Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Review: Photo Gallery

A few months ago, we rode the new Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 at the Buddh International Circuit, which gave us a first taste of what Suzuki was up to behind closed doors. While it did impress us on the race track, we were left wondering how it would perform in urban conditions? We finally got a chance to ride it in city conditions and here’s what we found.

Also read: Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Road Test Review

While the previous-gen Gixxer SF 155 seemed like a regular Gixxer with a fairing slapped on to it, the new SF 250 gets a neatly integrated unit that makes it feel like a big bike.

However, we aren’t huge fans of the standard dark colour schemes. Instead, we prefer something bright like the recently-launched blue MotoGP edition.

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The fairing is set really low and doesn’t do a great job deflecting wind away from the rider. In fact, even tucking behind it completely is really difficult unless you’re on the smaller and skinnier side.

While the SF 250 looks like an aggressive sport bike, the riding position is rather neutral. It gets wide clip-on handlebars, but they’re positioned quite close to the rider and are reasonably tall.

Thanks to its narrow waist line and a fairly low seat height of 800mm, riders who’re as short as 5’5” will be able to get their feet on the ground comfortably.

While the rider’s seat is quite comfortable, the rear seat, being on the taller side, isn’t the easiest to climb on. And once you’re on, it feels like you’re looking over the rider’s head.

The 249cc single-cylinder fuel-injected engine is an all-new unit and puts out 26.5PS of power and 22.6Nm of torque. One of the reasons for Suzuki to develop this new engine without using any liquid cooling was to keep not just its complexity, but also its weight down. At 161kg, it is one of the lightest in its class.

The smooth power delivery also ensures that the SF 250 can pull from around 60kmph the moment you open the throttle without the need for downshifts. But even if you do need to shift, the 6-speed gearbox feels really slick, slotting positively every time you need it to.

This powerplant feels strong at slow speeds, and can carry speeds as low as 30-35kmph in 5th gear! Moreover, the acceleration is quite linear and the motor feels comfortable when pulling from pretty much any rpm.

However, once you cross the 120kmph mark, the engine does start to feel a little strained. Vibes are still under control at this point, with only a minor buzz in the pegs.

While its chassis is borrowed from the Gixxer SF 155, Suzuki has pulled in the rake and trail a little bit, bringing its wheelbase to 1345mm, to make it more manoeuvrable in the city. But while it does feel really light on its feet and easy to manage, it doesn’t have the manic energy of the Gixxer SF 155 while carving a path through traffic.

The new quarter-litre Gixxer isn’t super quick to change direction like the SF 155, but it feels light enough to be tossed from corner to corner without any real effort. Additionally, the MRF REVZ radial tyres at both ends (110/70 R17 at the front and 150/60 R17 at the rear) give the bike plenty of stability when leaned over.

It gets disc brakes at both ends with dual-channel ABS as standard, but the brakes lack both bite and feel.

When it comes to highway fuel efficiency, the Gixxer SF 250 delivers 40.95kmpl, which is the best in its class thanks to the motor running so stress-free between 80-100kmph.

Even though it has a fairly small 12-litre fuel tank, it’s got a theoretical range of almost 500km on the highway.

The Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 does a lot of things really well. It’s good in the city, works well on the highway, and although not extremely sporty, handles well too. However, if you're looking for a motorcycle that puts a mad smile on your face every time you ride it, the Gixxer SF 250 certainly isn’t it!