[neil.jericho]

Recently, TBHPian rbp took delivery of his smashing Kawasaki ZX4RRRRRRR. The wait was long, but to say that it was worth it, is quite the understatement. I, for one, had suggested that he pull the trigger and pick up a regular black ZX4R, which was readily available. In fact, I had suggested this to multiple friends of mine, safe in the assurance that I could swap motorcycles with any of them on a future ride! Thankfully, rbp decided to wait for the arrival of new stocks of the ZX4RRRRRRRR, which, as it turns out, now comes in this gorgeous KRT Edition livery.

The delivery at the Kawasaki Bangalore dealership was a smooth process, as always, despite the number of deliveries that were scheduled for the evening. I missed out on the welcome ride but it wont be long before another ride gets planned.

Mamma mia, this one is a beauty!


The colour absolutely pops under the showroom lights.


The detailing is Kawasaki level.


Sports bike styling extends to the pillion seat.


Adjustable suspension. Tasty!


Made the wait worth it.


The colour pops even more in sunlight.


With all due respect to the ZX10R...


... I think I would like a ZX4RRRR in my garage. Now, to win the lottery!

[b16h22]

In between the launching frenzy of exciting new motorcycles at the Expo, Suzuki decided to give their ageing Gixxer 250 a garish paint scheme and flex fuel system which no one really asked for. There is a 1k+ hike as well.

https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-ne...po-2025-434211

[jayanthb]

Greetings forum members,
I am planning for my next purchase after selling my Duke 200 BS3. Went to Suzuki showroom and did a test drive of the Gixxer 250SF. loved the motorcycle for its smoothness and comfortable riding given my height of 6ft. But I am really doubtful about the after sales service and resale value of the motorcycle. Should I really take the plunge and purchase one or go with the Bajaj or TVS. FYI I’m pursuing a professional course currently so looking for something that is easier to maintain and trouble free.

[nh1922]

Hello Gixxer Owners,
What are potential mods for our Gixxers that are similar to FuelX ? Powertronic has no plug-and-play mods for the BS4 Gixxer. Their customer support told me that the FuelX for BS6 and onwards is not compatible for BS4 bikes.

[VijayAnand1]

Originally Posted by nh1922

Hello Gixxer Owners,
What are potential mods for our Gixxers that are similar to FuelX ? Powertronic has no plug-and-play mods for the BS4 Gixxer. Their customer support told me that the FuelX for BS6 and onwards is not compatible for BS4 bikes.

They aren't backwards compatible and that leaves us with no mod options, apart from basic custom made exhaust, spark plug and air filter mods. The ECM can be reprogrammed with different maps but that's to be known if that's doable as some ECMs are locked which leaves us with no immediate options as of now.

Cheers!
VJ

[neil.jericho]

Given that I also have a Duke 390 in my garage, its been quite a while since the Suzuki GSXRRRR250 was wheeled out for a breakfast ride with TBHPians. This past weekend, KarthikK suggested that we do a short ride to Sangama Mekadatu, and as I headed out of my apartment, I was all too happy to pick up the keys to the Suzuki. Our group consisted of KarthikK on his Kawasaki Ninja 1000, Dr CD on his Triumph Tiger Sport 660 and ebmrajesh on his Honda CB500X.

We met up in South Bangalore at 6.15 AM and got onto the occasionally bumpy Kanakapura Road to escape the city. As soon as we were on the outskirts of Bangalore, the temperature perceptibly dropped, most unexpectedly. While this is not a new phenomenon to any of us, what was a shocker was how low the ambient temperature actually was.

All of us have been complaining about how warm Bangalore has become in the last couple of weeks, and here the biting cold was forcing me to reset my perspective on how much of a concrete oven the city has really become. When we crossed some small towns as late as 7 AM, I spotted people walking in sweaters, gloves and with their faces covered up, to keep themselves warm. And there I was in my mesh jacket, on a motorcycle with the tiniest OEM windscreen ever made, with the cold air hitting my body with all the finesse of a jackhammer that was crushing obstinate concrete that refused to yield.

Back to the motorcycling, this was the first time that I was on a ride when ebmrajesh had brought his Honda CB500X. Prior to this, I have ridden with him for thousands of kilometers when he was on his Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (sold), KTM Adv 390 (recently exchanged for a Japanese twin cylinder motorcycle) and his Kawasaki Ninja 1000. While each of these 3 motorcycles proffers very distinct riding experiences, I have never seen him be as calm and relaxed on a motorcycle, as he was while riding the Honda CB500X. Good roads. Bad roads. Potholes. Sweeping corners. The Honda handled everything with a gentle finesse that takes a seasoned rider to first notice, and then appreciate. Is it any surprise that the Suzuki GSXRRRRRRR250 channels a lot of the exact same virtues that the Honda CB500X brings to the table?

Our group stopped at the popular viewpoint for some time, which was recently off limits because of wild elephant sightings. To complete the ride, we threw in the few hair pin bends that you encounter while going to the Galibore Nature Camp Entrance and then took a u-turn for a relaxed return to the realities of our big city lives. Overall, this was another fabulous breakfast ride on the Suzuki GSXRR250.

Dr CD standing and riding his Triumph Tiger Sport 660


What a lovely sunrise!


The bikes all lined up with special security


Another picture for the memory books

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

The Honda handled everything with a gentle finesse that takes a seasoned rider to first notice, and then appreciate.

Nice report Neil

Summarizing for ebmrajesh so that the eloquence doesn't confuse him:

- Seasoned rider = Neil
- Newbie with a bike that made him look better than earlier = Rajesh

[neil.jericho]

Before jumping into the service experience at Orion Suzuki in J.P, Nagar (Bangalore), here is a quick look back at the service history of the motorcycle (all of which has been chronicled in this thread). The first service was completed in July 2022. The second service was completed in September 2022. The third service was completed in January 2023. The fourth service was completed in March 2024. This fifth service took place in March 2025.

I reached the service center shortly after 09:00 AM and found that a few customers had already arrived before me. The service advisor promptly listed down items like a complete brake overhaul and bike polishing, which I insisted get struck off. The SVC only stocked Suzuki Ecstar engine oil, so I couldnt continue with the Motul 7100 fully synthetic oil that I had gotten at the Suzuki dealership in Cochin. Besides the regular service, I wanted foam grips and a Bobo mobile holder (with a charger) to be installed. Day 1 readers might be wondering why a new mobile holder, when one had already been added to the motorcycle. The thing is, I had moved the previous holder to the KTM Duke 390, and hence, had to order another one before the upcoming summer rides.

Though I was going to wait in the customer lounge, the service advisor suggested that I would only get the bike between 12:00 PM and 01:00 PM, as they had some vehicles from the previous working day, that were yet to be serviced. Unfortunately, the customer lounge had seen better days and the air conditioning was not working. After a well deserved wash, the motorcycle was wheeled into the service bay by 10:40 AM. I handed over the grips and the mobile holder to the mechanics, who refused to install the holder, claiming that the charging cable would drain the battery! The service advisor told them to at least route the wiring to the battery, which they half-heartedly agreed to. I informed the service advisor that I wanted the spark plug to be changed, which was communicated to the mechanics.

Half an hour later, the motorcycle was wheeled out and everyone in the SVC forgot about it. Another half hour later, I went hunting for my motorcycle and realized that it was parked in the basement and the mobile holder was nowhere to be seen! I had a word with the showroom owner, who promised to set things right. Finally, by 12:20 PM, the work was done, or so I thought. The mechanics had forgotten to change the OIL CHANGE symbol on the dash! Anyways, to compensate for the average service experience, the motorcycle was given another cleaning / polishing, despite me insisting that it wasnt really required. After getting home, I realized that they had forgotten to change the spark plug.

The cost of the first service was Rs 814 (Ecstar fully synthetic oil & no labour charges)
The cost of the second service was Rs 936 (Ecstar fully synthetic oil & no labour charges. The cost of spares had gone up a little).
The cost of the third service was Rs 1,146.96 (Ecstar fully synthetic oil & air filter was replaced. No labour charges) .
The cost of the fourth service was Rs 2,769 (Motul 7100 fully synthetic oil & air filter was replaced. Labour charges included).
The cost of the fifth service was Rs 2,007 (Ecstar fully synthetic oil. Air filter was not replaced. Labour charges included and have gone up a little.)

The intervention by the helpful showroom owner did expedite the resolution of the issue but truth be told, I wasnt happy with the laziness / arrogance of the young mechanics. Overall, this was the least impressive of all the Suzuki service experiences but on the positive side, the motorcycle is back to purring away to glory after the oil change.

[sasmit]

Post 1st and 2nd service I did all my services at my at my trusted mechanic . Suzuki sell spares Over the counter, so no worries on that part. Job gets done in a breeze at my mechanics. Suzuki service centers are overloaded with access/burgman and it’s a challenge getting anything done. Unless you need diagnostics or some engine work, getting the minor services done outside makes much more sense. In fact I even did my front race / cone bearing overhaul as well as the fork overhaul outside but with genuine parts . Done to my satisfaction completely hassle free.

[neil.jericho]

With the soaring temperatures in Bangalore portending a stifling summer, motorcyclists have already started to think twice about long rides over the next couple of months. For now, morning rides are the best way to enjoy our motorcycles and what better way to welcome the newest Yamaha MT03 in the TBHP Bangalore community, than with a short and sweet ride down to Kanakapura? After a quick breakfast, we stopped at a large bakery to enjoy some hot tea, before making the return trip to the city. This 111 kilometer ride felt like it got over, even before it got started but all things considered, it was a nice ride with great company.

No points for guessing which bike wins the beauty contest!


That paint job is smashing, when viewed from up close.


3 different motorcycles with very distinct personalities.

[neil.jericho]

Last week, I had gone to Orion Suzuki in J.P. Nagar for the fifth service of the Suzuki GSXRRRR 250 and all things considered, it wasnt a great experience. The mechanics claimed to have finished the work on my motorcycle, despite deliberately not installing the mobile holder. They also forgot to replace the spark plug. The motorcycle was ready for delivery but for over 30 minutes, everyone forgot about it.

Along with the oil change, there was one task which I had got the Service Advisor to add to the job card - tightening the mirrors. The right side mirror would sometimes angle forward, ever so slightly, if I rode over bad patches, while the left side mirror stayed rock solid. The Service Advisor confirmed to me that they had tightened both the mirrors. On the subsequent breakfast ride, I was dismayed to find that the constant folding and reopening of the mirrors at the service center, combined with the mechanics forgetting to / choosing to not tighten the mirrors, resulted in both the mirrors angling forward after every 5 - 10 minutes. Not only was my rear visibility compromised but I had to keep leaning foward to pull the mirrors in.

I revisited the Orion Motors SVC and the same service advisor promised to get the issue rectified. After speaking to the showroom owner and the service head (who was on leave when I had brought the bike the first time), things began to move rather quickly. I liked the fact that the owner and service head owned up to the shoddiness of their initial workmanship. They were kind enough to cover the cost of the spark plug, even though I insisted on paying for it. The service head did explain to me that they have trained senior mechanics who were dedicated to the 250s but as fate would have it, the main mechanic was also on leave when I brought the GSXRRR for service. Oh, and they fixed the non-functional air conditioner in the customer lounge.

Though it took 2 visits to complete what should have been a simple motorcycle service, the team at Orion Suzuki finally did everything that I had expected of them. Given the reassurances from the service head, I would go back to them for the sixth service, which should happen later this year, if everything happens as per my plans.

Now, back to motorcycle ride updates until this years summer rules out further escapades from our weekly drudgery!

[neil.jericho]

A weekday holiday meant that the Suzuki GSXRRR 250 got wheeled out for a short breakfast ride to Shoolagiri, followed by a stop at a nearby check dam. Since traffic was sparse, the GSXRRRR got to really stretch out its legs and what struck me almost immediately, was that the engine has a clear prediliction for the Motul 7100 10w40 fully synthetic oil (which I had opted for at the 4th service). At speeds below an indicated 100 kmph, the motorcycle with the new Suzuki Ecstar fully synthetic engine oil is smooth as silk, but above those speeds you can feel a slight tingling in the handlebars, even after the grips were added. Yes, the Motul 7100 engine oil is Rs 238 more expensive than the Suzuki Ecstar engine oil, but its safe to say that if you are doing highway touring, then the Motul is worth every extra rupee that you spend. Like most TBHP motorcycle enthusiasts, Ive been down the rabbit hole of searching for the best engine oil for each of my motorcycles and truth be told, its a bottomless pit. The point of diminishing returns is not hard to find, so I think I'll stick to the Motul 7100 from the next service onwards.

Lovely views along the way


Nice water flow for this time of the year


Apparently the authorities insisted on painting the guardrails in the 100th Anniversary Edition paint scheme!

Back to the ride, after my usual podi dosa and kesari baath breakfast, I rode to a nearby check dam for a few pictures. As soon as you get off the wide, empty 6 lane highways, the GSXRRR comes into its element and makes cruising around B roads and state highways so effortless, that you forget about the motorcycle and instead, focus on the sights that you experience while travelling to your destination. The return to Bangalore was bereft of traffic, which meant that the plucky little Suzuki thoroughly enjoyed its 140 km long, morning fun run.

[b16h22]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

At speeds below an indicated 100 kmph, the motorcycle with the new Suzuki Ecstar fully synthetic engine oil is smooth as silk, but above those speeds you can feel a slight tingling in the handlebars, even after the grips were added. Yes, the Motul 7100 engine oil is Rs 238 more expensive than the Suzuki Ecstar engine oil, but its safe to say that if you are doing highway touring, then the Motul is worth every extra rupee that you spend. Like most TBHP motorcycle enthusiasts, Ive been down the rabbit hole of searching for the best engine oil for each of my motorcycles and truth be told, its a bottomless pit. The point of diminishing returns is not hard to find, so I think I'll stick to the Motul 7100 from the next service onwards.

I can confirm this. The difference is significant and I've been running the w50 (not the stock w40) Motul 7100 for the last two years. Gearshifts are much better as well. It's been my go-to synthetic oil for the last 10 years or so.

[b16h22]

Hijacking BHPian Neil's thread again as I don't want to create a separate thread for this

My pre-owned Gixxer 250 is about two years into the ownership. Clocked over 6k so far with just local commuting, which is more than I expected with my health condition. ODO stands at around 21k now. The O2 sensor is still unplugged and the Gixxer has been pretty reliable after the malfunctioning O2 sensor diagnosis and 'fix' back in 2023.

Did two rides after the Jan 2024 update. As I'm still recovering from a tail-bone injury, long rides are still not comfortable as it used to be. But I'm trying to expand the tolerance levels gradually. 3 weeks ago I decided to ride to the Munnar Gap road which was on my bucket list for quite a long time. It was about 360+kms to-and-fro and I haven't really ridden more than 150kms after the injury back in 2022. It was a gamble but I decided to give it a go anyway. I've made up my mind to ride back if the pain became unbearable at some point.

Roads up to Munnar town was in good enough condition which helped reduce the strain. There was a lot of construction work on the sides. Since it was off-season, the traffic was bearable and after two breaks, I reached the town in about 3.5hours. The gap road didn't disappoint It was somewhat of a huge achievement for me personally as I have made peace with the fact that I might not ride for the rest of my life, back in 2022







Some observations on the Gixxer after the first decent long ride.

• The engine is very flexible and happy doing slow speeds or 80-100 cruising speeds. 110 is doable but wind buffeting and buzz makes it harder than necessary. A bigger front sprocket might help here. But you can still devour distances without stress. I do the same speeds I used to do on the D390 and it only misses out on the outright punch after 6-7K.
  
• Suspension is well judged and my preload and oil height mods worked well enough. But I'm thinking of dropping the oil height to stock as I've lost about 16kgs in a year. Need a little more weight transfer to the front.
  
• Fun handler without being twitchy. Strong front-end feel. Maxxis tyres worked well so far and no complaints. Feedback from multi-compound rear is not perfect but front end grip makes up for it.
  
• Brakes are so-so. Bite is okay but the lever travel is a lot. I've bled the brakes twice back in 2024. It is somewhat like an on/off switch and triggers ABS way too often. Need a master cylinder upgrade.
  
• The seat for me is a torture device. The padding is perfect but the shape is really bad and not made for long hauls. The significant rake locks you onto the tank and your delicate parts really do take a beating. This is the single most thing that stops the bike from being an accomplished tourer. Which is a shame since the 250 platform eats miles. The SF gets lower clipons and a more natural riding stance because this platform was designed as a faired sports bike but Suzuki forgot to flatten out the seat on the naked. VStrom must be a big upgrade in this aspect.
  
• Gearshifts are very sensitive to the clutch cable tension. The right tension is rewarded significantly with decently slick shifts. Still not a typical Japanese box.
  
• Excellent fuel economy. Gets around 36-37kmpl when touring.
  
  Overall, the ownership experience has been trouble-free after the initial problems. I would say the Gixxer is a fun and capable 250 but it lacks a bit of outright fun and character. It does what it says on the tin perfectly but it is probably not a bike that you fall in love with. IMO, VStrom is the best evolution of this platform.

[rssah77]

Hi. anyone here to help?

For my SF 250, I would like to keep changing the monoshock preload. Which tool will help me to do that with ease? Because I tried various things like hitting with hammer, using force to move the spring up, etc. None of them seems to work.

Please share links to amazon or flipkart where I can buy also. This will help me.

PS: I don't want to go to mechanic as I like to keep trying various levels which fits me best.