[ramnaresh_2000]

Hello Fellow BHPians,

I wanted to share my buying and initial ownership experience of my new Red Dragon "Suzuki Gixxer ABS". Please bear with me as this is my first thread on Team-BHP forum.

I currently own a Black Tank TUV 300 AMT T8 Model, and need to commute daily 60 KMs to work and home. Tank was not practical anymore due to heavy traffic, mileage of 10 KMPL in city and travel time of 3 hours (to and fro), so started using my dad's Activa to commute daily. That was the biggest mistake of my life, my commute to work is full of pot holes and bad road. Activa couldn't handle it and also my back, and hence started the search for new bike.

Just like any enthusiast, started doing research online, my requirements were below

• ABS - Must
• Rear DISC - Must
• Good Mileage
• Smooth Ride
• Less than 1.5 Lacs on road

And hence shortlisted the below contenders

• RE Signals - Added to list as I listen to my Heart
• Honda CB Hornet
• Pulsar NS 200
• Suzuki Gixxer

Ignored the below for obvious reasons (No ABS)

• RTR 160
• Yamaha FZ
• RE Classic
• KTM Series (Too Sporty for my liking)

RE Signals



l always wanted some thud thud in my life, wifey was excited too, but dad was not excited at all (due to poor mileage and feedback from his friends). The bike does not meet my last 3 requirements, but still my heart does not think logically. I went to the RE showroom (located at Kompally - Hyderabad) along with my dad and got a quotation of 1.87 Lacs on road. I did a small test ride, the ride was great, Handling was wonderful, loved the Thud Thud sound, it has dual-channel ABS (the only one in the list to have this feature) however, it did not take much time for me to realize that this is not a practical bike for my daily commute of 60 KM's. The weight distribution of the bike is not good and was not able to handle the weight of the bike when reversing it (it is massive 192 KG's), here my brain started kicking in and my heart lost the battle. I read about the vibrations produced by this bike online and I though I could live with this, but experiencing them first hand has made my decision easy, I can still feel the vibration even after handing over the test ride vehicle to SA. So with a huge heart had to say NO to this one.

Honda CB Hornet



We then went to Honda showroom which was near to our location, they had one CB Hornet on display (the one without rear DISC & ABS), I requested for a test ride, but they said that they do not have a test ride vehicle for the Hornet, I was really surprised. Dad looked at me and said "I don't like it, the Petrol Tank is very oddly shaped" and went out of the showroom and waited in the car, the SA gave me an awkward smile, which I exchanged with him and then I followed my dad silently to the car. To be honest I was also not very excited about the bike, and then we went home and called it a day. My dad was always a die hard fan of Honda, when I told him that I was looking for a new bike, the first word came out his mouth was HONDA, so this was kind of win situation for me.

Pulsar NS 200



Next day being Sunday, I was not sure if other showrooms will be open, did some googling and called Bajaj and Suzuki showrooms and they were open. Visited Bajaj Showroom (Begumpet Branch) first, looked at NS 160 and NS 200, the 160 had Rear Disc but no ABS (so this was a easy no go for me), NS 200 had ABS and Rear Disc. Took quotation for both the vehicles, 1.10 Lacs for NS 160 and 1.40 for NS 200. I liked the NS 200 and wanted to do a Test Drive, to my surprise again there was no vehicle available. This is super crazy stuff, seriously does not make any sense, I have not heard of any person who purchased a vehicle without proper test drive.

Even though I liked the NS 200, somewhere back in my memory lane I was hesitating, as I already had a 2002 model Pulsar (150 CC) and used it for almost 15 years, the RC, Insurance & pollution check expired, but did not sell it as it was my first love. I had no intention of using it for my daily commute and hence it was collecting dust at my home. Dad was not interested in NS 200 due to pathetic mileage (Claimed mileage is 45 KMPL by ARAI, City 30 KMPL as per SA) and I was not interested in NS 160 as it was Non-ABS, so we moved on to the next showroom in the list.

Suzuki Gixxer



As soon as we entered the showroom (RP Road Branch - Saboo Suzuki), we were greeted by 5 excited SA's, one of them got hold of us and started showing us around. I requested to show ABS model only and I was shown below

• Gixxer SF SP Edition Model
• Gixxer 150 SP Naked Model
• Gixxer 150 ABS Model

SA then went ahead and explained to me all the features (which I already knew thanks to my research, listed below) and claimed a FE of 64 KMPL and 45-50 KMPL in city, which was very decent to be honest for a 155 cc bike.

Bike Specifications:

Engine: 155 cc
BHP: 14.8 PS
ABS: Yes (Single Channel to front disc only)
Fuel System: Carburetor
Head Lamp: Halogen
Tyre Type: Tubeless
Standard Warranty: 2 Years
Mileage Claimed: 64 KMPL (ARAI)
Transmission: 5 Speed
Suspension-Front: Telescopic
Suspension-Rear: Mono Suspension
Tyre Size (Front): 100/80
Tyre Size (Rear): 140/60
Wheel Size:
Front: 17 inch
Rear: 17 inch
Tyre Type: Tubeless Wheels Type (Pressed Steel/ Alloy)

Dad was excited as soon as he has seen the vehicle, we both did not like the SP edition as the graphics and colors were odd, Orange lining on black bike. We were then shown non-SP models, only 3 colors to chose from for ABS Model, Black, Red/Silver & Blue. The blue one was most good looking one of all the colors, but again, my previous pulsar was also blue, so gave it a pass. My tank was Black so I was left with Red/Silver option, which I also liked. It met all my requirements, got a quotation of 1.20 Lacs on road for the ABS Model. The complete breakdown of the quotation is below.

Pricing:

Ex-Showrom Price: 90,163
Insurance: 14,242 (5 Years Comprehensive - Bharathi AXA)
Life Tax: 13,882 (14% as this is my 2nd vehicle)
Registration Charges: 700
3 Years Extended Warranty: 685
Accessories: 500 (Saree Guard, Buzzer and Seat Cover)

Total: 1,20,172

I then requested for a test ride, again to my dismay they had no test vehicle available for naked model (seriously what is happening here), and only SF model was available for test ride. As they both shared same engine, I did a small test ride on the SF model. The throttle response was good, great handling, good breaking feedback and a smooth ride.

We took the quotation slip and few broucher's and went home. Then the long discussion started, NS 200 vs Gixxer 150. After doing a lot of analysis we finalized Gixxer, went to showroom the next day and started squeezing the SA for better price, after 1 hour of discussion got the price down to 1.15 Lacs on road, paid 10k advance and blocked Red/Silver color, I was promised that the bike was in stock and I can take delivery at any time.

Discount: 4,514
On Road: 1,15,658

Delivery Experience:

The D-Day finally came and I woke up all excited, booked an UBER went to showroom alone to pay remaining amount and take the delivery, then my nightmare started.

The SA said they wanted remaining amount in cash or I will be charged 2% if I pay by card. I was shocked and really lost my cool. Went out to ATM and withdrawn 25k in cash from my account (as it was the max limit per day) and 25k from wife's account, so got a total of 50k in cash, remaining amount I did a NEFT transfer to their account. The SA took 20 minutes just to write a receipt (Seriously?).

I specifically told SA that I want my vehicle to be ready for delivery at 10:30 A.M sharp and do not want any delay, but the vehicle was not ready, the mechanic and the sweeper lady (Yes you read it right) in the showroom were cleaning the vehicle with some dirty old cloth, it really tipped me off. I expected it to be water washed and proper checks to be done, but nothing.

The SA came and handed over the gate-pass, receipts, owners manual and keys. Then they took me to the delivery area and took pictures with the customary big key, handed over the helmet and manual and again took some pictures as proof of delivery. I was promised 3 accessories for 500 rupees during quotation, but later I was told that they were out of stock and they refunded my money (Saree Guard, Buzzer and Seat Cover), I did not care, because all I wanted to do at that time was to get far away from the showroom and never see them again.

I took the vehicle to the nearest HP filling station and it gulped 11.3 liters of petrol, went straight to Tadbund Hanuman temple at Hyderabad, there was a long queue of people to get pooja token (75 buck for 2 wheeler, 150 bucks for 4 wheeler). Finally after waiting in line for 30 minutes got my token and got the customary pooja done, went home and cleaned my bike as I did not want the pooja colors to mess with bike's paint scheme.

My New Red Dragon undergoing customary Pooja.



After 3 days, got a call from the SA and I was told that the TR papers were ready for my collection, went to showroom and was checking all the documents. To my surprise, the Insurance was not 5 years comprehensive cover like I requested, but it was 1 year comprehensive and 4 years Third Party, this time I was pissed off to the roof and took the SA for a spin. They immediately apologized and contacted the insurance agent, who was demanding 700 extra to the quotation as the "Prices were changed", then I gave a piece of my mind to him as well and suddenly everything was OK and they promised new insurance papers after 4-5 working days as the cancellation of existing insurance requires 3 working days. I am yet to receive my revised Insurance documents, Form 20, 21, & 22.

After reaching home from the temple, I admired the beauty for few minutes and cleaned the bike. You can see it resting in my park area along with Dad's Activa.



Initial Ownership Experience & Observations:

Exterior Styling & Design:

It has been 2 weeks now and the odometer is at 260+ KM's, this bike is a charmer, delightfully striking with sharp character lines. The muscular and stylishly sculpted fuel tank has great knee recess offering excellent grip giving the bike a big bike feel.



3D Suzuki logo with Gixxer stickering all over the tank. The bike is street bike and hence triangular shaped headlamp, dual-type exhaust is another unique and striking feature of the bike. The dual-type exhaust is not just for showcase, it is a real functioning one and the grunt it makes is good to ears.

Close up shot of the Gixxer stickering



Dual-type Exhaust



Headlamp



Engine:



Single cylinder air-cooled 155 cc engine produces 15 BHP at max RPM. The gixxer is at its best at 6000 to 8000 RPM, but enough juice around 4000 RMP to get around the city traffic. In high revs, there's a slight engine vibration although I find it tolerable. This bike still relies on an old school carburetor and electric/kick start system to fire up the engine.

Wheels & Tyres:

The Gixxer has ‘Y’ shaped alloy wheels inspired from big brother GSX-R. All black alloy wheels are truly eye-catcher and will attract a lot of young riders. The front tyre size is 100/80 and the rear tyre is 140/60 (MRF ZVTS), both alloys are 17 inches tubeless tyres and provide enough grip for efficient braking and spirited cornering.

Air Pressure Information



Front Tyre



Rear Tyre



Driving Experience:

The upright riding posture, wide handlebar and the soft cushioned seat is quite comfortable. The agile steering and the front bias paired with a slightly stiff suspension setup ensures that if you get your entry right, you can lean on to one side, hold the throttle steady and pin it as you exit without even thinking about it, ready to attack the next corner. Having a short wheelbase of 1,330mm, it’s easy to maneuver in tight spots. ABS working as expected and I was delighted. Gixxer is fast, light weight and sporty.

Seating:

The seating position on this bike is not to my liking, I am 5'10 tall and my feet are barely touching the road, the riders triangle in terms of the distance between seat, handle bar and gears give the bike a sporty stance, where I have to bend a little forward to comfortably access gear rod and break pedal, this in turn is putting some weight on my hands, hopefully I will get over this in few days where I would find the sweet spot for position.

Seat



The horror continues and is even worse for pillion rider, the pillion seat is small and placement is high. Aged persons, short people and women with Saree or even Kurtha's will find it difficult to climb, seriously requires a small ladder to climb or some acrobatics skills (Fun Intended). Actually I noticed this is the same case with other models like Pulsar NS 160, CB Hornet and Yamaha FZ Series, only RE models are better at this. This was noticed in initial research as well, but was given a pass as my usage includes 95% single person drive.

Side Mirrors:

While riding, when we look in the mirrors, it covers half of my shoulder. I tried many angles and still unable to find the sweet spot where I can see back traffic, this is a serious concern as my route involves lot of bikes, autos and taxi's. No matter how many times I adjust the mirror, I still tend to miss some traffic which is behind me, seriously thinking to buy few after market mirrors and test them out.

Gearshift & Clutch:

The bike is smooth and throttle response is great, however, the whole experience is ruined by the clunky gear shifts. Gear shifts are bad and not up to the mark, every time I change the gear I can hear the struggle from the gear rod.

Gear Rod



Fuel efficiency:

Company claimed mileage is 64 KMPL and we all know that is not possible in city driving conditions. Currently the odo is at 260 KM's and tank is half full. As I did a tank full on the delivery day and the tank capacity is 12 Lts, I am guesstimating that it is currently giving 43.3 KMPL in city, which is very decent for a 155 CC bike. I will continue monitoring the mileage closely and will keep posted in coming days. I was told that the RPM is programmable, it can be set to max 5000 RPM, so that the gear shifts can happen quickly and to squeeze best mileage in city and it can also be set to 7000-8000 RPM for racing performance.

Suspension:

The front suspension is very good, however, same cannot be said for the back mono suspension setup. The back suspension is 7 step adjustable, I had already ridden through some rough patches during my commute to work, and the back support was not up to the mark, the mono suspension is stiff and does not provide any feedback when you try to rock it when it is idle.

Front Shocks



Rear Mono-Suspension



Braking:

Front Disk is 266 mm and rear is 240 mm with ABS (Single Channel) not the best in the industry, Yahama FZ gets a bigger front disc, however, it loses out on the most important feature - ABS. Breaking is good, I was able to bring my bike to stand still stop from 55 KMPH speed within 2.25 seconds (yes I tested it out), which I think is very good performance as in city riding conditions we may never go over 55 KMPH.

Front Disc With ABS



Rear Disc



Break Lever



Odometer:

All digital speedo console is small with gear position indicator, clock, and RPM meter (programmable). Side stand indicator is missing though, which I think should be mandated on all bikes. There is Trip meter available, to record your trips, Trip A and Trip B. To adjust the clock, you will have to press both the ADJ and SEL button together and then we can change the time.

Odometer when turned on



Odometer outside visibility



Miscellaneous:

I was cleaning the Red Dragon and noticed that the cleaning required more time and attention than my regular Pulsar 150 or Activa, because of the bike's sporty design, too many places to clean, cleaning Activa was simply a matter of getting a cloth and swiping once and voila. There are too many tiny spaces where my hand or fingers do not reach and leaves the spots with dust. The engine and exhaust gets matte black coating which results in the dust settled there highlighted and it will always look dirty.

Close up shot of the egine where you can see dust deposited and hard to clean



Tank is plastic outside and already got few swirl marks visible on it.

The fuel cap does not hold on to the tank, when you refill the bike, you will have to be careful not to drop it anywhere, not that we do this daily.

The bike comes with automatic headlamp which cannot be turned off. You will have to purchase an after-market on-off switch, which costs around 100 bucks.

Accessories:

The next day after taking delivery, I went to Ramkoti area in Hyderabad (Bikers paradise for modification and accessories in Hyderabad), got bumper, buzzer, seat cover, extra horn (naughty me) and mobile holder fixed. Total accessories cost was around 1000 bucks and 200 for mechanic. Other accessories ordered online include below

• Trip Machine Leather Grip's (999 bucks) - https://www.amazon.in/Trip-Machine-Company-Grips-Black/dp/B01G1QOU16/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1540382386&sr=8-7&keywords=tripmachine
  
  Trip Machine Leather Grips
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Steelbird R2K Smoke Helmet (1,894 bucks + 100 Cashback as Amazon pay balance) - https://www.amazon.in/Steelbird-SBA-1-R2K-Helmet-Smoke/dp/B07BRT4VBS/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid=1540382421&sr=8-29&keywords=helmet&th=1
• Generic Gloves (450 bucks)

Review for above coming soon. Few more accessories in pipeline listed below (some not finalized yet):

• Headlight on-off switch (will be installed once the registration is completed)
• Cover
• Anti-Theft Device (https://ajjas.com/)
• LED Headlight
• Rear View Side Mirrors

What I like:

• Ride Quality
• Front Suspension
• Light Weight
• Build Quality
• Super responsive ABS
• Road Grip
• Road Presence

What I dislike:

• Rear Suspension
• Pillion Seat
• Seating Position
• Headlight does not provide enough lighting (needs replacement)
• Mirrors do not cover much area (My Activa is better at this)
• Clunky Gear shifts

Overall the horrible buying experience is superseded by the great bike, I just hope that the folks at the Saboo Showroom pull their socks and work on their customer handling skills. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will not face the same experience with their service center . More updates and pics will be coming soon, stay tuned.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

[nikhn]

Congrats on the new bike! The colour scheme looks unique.

It's mostly a poor experience these days when taking delivery of motorcycles. Most SAs don't know how special it is for someone to take delivery and make it a casual affair.

It's about time Suzuki started adding ABS to their motorcycle portfolio (atleast earlier than Yamaha). Glad that you preferred ABS and made it a priority.
Could you please put up a few pictures showing the mounting of the ABS unit on your motorcycle? Is it mounted close to the engine?

[ACM]

Congrats.

1) Do not add the headlight switch off switch. The always on lights is a safety feature to make the Bike more visible. Further the switch will void electronics warranty.

2) LED replacement Lights are available in price range of 750-3000. Depending on quality and warranty. This does not require wire cutting.

Nice review.

3) Do complain about the gear change clunks during first service. They may be able to make it better. Maybe the clutch cable is not getting fully engaged.

4) Saree guard is NOT an optional accessory. It is compulsory fitment that the company provides free of cost.

[Kuldeep31]

Congratulations on your new acquisition.

Originally Posted by ramnaresh_2000

Gearshift & Clutch:

The bike is smooth and throttle response is great, however, the whole experience is ruined by the clunky gear shifts. Gear shifts are bad and not up to the mark, every time I change the gear I can hear the struggle from the gear rod.

One of the slickest shifting gears among all the bikes out there in the market. I too had the problem of unwieldy gear shifts which markedly disappeared after the 1st service. After 3 months, I was thoroughly enjoying the crisp and surefooted gear shifts. One niggle that I face every day is the small protrusion of the side stand and while pulling out the side stand with my feet it scrapes the trousers every single time. Apart from that, the Gixxer is a truly wonderful and satisfying machine. Wishing you many miles of happy and safe riding.

[vinya_jag]

Congratulations.

I was also in same dilemma till last week , then booked Hero Xtreme 200R last Saturday, expecting delivery this week.

I exchanged my 13 years old Honda Unicorn for 14k, with additional 5K Paytm cash back and free helmet. My concern was more about back seat and low fuel tank design so that I can seat my child there than the look and oomph factor. So went ahead with Hero.

Please do update about the headlamp upgrade, as my bike's headlight is also pathetic.

[The Brutailer]

Hello there. Nice review, though could've elaborated more on the engine. I'm a Gixxer owner myself (one of the early adopters) and despite having access to several high performance, technologically advanced machines, I still adore the tiny 155cc Gixxer.

It handles like a dream, has a sprightly acceleration and looks pretty great. Though it maybe lacking severely in every way in comparison to it's bigger GSXR brothers, it still has every bit of character as them.

[saket77]

Nice review and write up there. Suzuki apart from Honda and Yamaha is one brand that I can go with eyes closed. In fact, I like the Gixxer so much that it can be my next bike, but for one deal breaker - the name itself! But then that's me. This is a great bike in all other sense. Looks big, has great handling and acceleration, good handling and braking and the best part, is reliable. Also returns pretty good FE. This may be important for many after the recent prelude of what fuel prices can be!

Wishing you a trouble free ownership of the machine. Ride safe!

Regards,
Saket.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Originally Posted by nikhn

Congrats on the new bike! The colour scheme looks unique.

Could you please put up a few pictures showing the mounting of the ABS unit on your motorcycle? Is it mounted close to the engine?

Thank you nikhn, I will share the pictures of the ABS unit once I get a chance. Stay tuned.

Originally Posted by ACM

Congrats.

1) Do not add the headlight switch off switch. The always on lights is a safety feature to make the Bike more visible. Further the switch will void electronics warranty.

2) LED replacement Lights are available in price range of 750-3000. Depending on quality and warranty. This does not require wire cutting.

Nice review.

3) Do complain about the gear change clunks during first service. They may be able to make it better. Maybe the clutch cable is not getting fully engaged.

4) Saree guard is NOT an optional accessory. It is compulsory fitment that the company provides free of cost.

Thank you ACM. I agree with point 1, regarding point 2 I will be window shopping hopefully next weekend and update. Will check with the Service Team during my 1st service on the gear shifts, hopefully it will be resolved, Fingers crossed. The saree guard which they provided was missing leg resting place, it was just covering the wheel and chain, though thinking I will not change it anytime soon as my drive involves single person ride most of the time.

Originally Posted by Kuldeep31

Congratulations on your new acquisition.


One of the slickest shifting gears among all the bikes out there in the market. I too had the problem of unwieldy gear shifts which markedly disappeared after the 1st service. After 3 months, I was thoroughly enjoying the crisp and surefooted gear shifts. One niggle that I face every day is the small protrusion of the side stand and while pulling out the side stand with my feet it scrapes the trousers every single time. Apart from that, the Gixxer is a truly wonderful and satisfying machine. Wishing you many miles of happy and safe riding.

Thank you Kuldeep31, Hopefully this issue will be resolved in my first service.

Originally Posted by vinya_jag

Congratulations.

I was also in same dilemma till last week , then booked Hero Xtreme 200R last Saturday, expecting delivery this week.

I exchanged my 13 years old Honda Unicorn for 14k, with additional 5K Paytm cash back and free helmet. My concern was more about back seat and low fuel tank design so that I can seat my child there than the look and oomph factor. So went ahead with Hero.

Please do update about the headlamp upgrade, as my bike's headlight is also pathetic.

Thank you vinya_jag, and congratulation to you on your Hero Xtreme 200R, please do share your ownership experience on this once you get chance. Paytm cashback offer was also available for me, it was 7000 cashback, 1500 as Paytm cash, then 1100 as 100% cashback when I shop on Paytm mall. They gave Studds half face helmet free, they did not even ask for size and gave me a Medium one, It does not fit, but I was not planning to use it anyway. I ordered Steelbird R2K helmet. I shall keep you posted on headlamp upgrade.

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

Hello there. Nice review, though could've elaborated more on the engine.

Thank you The Brutailer, I will try to elaborate the engine and its performance in upcoming posts.

Originally Posted by saket77

Nice review and write up there. Suzuki apart from Honda and Yamaha is one brand that I can go with eyes closed. In fact, I like the Gixxer so much that it can be my next bike, but for one deal breaker - the name itself! But then that's me. This is a great bike in all other sense. Looks big, has great handling and acceleration, good handling and braking and the best part, is reliable. Also returns pretty good FE. This may be important for many after the recent prelude of what fuel prices can be!

Thank you saket77, so you mean to say, you like the bike but do not like the name or the brand?

[MaheshY1]

Good review. Even better choice.

I can vouch for that coz I too recently became a proud owner of one. I bought a used SF FI ABS.



My observations after spending 800km with the bike:
- Engine wasn't as smooth as I remember. I had ridden a friend's Gixxer Carb in 2017. This one was rough while accelerating. Only at part throttle, it remained smooth. After one service, it's gotten significantly smoother but still not comparable to my Navi or Impulse.
- Clunky gears. Another thing that was better on the old Gixxer. This one sometimes wouldn't shift from 1-2 and from 4-5. After the service, this has also gotten better.
- Angle of levers. Given the fairly aggressive rider's triangle, the levers weren't matched appropriately. I asked the SA to lower the gear, clutch, and Front brake lever to suit the slightly rear-set pegs. The rear brake lever though is still fairly high.
- Fairing is good but not useful given my 6-2 height. Even at full tuck, I'm experiencing noticeable turbulence around the helmet at 110-120km/h.
- Not as playful. Another fond memory I had of the Gixxer was its willingness to tip at the slightest of push on the inside handlebars. This one doesn't feel as telepathic and requires some effort. This could be attributed to the initial 12.5k on the odo which were primarily done in the city; thus flattening the profile of the tires. I'll replace the rear one in a few months.
- Soul-less: This one may hurt people's emotions here just as much it did mine. Because of the above factors, it doesn't feel as inviting as my Navi and Impulse. It lacks drama.
The acceleration is smooth
The cruise speed is around 95km/h
Braking is good and reassuring, with ABS
Handling is good and should improve with the tire upgrade
Refinement is acceptable
It's slightly aggressive. So, I can tuck or ride it upright.
For its class, I found it to be incredibly comfortable over bad roads

In short, it ticks all the boxes for me and was a logical purchase rather than an emotional one like the Navi.

Dislikes:

- Inadequate headlights and the lack of room to install auxiliary ones. I wish it came with H4 slot and least 55/60w bulb.
- Not a pillion-friendly bike. Your mileage may vary.
- Doesn't have a muscular engine. On the SF, the gap around the engine (visible from the side) leads one to believe that there's not enough firepower in it. Of course, there isn't. It's a ~150cc air-cooled engine. But the fairing could've covered it better. On the upside, it's easier to access the engine for cleaning and basic maintenance without removing the fairing.

With time, I'm hoping to fall in love with my SF the way you already have with your Gixxer.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Originally Posted by MaheshY1

Good review. Even better choice.

I can vouch for that coz I too recently became a proud owner of one. I bought a used SF FI ABS.



My observations after spending 800km with the bike:
- Engine wasn't as smooth as I remember. I had ridden a friend's Gixxer Carb in 2017. This one was rough while accelerating. Only at part throttle, it remained smooth. After one service, it's gotten significantly smoother but still not comparable to my Navi or Impulse.

Thank you MaheshY1. I was told that the FI version gives better mileage and is smoother by SA, any truth in that? Unfortunately Suzuki does not do FI on non-SF models . I did not go over 65 KMPH on my bike at the moment, it was steady and smooth at 65, I normally do not go over 50 in city due to heavy traffic and bad roads, will test it on higher revs soon after I am done with my first service.

[autohead666]

Congrats on the purchase.Just curious to know,since ABS was on your list,why didn't you try the Dominar 400?It would have fitted all your requirements.

[ashwinprakas]

Originally Posted by ramnaresh_2000

Hello Fellow BHPians,

I wanted to share my buying and initial ownership experience of my new Red Dragon "Suzuki Gixxer ABS". Please bear with me as this is my first thread on Team-BHP forum.

Congratulations on the purchase, Suzuki is one of the safer options for going Jap in the Indian market in-spite of the product facing certain QC issues(Initial batch clutch and incorrect torquing of fasteners in recent batches) over time.

The Gixxer is a better buy than the recent FZ as after Yamaha decided to go FI the motorcycle has considerably lost its appeal, of a robust enthusiast oriented machine and we're nothing but glad that Suzuki stepped in to fill that void.

The seating position on this bike is not to my liking, I am 5'10 tall and my feet are barely touching the road, the riders triangle in terms of the distance between seat, handle bar and gears give the bike a sporty stance, where I have to bend a little forward to comfortably access gear rod and break pedal, this in turn is putting some weight on my hands, hopefully I will get over this in few days where I would find the sweet spot for position.

We're of almost the same height, you're not required to flat-foot the motorcycle.

As for pegs, the safest way to ride is by keeping the balls of your feet on the pegs and only moving your feet forward to brake or shift. This is the intentional standard.

The horror continues and is even worse for pillion rider, the pillion seat is small and placement is high. Aged persons, short people and women with Saree or even Kurtha's will find it difficult to climb, seriously requires a small ladder to climb or some acrobatics skills (Fun Intended). Actually I noticed this is the same case with other models like Pulsar NS 160, CB Hornet and Yamaha FZ Series, only RE models are better at this. This was noticed in initial research as well, but was given a pass as my usage includes 95% single person drive.

The right technique for the pillion to mount the motorcycle is to stand on the peg first before throwing the other leg over the motorcycle.

If someone in a sari wants to ride pillion ask them to change into something that permits them to sit 'right', personally I even insist that my mom sit the way I'm sitting as the typical Indian way of doing it is nothing but hazardous and if by chance my mom throws a tantrum then I gladly call her a rickshaw, better her mad at me than me having to regret the worst possible scenario.

The engine and exhaust gets matte black coating which results in the dust settled there highlighted and it will always look dirty.

Tank is plastic outside and already got few swirl marks visible on it.

I hope you don't frequently wash the motorcycle, as you have a lot of plastics you would not be aware of the damage resulting from frequent washes brought about to the chassis and other metal components.

Plus, motorcycles aren't exactly water proof, so better to not wash at all unless you're intending to work on the motorcycle.

The next day after taking delivery, I went to Ramkoti area in Hyderabad (Bikers paradise for modification and accessories in Hyderabad), got bumper, buzzer, seat cover, extra horn (naughty me) and mobile holder fixed. Total accessories cost was around 1000 bucks and 200 for mechanic. Other accessories ordered online include below

I hope your wiring was left intact by the mechanic, I use Bosch Windtones on my P220 and I've installed them myself with the help and suggestions from fellow Team-Bhpians by using a Hella Wiring Harness.

They cost around 600/- but having prior experience touring on motorcycles with make-shift wiring I know that the money spent was worth the reliability factor which most people don't realize until something actually goes wrong.

As for mobile holder, do consider the RAM Mount, extremely expensive in comparison but worth the price, I've used every other mount available and finally have concluded that they're all a waste of money and I would've saved myself a lot of grief and moolah if I'd invested on the RAM Mounts in the first place.

Trip Machine Leather Grips[/b]

Pointless and counter-intuitive, you paid a premium for a machine that offers laser cut handling and feedback and you go for a mod that numbs down feedback?

Doesn't make sense IMHO, plus the grips are seriously overpriced, I know as a friend purchased them for his RE.

Headlight on-off switch (will be installed once the registration is completed)

Anti-Theft Device (https://ajjas.com/)

The single best advice anyone could give you is to completely skip all modifications that involve tampering with the stock wiring harness.

Ignoring warranty, when an Indian mechanic plays with your harness your motorcycle invariably becomes unfit for extended use, this is the case even with top notch modder's in the market as they still live in the stone-age and stick with splicing over using a wire/fuse-tap.

Mirrors do not cover much area (My Activa is better at this)

Scrap the RVM's and go for Bajaj Pulsar RVM's, they cost 270 for a pair and offer the best visibility, most would recommend RTR RVM's but I have them on my other motorcycle and they have the signature blind spot that completely misses out on vehicles overtaking you, imagine my scare when I'm about to shift lanes and a state transport bus zooms past me.

Clunky Gear shifts

Will get better with time, or you'll get used to it. Do try playing around with the position and travel and see if you can hit a sweet spot.

Overall the horrible buying experience is superseded by the great bike, I just hope that the folks at the Saboo Showroom pull their socks and work on their customer handling skills. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will not face the same experience with their service center . More updates and pics will be coming soon, stay tuned.

If you're uncomfortable with the SVC then you could consider forgoing warranty as the money saved per service summed up could easily fund a complete engine overhaul.

Plus you do not have to go through the experience of untrained mechanics manhandling your machine;



The above picture was the reason I've stuck to the decision of forgoing warranty on all my rides since, luckily Honda's come with drainbolt's that are of a softer material than the crankcase threads, else I would've had to go through hell to get things sorted out, and mind it that this was a brand new motorcycle at the time.

Cheers and Ride Safe,
A.P.

[ramnaresh_2000]

Originally Posted by autohead666

Congrats on the purchase.Just curious to know,since ABS was on your list,why didn't you try the Dominar 400?It would have fitted all your requirements.

Thank you autohead666. Dominar 400 did cross my mind when I was checking out RE Signals (thanks to Bajaj's new TV advert mocking RE ), however, decided not to go with it due to below reasons

• The on road price of ABS model was around 2+ Lacs which was way above my budget and if I opted for loan, the additional interest itself was coming to 25k+, so a total of 2.25 Lacs on road.
• Bad fuel economy, claimed mileage of 26 KMPL by ARAI and on-road was around 15-20 KMPL.
• Most importantly the weight is around 182 KGs, Bajaj should have made it at least 10 kgs lighter in my personal opinion.

Overall it is great bike, I once had ride on my friend's bike, it just caters a different audience all together.

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

Congratulations on the purchase, Suzuki is one of the safer options for going Jap in the Indian market in-spite of the product facing certain QC issues(Initial batch clutch and incorrect torquing of fasteners in recent batches) over time.

The Gixxer is a better buy than the recent FZ as after Yamaha decided to go FI the motorcycle has considerably lost its appeal, of a robust enthusiast oriented machine and we're nothing but glad that Suzuki stepped in to fill that void.

I hope you don't frequently wash the motorcycle, as you have a lot of plastics you would not be aware of the damage resulting from frequent washes brought about to the chassis and other metal components.

I hope your wiring was left intact by the mechanic, I use Bosch Windtones on my P220 and I've installed them myself with the help and suggestions from fellow Team-Bhpians by using a Hella Wiring Harness.

As for mobile holder, do consider the RAM Mount, extremely expensive in comparison but worth the price, I've used every other mount available and finally have concluded that they're all a waste of money and I would've saved myself a lot of grief and moolah if I'd invested on the RAM Mounts in the first place.

Pointless and counter-intuitive, you paid a premium for a machine that offers laser cut handling and feedback and you go for a mod that numbs down feedback?

Doesn't make sense IMHO, plus the grips are seriously overpriced, I know as a friend purchased them for his RE.

Scrap the RVM's and go for Bajaj Pulsar RVM's, they cost 270 for a pair and offer the best visibility, most would recommend RTR RVM's but I have them on my other motorcycle and they have the signature blind spot that completely misses out on vehicles overtaking you, imagine my scare when I'm about to shift lanes and a state transport bus zooms past me.

Thank you A.P, I totally agree that Gixxer is better offering than FZ, the new V2.0 design is somewhat similar to Gixxer, however, as it did not have ABS it was removed from my list, I did like the older version of FZ though.

I do not wash my bike daily, however, I have a little OCD in me, so I do tend to clean it everyday with a wet micro-fiber cloth.

I purchased a generic horn and got it connected to the existing wiring of the company horn. To be honest, I am not much worried about warranty, I remember going through the Warranty card and each and every statement was ending with "Subject to SMIL disclosure", which simply translates to "Saaaar, this is not covered in warranty saaaar" by the service people. I say this because, I had some wiring issue with my TUV 300 when I purchased it last year, the headlamps were not working due to faulty wiring and holders, and this was exact response I got from MASS.

I have already purchased a generic mobile mount which costed 250 bucks, to be honest I use it very rarely. Most of the time it is not mounted on my bike.

I totally agree with you on the pricing of the leather grips, it's insanely over-priced, however, I could not find any alternatives. I have very dry hands and I cannot grip anything properly. I use a leather case on my mobile, also leather grip to my car steering. It feels good in my hand and the grip helps, not to mention the beauty of ageing leather.

I will check out the Pulsar RVM's though, seriously the stock ones are junk. I have noticed that most of the bikers simply remove them once they take the delivery of the bike, but it is dangerous.

[Snehal Sekhar]

Congratulations on your 'Red Dragon' and happy riding on that. My Gixxer is 1.3 years old and it's my daily commuter. Just a few things that I have come across in my ownership of my bike that I thought I would share.

It's a great bike for city commutes barring the clunky gear shifts, but if I keep the RPM at around 4.5K range I find the gear shifts to be much more smooth.

Anyway a few issues that I faced during my ownership:

1. The indicator switches stopped working after a month and the ASC refused to change it under warranty since electrical parts/accessories were not covered.

2. The carb version has a particular issue of not starting after being parked under the hot sun for an extended period while. I faced this issue in April in Bangalore and a few friends from the Forum suggested it could be an air lock. So before starting the bike I used to open the fuel cap for a couple of seconds and then start it, it worked initially but after a couple of days even that refused to work. I eventually got the drain pipe cleaned and it worked perfectly after that for a while, but the issue again cropped up yesterday.

3. There is always an oil leak from the Crankcase breather. The ASC has said that this issue is a standard on all Gixxers and can not be fixed. They tried changing the seal, applied Loctite but nothing seemed to work.