatory yellow vest. As for the disc block, we can not even slip it into a disc precisely, but at best in the sticks of the wheel.

Consumption

The first stick of the fuel gauge does not descend until 140 km and each of the following sticks every 60 km. In normal use, with a city, peri-urban mix, consumption is 3.6 liters. You really have to step up the pace to get it to increase consumption to more than 4 or even 4.5 liters per hundred, which means that with the 15-liter tank (yes, 15 liters), you can do more than 400 kilometers at its edge, without having tested the 480 km announced by the manufacturer … And with its relative comfort, perhaps in one go and more !

Conclusion

The 250 are in the process of rediscovering their letters of nobility with these small models which do not fart very high but which we would not even have looked at a few years ago. This is the way to have fun without being afraid with a machine that is homogeneous and rewarding on the outside while allowing yourself to earn your pilot’s stripes. Remains the price, at 5399 euros (in black, 5499 € in replica), problem of all these small displacements, which are not finally any more very far from certain models of superior displacement in 500, even 600. But for those which always dreamed sporty and pleasant on a daily basis, even to make the majority of the urban happiness is in the 250.

Strong points

• look: all great
• toy
• flexible motor

Weak points

• IRC tire grip in the wet
• weight, but which is in fact forgotten in reality

The GSX-250 R technical sheet

Test conditions

• Itinerary: small varied roads + interurban highways with a bit of town
• Motorcycle mileage: 300 km

Suzuki GSX-250 R video test

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