Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs

madhukar_n · 23rd June 2022, 20:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Congratulations on the VStrom 250. As the others have suggested, a mention of a new motorcycle without any pictures, is simply not the TBHP way!

Can you share details on the service costs? I was told that the first few services should be around Rs 1,200. Once you get to paid services, it should be between Rs 1,700 to Rs 1,800.

Total Bill was 2180, out of that 750 was for the crash bar and 350 for tank protection sticker.

Here are some of the photos.

drt_rdr · 23rd June 2022, 21:45

I took a TD of the V-SX today. Had a good 8-10 km with it, mostly over inner city roads and gallies.

I'd been looking at it as a replacement for my aging Suzuki GS150R. Came out disappointed though. I'll get into why a bit later.

I'm approx. 6 ft, 75 - 80 kgs, average build, a bit long legged. Seat height is not usually an issue for me but legs being cramped is. The bike is a good size and fits well for me. I like the seating position, I don't mind the standing position either. I mean, I've been using a stock impulse for a decade now.

Sitting on this bike felt natural. The seat material is very soft and comfy compared to the hard seats on the gixxer. Front of the seat area is very narrow, slender, just like the Gixxer, and easy to manage the bike with, easy to plant legs on the ground. I love it.

As mentioned by others, footpegs graze the feet. The same thing happens with both my other bikes depending on how further up on the seat I'm sitting. So, I tend to adjust where I sit when at standstill to avoid the pegs brushing. And the V-SX has a roomy seat. So, no issues here, for me atleast. I suppose the wider footpegs give the impression of this being an issue.

The bike looks and feels chunky for a 250. The weight is definitely felt while moving it around the parking area compared to my bikes though. It's nothing complain to about compared to a KTM Adv or Himalayan or the Yezdis. But for me, personally, considering my usage scenarios, it'll be a bit bothersome.

I don't personally care about the console features, the USB charger, and all that, though it's nice to have. I planned on taking out the saree guard, windshield, bashplate, luggage rack and knuckleguards to get rid of some weight anyway.

Nothing new to say about the engine. Smooth go, smooth shifts. Can get good grunt with a heavy throttle hand, and I was above 80 before I realized. Can also cruise at a leisurely pace because it's very tractable, can pick up from as low as 30 kmph in 5th gear. The thing is versatile and allows you a lot of freedom with how you want to ride. Typical local Suzuki fare, great stuff for people looking for practicality first, despite its "soulless" or "appliance-like" nature.

I'd have liked a faster engine, and it felt very linear if you're not paying much attention. I revved it out to redline in the lower gears, but I could barely tell when the engine came alive. Then again, I was riding a really fresh, barely 6 km old TD bike. So...

Nothing much to say about the brakes. They do their job well. Nothing stood out. Only thing is I hate the dual-channel ABS. Wish it were single channel. Would save me some money upfront + the hassle of taking the fuse off and putting it back on depending on the riding.

Coming to the handling... I can live with the suspension. Its un-plush, and actually felt a bit harsh at low speeds, but very serviceable from my PoV, takes jumps nicely too. No major complaints.

But....

The bike prefers stability to point of being boring. The damn thing does not respond well to handlebar inputs OR hip inputs. Though it holds the line well during corners, flickability is an issue, it's slow to change directions and very unwieldy, especially in city traffic. I mean, it's par for the course considering the likes of the Himalayan and Yezdis it's competing with, but... I was expecting something else from Suzuki.

From what I remember, the Gixxer250 also felt a bit lazy compared to my GS150R and Impulse, but not this lazy. I'm guessing it's probably a combination of the V-SX's weight, the pulled out rake angle and the much longer wheelbase. I asked the showroom staff if the tyres were filled up correctly, but that wasn't the issue. It's just not the bike I was hoping it would be.

Not much left to say. I'll have one more TD sometime later to confirm my impressions, but I think I'm ready to scratch it off my shortlist. It's a damn shame because it meets most of my needs but falls short of a major want.

TLDR: Nice bike, but not for someone who enjoys good handling. Add salt per taste.

iamahunter · 24th June 2022, 14:37

I recently did a test drive of the Vstrom 250.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_side.jpg

Putting things to perspective - I drove to the showroom on a Versys 650 and quickly hopped on to the 250, the first impression was, "its light", obviously!

Now, being a CBR250R owner, I my mind was naturally comparing the Vstrom-250 with the CBR 250R. Yes I know they're a different genre of bikes, the Gixxer 250 would be the right one to put against the CBR, etc. But if a CBR owner wants to replace his CBR with the VStrom as he wants the upright sitting posture, the comparison would be there. Additionally, the power and price actually put them on par with each other. CBR was sold at 2.2L OTR when it was phased out, and VStrom is 2.5L.

Posture wise, you're at home immediately.
I am 5'7" tall and I snapped onto the bike like a lego. No need for any kind of adjustments. Things automatically fell in place and it was quite easy. The seat height suitable if you're above 5'6". I couldn't flat foot both my legs but its something that I am used to with the versys, one feet on the bike and flat foot the other one.

19" front wheel gave a nice handling characteristic to the bike, and the tyres seem to be good for mild offroading. The suspension however I felt was too stiff and did not have much travel as compared to the Xpulse. I have not driven the Xpulse extensively but have only done a short ride on the bad tarmac. Xpulse is much better for the off-road scenario.

In the city, the bike feels quite peppy and eager to leap forward.Higher seating position also give a commanding view. Smaller width means one can easily navigate thru the traffic. Bybre brakes feel good for the city speeds only not sure how would they hold in an emergency braking.

If one intends to tour on the VStrom 250, there are positives and there are negative.
The bike is very happy around speeds 80-90 kmph, no buzz at that speed, absolutely butter smooth. The next 40kmph, where the bike would max out, are buzzy. So, in my opinion, it lacks the highway performance especially with the kind of highways that we are developing in the country now-a-days. But if one can hold that speed all day long, its fantastic.

The windscreen is good for protecting bugs from sticking to your jacket. That too only below the chest area. So can't really say that there is wind protection. There might be after-market taller windscreens, but those would in-turn increase the resistance and reduce the overall performance. So its not really a performer on the highway. Also being lighter, wont help during the strong cross-winds.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_beak.jpg

Gets a signature beak and the Gixxer's headlights are nicely integrated.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_charger.jpg

She gets a charger socket in built! Impressed. However I found the position to be a bit weird.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_footrest.jpg

Footrest are perfect for offroading . I believe the rubber part can be removed during offroading. Did not try on the TD bike.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_front-34.jpg

Looks good with those 19" tyres.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_knuckle-guard.jpg

She comes with plastic knuckle guards. Not sure if they will help incase of a fall.
Notice the charger socket on the left in the image.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_mirror.jpg

Mirror has good visibility from the rider's POV.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_radiator.jpg

The radiator on your right for the oil cooled engine. At this price point I expect a liquid cooling, CBR has one.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_rear-3-4.jpg

Short, dual pipe exhaust, not very loud, looks good, nice. I like it. Tail light from the older Gixxer.

Barbecue grill, will probably end up in long term some storage at home or will make cleaning the chain a tough job.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_rear.jpg

Nice chunky piece of rubber, suitable for mild off-roading but good for broken tarmac.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-v_sumpguard.jpg

Lastly, the most usable piece of metal incase of bad roads. Usually the bigger bikes have Oil filter over here, not sure what is this protecting. The engine unit behind is usually pretty strong and can withstand quite a bashing from the flying muck from the tyre.

This bike's purpose is very confusing. I really could not come to one conclusion about the V 250.
Touring - Himalayan is much better.
Offroading - Xpulse is much better.
City commute - May be, but then spending 2.5L on a city bike? Especially when the competition can do it plus a little more, at equal or lesser price, doesn't justify the V250.

I haven't driven the other competitors, but one has multiple option in this segment other ones above mentioned like BMW GS 310, Duke adv cousins, Yezdi. Do try to ride them before making the decision.

ayan59dutta · 18th July 2022, 11:48

After a lot of confusion & research, I finally decided to get a new Vstrom Orange as my first bike last week. It feels a bit daunting, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madhukar_n

Total Bill was 2180, out of that 750 was for the crash bar and 350 for tank protection sticker.

Here are some of the photos.

Congratulations for your new ride!

Can you please share some details on the top box that you are using? I'm looking to buy a top box to save my bagpack (and more importantly, my phone) from the random heavy showers we're having daily here.

vvs29 · 28th July 2022, 00:19

Hello everyone. I've been a silent observer of team bhp for quite a while but this is my first time posting anything. I purchased a yellow VStrom SX 250 last week after much deliberation. It cost 2.48 lakhs (incl. registration, number plates, 1 year own damage and 5 year liability insurance) at MPC Suzuki, Chennai.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-vstrom-copy.jpg

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-delivery.jpeg

How I got here:
I used to own a 2013 Karizma R (the older model) which had multiple nagging issues like rattling, white smoke from exhaust, carb issues. Instead of banging my head with the ASS and/or local mechanics, I thought maybe I'll buy a new one which is more comfortable for me.Being the lazy bum I am I wouldn't have the patience to sort out all issues and would just resort to using my car everywhere.

Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs-karizma-copy.jpg

About me, I'm 6' 4", 110kgs with a not so fit physique. My usage isn't much, about 20kms of commute daily with maybe an additional 40kms during the weekends. A scooter or a 125cc commuter bike would be perfectly fine, but none actually fit the bill for me.

My requirements in the order of preference:
1. Should seat me and my wife comfortably. My running is already low and if there isn't enough space for her, the purchase wouldn't make sense.
2. Suspension should be comfortable over our broken roads and those stupid bolt on speed breakers.
3. Silent and refined - Exhaust note shouldn't be loud and no vibrations till 90-100 kph. I would actually prefer if both of them didn't exist.
3. Should be light enough to sneak in between traffic.
4. Fuss free ownership
5. Good mileage (who doesn't want it)

In the order that I tried them out:
1. Honda SP 125/Hornet 2.0/Unicorn 160: The major problem with Honda were their showrooms. Of the 3 near my house, 2 were battered as if they were old haunted houses and none of them had test drive bikes. They didn't even know when they would be able to provide one and quoted a waiting period of 45 days.

2. XPulse 200 4V - The much softer suspension and the upright seating position were the big draw. But again, no test ride was available on walk in to the showroom. Booked via their website and their call center were willing to provide one and mentioned the showroom would contact me, which they never did. I didn't follow up much either as a) my wife didn't have enough space left after me even though she could maybe manage for short rides. b) I wan't too enthusiastic about spoke wheels and tubed tyres as my off-roading is limited to our broken roads.

3. Pulsar N160, N250, 150 and NS125 - Again, no test rides available for 150 and NS125. N250 they could arrange by the end of the month.

4. V Strom Sx 250 - This was at the upper end of my budget and I wasn't convinced I needed this. But the showroom was right next to Bajaj's and I just wanted to check it out and see how it feels. I liked the seating position a lot. It felt big and as it fit me. For the first time, I actually felt that my Karizma was small for me. My wife was also comfortable. The suspension wasn't stiff as many reviews were claiming, especially with my wife at the back it had sufficient bounce at the rear when coming off a speedbreaker to not be jarring. The exhaust was also fairly silent, in fact, a bit more silent than my current bike. Though the test drive was limited to a 200 meter stretch of concrete road with a couple speedbreakers and a big ass ramp over a drainage duct. Also being a 250cc, 30-35kmpl is what can be expected out of it.

5. TVS Raider: Since my wife has an NTorq which has sufficient power to haul both of us, I started in this segment. It had rice reviews all around and the 55kmpl mileage was tempting. They didn't have any bikes for test drive but they let me sit on one pending delivery. It felt small and cramped for me. My knees were brushing the top of the fuel tank and I didn't like my stance in general. The pillion had enough space after me though.

6. Apache 160/200 - Both were cramped with my knees fouling with he fuel tank resulting in bad contact of my thights with the fuel tank. Plus they didn't have test drive bikes.

7. TVS Ronin: The sitting posture was comfortable for me even though it looked and felt small. But my wife wasn't comfortable even though she could manage for some time. When I asked the sales person there if there were broken roads nearby where I could ride it, she said I could drive only on the main road. We can't allow taking the bike over potholes. Say what? Not that it would have mattered anyway. I'm not sure if the tyres were overinflated or the general suspension setup itself was like that, but I could feel every imperfection on the road and so could my wife. I didn't like the boomy exhaust note either.

8. Yamaha FZ, FZ25, FZX - The FZs were kinda aggressive for me. My legs were bent quite a bit more than the Karizma, though the upper body was okay. They didn't have test drive bikes again though. They did have FZ-X. The suspension was quite soft and my wife had sufficient space at the back. However, I had 2 problems. a) The fuel tank was wider on the X variant which affected my manueverability, and b) the engine didn't seem to have enough grunt at the low end and needed to be revved up to 5K for decent response at which point it was noisy for me. Weirdly enough, my wife liked the VStrom suspension better than this.

9. RE - Don't like the brand in general. Too loud, too heavy for my liking, vibrations are plenty and pretty much everyone in my circle who has it complains of maintenance problems with the bike. Based on what I read online, the meteor is based on the new engines and has much less vibrations. But it's still loud and heavy for pretty much the price of a VStrom.

After all this I was thoroughly disappointed that no bike in the market was fitting the bill. It came down to
a) VStrom - Compromise on price and mileage for likeable exhaust, seating postion and pillion comfort. Though had read mixed reviews about parts availability and service quality in the forums.
b) XPulse, compromise on pillion comfort and tubed tyres for lower cost, slightly better mileage and better spare parts availability down the line.
c) FZ25 - compromise on leg comfort and mileage for price, suspension and pillion comfort.
d) FZX - compromise on manueverability and engine grunt for mileage, price and suspension.

After some more deliberation I ruled out the Yamaha's, but still couldn't decide between the VStrom and XPulse.

After some days I enquired at a different Bajaj showroom and they had N250 and 150 available for test drive and they let me go around a bit across different types of roads to test it out. We liked the suspension and pillion comfort of the N250. The exhaust was equally loud as my Karizma. While the seating position was not inconvenient, my legs were still quite folded (though not as much as the FZs), and the upper body was roughly in the same position as the Karizma.

With this, I had ruled out XPulse. Now it was between N160, N250 and VStrom.
They quoted 1.8L for N250 with 20 day waiting period and 1.6L for the N160 with a 45 day waiting period. The only thing going for the N160 was the slightly better FE. So it was now between N250 and VStrom with me leaning towards the N250 becasue of the lower price, better suspension and better spare parts availability.

I wanted to get a longer test drive of the VStrom, especially near my house where I know the roads. So I registered at the website which claimed to provide a test drive at home. And while it did take a couple days, they did get me one at my house. I went for a 4 km ride around the narrow and broken lanes, patched roads and those irritating speed bumps and we both actually felt the suspension was good enough with the seating being much more comfortable. It did feel a bit more heavy than my Karizma and also had a slightly bigger turning radius but not big enough to cause problems.

So I bit the bullet and booked one immediately after the test drive. They had the yellow version available immediately. So I made the payment the next day and it was delivered after registration in another 26 hours.

On the way back, I felt the suspension was stiffer than the test drive bike. I checked the tyre pressure and it was the same 22/29 that the user manual recommended. I then went on a short ride with my wife and realized it had softened up. That's when it struck me that I hadn't actually driven any of the bikes without a pillion. Anyway, I went to get the preload adjusted and they did get it down. However, it looks like it went down only 1 step and when it should go down 1 more. The mechanic there claims if it goes down further it will lock up and can't be increased again easily. While the difference is noticeable, I would say the suspension is now equivalent to how the Karizma was. Although, one advantage it that it's easier to momentarily get off the saddle and ride through the broken patch.

Another niggle I noticed was that, because of the knuckle guards, I can't really hang bags from the handlebar. Though some bags can be hung from the mirror stem, I went ahead and purchased a tank bag. Also bought some thin metal plates meant to stuck on a mobile and snap on to a magnetic car mount. I've instead stuck them to the petrol tank where the magnets of the tank bag would land. It's not pretty but will get the job done for now. Will find some local shop that can stitch me a sleeve that wraps around the black portion of the fuel tank with the metal plates inside, so it looks cleaner.

Also thinking of going for a saddle bag or top case which would hold both our clothes and a laptop for a weekend trip. The saddle bags seem to need a saddle stay and the top case mount's weight limit on the bike seems to be 6kg which I'm not sure if it'll be enough.

This post became way bigger than I was expecting, so thank you for reading the whole thing.

madhukar_n · 28th July 2022, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayan59dutta

After a lot of confusion & research, I finally decided to get a new Vstrom Orange as my first bike last week. It feels a bit daunting, but I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Congratulations for your new ride!

Can you please share some details on the top box that you are using? I'm looking to buy a top box to save my bagpack (and more importantly, my phone) from the random heavy showers we're having daily here.

Hi,Sorry for late response. The top box is Givi B32.

ayan59dutta · 29th July 2022, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by madhukar_n

Hi,Sorry for late response. The top box is Givi B32.

Thanks!

I have a newbie question though. Does the bike's characteristics/handling change with a topbox fitted on it? Or is it just the same as having a pillion?

drt_rdr · 31st July 2022, 17:09

^^Not sure. Never used a top box on my bikes. But I expect it's bound to change a small bit since you're adding some weight at the tail end which would have some effect on the suspension. But since the box+contents would never weigh as much as a pillion, the change in handling characteristics would not be as pronounced as riding with a pillion.

SoumenD · 31st July 2022, 17:30

Congratulations vvs29 on your new ride. Wish you many happy miles with the SX

Do let us know if you can get the suspension right. I think with pillion it behaves a bit better than how is it while solo. About luggage space why don’t you try a topbox. I think bhpian Serbing got a nice one for his SX. I plan to get something similar for luggage if I get the SX.

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvs29

…but still couldn't decide between the VStrom and XPulse.
.

I am in this dilemma as of now. Xpulse appeals for the lovely suspension which is much needed for Bangalore roads. But lacks on punch when it comes to highway speeds. SX250 I like everything except for the suspension which felt a little stiffer than I would like. Wish it had Xpulse-ish suspension, would have been an easy choice. Never the less its a front runner among current options

vvs29 · 31st July 2022, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoumenD

I think with pillion it behaves a bit better than how is it while solo. I plan to get something similar for luggage if I get the SX.

Yes. I just did 45kms in the city yesterday and though it wasn't plush, it was comfortable enough that we weren't tired after the drive. I'm hoping once there's sufficient mileage on the suspension, they'll get softer and they'll be fairly comfortable while riding solo as well. That said, I just drive straight through the broken patch without reducing speed by getting up from the saddle as the bike feel stable while doing so and it's pretty easy to get up.

I'm also wondering if handlebar risers would make a difference in 2 ways:
1. Due to the weight shifting a bit towards the rear suspension
2. Making it even easier to stand up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoumenD

About luggage space why don’t you try a topbox. I think bhpian Serbing got a nice one for his SX.

I found the Shad SH42 to be what I'm looking for. Though I could find only 1 shop in Chennai who can source it. Stock is expected to arrive this week. I also found a saddle stay specific for the VStrom SX, so I ordered it: https://bandidospitstop.com/collecti...om-saddle-stay, although I'm not sure which saddle bags will hamper with the pillion's legs, especially for more than 1.5 hour journeys. They also have a crash guard that looks similar to one that I think I saw in this forum somewhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoumenD

I am in this dilemma as of now. Xpulse appeals for the lovely suspension which is much needed for Bangalore roads. But lacks on punch when it comes to highway speeds. SX250 I like everything except for the suspension which felt a little stiffer than I would like. Wish it had Xpulse-ish suspension, would have been an easy choice. Never the less its a front runner among current options

If you're not as tall as me and don't like the Himalayan, maybe check out the Pulsar N250 as well. Apart from the leg position, that was very close.
Or if you don't like that as well, then I guess some compromise has to be made based on whether you ride in the city more or the highway more.

If you're going to be mostly riding solo, then I guess XPulse would be a strong contender as well. Do also check out the TVS Ronin if you don't mind the boomy exhaust.

neil.jericho · 5th August 2022, 14:58

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet a few other VStrom 250 owners from Cochin. All of them were happy with their motorcycles. Nobody had any real flaws or negatives to share, as such. One tall rider did say that handlebar risers would have been a welcome accessory. He was probably 6 feet tall. He also shared that the brakes could have been a bit sharper. One rider shared that the footpegs brushed against his calves but it wasnt anything that he really noticed while using the motorcycle.

Most of the feedback was around the need for accessories. That is one area where the aftermarket players will step in and capitalize on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoumenD

Do let us know if you can get the suspension right. I think with pillion it behaves a bit better than how is it while solo. About luggage space why don’t you try a topbox. I think bhpian Serbing got a nice one for his SX. I plan to get something similar for luggage if I get the SX.

I am in this dilemma as of now. Xpulse appeals for the lovely suspension which is much needed for Bangalore roads. But lacks on punch when it comes to highway speeds. SX250 I like everything except for the suspension which felt a little stiffer than I would like. Wish it had Xpulse-ish suspension, would have been an easy choice. Never the less its a front runner among current options

Quote:

Originally Posted by vvs29

Yes. I just did 45kms in the city yesterday and though it wasn't plush, it was comfortable enough that we weren't tired after the drive. I'm hoping once there's sufficient mileage on the suspension, they'll get softer and they'll be fairly comfortable while riding solo as well. That said, I just drive straight through the broken patch without reducing speed by getting up from the saddle as the bike feel stable while doing so and it's pretty easy to get up.

I hope both of you have tried adjusting the preload on the rear suspension. That should sort things out.

drt_rdr · 5th August 2022, 20:03

I had another testride of the vstrom at a different showroom and came away with a head-scratchingly favourable impression of the handling this time. The bike seemed more manageable and flickable at lower speeds than the last one I rode.

I guess the last TR bike must've had some mechanical ailment. Maybe some guy dropped it and I rode it before they fixed it? I don't know. Anyway, the handling is still not near as breezy or as fun as my 150cc bikes, but decent enough for me to reconsider buying this.

Other observations:

Nothing else felt different from last time. Suspension still stiff as ever. Just made me appreciate the Impulse that much more, and look forward more keenly to the CRF arriving here.

The TD bike was fitted with the low seat and it was hard. But on the bright side, the footpeg-grazing-the-feet niggle was easier to manage with this.

I also rode this back to back with a Gixxer SF. It felt like the initial throttle response was more sedate on the SF but came on stronger upwards in the rev range, and the V had a stronger low end punch but felt kind of meh all the way to the top revs. Can someone confirm this?

@Owners of both bikes who've ridden past the break-in kms, how does the engine feel? Where does the engine feel the meatiest?

Brakes also felt sharper on the SF.

As a kind of tall guy, riding the SF is a bother and infinitely more uncomfortable than the V, though, yeah, the V could be more comfortable with one inch risers.

Absolutely hate the rear ABS.

Sebring · 6th August 2022, 07:05

My bike broke-in very slowly and that was very frustrating. At exactly 1600 Kms it felt free. Engine feels meatiest above 4000 RPM, 4/5/6 gears. I try to keep it above that mostly

Quote:

Originally Posted by drt_rdr

@Owners of both bikes who've ridden past the break-in kms, how does the engine feel? Where does the engine feel the meatiest?

Full_Minchingu · 6th August 2022, 08:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebring

My bike broke-in very slowly and that was very frustrating. At exactly 1600 Kms it felt free. Engine feels meatiest above 4000 RPM, 4/5/6 gears. I try to keep it above that mostly

Hi Sebring, can you please show clear picture of your aux lights and crash guard?

I see that you have fitted the aux lights below the front lip and the front suspension is already short at 120mm. Has the aux light setup given any trouble to you at times by banging the front mudguard?

Are the crash guard factory fitted or after market? Can you please share more details on this?

Thanks in advance.
-Badri

TheHelix0202 · 6th August 2022, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sebring

I had received the full accessory kit a week back. Finally found time to paste the stickers and tank PPF. Kudos to Suzuki for making every accessory/every part available in such short time

Could you share a link for that mobile holder? Been seeing it on the forum a lot recently, wondering what it is.

23rd June 2022, 21:45	#272
drt_rdr BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: KA-xx Posts: 511 Thanked: 1,551 Times	Re: Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs I took a TD of the V-SX today. Had a good 8-10 km with it, mostly over inner city roads and gallies. I'd been looking at it as a replacement for my aging Suzuki GS150R. Came out disappointed though. I'll get into why a bit later. I'm approx. 6 ft, 75 - 80 kgs, average build, a bit long legged. Seat height is not usually an issue for me but legs being cramped is. The bike is a good size and fits well for me. I like the seating position, I don't mind the standing position either. I mean, I've been using a stock impulse for a decade now. Sitting on this bike felt natural. The seat material is very soft and comfy compared to the hard seats on the gixxer. Front of the seat area is very narrow, slender, just like the Gixxer, and easy to manage the bike with, easy to plant legs on the ground. I love it. As mentioned by others, footpegs graze the feet. The same thing happens with both my other bikes depending on how further up on the seat I'm sitting. So, I tend to adjust where I sit when at standstill to avoid the pegs brushing. And the V-SX has a roomy seat. So, no issues here, for me atleast. I suppose the wider footpegs give the impression of this being an issue. The bike looks and feels chunky for a 250. The weight is definitely felt while moving it around the parking area compared to my bikes though. It's nothing complain to about compared to a KTM Adv or Himalayan or the Yezdis. But for me, personally, considering my usage scenarios, it'll be a bit bothersome. I don't personally care about the console features, the USB charger, and all that, though it's nice to have. I planned on taking out the saree guard, windshield, bashplate, luggage rack and knuckleguards to get rid of some weight anyway. Nothing new to say about the engine. Smooth go, smooth shifts. Can get good grunt with a heavy throttle hand, and I was above 80 before I realized. Can also cruise at a leisurely pace because it's very tractable, can pick up from as low as 30 kmph in 5th gear. The thing is versatile and allows you a lot of freedom with how you want to ride. Typical local Suzuki fare, great stuff for people looking for practicality first, despite its "soulless" or "appliance-like" nature. I'd have liked a faster engine, and it felt very linear if you're not paying much attention. I revved it out to redline in the lower gears, but I could barely tell when the engine came alive. Then again, I was riding a really fresh, barely 6 km old TD bike. So... Nothing much to say about the brakes. They do their job well. Nothing stood out. Only thing is I hate the dual-channel ABS. Wish it were single channel. Would save me some money upfront + the hassle of taking the fuse off and putting it back on depending on the riding. Coming to the handling... I can live with the suspension. Its un-plush, and actually felt a bit harsh at low speeds, but very serviceable from my PoV, takes jumps nicely too. No major complaints. But.... The bike prefers stability to point of being boring. The damn thing does not respond well to handlebar inputs OR hip inputs. Though it holds the line well during corners, flickability is an issue, it's slow to change directions and very unwieldy, especially in city traffic. I mean, it's par for the course considering the likes of the Himalayan and Yezdis it's competing with, but... I was expecting something else from Suzuki. From what I remember, the Gixxer250 also felt a bit lazy compared to my GS150R and Impulse, but not this lazy. I'm guessing it's probably a combination of the V-SX's weight, the pulled out rake angle and the much longer wheelbase. I asked the showroom staff if the tyres were filled up correctly, but that wasn't the issue. It's just not the bike I was hoping it would be. Not much left to say. I'll have one more TD sometime later to confirm my impressions, but I think I'm ready to scratch it off my shortlist. It's a damn shame because it meets most of my needs but falls short of a major want. TLDR: Nice bike, but not for someone who enjoys good handling. Add salt per taste. Last edited by drt_rdr : 23rd June 2022 at 22:02.
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24th June 2022, 14:37	#273
iamahunter BHPian Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Mumbai. Posts: 735 Thanked: 3,727 Times	Re: Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs I recently did a test drive of the Vstrom 250. Putting things to perspective - I drove to the showroom on a Versys 650 and quickly hopped on to the 250, the first impression was, "its light", obviously! Now, being a CBR250R owner, I my mind was naturally comparing the Vstrom-250 with the CBR 250R. Yes I know they're a different genre of bikes, the Gixxer 250 would be the right one to put against the CBR, etc. But if a CBR owner wants to replace his CBR with the VStrom as he wants the upright sitting posture, the comparison would be there. Additionally, the power and price actually put them on par with each other. CBR was sold at 2.2L OTR when it was phased out, and VStrom is 2.5L. Posture wise, you're at home immediately. I am 5'7" tall and I snapped onto the bike like a lego. No need for any kind of adjustments. Things automatically fell in place and it was quite easy. The seat height suitable if you're above 5'6". I couldn't flat foot both my legs but its something that I am used to with the versys, one feet on the bike and flat foot the other one. 19" front wheel gave a nice handling characteristic to the bike, and the tyres seem to be good for mild offroading. The suspension however I felt was too stiff and did not have much travel as compared to the Xpulse. I have not driven the Xpulse extensively but have only done a short ride on the bad tarmac. Xpulse is much better for the off-road scenario. In the city, the bike feels quite peppy and eager to leap forward.Higher seating position also give a commanding view. Smaller width means one can easily navigate thru the traffic. Bybre brakes feel good for the city speeds only not sure how would they hold in an emergency braking. If one intends to tour on the VStrom 250, there are positives and there are negative. The bike is very happy around speeds 80-90 kmph, no buzz at that speed, absolutely butter smooth. The next 40kmph, where the bike would max out, are buzzy. So, in my opinion, it lacks the highway performance especially with the kind of highways that we are developing in the country now-a-days. But if one can hold that speed all day long, its fantastic. The windscreen is good for protecting bugs from sticking to your jacket. That too only below the chest area. So can't really say that there is wind protection. There might be after-market taller windscreens, but those would in-turn increase the resistance and reduce the overall performance. So its not really a performer on the highway. Also being lighter, wont help during the strong cross-winds. Gets a signature beak and the Gixxer's headlights are nicely integrated. She gets a charger socket in built! Impressed. However I found the position to be a bit weird. Footrest are perfect for offroading . I believe the rubber part can be removed during offroading. Did not try on the TD bike. Looks good with those 19" tyres. She comes with plastic knuckle guards. Not sure if they will help incase of a fall. Notice the charger socket on the left in the image. Mirror has good visibility from the rider's POV. The radiator on your right for the oil cooled engine. At this price point I expect a liquid cooling, CBR has one. Short, dual pipe exhaust, not very loud, looks good, nice. I like it. Tail light from the older Gixxer. Barbecue grill, will probably end up in long term some storage at home or will make cleaning the chain a tough job. Nice chunky piece of rubber, suitable for mild off-roading but good for broken tarmac. Lastly, the most usable piece of metal incase of bad roads. Usually the bigger bikes have Oil filter over here, not sure what is this protecting. The engine unit behind is usually pretty strong and can withstand quite a bashing from the flying muck from the tyre. This bike's purpose is very confusing. I really could not come to one conclusion about the V 250. Touring - Himalayan is much better. Offroading - Xpulse is much better. City commute - May be, but then spending 2.5L on a city bike? Especially when the competition can do it plus a little more, at equal or lesser price, doesn't justify the V250. I haven't driven the other competitors, but one has multiple option in this segment other ones above mentioned like BMW GS 310, Duke adv cousins, Yezdi. Do try to ride them before making the decision.
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28th July 2022, 00:19	#275
vvs29 BHPian Join Date: Jul 2022 Location: Chennai Posts: 34 Thanked: 69 Times	Re: Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs Hello everyone. I've been a silent observer of team bhp for quite a while but this is my first time posting anything. I purchased a yellow VStrom SX 250 last week after much deliberation. It cost 2.48 lakhs (incl. registration, number plates, 1 year own damage and 5 year liability insurance) at MPC Suzuki, Chennai. How I got here: I used to own a 2013 Karizma R (the older model) which had multiple nagging issues like rattling, white smoke from exhaust, carb issues. Instead of banging my head with the ASS and/or local mechanics, I thought maybe I'll buy a new one which is more comfortable for me.Being the lazy bum I am I wouldn't have the patience to sort out all issues and would just resort to using my car everywhere. About me, I'm 6' 4", 110kgs with a not so fit physique. My usage isn't much, about 20kms of commute daily with maybe an additional 40kms during the weekends. A scooter or a 125cc commuter bike would be perfectly fine, but none actually fit the bill for me. My requirements in the order of preference: 1. Should seat me and my wife comfortably. My running is already low and if there isn't enough space for her, the purchase wouldn't make sense. 2. Suspension should be comfortable over our broken roads and those stupid bolt on speed breakers. 3. Silent and refined - Exhaust note shouldn't be loud and no vibrations till 90-100 kph. I would actually prefer if both of them didn't exist. 3. Should be light enough to sneak in between traffic. 4. Fuss free ownership 5. Good mileage (who doesn't want it) In the order that I tried them out: 1. Honda SP 125/Hornet 2.0/Unicorn 160: The major problem with Honda were their showrooms. Of the 3 near my house, 2 were battered as if they were old haunted houses and none of them had test drive bikes. They didn't even know when they would be able to provide one and quoted a waiting period of 45 days. 2. XPulse 200 4V - The much softer suspension and the upright seating position were the big draw. But again, no test ride was available on walk in to the showroom. Booked via their website and their call center were willing to provide one and mentioned the showroom would contact me, which they never did. I didn't follow up much either as a) my wife didn't have enough space left after me even though she could maybe manage for short rides. b) I wan't too enthusiastic about spoke wheels and tubed tyres as my off-roading is limited to our broken roads. 3. Pulsar N160, N250, 150 and NS125 - Again, no test rides available for 150 and NS125. N250 they could arrange by the end of the month. 4. V Strom Sx 250 - This was at the upper end of my budget and I wasn't convinced I needed this. But the showroom was right next to Bajaj's and I just wanted to check it out and see how it feels. I liked the seating position a lot. It felt big and as it fit me. For the first time, I actually felt that my Karizma was small for me. My wife was also comfortable. The suspension wasn't stiff as many reviews were claiming, especially with my wife at the back it had sufficient bounce at the rear when coming off a speedbreaker to not be jarring. The exhaust was also fairly silent, in fact, a bit more silent than my current bike. Though the test drive was limited to a 200 meter stretch of concrete road with a couple speedbreakers and a big ass ramp over a drainage duct. Also being a 250cc, 30-35kmpl is what can be expected out of it. 5. TVS Raider: Since my wife has an NTorq which has sufficient power to haul both of us, I started in this segment. It had rice reviews all around and the 55kmpl mileage was tempting. They didn't have any bikes for test drive but they let me sit on one pending delivery. It felt small and cramped for me. My knees were brushing the top of the fuel tank and I didn't like my stance in general. The pillion had enough space after me though. 6. Apache 160/200 - Both were cramped with my knees fouling with he fuel tank resulting in bad contact of my thights with the fuel tank. Plus they didn't have test drive bikes. 7. TVS Ronin: The sitting posture was comfortable for me even though it looked and felt small. But my wife wasn't comfortable even though she could manage for some time. When I asked the sales person there if there were broken roads nearby where I could ride it, she said I could drive only on the main road. We can't allow taking the bike over potholes. Say what? Not that it would have mattered anyway. I'm not sure if the tyres were overinflated or the general suspension setup itself was like that, but I could feel every imperfection on the road and so could my wife. I didn't like the boomy exhaust note either. 8. Yamaha FZ, FZ25, FZX - The FZs were kinda aggressive for me. My legs were bent quite a bit more than the Karizma, though the upper body was okay. They didn't have test drive bikes again though. They did have FZ-X. The suspension was quite soft and my wife had sufficient space at the back. However, I had 2 problems. a) The fuel tank was wider on the X variant which affected my manueverability, and b) the engine didn't seem to have enough grunt at the low end and needed to be revved up to 5K for decent response at which point it was noisy for me. Weirdly enough, my wife liked the VStrom suspension better than this. 9. RE - Don't like the brand in general. Too loud, too heavy for my liking, vibrations are plenty and pretty much everyone in my circle who has it complains of maintenance problems with the bike. Based on what I read online, the meteor is based on the new engines and has much less vibrations. But it's still loud and heavy for pretty much the price of a VStrom. After all this I was thoroughly disappointed that no bike in the market was fitting the bill. It came down to a) VStrom - Compromise on price and mileage for likeable exhaust, seating postion and pillion comfort. Though had read mixed reviews about parts availability and service quality in the forums. b) XPulse, compromise on pillion comfort and tubed tyres for lower cost, slightly better mileage and better spare parts availability down the line. c) FZ25 - compromise on leg comfort and mileage for price, suspension and pillion comfort. d) FZX - compromise on manueverability and engine grunt for mileage, price and suspension. After some more deliberation I ruled out the Yamaha's, but still couldn't decide between the VStrom and XPulse. After some days I enquired at a different Bajaj showroom and they had N250 and 150 available for test drive and they let me go around a bit across different types of roads to test it out. We liked the suspension and pillion comfort of the N250. The exhaust was equally loud as my Karizma. While the seating position was not inconvenient, my legs were still quite folded (though not as much as the FZs), and the upper body was roughly in the same position as the Karizma. With this, I had ruled out XPulse. Now it was between N160, N250 and VStrom. They quoted 1.8L for N250 with 20 day waiting period and 1.6L for the N160 with a 45 day waiting period. The only thing going for the N160 was the slightly better FE. So it was now between N250 and VStrom with me leaning towards the N250 becasue of the lower price, better suspension and better spare parts availability. I wanted to get a longer test drive of the VStrom, especially near my house where I know the roads. So I registered at the website which claimed to provide a test drive at home. And while it did take a couple days, they did get me one at my house. I went for a 4 km ride around the narrow and broken lanes, patched roads and those irritating speed bumps and we both actually felt the suspension was good enough with the seating being much more comfortable. It did feel a bit more heavy than my Karizma and also had a slightly bigger turning radius but not big enough to cause problems. So I bit the bullet and booked one immediately after the test drive. They had the yellow version available immediately. So I made the payment the next day and it was delivered after registration in another 26 hours. On the way back, I felt the suspension was stiffer than the test drive bike. I checked the tyre pressure and it was the same 22/29 that the user manual recommended. I then went on a short ride with my wife and realized it had softened up. That's when it struck me that I hadn't actually driven any of the bikes without a pillion. Anyway, I went to get the preload adjusted and they did get it down. However, it looks like it went down only 1 step and when it should go down 1 more. The mechanic there claims if it goes down further it will lock up and can't be increased again easily. While the difference is noticeable, I would say the suspension is now equivalent to how the Karizma was. Although, one advantage it that it's easier to momentarily get off the saddle and ride through the broken patch. Another niggle I noticed was that, because of the knuckle guards, I can't really hang bags from the handlebar. Though some bags can be hung from the mirror stem, I went ahead and purchased a tank bag. Also bought some thin metal plates meant to stuck on a mobile and snap on to a magnetic car mount. I've instead stuck them to the petrol tank where the magnets of the tank bag would land. It's not pretty but will get the job done for now. Will find some local shop that can stitch me a sleeve that wraps around the black portion of the fuel tank with the metal plates inside, so it looks cleaner. Also thinking of going for a saddle bag or top case which would hold both our clothes and a laptop for a weekend trip. The saddle bags seem to need a saddle stay and the top case mount's weight limit on the bike seems to be 6kg which I'm not sure if it'll be enough. This post became way bigger than I was expecting, so thank you for reading the whole thing.
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31st July 2022, 17:09	#278
drt_rdr BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: KA-xx Posts: 511 Thanked: 1,551 Times	Re: Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs ^^Not sure. Never used a top box on my bikes. But I expect it's bound to change a small bit since you're adding some weight at the tail end which would have some effect on the suspension. But since the box+contents would never weigh as much as a pillion, the change in handling characteristics would not be as pronounced as riding with a pillion. Last edited by drt_rdr : 31st July 2022 at 17:11.
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5th August 2022, 20:03	#282
drt_rdr BHPian Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: KA-xx Posts: 511 Thanked: 1,551 Times	Re: Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX, now launched at Rs. 2.12 lakhs I had another testride of the vstrom at a different showroom and came away with a head-scratchingly favourable impression of the handling this time. The bike seemed more manageable and flickable at lower speeds than the last one I rode. I guess the last TR bike must've had some mechanical ailment. Maybe some guy dropped it and I rode it before they fixed it? I don't know. Anyway, the handling is still not near as breezy or as fun as my 150cc bikes, but decent enough for me to reconsider buying this. Other observations: Nothing else felt different from last time. Suspension still stiff as ever. Just made me appreciate the Impulse that much more, and look forward more keenly to the CRF arriving here. The TD bike was fitted with the low seat and it was hard. But on the bright side, the footpeg-grazing-the-feet niggle was easier to manage with this. I also rode this back to back with a Gixxer SF. It felt like the initial throttle response was more sedate on the SF but came on stronger upwards in the rev range, and the V had a stronger low end punch but felt kind of meh all the way to the top revs. Can someone confirm this? @Owners of both bikes who've ridden past the break-in kms, how does the engine feel? Where does the engine feel the meatiest? Brakes also felt sharper on the SF. As a kind of tall guy, riding the SF is a bother and infinitely more uncomfortable than the V, though, yeah, the V could be more comfortable with one inch risers. Absolutely hate the rear ABS. Last edited by drt_rdr : 5th August 2022 at 20:15.
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