[neil.jericho]

Thank you all for the very kind words! Needless to say, Im blown away by all the responses.

Originally Posted by dheer4

Excellent review!, being an owner of an SF250 who's done well over 16,000 Kms, I can relate to everything you've said. Just a few points I'd like to add : I had gotten my tyres changed to Michelin Road 5 and they are really far better than the stock MRF's which come with the bike. Also, the brake fluid had been changed to DOT 5.1 from Liqui Moly and the lever feel has been better. Also, I feel Suzuki missed an opportunity by doing very little marketing when a new R15M is priced at 2l on road Hyderabad and this bike nearly costs the same!.

Thanks dheer4. I agree wholeheartedly. With the discounts, the SF250 was within touching distance of the MT15 and R15. For the negligible price difference, the Suzuki offers a much more wholesome motorcycle. Thankfully, Suzuki has woken up with the launch of the VStrom 250. What marketing they did not do for the Gixxer 250 and the SF250, they are doing for the VStrom 250.

Originally Posted by TheHelix0202

The bike sure is a looker. Like you said, it definitely attracts attention from the opposite sex. People have gone gaga at my 155 even when there were bigger motorcycles all around. Under 2 lakh Rupees, the faired ‘Zuki is one of the better looking ones out there!

Here’s my (slightly aesthetically modded) ‘21 Blackbird in Metallic Glass Sparkle Black -

Thanks TheHelix0202. Honestly, the black 155 looks a whole lot better than the matte black 250. Had the 250 been offered in the same glossy black finish, I would have picked it up without a second thought. That would have let me get my 2017 GSX R1000 inspired paint finish. Oh well!

Originally Posted by no_fear

Wunderbar review Neil.

As usual, it was a treat to read the whole article. Congrats on the new acquisition.

The only eyesore of the SF 250 is that exhaust. It's hideous. Those chrome tips and the way its designed, really clashes against the whole bike. Oh well, you can always swap it with an aftermarket one.

So when are you riding to Delhi on your new love?

Thanks no_fear. I have thought about swapping out that chrome tip for the one from the VStrom 250. Since I decided to not spend money on sprucing up the bike (you know the rabbit hole that it leads us into...), I have refrained from doing so. As for Delhi, well, God willing, sometime in 2022.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Amazing, smashing in-depth review again Neil! Enjoyed reading about your latest acquisition and trips you have done.

Your bike garage is more or less complete now. Triumph 675 for the thrills, Continental GT for the vibrations which keep your body loose/flexible and helps to improve on relationships with Royal Enfield mechanics (sorry, just couldn’t help that) and the Suzuki for your tours.

Thanks Cyborg. The garage does appear to be complete but I never went a month without wondering what motorcycle I ought to buy next. I suppose we all suffer from that problem.

Originally Posted by Slick

Amazing Review Neil, rated 5 stars

I also own the Gixxer250SF, bought it during lockdown. April 2020, manufactured in 2019.

While I don't ride as much as you do, whatever weekend rides I have had on the bike have been just awesome.

My biggest complaints for the bike have been -
1. Braking, wish to somehow improve the bite.
2. Wind shield, I always compare it with my friends CBR, which has such a nice wind shield

On our rides, the Gixxer always manages to out manoeuvre other bikes in the corners. Makes me feel like a better rider than I am.

Thanks Slick. There are some aftermarket windscreens listed on Amazon. What mileage do you get on your motorcycle?

Originally Posted by silverado

The bike you have has to be the best looking Gixxer in the lineup. I hope Suzuki works on few minor things and markets it well. To be honest this is a bike not everyone thinks of when in market for a 250cc, and thats an injustice for such a nice product.

silverado, my understanding is that Suzuki is still focussed on being a 2 wheeler company that sells good scooters. The first Gixxer 150s were excellent bikes and sold really well. The newer iteration hasnt seen the same success. Neither has it been marketed well. As you rightly pointed out, not everyone thinks of the SF250, when they think of this segment.

Originally Posted by Rocketscience

Congratulations on this underrated champion from Suzuki, I ask myself the same question as to why we don't see more of this, this does most things right, well you saw this for what it is and good on you, I see this as a more practical, unstressed version of my R15 with similar performance, maybe better in certain conditions, but none of that anger and high revvs required to go there.

Thanks RocketScience. As a former owner of a first generation R15, I feel that this is a good upgrade from the sporty Yamaha. The ergos are more relaxed, there is more performance on tap everywhere and overall, everything feels more calm. You dont have to keep wringing the throttle, like you would in a R15. As some of us get older, we learn to appreciate this practical approach to having fun.

Originally Posted by DriveOnceMore

Currently, I don't NEED the bike but really WANT one, just for fun rides on weekends.
Was looking for used Dominar but came across one Gixxer 250 (naked) used just for 7k kms for 1.5 L.
It is still in my mind and I think your review made me more inclined towards it.

Or I think I should just check out the discounts on offer on Gixxer 250 first in nearby showroom.

Thanks DriveOnceMore. Do let us know which motorcycle you picked up.

Originally Posted by Xaos636

Congrats man on the 250. The review is mind blowingly detailed making me believe you have more than 24 hours a day in your cycle so that you can take all the time in the world to pen such awesome reviews

The 250 should be reliable as a Suzuki should be and I see this bike as a spiritual replacement of the legend, the CBR250R. I wished it had a taller windscreen though. Wishing you a million miles on the new steed.

Thanks Xaos636. It did take me quite some time to pen this review down but I had a lot of fun while doing so. The spiritual successor line is exactly what a fellow TBHPian mentioned to me, as well.

Originally Posted by gauravanekar

Neil, I strongly recommend Apollo H1s , apart from the obvious handling improvements it has the ability to take off the slight harshness in the suspension. I ride my SF250 in Rajasthan where I have zero twisty roads, yet the improvement in ride and the increased confidence due to grip is worth it.

Thanks gauravanekar. I will be going for the H1s when it is time to upgrade.

Originally Posted by hiren.mistry

Congratulations on your new ride Neil, wish you loads of smiles and happiness on it. I am in similar dilemma. I need a decent bike to compliment the Z900. This bike will be used for commutes and long'ish tours that I cannot do on the Z.
I am gravitating towards the KTM Adventure twins, still to take a test ride.

Have fun!!

Thanks hiren.mistry. For what its worth, I find the Adv 250 to be the better choice for commuting and long touring. If its less weekday usage and more of weekend riding, then the Adv 390 is the easy choice. To me, the KTM 250 engine is the orange all rounder for mixed Indian usage.

Originally Posted by Axe77

Fantastic thread Neil. Took me a few sessions before I could get through all of it but this was worth the read - as entertaining as it was informative.

Coming from a Street Triple 675, I’d have thought you might have given the 2022 RC 390 also a serious consideration. Its as potent as before but just that little more comfortable, relaxed and rider friendly compared to its more frantic nature of before. I can imagine touring on it being a load of fun too.

Thanks Axe77. For better or for worse, several of my riding buddies have owned KTM 200s and 390s, going back to the first gen motorcycles. I know how well they care for their bikes and in turn, I have seen how KTM's questionable reliability comes back to bite them in the bottom. At this stage, I simply dont see myself owning a KTM motorcycle. Having one unreliable bike in the garage gives me enough grey hairs, as it is!

Originally Posted by aveoman19

Great Narration and a fantastic bike. The proportion in pictures remind me of the original Yamaha R15. Is it really that small or is the stubby windscreen playing tricks on my eyes? Never seen one in person. Here's wishing you many happy and safe miles on your pocket rocket (if I may call her that)

Thanks aveoman19. Yes, it is a small motorcycle. That is why you wont find any pictures of me astride the motorcycle on this thread!

Originally Posted by drt_rdr

@neil.jericho: Hope you have a good time with the bike, however short it may be.

Not sure if you wrote about it and I missed it, but how does the seat feel for riding hours at a time? Is the bare seat agreeable enough or did you have to resort to tricks like padded shorts?

Thanks drt_rdr. I have been riding with padded shorts for a few years now. Recently, I stopped using them. I havent faced any issues with the seating on the SF250. It is the faint vibes that gets me to stop every 60 minutes. Not the padding or seat comfort.

Originally Posted by SkylineGTR

Love the review Neil. Wish you a great ownership experience with the bike. I've had my heart set on getting the SF 250 however I had to put my plans on hold because of shady experience with the Suzuki dealer here.
I have two questions for you.
1. Would you mind telling how you got in touch with the area sales manager? Like I said I have my heart set on this machine and am willing to overlook sneaky behaviour on the dealerships part. Is like to speak to the area sales manager and see if he can fix my issues.
2. I was offered the bike for 2.18 L on road. No mention was made of any discounts. Do you think I'll be paying too much if I take it for the price? Can you tell me how you found about the discount?

SkylineGTR, a mutual friend connected the sales manager and me. Later, I got to know that the contact details of the area sales manager is put up in each showroom. Do check for that. Alternatively, drop an email to Suzuki's customer care team and request for the area sales manager to contact you. That might help. As for the discounts, the dealers were upfront about the discounts being offered by Suzuki. In my case, I might have benefitted from fortuitous timing. The company had just dumped stocks of the VStrom 250 on all the dealers and the market response was tepid. All the dealers wanted to clear their old inventory and improve their cash flow.

Do ask the dealer for any discounts. If its a brand new bike that is fresh off the factory floors, you may not get any discounts. A 2021 bike, on the other hand, will see some discounts. My philosophy is that if you are happy with the price paid, go for it. There will always be someone else who has got a better discount.

[Slick]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Thanks Slick. There are some aftermarket windscreens listed on Amazon. What mileage do you get on your motorcycle?

I have already attached an aftermarket screen, It didn't help much. My reference point being the CBR 250R where the riding position and windshield are really well thought out.

Some posts that I made on @gauravanekar's ownership thread

Without the windshield (Back to biking - Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 MotoGP edition review)


Below, You will see my bike with a black wind shield, that I got from Amazon. Looks nice, doesn't help much functionally. Youtubers have used RR310 windshields but they need hacks, not a plug and play type application.

Black Windshield pictures (Back to biking - Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 MotoGP edition review)

Mileage -
The best mileage that I have got is 42-44KMPL, early morning rides with no traffic. Speeds ranging between 70-100KPH, On the regular though I get 35-37 on highway and 28-30 in city depending on how much I wring the throttle.

I have ridden very less in 2 years due to work & family. Whatever I have ridden have all been single day weekend rides. My office is 6 kms away, so even if I ride there it doesn't pile up the KMS.

Mumbai - Lonavala
Mumbai - Karnala
Mumbai - Pune
Mumbai - Igatpuri
Mumbai - Kolad

I absolutely love the decision to buy the bike, especially since I got it during the BS4-BS6 hustle at a nifty discount.
I used to ride Rx100/135s and this seems so long way from there yet very organic.

- Slick

[KPR]

This blue colour Motogp is a looker for sure. Great bike with Suzuki's reliability.
My BIL also has one 2018 model 155cc. He has now parked it in my place as he is out of town. I get to ride my TB and this bike to keep them alive. I'm used to comfortable posture of TB500. When I ride Gixxer SF for ~20 km I'm getting some pain in my both wrists. Is rising the handle bar by few inches recommended for a bit relaxed posture? Will it solve my wrist pain issue? The bike has single rod type handlebar and not clip ons. As such old Gixxer SF doesn't have aggressive riding position as compared to the one sold now.

[Sebring]

Just back in Bangalore, lounging on my couch, started reading this review 'aaram se'. And I'm spell bound . You covered so much Neil, Amazing! Deserves 5 Stars

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Thank you all for the very kind words! Needless to say, Im blown away by all the responses.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by KPR

My BIL also has one 2018 model 155cc. He has now parked it in my place as he is out of town. I get to ride my TB and this bike to keep them alive. I'm used to comfortable posture of TB500. When I ride Gixxer SF for ~20 km I'm getting some pain in my both wrists. Is rising the handle bar by few inches recommended for a bit relaxed posture? Will it solve my wrist pain issue? The bike has single rod type handlebar and not clip ons. As such old Gixxer SF doesn't have aggressive riding position as compared to the one sold now.

KPR, with the previous generation Gixxer SF155, ideally, you shouldnt have any issues with the riding position. I believe that you are facing the pain because you are switching from a comfortable, laid back tourer in the Thunderbird 500, to a more upright SF 155. It takes me a few minutes to revert to my muscle memory when I switch from one bike in my garage, to the other. And this is despite me having ridden each of them for thousands of kilometers. So, what you are facing is quite natural.

When riding the Suzuki, if you grab the tank with your thighs, at the time of braking, that will reduce a lot of the pressure on your wrists. It may not come intuitively, at first. However, do practice riding with this approach. Soon, it will become second nature.

If that doesnt work, then you could always go in for a handlebar riser. However, I strongly believe that by tweaking your technique, you can easily circumvent the wrist ache problem.

[neil.jericho]

Here are some recent ownership updates on the Gixxer SF 250

Delay in getting the RC card
Its been 2 months since I took delivery of the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. Around 2 weeks ago, someone from the showroom called me to ask for pictures of the number plates. As per what was then explained to me, the showroom is supposed to upload pictures of the HSRP, for the RC to get generated. For some reason they didnt do it on time and had misplaced the photographs of the plates on my bike.

Since then, I kept calling the showroom manager every 2 days, asking for an update on when I will receive the RC card. After getting silly excuses for more than a week and a half, it took a really strong conversation to get him to go to the RTO, to investigate why the paperwork hadnt been processed. A couple of days ago, I was told that it had been submitted. I should be getting the RC card within a week.

There was no reason for the Aluva Suzuki showroom to dilly dally on this for so long. At least they got it done. Better late than never.

Anyways, onto more positive updates.

Improving Usability
I had purchased a Rynox Optimus tank bag with the store credit that I had from my terrible Rynox riding pants. Ive started using it as a tail bag on the Gixxer SF 250. When strapped down properly, the bag doesnt move around and it makes running errands, a real breeze. I leave the two side straps mounted on the bike. Once you start using a tail bag, you really cant think of going back to using a regular backpack.

Short ride - Bhoothathankettu Dam
Last weekend, I went for a solo ride to Bhoothathankettu Dam. The bike really is at home in our narrow Kerala roads. Its so easy to flick into corners. Even if you spot a pothole mid turn, you can pick the bike back up and lean it back, in one fluid motion. The light clutch is the biggest difference maker to me. That and the supple suspension, make the bike a real joy to ride.

Inaugural Suzuki VStrom SX Customer Meet
Last month, I was invited to the first Suzuki VStrom 250 owners meet at the Nihara Resort in Cochin. Being a Gixxer SF 250 owner, I wasnt sure why I was invited. However, the showroom manager and ASM did call to invite me and both of them insisted that I should join the lunch meet. Being a weekday, not all the Vstrom 250 owners could attend the function. The Suzuki officials and representatives from the 4 dealers in Cochin were present. There were less than a dozen owners of 250 cc Suzuki motorcycles. The owners were invited to come up and share their feedback on the VStrom 250 including areas of improvement, suggestions on the product, sales experience etc.

Being in the hardcore motorcycle enthusiasts bubble gives you one perspective of the products in the Indian market. Listening to fellow owners share their thoughts on these motorcycles opens up whole new dimensions to the motorcycle enthusiasts market. I greatly enjoyed listening to the perspectives of other owners.

After a tasty lunch, the bikes were arranged for a quick photoshoot. Then, we did a short ride to get some pictures taken.

The hall where the event was held


The owners bikes parked at the resort


I cannot explain why a SF 250 is in the middle of the group picture at a VStrom 250 owners meet

Suzuki's officials have promised to periodically arrange such meet and greet events, every 2 months or so. With the launch of the VStrom 250, the company has finally woken up and realized the need to build a rider community. The VStrom 250 is giving them some traction in the market. True, to their word, they organized an overnight ride to Munroe Island, as part of the company's Independence Day celebrations. More on that in the next update.

A teaser picture from the Independence Day ride

[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Here are some recent ownership updates on the Gixxer SF 250

Delay in getting the RC card
Its been 2 months since I took delivery of the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250.

Nice updates.
I can very well relate to the delay in getting RC. Back in 2016 when I got my Gixxer sf 155, RC was delayed, after a few phone calls to showroom, I wrote a mail to Suzuki customer care, and that worked . Next day I got a call from showroom, and they promptly got it delivered in 2 days.

Suzuki 250 (any model) is an excellent machine, very underrated and under-appreciated. Good to hear about riders' meet organized by Suzuki. Places like Kochi (in fact whole Kerala), Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and to some extent Delhi/NCR, etc, have good riding culture and rider communities/ groups, something we miss in northern part of the country.

Someday, hope to meet you at Kochi .

[Drpaul]

Thank you for the update. And lovely pictures too

Had considered Gixxer 250 while we were in the market for a two wheeler for my bro, in that segment.
It was during the time BS 6 deadlines was coming in. The showroom in the Bypass had only BS 4 ones with them and was going for a healthy discount. But the follow up from their part was lack lustre, after test drive and all.

TVS showroom in kadavanthra was also least intrested in selling us their rtr. Made as dread what the after sales will be if sales only were like this.

Finally bought dominor 250 and then calls and more offers started coming from the suzuki guys. Felt Bajaj was the maruti-suzuki of the bike world after these interactions.

Glad they(suzuki) have stepped up their game with customer interactions and programs.

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by LongDrive lover

Nice updates.
I can very well relate to the delay in getting RC. Back in 2016 when I got my Gixxer sf 155, RC was delayed, after a few phone calls to showroom, I wrote a mail to Suzuki customer care, and that worked . Next day I got a call from showroom, and they promptly got it delivered in 2 days.

Suzuki 250 (any model) is an excellent machine, very underrated and under-appreciated. Good to hear about riders' meet organized by Suzuki. Places like Kochi (in fact whole Kerala), Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and to some extent Delhi/NCR, etc, have good riding culture and rider communities/ groups, something we miss in northern part of the country.

Someday, hope to meet you at Kochi .

LongDrive lover, I guess some lethargy is built into most of Suzuki's two wheeler dealerships. It turns out that there were other riders who also faced pre-sales issues with the same two dealerships that I had problems with. Im sure that Suzuki's officials around the country are aware of all these gaps. Hopefully they take the necessary steps to sort these out.

You are right about a strong motorcycling culture in Kerala, Bangalore, Madras etc. What I like is that there are multiple biking circles in each place. This enables riders to easily find a small community that they are comfortable with. Its like a venn diagram with hundreds of circles with very little overlap between them. Given the different bikes in my garage, I am blessed with the ability to interact with riders of all ages and demographics. At the end of the day, while we are all united by the love for motorcycles, it is the people who make the communities grow.

Hopefully our paths cross in the future!

Originally Posted by Drpaul

Thank you for the update. And lovely pictures too

Had considered Gixxer 250 while we were in the market for a two wheeler for my bro, in that segment.
It was during the time BS 6 deadlines was coming in. The showroom in the Bypass had only BS 4 ones with them and was going for a healthy discount. But the follow up from their part was lack lustre, after test drive and all.

TVS showroom in kadavanthra was also least intrested in selling us their rtr. Made as dread what the after sales will be if sales only were like this.

Finally bought dominor 250 and then calls and more offers started coming from the suzuki guys. Felt Bajaj was the maruti-suzuki of the bike world after these interactions.

Glad they(suzuki) have stepped up their game with customer interactions and programs.

Doc, Im not surprised by your experiences at any of these showrooms. Ive faced the exact same issues with both of them!

[neil.jericho]

As part of its Independence Day celebrations, Suzuki organized a ride to Munroe Island in Kollam. The ride was for exclusively for owners of their 250cc motorcycles. This Independence Day ride was jointly organized by the Suzuki teams in Central Kerala and South Kerala. In all, there were around 20 riders from Cochin and another 20 riders from the southern districts. When I was first told about the ride, my immediate reaction was that had the Suzuki team organized it on the 14th (Sunday) and planned for a flag hoisting on the 15th (Monday), more owners would been able to join the event. Since many riders had to report back to work on Tuesday morning, the attendance was less than what it could have been. The Suzuki team has accepted this feedback from riders and will take these practical matters into consideration before they organize their next event.

The original plan was for the Cochin team to depart from one of the Suzuki showrooms by 11 AM. After having lunch in Allepey, we would then proceed to the resort. The distance to be covered was 150 kilometers.

At the first showroom, an Independence Day themed cake was cut and distributed. Some quick do's and dont's were listed by the organizers. From there, the group went to a nearby petrol pump where everyone's bike was topped up with fuel. One interesting aspect of Suzuki's ride events is that the company pays for the petrol that riders use on these trips. In this case, everyone's bike was filled up and the Suzuki team paid for the combined fuel bill. As a best practice, I always go for a ride with the bike fully fuelled up and the tire pressures checked. Since I was the only one who came with a full tank of petrol, the Suzuki team said that they will transfer Rs 800 to me.

Special cake


Riders all set to leave

Next, we went to the second Suzuki showroom in Cochin, where we had 4 more riders join us. The total count including the showroom representatives, Suzuki officials and riders was 18 riders. I was in charge of leading 5 Gixxer and Gixxer SF 250 riders. A showroom manager was in charge of leading the other 11 VStrom 250 riders. More than half the riders had never participated in a group ride before. It was nice to see so many Suzuki owners taking their first steps into this slice of the motorcycling world. After a proper introduction to the rules of group riding, we departed from the showroom.

Along the way, one of the Gixxer SF 250 bikes that was a dealer test bike, kept giving trouble. We stopped for lunch at the Cassia restaurant in Allepey. Being Independence Day, many of the popular restaurants were closed. Thankfully, we had called ahead and booked a huge table. Despite giving them our order before we left from Cochin, we lost a lot of time in waiting for our food. As for the problematic bike, it was decided to leave it at the restaurant and pick it up on the way back.

Some of the bikes in the parking lot

Our next stop was at a predetermined restaurant in Kayamkulam, which was 50 kilometers away. Due to some miscommunication, half the group ended up at the Suzuki showroom in Kayamkulam, while the rest of us patiently waited at the restaurant. These things are bound to happen when you are on a large group ride. It was already 5 PM when we were set to leave from there. Our group was still 42 kilometers away from the resort . I wanted to reach before it was sunset and traffic picked up. I wasn't aware of the plan to visit the Suzuki showroom in Kollam for a cake cutting ceremony, before going to the resort. Hence, I led the team of the Gixxer and SF 250 riders straight to Munroe Island.

Half of the VStrom 250 bikes parked at the restaurant ...


... as are the Gixxer / SF 250 bikes, while we wait for the others who were taken to the Suzuki showroom!

Meanwhile, at the Kayamkulam Suzuki dealership, the other half of the Cochin VStrom 250 team, synced up with the Suzuki riders from the south circle. An Independence Day themed cake was cut. The remaining VStrom 250 owners who were with us joined them somewhere on the highway. Together, they all went to the Suzuki dealership in Kollam. After another cake was cut at the Kollam dealership, the entire team left for the resort. Later, I got to know that the South circle riders had actually left from Trivandrum early in the morning. Along the way, they had stopped at multiple Suzuki dealerships. Basically, a lot of Independence Day themed cakes were cut during the course of their full day ride.

These 3 pictures are courtesy the invited photographer

Back to my ride, I was taken aback by the terrain and strangely winding road that led to Munroe Island. Since it is a waterfront area, I expected the terrain to be flat, like the rest of coastal Kerala. Out of nowhere, we found a steeply ascending road in front of us with a lot of houses on either side of it. Instead of u turns or hair pin bends, there were right angled turns everywhere. With houses surrounding us. While we were ascending sharply. This clearly isn't what you expect to find in such terrain!

Fortunately, there was no traffic on the road. Neither were there any people in sight. Hypothetically speaking, our small group might have gone hell for leather in this steep ascent and subsequent descent. Had we done so (I'm not suggesting that we did!), it would have appeared to be a swarm of Moto3 riders on an open course race. I barely touched the brakes in this section while effortlessly tipping the bike over from side to side. The other riders were hot on my tail, the whole time. This was undoubtedly, the most fun that we had, all day! Hypothetically speaking, that is.

When we were a kilometer away from the resort, our group pulled over to take a breather. Everyone was buzzing with boundless energy and thankful that we were able to ride through this section with daylight on our side.

So. Much. Fun.


Pictures do not do this justice!

Once we got to the resort, my fellow riders dumped their bags and went back towards a large public viewpoint, to thoroughly enjoy the sunset. The remaining 30+ riders arrived after 7 PM. Unfortunately, they didn't get to enjoy the Isle of Munroe ride, like we did.

At the resort


Lovely views


Meanwhile, the rest of the crew was on its way


Still on the way


Phew! Finally here

The resort had a large pond in it and presented some splendid views of the surrounding water channels. However, it wasn't very well maintained. The staff clearly didn't have any training, either. For an overnight stay, you could consider this resort. If you want a premium tourist experience, you should look elsewhere. For the purpose of this trip, the resort was perfect. The Suzuki team did a good job in selecting this resort, even if it couldn't accommodate all our riders. Some people were hosted in nearby properties .

Later in the evening, I enjoyed meeting so many other motorcycle enthusiasts who belong to the Suzuki family. While our perspectives were sometimes different, it was fascinating to learn about their viewpoints and experiences. These are the quality conversations which make such rides worthwhile.

Thank goodness nobody came with a Metallic Triton Blue SF 250!


Jam packed parking lot


Time to call it a night

The next morning, some riders left before sunrise because they had to get to work, on time. More than a third of them departed before breakfast was served. Its a shame because the resort offered a stunning natural feel. The staff at the hotel were asked to serve breakfast only at 8.30 but even that was delayed. As soon as I got done with breakfast, I strapped on my tail bag and left.

The waterfront facing rooms


The large pond inside the resort. Several riders enjoyed boating in it.


A riot of colours


Hey, where did everybody go??

Not wanting to risk life or limb while riding to and through Allepey, I took the safe MC road until Cherthala. There, I cut across to the main highway and enjoyed the rest of the solo ride back to Cochin.

en route


A nice little shortcut


Simply beautiful

Overall, this was a fun and enriching event that was organized by Team Suzuki. Being their first big ride, there were some areas of improvement. That is understandable and only to be expected. More so, when so many riders were new to group riding. Each such ride is a learning experience, both for the organizers and the participants. At the same time, these rides have an exponential effect on building the riding community with Suzuki's motorbike owners. Already, many of us are in touch with each other through WhatsApp, where we share our experiences with others. A big thumbs up to the Suzuki team that organized this Independence Day ride. I hope that this is only the first of many Suzuki events in the coming months.

[FURY_44]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

As part of its Independence Day celebrations, Suzuki organized a ride to Munroe Island in Kollam. The ride was for exclusively for owners of their 250cc motorcycles. This Independence Day ride was jointly organized by the Suzuki teams in Central Kerala and South Kerala. In all, there were around 20 riders from Cochin and another 20 riders from the southern districts.

Welcome to the world of same make group rides , glad you are having fun, there's no going back now, hehe. Wonderful to see that Suzuki is taking up ownership group initiatives, the community will just keep growing.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

As part of its Independence Day celebrations, Suzuki organized a ride to Munroe Island in Kollam. The ride was for exclusively for owners of their 250cc motorcycles.

This is brilliant. Good to see Suzuki organising such group events

These kind of rides help marketing the bikes better than TV/Internet Ads. SF250s and V-Storm 250s look gorgeous in flesh and am sure the swarm of these in a group would have attracted a lot of eyeballs. Thanks for sharing. Lovely pictures

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Delay in getting the RC card
Its been 2 months since I took delivery of the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. Around 2 weeks ago, someone from the showroom called me to ask for pictures of the number plates. As per what was then explained to me, the showroom is supposed to upload pictures of the HSRP, for the RC to get generated. For some reason they didnt do it on time and had misplaced the photographs of the plates on my bike.

Since then, I kept calling the showroom manager every 2 days, asking for an update on when I will receive the RC card. After getting silly excuses for more than a week and a half, it took a really strong conversation to get him to go to the RTO, to investigate why the paperwork hadnt been processed. A couple of days ago, I was told that it had been submitted. I should be getting the RC card within a week.

There was no reason for the Aluva Suzuki showroom to dilly dally on this for so long. At least they got it done. Better late than never.

Late last week, I received an SMS from BH-VAAHAN which stated that the RC for my motorcycle had been dispatched using Speed Post. The SMS also contained a tracking number. The card was delivered a few days ago. Phew! That is one worry off my mind.

Meanwhile, Ive been planning to head out on the Gixxer SF 250 and take a break for a few days. My Viaterra Claw was packed last week itself. Unfortunately, the weather is plain awful. The torrential rains here in Kerala and at the places that I planned to visit, have simply cancelled my plans for the immediate future.

As the old saying goes - Man proposes, God disposes.

Considering that we went through a spell of 2 weeks with near zero rains and the rain Gods have been merciless ever since I started packing in earnest, my friends have now aptly named the Gixxer SF 250 - the Rainmaker.

Originally Posted by FURY_44

Welcome to the world of same make group rides , glad you are having fun, there's no going back now, hehe. Wonderful to see that Suzuki is taking up ownership group initiatives, the community will just keep growing.

Thanks FURY_44. It was quite an interesting experience. Funnily enough, between my Royal Enfield, Suzuki and Triumph motorcycle ownership, it is the premium brand that is investing nothing in building the rider community. That is another story for another time.

Originally Posted by SoumenD

This is brilliant. Good to see Suzuki organising such group events

These kind of rides help marketing the bikes better than TV/Internet Ads. SF250s and V-Storm 250s look gorgeous in flesh and am sure the swarm of these in a group would have attracted a lot of eyeballs. Thanks for sharing. Lovely pictures

Thanks SoumenD. Yes, the bikes did grab a lot of attention along the way. The slumbering giant Suzuki has woken up to the reality of selling motorcycles, in addition to their excellent mass market scooters. It will be interesting to see if they can continue their positive momentum.

[neil.jericho]

I just completed a 6 day solo ride through Tamil Nadu, on the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. In total, I covered 1,600 kilometers. The itinerary was
Day 1 : Kanyakumari
Day 2 : Rameswaram
Day 3 : Thanjavur
Day 4 : Tiruchirappalli
Day 5 : Madurai
Day 6 : Cochin

It will take me a few days to put up a more detailed set of day wise posts covering the trip.

Until then, in summary,
- for all round touring, this motorcycle is brilliant. It can handle large national highways, state highways, village roads, broken roads beyond village roads and everything else, without breaking into a sweat.
- the sweet spot on open and empty highways is between 90 to 110 kmph. I stayed below 100 kmph for almost the entirety of the trip.
- the suspension is simply pliant. Had it been my Continental GT 535 or my Street Triple 675, I would have been left with aches and pains in different parts of my backside, at the end of each day's ride.
- the brakes were good. Yes, the front brake is still a little spongy but on the couple of occasions that it was called into emergency duty, it performed rather well. I never had a scary moment on account of the brakes or lack of braking ability.
- the mileage for the trip was 36.43 kmpl. Im happy with that number.
- the lack of a windscreen is good for Instagram posts but isnt great for munching endless highway miles. Fellow TBHPians have likened it to a headless horse. I might have to do something about the wind blast from the minuscule screen, before my next long ride.
- the speedometer reading is 10% higher than the speeds on Google Maps.
- by the end of the trip, I felt like I could have continued for another 4 to 5 days. Unfortunately, Onam is right around the corner and it was time to head back home.

The Rainmaker doing what it does best


Visited some churches and cathedrals


The amazing Thanjavur


Simply magnificent temples


Munched a lot of highway miles


Went to a museum


Saw a dinosaur


Even more temples


Hypnotic windmills


Ended the trip with, what else but, more rains

[neil.jericho]

A Sunday morning breakfast meetup gave me the opportunity to catch up with some old friends from Cochin's biking circles and make new ones. A lot of my friends were curious to hear my feedback on the quarter litre offering from Suzuki. They were all happy to hear my positive feedback on all aspects of the motorcycle.

My first surprise for the day came when I bumped into my old friend Ashwinprakas, who incidentally was also on his way to the breakfast meetup.

APs's famous Bullet parked alongside my GSX RRRRR 250


I almost forgot, there was another black Suzuki also there .....


Can 3 motorcycles be any more different from each other?

Did I mention that I got to feast my eyes on what is undoubtedly the apex of Suzuki's engineering, as well as R&D. I've always liked the second generation Hayabusa but this updated motorcycle is quite possibly the crème de la crème of Japanese motorcycling (Kawasaki's engineers might have something to say about that!). On closer examination, the new Hayabusa is a thing of sublime beauty. The Glass Sparkle Black / Candy Burnt Gold looks so much better in person than it does from behind your computer screen. Every panel is crafted with such exquisite attention to detail, that you really cannot fault anything about it. This is a motorcycle that is just dripping in quality.

The new Hayabusa remains the motorcycle that you can put up as the wallpaper on your laptop or on a poster in your bedroom. Sure, it costs 10 times what my little Gixxer SF 250 does. Unsurprisingly, it does feel like it is worth every rupee. If only I could scrape together Rs 20 lakhs to get myself another Suzuki!