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Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 – All you need to know

Clare Louise 3 years ago 3 min read

The 250cc motorcycle segment has been growing over the last few years, with a lot of manufacturers coming up with their own offerings in the 250cc segment. Suzuki too, with the new Gixxer SF 250, has entered the space and the brand hopes to accomplish what it did with the smaller-capacity naked Gixxer 150, for it was this very motorcycle that changed the fate of the brand after all its previous unsuccessful offerings. We can’t think of an entry-level motorcycle that has been as good as the Gixxer. Let’s see what the SF 250 is all about.

A sharp Suzuki

Suzuki Bikes have come up with a sharp-looking motorcycle, with the SF 250. The styling of most of these entry-level Japanese bikes resembles baby versions of the flagship litre-class offerings. The Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 takes some inspiration from the previous-generation GSXR-1000. When viewed from the front, you’ll notice some similarities. The Suzuki Gixxer SF250 features a new LED headlamp, looking like a trident and perhaps the sharpest design element on this bike. The mid section is mildly elevated while either ends of the light partly flow on to the sides. The bottom half of the headlamp tapers nicely, giving one the impression of a beak. It even gets a tiny chin spoiler, inspired by MotoGP motorcycles. The fairing appears wider too, and the reason behind this visual girth is because of how the fairing extends from the headlamp to the tank which looks similar to ones seen on previous Gixxer models. Those carved out impressions always help when it comes to getting a good grip of the bike. Instead of smoked-out bits, it now gets body-coloured panels in between the fairing and the tank. Suzuki Bikes are selling the SF 250 in two colours: silver and matte-black. We found the black to be stealthy. The tail section gets some tweaks, and features an LED tail lamp. Even the split seat is new. The new Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 continues to have chrome on the exhaust, but it seems to be of a better quality now. The bike comes equipped with a fully-digital LCD backlit display that is quite simple to look at and provides necessary information that includes a tachometer above, a section in the middle that shows the speed, a gear position indicator, a clock and a fuel gauge.

Japanese power

Suzuki says the SF 250 is more of a ‘sports tourer’ and develops the same figures as KTM’s 250 Duke. The SF 250 is powered by a 249cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine, featuring fuel-injection with a four-valve, SOHC head. The motor produces 26bhp and 22.6Nm of torque; these aren’t particularly impressive figures but better Yamaha’s FZ25. The motor loves being revved and mated to the engine is a 6-speed transmission; we still wish it came with a slipper clutch though. We managed a top speed of 150kph and the bike seemed to have gotten there without much effort. It won’t go any faster than that though, but the bike cruises well at around 120kph. The SF 250 isn’t an out-and-out track bike and that’s a good thing since it can be used by riders new to biking.

In terms of handling, the bike feels neutral. It is not aggressive during turn-ins but if you’ve got the skill, the bike can lean well. The frame used on the bike is the same as the one used on the previous models, albeit with some changes that include a broader central tube and reinforcements made to the suspension mounts and steering head. Also, grab the latest info on the upcoming bikes, only at autoX.