NEW Suzuki 250 Street Bike in USA

[Tim Tom]

Spotted this on the Suzuki Website today. A modern fuel injected 250cc entry-level bike.

http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%20Lines/Cycles/Products/GW250/2013/GW250.aspx#Overview

250cc liquid cooled, fuel injected. 401lbs wet, with no power listed. Could be interesting to see how it does against the other little Jap bikes.

It is styled a bit like a miniature B-King, and was originally intended to be Suzuki's flagship bike in the Indian and Asian markets, where small CC bikes are king. I guess with all the attention that the CB250R and Ninja 300 have been getting Suzuki decided to bring it stateside?

No real details yet in my quick research, but I did find a youtube picture slide show of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZMq_8q8fuw

It looks to be a nice looking bike, bigger looking than a 250, but nicely proportioned. Wonder if they will be making a R version for next year, that should sell like hotcakes if they do the typical Suzuki thing and undercut Honda and Kawa's pricing...

I have a feeling that 2013-14 is gonna be a big year for new bikes.

[hampshirehog]

26bhp commuter bike made in China.

[tkent02]

401 lbs wet seems way too heavy.

[Tim Tom]

Personally I don't think this little bike will be able to compete with the mini cbr and ninja, but it is a good start for Suzuki. Since they dropped the GS500 they have been missing an important market segment, new sport-ish oriented riders. More often than not these riders learn on the little bikes, and then trade up to a more expensive model from the same manufacturer. It is a good opportunity to build brand loyalty. I don't this the GW is quite that though yet.

Now if Suzuki were to give the bike a slim diet, and sport bike body work, call it the GSX250R it would be a HOT bike and have a real chance to compete with teams Red and Green...

[tkent02]

Why can't they put modern performance, braking, suspension and handling in the same frame with a comfortable seat and riding position? One of these in each size range and I'd even buy a new bike or two.

[GSScoobie]

With a slightly under-square engine Suzuki was trying to make it as torquey as possible.
How does the bore and stroke compare to the old 250 twin?

[zig06]

I like it.


The lack of bodywork should definitely get Suzuki under the CBR-250 & Ninja 300 price point. Now if they would only come up with a water cooled, EFI twin cylinder 500 replacement for the now gone GS-500. After all, it's the lack of updates that drove buyers to different bikes, if Suzuki had updated the GS-500 more than once every 12 years or so they would have a great following of repeat buyers.

[JEEPRUSTY]

Personally I don't think this little bike will be able to compete with the mini cbr and ninja, but it is a good start for Suzuki. Since they dropped the GS500 they have been missing an important market segment, new sport-ish oriented riders. More often than not these riders learn on the little bikes, and then trade up to a more expensive model from the same manufacturer. It is a good opportunity to build brand loyalty. I don't this the GW is quite that though yet.

Now if Suzuki were to give the bike a slim diet, and sport bike body work, call it the GSX250R it would be a HOT bike and have a real chance to compete with teams Red and Green...

The death of the GS 500 comes as news to me I think we still get them here in Canada.

[Tim Tom]

The GS500 hasn't been in the US since 2009 or 10. Not really sure. But Kawasaki also discontinued their Ninja 500 around the same time. But now Honda has just released THREE new 500 twins. A standard bike, adventure styled bike, and a fully faired sport bike. Guess who just bought that market...

Either way it seems like people have been clamoring for practical, reliable, modern motorcycles that aren't rocket-ships for a while now. Plenty of them coming out of Japan for 2013. I wonder if Americans will put their money where their mouth has been and buy them?

[tkent02]

But now Honda has just released THREE new 500 twins. A standard bike, adventure styled bike, and a fully faired sport bike.

Got a link to the adventure one?
Can't find it on Honda's site.

[MAJikMARCer]

Got a link to the adventure one?
Can't find it on Honda's site.

It's the CB500X, with the 'sport bike' one being the CB500R and the naked being CB500F.

[MAJikMARCer]

I love the look of this bike and had it been available this last spring I might not have a GS right now. But 250 seems a bit small to me. Still a 500 or a 650 in that bike and I'd been looking a lot more seriously at it.

[JEEPRUSTY]

The GS500 hasn't been in the US since 2009 or

Yeah finally go the the Canadian site and sure enough the latest model is 2010 there should be some nice showroom deals.

[Tim Tom]

Got a link to the adventure one?
Can't find it on Honda's site.

Here is the link to the 'adventure styled' 500X.

http://powersports.honda.com/2013/cb500x.aspx

It looks like the main differences are the body work (it's got a beak), and a bit more suspension travel. Still has 17 inch wheels front and back, so not really dirt oriented at all.

[tkent02]

Great bike as long as your adventure includes no dirt, and no long distances.