[dheer4]

Originally Posted by b16h22

Do the Gixxers come stock with Exides? I recently opened the side cover to clean the front sprocket and saw an Amco battery. Considering the bike is under 2 years old, it should've came with it stock or replaced by the SVC at some point under warranty. If it was replaced, why did they put the Amco instead of Exide. Haven't heard much about Amco batteries. Wonder if it is any good

My SF250's battery gave up right after the warranty was done, in 1 Year 2 months. Got it replaced with Amaron battery with the same specs. The folks at the ASS did not even have a battery in stock. As usual phenomenal experience with parts shortage at Suzuki

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by dheer4

My SF250's battery gave up right after the warranty was done, in 1 Year 2 months. Got it replaced with Amaron battery with the same specs. The folks at the ASS did not even have a battery in stock. As usual phenomenal experience with parts shortage at Suzuki

That's unfortunate but it seems to be a common trend among 250s apparently due to the always on LED headlight draining the battery.

[VijayAnand1]

Has anyone tried a workaround installing a switch or a fuse tap without splicing up the stock loom? I feel as though a HL switch could perhaps turn out to be saving factor both for the generator and the battery side of things in the long run.

Cheers!
VJ

[skviknaraj]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

Has anyone tried a workaround installing a switch or a fuse tap without splicing up the stock loom? I feel as though a HL switch could perhaps turn out to be saving factor both for the generator and the battery side of things in the long run.

Cheers!
VJ

There seems to be one product from a company called "Soul Harness". Two products, one for H4 and another for H7:

https://www.soulharness.com/product-...-off-module-h4

Please see the note given, that pass light function will not work for the H4 version when the headlight is "switched off" ( a minor inconvenience?? )

STD Disclaimer: came across this company via Instagram Ads. I have not purchased or used any of their products yet.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by skviknaraj

There seems to be one product from a company called "Soul Harness". Two products, one for H4 and another for H7:

https://www.soulharness.com/product-...-off-module-h4

Please see the note given, that pass light function will not work for the H4 version when the headlight is "switched off" ( a minor inconvenience?? )

STD Disclaimer: came across this company via Instagram Ads. I have not purchased or used any of their products yet.

Gixxers have LED headlight units and not regular bulbs so I'm not sure if this is useable in this case.

[neil.jericho]

It had been a while since our group of TBHP motorcylists was able to go on an overnight trip. After the usual back and forth discussions, we settled on Coonoor as the location for our weekend break. Unfortunately, our usual place was completely booked. This wasnt a surprise as the summer is peak holiday season. Our next best option with available rooms, was the Red House in Ooty. This is a nice colonial era bungalow with rather classy (falling just short of opulent) interiors. Thanks to KarthikK for recommending this place and coordinating the room bookings, as usual.

Usually, I ride around Coimbatore and go through the tried and tested Karumathampatti - Annur - Mettupalayam - Coonoor route. This time, Google Maps suggested that going through Coimbatore, via the Mettupalayam road would take less time than the roundabout route. The Bangalore contingent was scheduled to arrive at Ooty only be lunch time. Hence, I decided to see how good the perennial work in progress Mettupalayam road was. Barring a couple of sections, where traffic was diverted through some side roads, this ended up being a good choice. What helped immensely was that it was a long weekend in this part of the country.

As I started my climb to Coonoor, I learnt that the Bangalore riders had already reached the Red House! They had ended up skipping a couple of their planned stops. The prospect of me now being late, was more than enough reason for me to go hell for leather through the twisties The lightweight GSXRRRRRR250 (on the excellent Apollo Alpha H1s) was completely in its element, while I channeled my inner Juan Mir.

The never-ending line of backed up cars that were patiently waiting to cross the Coonoor railway junction, was the first major red flag, on how crowded the hills were going to be, over that weekend. To spice things up, once I was in Ooty, the normally reliable Google Maps sent me down roads which made me wish that I was on a Himalayan 411 / GS 310 / Adv 390.

Heading back into Ooty for lunch, was another nightmare and a half. The subpar pizzas at the Nahar's Sidewalk Cafe were a disappointment, to say the least. However, we compensated for it with some sumptuous ice cream at the Le Cafe. Seeing the crowd at the cafe, one could have been forgiven for thinking that it was the first day first show screening of a Rajinikanth movie. Goodness me!

In the evening, we went to a scenic meadow. Getting there involved more than a fair degree of light offroading. Not for the first time in the day, I felt like I was on the wrong motorcycle.....

The caretaker at the Red House ensured that we had our fair fill of sumptuous snacks and follwoed it up with a simple dinner. We spent the rest of the evening, seated in the cozy but grand hall, engrossed in wide ranging conversation.

The temperature on the sunny Sunday morning was really low! Think 12 degrees and thereabouts. After a pleasant stroll, we dug into the breakfast and loaded up our bags. On the return leg, I took the same Mettupalayam road and cut through Coimbatore city. The heat was slowly getting to me and I had to keep hydrating myself. Palakkad was nothing less than God Own Oven. After having lunch in Kerala, I put the hammer down. A couple of hours later, I was back home, thankful for another great weekend adventure with my friends.

On the way to Coonoor.


Aah, tea estates!


Beauty and the beast. Or is it beast and the beauty?


Not for the faint of heart. Gulp!


All the bikes lined up in the fading sunlight.


The lovely hall of the Red House.


The dining room.


All set for the return journey.


It was really hot!

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Our next best option with available rooms, was the Red House in Ooty. This is a nice colonial era bungalow with rather classy (falling just short of opulent) interiors. Thanks to KarthikK for recommending this place and coordinating the room bookings, as usual.

Heading back into Ooty for lunch, was another nightmare and a half. The subpar pizzas at the Nahar's Sidewalk Cafe were a disappointment, to say the least. However, we compensated for it with some sumptuous ice cream at the Le Cafe. Seeing the crowd at the cafe, one could have been forgiven for thinking that it was the first day first show screening of a Rajinikanth movie. Goodness me!

Haha! Far worse than Rajni Kanth film shoot Neil. Even us Ooty-ites would never dare walk into Nahar, their food is absymal to say the least, barring the grand opulence at the entry. Their pizza and sandwiches, aargh! Adayar Ananda Bhavan in Ooty is another over-rated and under-delivering eatery. Unless you have parking woes, you shouldn't A2B Ooty.

You should have visited today 23/4/2023 looks the like entire state of Palakkad and the tributaries have taken a sabbatical to Ooty, and it's already a mess in terms of littering and parking fistfights, among the KL-clan itself.

The photo where you've titled, not for the faint-hearted, is exactly where we satiate most of my dubious desires. Coupled with intermittent/incessant rains every now and then this season, those off-beat trails are our only solace even for us Ooty-ites, as the town inside has gone from bad to worse considering the looming tourism and deforestation.

Here's a picture of our 390 and Strom doing recce.. a couple of mins deep inside where the CB500 and your GSX-RRRRR was.



An interesting fact! You will be fined if you're unlucky, go down even more on the trail where you've posted that picture. Tourist cars and buses have been fined upto Rs. 3000 going down the slopes/trail where they park around merrymaking, eating and littering like they just own the place. The place is a restricted one where nowadays the forest officials frequent owing to the tourist influx and the litter they're infesting the area with.

Cheers!
VJ

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by skviknaraj

There seems to be one product from a company called "Soul Harness". Two products, one for H4 and another for H7: Please see the note given, that pass light function will not work for the H4 version when the headlight is "switched off" ( a minor inconvenience?? )
STD Disclaimer: came across this company via Instagram Ads. I have not purchased or used any of their products yet.

The headlamp assy is a full LED, not the bulb types of the first gen Gixxer 150 and Fs. Usually, anything that draws amp from the battery, will reduce the life of a battery. As much as these AHO are a great when it comes to safety, DRLs are even better and save the life of both the HL unit and battery over the long term.

Originally Posted by b16h22

That's unfortunate but it seems to be a common trend among 250s apparently due to the always on LED headlight draining the battery. Gixxers have LED headlight units and not regular bulbs so I'm not sure if this is useable in this case.

Right! This switch assembly will be redundant. Wondered if anyone had done a work-around tapping or probably installing a series switch, that might require some wire splicing -- jugaad way which for now I'm not comfortable at, unless I have a no options left. Let's see what can be done.

Cheers!
VJ

[Castro Gunner]

Service update:
As my SF 250 crossed 35k Kms, it deserved a proper service. So, took the SF 250 to an ASC where i know the service manager.
And man!!! Truly skilled/passionate/honest hands does magic to things. I can definitely tell that it was the best among the 7 services my SF 250 has undergone.

1. For the first time I noticed that there is a difference in engine smoothness/refinement post service. Earlier it is more or less the same pre and post service. Sometimes I had felt that the refinement had gone down post service!!!.
2. Rear brakes!!!. So far i had thought that the rear brake was a failure in SF 250 as it was more or less useless. I used to tell this to ASC during every service and the result was marginally better post service. But this time it felt like an upgrade, ABS was called upon frequently until i got adjusted to the new bite! When asked the mechanic he said " I just cleaned and fitted again"!!!
3. Front brake pad replacement- After coming to bangalore, i was asked to change the pads every service. This time they said it can last till the next service!!! (The usage was just the same). So during all these services, the pads were changed on a precautionary note?!

My advice to fellow BHPians is find a good mechanic before giving up on any issues.
I hope my inputs are helpful.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by VijayAnand1

The photo where you've titled, not for the faint-hearted, is exactly where we satiate most of my dubious desires. Coupled with intermittent/incessant rains every now and then this season, those off-beat trails are our only solace even for us Ooty-ites, as the town inside has gone from bad to worse considering the looming tourism and deforestation.

Here's a picture of our 390 and Strom doing recce.. a couple of mins deep inside where the CB500 and your GSX-RRRRR was.

An interesting fact! You will be fined if you're unlucky, go down even more on the trail where you've posted that picture. Tourist cars and buses have been fined upto Rs. 3000 going down the slopes/trail where they park around merrymaking, eating and littering like they just own the place. The place is a restricted one where nowadays the forest officials frequent owing to the tourist influx and the litter they're infesting the area with.

VijayAnand1, one of the TBHPians in our group has spent a substantial amount of time staying in these hills and hence, he knew of this secluded place. We met a friendly forest officer who did tell us that drunken tourists who make a royal mess, are a real headache for them. Also, he did mention about some wildlife sightings in the area. I really dont know when our tourists will learn to be more respectful and responsible!

That said, roads (what roads?) such as that, are perfect for unlimited offroading fun. Im sure that you and your friends must be having a gala time in these brilliant conditions.

Originally Posted by Castro Gunner

Service update:
As my SF 250 crossed 35k Kms, it deserved a proper service. So, took the SF 250 to an ASC where i know the service manager.
And man!!! Truly skilled/passionate/honest hands does magic to things. I can definitely tell that it was the best among the 7 services my SF 250 has undergone.

1. For the first time I noticed that there is a difference in engine smoothness/refinement post service. Earlier it is more or less the same pre and post service. Sometimes I had felt that the refinement had gone down post service!!!.
2. Rear brakes!!!. So far i had thought that the rear brake was a failure in SF 250 as it was more or less useless. I used to tell this to ASC during every service and the result was marginally better post service. But this time it felt like an upgrade, ABS was called upon frequently until i got adjusted to the new bite! When asked the mechanic he said " I just cleaned and fitted again"!!!
3. Front brake pad replacement- After coming to bangalore, i was asked to change the pads every service. This time they said it can last till the next service!!! (The usage was just the same). So during all these services, the pads were changed on a precautionary note?!

My advice to fellow BHPians is find a good mechanic before giving up on any issues.
I hope my inputs are helpful.

Castro Gunner, which service center is this?

The front brake pads on the Suzuki 250s are notorious for their short life. It will be hard to get anything more than 10K kms on a pair. What is your typical running between services?

[Castro Gunner]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

VijayAnand1, one of the TBHPians in our group has spent a substantial amount of time staying in these hills and hence, he knew of this secluded place. We met a friendly forest officer who did tell us that drunken tourists who make a royal mess, are a real headache for them. Also, he did mention about some wildlife sightings in the area. I really dont know when our tourists will learn to be more respectful and responsible!

That said, roads (what roads?) such as that, are perfect for unlimited offroading fun. Im sure that you and your friends must be having a gala time in these brilliant conditions.

Castro Gunner, which service center is this?

The front brake pads on the Suzuki 250s are notorious for their short life. It will be hard to get anything more than 10K kms on a pair. What is your typical running between services?

HI Neil, Saptagiri suzuki, Rajaji Nagar it is. Actually, got to know these guys thru Gixxer club Bangalore.

It is quite debatable. The stock pads lasted for around 14K kms (4th service)- but this was me doing 70% touring and 30% commuting (Traffic less).

Then I moved to bangalore after which it was replaced at every service.

I service every 4500kms.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by Castro Gunner

Service update:
As my SF 250 crossed 35k Kms.... And man!!! Truly skilled/passionate/honest hands does magic to things. I can definitely tell that it was the best among the 7 services my SF 250 has undergone.

1. For the first time I noticed that there is a difference in engine smoothness/refinement post service. Earlier it is more or less the same pre and post service. Sometimes I had felt that the refinement had gone down post service!!!.
2. Rear brakes!!!. So far i had thought that the rear brake was a failure in SF 250 as it was more or less useless. I used to tell this to ASC during every service and the result was marginally better post service. But this time it felt like an upgrade, ABS was called upon frequently until i got adjusted to the new bite! When asked the mechanic he said " I just cleaned and fitted again"!!!
3. Front brake pad replacement- After coming to bangalore, i was asked to change the pads every service. This time they said it can last till the next service!!! (The usage was just the same). So during all these services, the pads were changed on a precautionary note?!

My advice to fellow BHPians is find a good mechanic before giving up on any issues.

I hope my inputs are helpful.

Saptagiri suzuki, Rajaji Nagar it is. Actually, got to know these guys thru Gixxer club Bangalore.

It is quite debatable. The stock pads lasted for around 14K kms (4th service)- but this was me doing 70% touring and 30% commuting (Traffic less).

Then I moved to bangalore after which it was replaced at every service.

I service every 4500kms.

Castro Gunner, have clubbed both your posts to a single one and appreciate you bringing this post. A few questions I'd like to ask and that I'd like to get better perspective would be, now that your engine has become comparatively smoother, what actually did the this garage perform? Were they kind enough to let you know what procedures were followed, i.e. apart from engine oil, filter etc, did they inspect/adjust the valve clearances, did they happen to tighten some the engine foundation bolts or did they perform any other simple yet unnoticed procedures that added up to the good experience? Even as trivial as it should be, do add in your thoughts.

Secondly, the rear brake has always been sharp per me, both on the SF250 and V-Strom, both having enough bite to lock the rear in a heartbeat, promptly kicking the ABS. Though usually, most complain rear brakes are hard or as they call it "wooden", it does take in some bedding in time when the vehicle is new or in case of old bikes a glazed pad, dirty/rusty caliper pins and stuck piston. The thing about brake systems when they go bad or are bad are either the braking is too damn extremely sharp, and lock in an instant or they take light-years to provide the instant bite demanded. Glad to see that you've resolved this issue.

Do keep a tab on your brake pad wear, front especially. They do wear comparatively faster and perhaps your prior servicing might have demanded a replacement perhaps as a precautionary measure, which is very much possible with the wear pattern we're observing on the 250s.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

I really dont know when our tourists will learn to be more respectful and responsible!

That said, roads (what roads?) such as that, are perfect for unlimited offroading fun. Im sure that you and your friends must be having a gala time in these brilliant conditions.

The front brake pads on the Suzuki 250s are notorious for their short life. It will be hard to get anything more than 10K kms on a pair. What is your typical running between services?

True Neil. The day folks realize they are a part of the whole, having a wee bit courtesy over nature, that's the day they realize how much they've taken things for granted.

Secondly, I would echo your thoughts on the front brake pad wear. 85% to 95% of the anchoring demands of mine is held dear by the front. Perhaps an interesting anecdote I'd like to share is, on my R15S the front pads would wear exceptionally faster or as less as 7k KMS. Dear heaven knows the number of count I've replaced the front grazers on my R15S in all those 40k kms I've cherished the motorcycle. I always say, R15V2s had some of of the best brakes in and over its category. The initial and progressive anchoring were simply sweet, extremely confidence inspiring.

Coming to my Strom, the front wa definitely not to up to the mark and the progressive demand requested is duly resisted by the grazers, a trait I observed both on the SF250 and the Strom test rides. Thanks to the Suzuki SVC, they were copious with the test drives, detailed anatomy of both the bikes demanded by me.
The front braking system though is very, very well capable of handling the load demanded, the pads simply resist channeling all that demand to urgency. I am betting on Vesrah/EBC, but for now have purchased a spare set of OE pad that's I guess a Gixxer SF150's which are directly compatible to the V-Strom's front caliper and cheaper primarily owing to the pad wear I am already seeing on my Strom's front pads. Purchased a set as safety measure (recorded in my V-Strom's ownership thread) if and when circumstances demand, I shall replace them, as the nearest SVC is only 100 kms away, one way. I'm definitely not riding with hope alone, considering what the roads demand of where I live..

With the Strom clocking in close to 1.8k Kms now, pretty much confident I'd be requiring a new set on mine in less than 8k kms, considering the wear pattern I am able to squint at. Shall post this observation on my Strom's thread when I replace the pads, should helps folks get an even concise idea.

Cheers!
VJ

[Castro Gunner]

[quote=VijayAnand1;5537919]Castro Gunner, have clubbed both your posts to a single one and appreciate you bringing this post. A few questions I'd like to ask and that I'd like to get better perspective would be, now that your engine has become comparatively smoother, what actually did the this garage perform? Were they kind enough to let you know what procedures were followed, i.e. apart from engine oil, filter etc, did they inspect/adjust the valve clearances, did they happen to tighten some the engine foundation bolts or did they perform any other simple yet unnoticed procedures that added up to the good experience? Even as trivial as it should be, do add in your thoughts.

Secondly, the rear brake has always been sharp per me, both on the SF250 and V-Strom, both having enough bite to lock the rear in a heartbeat, promptly kicking the ABS. Though usually, most complain rear brakes are hard or as they call it "wooden", it does take in some bedding in time when the vehicle is new or in case of old bikes a glazed pad, dirty/rusty caliper pins and stuck piston. The thing about brake systems when they go bad or are bad are either the braking is too damn extremely sharp, and lock in an instant or they take light-years to provide the instant bite demanded. Glad to see that you've resolved this issue.

Do keep a tab on your brake pad wear, front especially. They do wear comparatively faster and perhaps your prior servicing might have demanded a replacement perhaps as a precautionary measure, which is very much possible with the wear pattern we're observing on the 250s.


Hi VJ, I asked them and I was told that it was just the routine maintenance- Engine oil, oil filter and air filter, tightening required if any.. Apart from this my engine head gasket was replaced. I was personally there and it was as simple as that and it took 2.5 hours for all this.
I should remind you that it didn't make the vehicle absolutely smooth like an R15. Still buzziness is there around 4-6k rpm, but this time "that" sharp resonance type vibration travels to the rear fenders. (Previously it ends at seat and vibrates the crotch).
Rear brake i have to experiment a little, I am doubting whether my usage of 90 grade gear oil for chain lube is affecting the performance (through splash).
Front brake- sure i will keep a tab and update .

And off topic, are you the B7ACKTHORN from xbhp?

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by Castro Gunner

Hi VJ, I asked them and I was told that it was just the routine maintenance- And off topic, are you the B7ACKTHORN from xbhp?

Gear oil splashing is real mess to clean later, coupled with black muck getting attracted like flies to light, black goop gear oil residue over rims and swingarm is a real PITA.

Guess, the name acts as a catchphrase isn't it. Yup, that's right.

Cheers!
VJ

[b16h22]

DIY service update

Carried out a DIY service recently on my pre-owned Gixxer 250. I was not planning to do one since the bike was serviced just 1000kms back according to the service records. It started out as an air filter inspection. My engine was running somewhat poorly from low to higher rpms and had a bad throttle hesitancy and poor response. Refinement was also rather poor. Engine was feeling a little restricted so I decided to check the air filter. Was not expecting any miracles here. But to my surprise, the air filter turned out to be badly clogged and looked like it came from factory. The bike has done 15500kms and was only a year and 7 months old. It was evident that the SVC didn't bother cleaning or replacing the filter.

After a decent cleaning a lot of sand and dirt came out from the filter and it looked rather dark. The bike lived it's life very close to the sea which might explain the sand. Fitted back the filter and rode the bike around for a week and there was remarkable improvement in engine throttle response, power delivery and refinement. So much so that I decided to not go ahead with the official recall for the balancer gear issue.

The condition of the air filter forced me to go ahead with a DIY service and it was the perfect occasion to experiment with a thicker grade oil. Ambient temps in my city were hitting 40+.

Procured new air filter, oil filter, 20w50 Motul 7100 OIL, and new handle bar grips. Parts were readily available at Supra Suzuki showroom in Thrissur, Kerala.

AIR Filter change

Accessing the air filter was rather easy. The air box is under the rider seat. Take the pillion seat out, and you'll see two allen screws that holds the rider seat in place. Remove them and you have direct access to air box

You have to undo 5-6 screws to remove the air box cover. Two of them are under the left tube of the chassis. To access those, you need to unscrew three allen screws that hold the frame side cover in place and then pull the side cover out a little so you can get to those screws.



You'll have to wiggle the wiring harness a bit to get the airbox cover out.

So this is the old filter vs new filter comparison. I'm not 100% sure if the old air filter started out it's life as white in color like the new one Both have the same parts numbers



OIL change

Unfortunately I didn't take any photos of the oil & oil filter change process. It is fairly straightforward. Drain plug is under the engine. Oil filter is accessed by removing two bolts from the cap. I used Motul 7100 fully synth oil as I was happy with it's performance in my earlier bikes. The ecstar oil that came out looked rather brown with only 1000kms of running. I'm not reading too much into that. It had no obvious metal particles or foreign material in it.

New grips

Also took the time out to replace both grips along with the throttle tube. The handle bar had some wear on the powder coated surface and rust started to settle in due to constant throttle movement (being near a sea might not have helped). Applied a thin smear of grease on the surface before fitting the brand new throttle tube and grips. It was quite a struggle to get the throttle side bar end weights off as the screw had seized in due to rust on threads.







A simple thing as a grip change can make a big difference to the riding experience. Old ones were really cooked under the sun and lost all the pliability and grip.

Observations

After the minor service, the bike felt rejuvenated and I was finally happy with it. The refinement, throttle response and low speed tractability was massively improved. It felt nice to ride finally. The vibes only kicked in after 7-8k rpms It was a thumbs up from my brother who is a regular pillion. He said the vibes that he felt on the pillion seat and pegs were gone. I'll ride it until the next routine service in Aug to observe any improvements or developments. I'll keep you guys posted!