[SkylineGTR]

I am looking to buy me a new motorcycle. Ever since I was a teenager I've had a thing for fully faired bikes, if this was 2010 i'd just have gone for a CBR250 with my eyes closed. But as things stand today, options in the 250cc space are limited. The only options I have are the Gixxer SF 250 and the RC200.

As someone who has virtually no experience with sports bikes(lifelong Unicorn owner), I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities? Are the fairing prone to damage by careless passerbys? Indians love to sit on parked motorcycles, will the fairing be smashed to pieces if it falls? What about being brushed against other vehicles in dense traffic?

And then, there's the issue of riding posture. I'm not a fit guy, have a slight potbelly. But I'm 28, so I don't feel disheartened by the aggressive riding posture of these sports bikes just yet. Can someone with some more experience chime in?

[saitvsk23]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

I am looking to buy me a new motorcycle. Ever since I was a teenager I've had a thing for fully faired bikes, if this was 2010 i'd just have gone for a CBR250 with my eyes closed. But as things stand today, options in the 250cc space are limited. The only options I have are the Gixxer SF 250 and the RC200.

As someone who has virtually no experience with sports bikes(lifelong Unicorn owner), I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities? Are the fairing prone to damage by careless passerbys? Indians love to sit on parked motorcycles, will the fairing be smashed to pieces if it falls? What about being brushed against other vehicles in dense traffic?

And then, there's the issue of riding posture. I'm not a fit guy, have a slight potbelly. But I'm 28, so I don't feel disheartened by the aggressive riding posture of these sports bikes just yet. Can someone with some more experience chime in?

Hi there. I own a CBR 250R. This was my experience when I first bought my bike pre-owned in 2020:

Experience : I myself had no experience with big bikes. All I had as a motorcycle was my dad's Hero Passion X Pro. I had thoroughly studied the threads on this forum, so I was prepared as for what to expect from a big bike. Comparatively, the power delivery is two-fold (or even three-fold). My bike is a bit heavy at 160kgs, so taking U-turns and all requires a bit of strength and balance. Brakes are far more superior than the lousy drum brakes on our commuters. You feel like you are sitting on a guided missile, compared to those workhorses. Lighting is superior as well. Switchgear quality also goes up a notch.

Posture and Comfort : My CBR is positioned as a sports tourer, so there's a teeny tiny little bit of uprightness compared to the aggressive seating of, let's say, an R15 or a KTM RC. I am a heavy-build guy (100+kgs, 6ft, with a bit of belly) and I find the seat comfortable. When i first got the bike, my wrists started to pain because the riding posture puts stress on your wrists. Once you get used to the posture, you might not feel the pain that much. Lower back pain is negligible. Pls ensure to get the suspension tuned according to your body build to avoid lower back pain and all.

Body Panels and fairings : Itts inevitable to say that everything that falls, breaks (maybe not Nokias). Most fairing parts are made from ABS material, so maybe slight scuffs on the surface due to those concrete pillars in your apartment cellars might not be an issue. Although it'll become an eyesore and dil pe kharoch (a scratch on heart). It goes without saying that these things need to be parked carefully at public places like multiplex parkings and govt office parkings. For people sitting on the bike at such places, just pray that your side stand is strong enough to take their joblessness. In case something happens (god forbid), procuring parts for bikes like the SF250 is easier compared to discontinued models like mine, still its a hefty bill.

Another thing you have to get used to is the fact that the front fairing (which houses the meter console and the headlight) DOES NOT move with the handlebar, unlike the commuters. So traffic cuts on the road have to be made carefully. Models like mine and the SF250 have the mirrors outwards, which may tap other vehicles gently. So that's to be kept in mind.

Rest is the same, ride in the cities with a behaved right wrist, and you'll be safe. For the riding gear, please invest in a good helmet. Look at it as a one time investment. I would recommend something like an Axor Apex or something similar in the price range of 3-4k as these are DOT and ECE certified, and are higher crash rated. If you dont want to invest that much, you can look at Studds Thunder or Steelbird SBA series, as these are priced reasonably from 1.7k to 2.5k and will save your head. I myself use a Studds Thunder because I dont have much usage with the bike (I only use it when i go home).

Ride safe, brother.

[Gaur]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

I am looking to buy me a new motorcycle. Ever since I was a teenager I've had a thing for fully faired bikes, if this was 2010 i'd just have gone for a CBR250 with my eyes closed. But as things stand today, options in the 250cc space are limited. The only options I have are the Gixxer SF 250 and the RC200.

As someone who has virtually no experience with sports bikes(lifelong Unicorn owner), I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities? Are the fairing prone to damage by careless passerbys? Indians love to sit on parked motorcycles, will the fairing be smashed to pieces if it falls? What about being brushed against other vehicles in dense traffic?

And then, there's the issue of riding posture. I'm not a fit guy, have a slight potbelly. But I'm 28, so I don't feel disheartened by the aggressive riding posture of these sports bikes just yet. Can someone with some more experience chime in?

Hi SkylineGTR,

Few months back i have made a transition from a Bajaj Avenger to a used Honda CBR 250r and had the same questions in mind a you have, while most of them have been accurately answered by @saitvsk23 in the previous posts one additional point from my side.

I felt the fully faired CBR gets a bit unstable in cross-winds when compared to my Avenger, i believe the large fairing parts on the side trap the wind increasing the sideways movement, will get used to it but the first time it was a slight shock.

[SkylineGTR]

Originally Posted by saitvsk23

Hi there. I own a CBR 250R. This was my experience when I first bought my bike pre-owned in 2020:

Thank you for the very detailed answer. My primary concern is strangers mistreating my sports bike, and other bikes falling on top of it. On a naked that'd get you just some scratches on your tank. On a fully faired, you lose the fairing and you end up spending 10k. I'll keep other things you say in mind too.

[Rocketscience]

Strangers are less of an issue if it is not an exotic bike but parkings very much are, the way I see how almost every bike parking treats their bikes and generally parks them so close to each other, I have not gathered the courage to park mine.
Hell I have considered parking my bike in a car park and giving them full amount to get proper space near it.
Other than that for smaller and well engineered bikes, even engine heat is an non issue.

What generally goes with fairing is super hard suspension and ultra committed posture both of which will make your rides uncomfortable and very painful, this is something to look out for. Otherwise you are good to go.

[PrasannaDhana]

I have owned 8 motorcycles, of which 3 were fully-faired (ZMR, CBR 250R, RC 390) and one was semi-faired (ZMA-R). The answer to your query is - No, they are not a hazzle at all.

[DeadCenter]

I moved from a Unicorn to a CBR250 10years ago and haven't looked back since then. Dropped it a couple of times as well. The panels do get scratched but they never broke. I just got them replaced during the next service. I used to worry a lot while parking when it was new since it had just launched and attracted a lot of attention but nothing ever really happened. Just came back to a bike that had a few switches flipped. Got over that after a year.

I feel a bit more power that comes with these faired bikes keeps you ahead of traffic and in clear air as well. I refuse to drive in Bangalore since it takes twice the time and I have little patience for traffic so I'll probably be riding for a long time. Looking to switch soon and I may go heavier but without a fairing since I'm in my 40s now and I feel I look too old for a faired bike.

Use your core to keep your upper body up and not your wrists. Keeps that belly tight as well

[Vikram8891]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

Thank you for the very detailed answer. My primary concern is strangers mistreating my sports bike, and other bikes falling on top of it. On a naked that'd get you just some scratches on your tank. On a fully faired, you lose the fairing and you end up spending 10k. I'll keep other things you say in mind too.

I remember back when the CBR was selling and I had made an inquiry the sales person had told me that the fairing can be insured separately for this exact reason that you are concerned. Not sure if that is a thing but maybe you can ask the showroom staff about this.

Secondly please beware that any basic maintenance you want to do in the bike will require taking the fairing off. That is just a trade off for the looks and the aerodynamics.

Lastly, and this needs to be done tastefully, you could get the fairing wrapped in a similar colour as the original colour of the bike. This will prevent it from casual small scratches.

[alphamike_1612]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities?
What about being brushed against other vehicles in dense traffic?

I own a 2017 Gixxer SF 150 and it is my daily commuter.

It is feasible to ride it in a city, there are times that you wish you had a smaller bike especially in tight parking spots or traffic but I am ultimately happy with what I have.

The mirrors when fully extended extend a bit beyond the edge of the handlebar and are the most protruding bits of your motorcycle, hence they are the first to get damaged in case of any fall, but I guess they are made to be resistant to impacts because mine had to handle 4 years of impacts before giving up.

And since these are the most protruding bits, you'll always have someone in traffic asking you to fold them so that they can get by and fill that 1 inch of space that's before your bike. Or even worse, try to barge through the gap and end up disrurbing the mirror, but like I said, I think they are made to be resistant and hence have held up well.

The motorcycle is heavy at around 150 kgs and hence the weight will be noticed while trying to make a u turn, but once you get the hang of it, it isn't really difficult.

Are the fairing prone to damage by careless passerbys? Indians love to sit on parked motorcycles, will the fairing be smashed to pieces if it falls?

To both questions, yes.

I was a college student when I first got the bike and parking was always a hassle. Every time I thought I parked it safe somewhere, it ended up having a few scratches. I learnt with time to love these scratches and called them the battle scars of my motorcycle. To be honest though, after a good shampoo wash and a wax polish, the bike looks as good as new.from a distance, it's only upon close inspection that you find these scratches. Surprisingly though, never once in a mall or multiplex parking lot have I had any scratches, even though it is there that the bikes are piled upon one another. It was always at unregulated parking spots like my college/hospital or a random street shop.

And regarding Indians sitting on motorcycles and then said motorcycle falling, has happened to me and ended up with the indicator busting a hole through the right fairing. It was not a pretty sight, it was painful and the woman who sat on it had the audacity to threaten an eve teasing complaint against me, but that's a story for another day.

In the end, I was able to push through insurance for it and ended up paying 25% of the entire amount if I remember correctly.

And then, there's the issue of riding posture. I'm not a fit guy, have a slight potbelly. But I'm 28, so I don't feel disheartened by the aggressive riding posture of these sports bikes just yet.

I was never fit and had quite a belly when I first got the motorcycle.

The riding posture was never uncomfortable but age might have been on my side, I was after all 18.

You should be fine is my guess, just take the motorcycle for a long ride(around an hour) and then decide. You would have ridden it long enough for your body to start paining in those uncomfortable places. The seating position on the gixxer is almost upright to be honest and the foot pegs are rear set only by a mild margin. I have used this motorcycle to do the saddlesore challenge, use it go for tours and it is comfortable.

The only thing I would like improved on it is the seating and the illumination(the stock halogen setup is worthless), but the newer gen Gixxers have the LED setup so they should be fine I guess. Seat covers/ air seats come in handy for the butt pain.

The pain creeps in only on highway rides, never inside the city (atleast until now).

Go ahead and get one, I'm sure you'll love the experience, considering you've always been interested in owning one of these.

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

I am looking to buy me a new motorcycle. Ever since I was a teenager I've had a thing for fully faired bikes, if this was 2010 i'd just have gone for a CBR250 with my eyes closed.

As someone who has virtually no experience with sports bikes(lifelong Unicorn owner), I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities?

Hi,

I think you can take a lot of courage from my case . After riding a Bajaj Chetak scooter for 22 years, I bought my 1st bike. Guess what! I shifted directly to a fully faired bike at the age of 45+ years and that too after having a lower back pain problem. Yes, ever since I bought my Gixxer SF 155 in 2016 alongwith all riding gears, I am enjoying riding it.

Most of your apprehensions have already been answered by other members. I would say don't worry for anything but check the riding posture of the bike you are considering. In my case, no problem in faired Gixxers as their riding stance and ergonomics aren't that committed, specially in SF 155, its almost a straight posture with very minimum leaning forward and best triangle with foot pegs position, which helps me in weight management without straining my back. Gixxer 250 SF has slightly more committed riding posture, but not much. Bikes having fully committed posture like R15 are not everyone's cup of tea. That each has to decide.
Regarding durability of fairings, well quality does matter. In Suzuki, my experience has been super good with the quality. Fairings are rock solid, don't rattle, don't break with minor brushes etc.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

I am looking to buy me a new motorcycle. Ever since I was a teenager I've had a thing for fully faired bikes, if this was 2010 i'd just have gone for a CBR250 with my eyes closed. But as things stand today, options in the 250cc space are limited. The only options I have are the Gixxer SF 250 and the RC200.

As someone who has virtually no experience with sports bikes(lifelong Unicorn owner), I was wondering how viable are fully faired sports bikes in indian cities? Are the fairing prone to damage by careless passerbys? Indians love to sit on parked motorcycles, will the fairing be smashed to pieces if it falls? What about being brushed against other vehicles in dense traffic?

And then, there's the issue of riding posture. I'm not a fit guy, have a slight potbelly. But I'm 28, so I don't feel disheartened by the aggressive riding posture of these sports bikes just yet. Can someone with some more experience chime in?

SkylineGTR, as someone who has owned and ridden several faired and unfaired motorcycles, I would say that they really arent an issue in our cities. In 2022, faired affordable motorcycles are a dime a dozen. You arent likely to have someone sit and take selfies with your motorcycle. As for brushing against other vehicles, the extended mirrors of the SF 250 and the RC 200 can seem intimidating but you will get used to them, within a day or two. Probably the only thing to look out for is while parking. Again, once you get the knack of it, there is nothing to worry about.

As for the posture, each bike is different. The R15 is really aggressive. The RC 200 is sporty, without killing your wrists. The SF 250 is quite comfortable, in comparison. If you can stretch your budget by a bit, do consider the Apache RR 310, as well. Its deceptively comfortable. Being fit does help a lot. As long as you use your core to grip the tank while braking, you wont find yourself putting too much pressure on your wrists.

Do test ride all the options in your budget and take a call. Recently, I test rode the KTM RC 200 and the Suzuki SF 250, on consecutive days. The engine of the RC 200 was a letdown, while the rest of the package was great. The SF 250 pleasantly surprised me. Its engine is really tractable and friendly. The services are dirt cheap. In the MotoGP colours, it is quite attractive, as well. If you want subtle, you can always pick the black colour option. However, if you can afford the Apache RR 310, its a better motorcycle than the other two options that you listed.

For a first motorcycle, I feel the unintimidating SF 250 is a perfect all rounder for you.

[dheer4]

Hi!, SkylineGTR!. I own a Gixxer SF250 and the parts are really inexpensive. A major piece of left fairing costs 1000 RS and the stickers are another 200-300 RS. I have had to replace the left side due to an accident and the cost was not high at all.
Faired bikes are not at all a hassle and the SF250 is the perfect all rounder. Please check out the Apache RR310 if you can extend your budget. It is a better bike but also costs 1L more than the SF250.

[SkylineGTR]

Originally Posted by dheer4

Hi!, SkylineGTR!. I own a Gixxer SF250 and the parts are really inexpensive. A major piece of left fairing costs 1000 RS and the stickers are another 200-300 RS. I have had to replace the left side due to an accident and the cost was not high at all.
Faired bikes are not at all a hassle and the SF250 is the perfect all rounder. Please check out the Apache RR310 if you can extend your budget. It is a better bike but also costs 1L more than the SF250.

The dealer where I test rode the SF250 told me left panel was 1800. I was already suspicious of him now your comment is making me a little upset. Dealers and their antics! Is there anyway to check the official price for spares set by Suzuki?

[dheer4]

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

The dealer where I test rode the SF250 told me left panel was 1800. I was already suspicious of him now your comment is making me a little upset. Dealers and their antics! Is there anyway to check the official price for spares set by Suzuki?

Let me just call up my contact at Suzuki and confirm the prices once again. I'll get back to you tomorrow!. Let's see if the prices have changed or the issue is at the dealer's end.