[neil.jericho]

As per Suzuki, the second service of the Gixxer SF 250 has to be done when the bike has covered between 4,500 to 5,000 kilometers or within 5 1/2 to 6 months (whichever comes earlier). Based on my positive first service experience (Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Ownership Review) with Aluva Suzuki, I decided to go back to them for the second service, even though their showroom is located quite far away from where I stay.

Round 1
A couple of weeks ago, I dropped into their showroom and asked the team when I could bring the bike for the second service. They said that they would be open on the 10th (Saturday) and asked me to bring it then, since the workload would anyways be light considering that it was just after Onam. When I went there, I was told that the main mechanic had called in to take leave that day, so as to get the full extended weekend off. Most employees in other businesses had done the same, as the city wore a deserted look. There was nothing to be done but to return home.

Round 2
A few days ago, I returned to the Aluva Suzuki SVC. By the time the bike was bike was inspected and the job card was generated, it was around 09:30. Based on my earlier experience, I expected to be out in 2 hours flat or less. I waited in the adjoining showroom as it was air conditioned and the customer lounge in the SVC didnt have the air conditioning turned on, for some reason. By 11:15, when I went to see if I could collect the bike, I was disappointed to find that the main mechanic hadnt even started working on my bike, despite the team knowing that I was the only customer who was waiting. The gentleman in charge of the service division couldnt offer any logical reason as to why nothing was done for over 1 3/4 hours. After sharing my feedback, the work was finally started on the bike.

It took around 35 minutes for the whole service to be completed. The team insisted on washing the bike and then missed wiping it down properly. Anyways, I have no complaints about the quality of the work that was done. However, the SVC seems to be really lacking in supervision and communication. Going forward, I will have to sit in the customer lounge to see whether any work is being done or not.

Below are the service costs. I asked them not to lube the chain since I had already done it over the weekend.

Suzuki has increased the prices of its spares. The first service cost me Rs 814. This second service cost me Rs 936. That is a 15% increase in the cost of ownership. Compared to my other motorcycles, servicing the Gixxer SF 250 continues to be affordable but yes, a 15% increase in the service cost will be steep to many owners.

Overall, I would recommend Aluva Suzuki's SVC for the quality of workmanship but I wasnt very happy that a regular free service (basically an oil change) required almost 3 hours of time, when this was the only motorcycle allocated to the main mechanic. Hopefully they can tighten up a few loose ends in their service delivery.

[neil.jericho]

A lazy Sunday morning left me with some time on my hands to ride to Andhakaranazhi beach in Allepey. I took a little detour to see how well the lightweight Suzuki was able to handle slushy conditions. Once the street tires got caked in mud, all bets were off. Through constant course corrections, I was able to stay upright. It was a lot of fun, though.

The Andhakaranazhi beach was lovely, as always.

The best angle for the bike




How to sway like The Boss in the original Dancing In the Dark video


The rear tire was ready to tango


The entrance to the beach


Magical

[neil.jericho]

The Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 comes with MRF Revz tires. As I had noted earlier in this thread (Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Ownership Review), these MRF tires are good for commuting and sports touring, with a strong lean towards the touring part of that activity. I tried swapping out the tires for superior ones at the time of delivery but not a single tire dealer was interested in offering any sort of exchange value for the MRF Revz tires.

My plan was to use the tires for at least 10,000 kilometers before discarding them. As of today, Ive covered a shade under 5,000 kilometers on the RevZ tires. If you understand the design and purpose of these tires, then you can easily ride within their limits. Not once have they wriggled, squiggled or giggled during my attempts at hard cornering.

However, I have some interesting riding plans for the next month or two. This necessitated a search for replacement tires that provide maximum grip at reasonable prices. With the front tire specification of 110/70 17 and rear tire specification of 150/60 17, these are the tire options, in decreasing order of cost (fitment charges of Rs 300 are not included)

- Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 : Rs 23,000
Pirelli calls it a sport tyre for road use. My Triumph Street Triple 675 is running the Diablo Rosso 2s. They are really good tires for casual and sporty riding. This is eye wateringly expensive!

- Metzeler Sportec Street M5 : Rs 20,000
Metzeler calls it the perfect all-round supersport tyre. Bonkers pricing takes it off my list.

- Michelin Road 5 : Rs 19,000
The ultimate choice for enthusiasts looking at longevity and cornering grip, even in the rain. The prices have been steadily marching upwards. At its old prices, I would have gone for it, without question. At Rs 19K, it does appear to be quite overpriced.

- Apollo Alpha H1 : Rs 10,900
Is this one of the best / grippiest tires ever made by an Indian tire manufacturer? Motorcycle enthusiasts have given excellent feedback on these tires, with many of them even taking it to the track. I am yet to hear of a single complaint from a user of the undisputed VFM king in the segment - the Apollo Alpha H1s.

- TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme : Rs 10,800
This is a new entrant into the market. The tires do seem to have a more V shaped profile (which will help in cornering) as compared to the similarly priced Alpha H1. However, I could barely find any reviews for these tires. Also, a fellow TBHPian reported that while these are very grippy tires, they do seem to be suffering from sidewall bulging issues. Ill wait for TVS Eurogrip Protorq Extreme tires to become a proven commodity in the market, before putting my money down on them.

For now, Ive decided to get the Apollo Alpha H1s, in the next couple of days. I will retain my stock MRF RevZ tires, since none of the stores are willing to give me any exchange value for them. God willing, if our well laid out plans fall into place, Ill be joining some friends for a major interstate ride towards the end of the year. I will swap the RevZ tires back on for that ride, so that I can hit the 10,000 kilometer mark and then get rid of them.

[neil.jericho]

Last week, I went to The Tire Guys for the installation of Apollo Alpha H1 tires in the stock sizes. The cost breakup is
- Front tire (110/70 17) : Rs 4,800
- Rear tire (150/60 17) : Rs 6,100
- Installation : Rs 300
- Balancing : Rs 400
Total cost of Apollo Alpha H1 tires + installation + balancing = Rs 11,600.

Overall, the tire change experience can be summed up as
+ Professional technicians. They are the best in business in Cochin.
+ New stock was available. The front and rear tires had a manufacturing date of 3722 which is the 37th week of 2022.
+ Wheel balancing facility available. It costs Rs 200 per wheel.
+ Proper bill provided.
+ The technicians have stopped taking the cars and bikes of customers for joy rides under the pretext of "testing" the installation and or alignment (in the case of cars), without informing the customers. Im not sure why the management let them do this nonsense for so many years but Im glad they have put an end to their ridiculous practice.
- They only accept cash or Google Pay. I had to go to an ATM down the road to withdraw money.

Now that they have ceased taking joy rides, I would recommend The Tire Guys for their workmanship.

The front and rear tires side by side


The wheels getting removed, one by one


The stock MRF RevZ FC2 front tire with 4,975 kilometers on it


The stock MRF RevZ C2 rear tire with 4,975 kilometers on it


The front wheel getting balanced


The rear wheel getting balanced


The front wheel installed on the motorcycle


The rear wheel installed on the motorcycle

Im sure everyone is wondering about the actual performance of the Apollo Alpha H1 tires. Considering the fact that I was comfortable with the strengths and weaknesses of the stock tires, was the tire upgrade worth the money spent? In short - a resounding yes!

Ill wait to complete at least 500 to 700 odd kilometers on them before I post a detailed review on the tires. For now, I can confirm that there is so much additional grip on dry roads and wet roads, that I am easily riding a lot faster than what I used to, in the very same conditions, as compared to when the bike was running on the stock tires. In the city, on straight highways and especially in the curves, the new tires offer tremendous grip. These Apollo Alpha H1 tires have completely transformed the behaviour of the otherwise gentlemanly Suzuki Gixxer SF 250!

[Avikbrio]

The new rubber looks sick. I am also desperately searching to change the tyres on my CBR 250R but the rear 140/70 r17 is proving to be immensely difficult to find, even in Bangalore. Most of the tyre dealers are asking me to go for 150 rear in Apollo Alpha H1 or Michelin Road 5. But going 150 will change the riding dynamics of the bike significantly. Do you know anyone having fresh stock (not older than 2021 atleast) of Michelin Pilot Street Radial in 140/70 r17 size?

[krishnaprasadgg]

Originally Posted by Avikbrio

The new rubber looks sick. I am also desperately searching to change the tyres on my CBR 250R but the rear 140/70 r17 is proving to be immensely difficult to find, even in Bangalore. Most of the tyre dealers are asking me to go for 150 rear in Apollo Alpha H1 or Michelin Road 5. But going 150 will change the riding dynamics of the bike significantly. Do you know anyone having fresh stock (not older than 2021 atleast) of Michelin Pilot Street Radial in 140/70 r17 size?

Avikbrio, I changed to the Alpha H1 just a few weeks back and have already put over 700kms on it and can say it's a pretty good tyre as my first impression.

I don't have any other photo of it at the moment.


And about your worry about the 150 upsize let me tell you it makes little to no difference for your everyday usage. I have used the Contigo for 18k kms in 140 size, then the ever famous Michlin Street radials which was also in 140 size and it lasted me a good 40k kms before I changed to Pirellis in 150, rode around 8k kms in them(over 4 years and long stretches of no usage in b/w so the sidewalls became hard and had to change them) before changing it out with the Alpha H1 and I have faced absolutely no problems with the change, have done highway rides, ghats and city and nothing felt out of place. I hope this info helps.



Cheers
Krishna

[iamahunter]

I had upgraded to the Alpha H1 about a year ago and the bike feels great on it. Much better than the stock Contigos. CBR upgrades to Alpha H1. (My 2018 Honda CBR 250R)

Yes, its a 150 section tyre compared to the stock 140, however the profile is more round as to the flat profile of the stock. This gives much more confidence in the corners.

[kiki_13]

My Duke 200 (Kiki) is on second set of Apollo Alpha H1. That says how happy I am with the tyres. I have ridden extensively in western ghats in peak monsoon and the grip while cornering and on the wet surface is commendable.

[mithun]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

Last week, I went to The Tire Guys for the installation of Apollo Alpha H1 tires in the stock sizes.

Overall, the tire change experience can be summed up as
+ Professional technicians. They are the best in business in Cochin.

Kudos for the detailed review.

1. Are they having other brands like CEAT/MRF?
2. How much life are you expecting from Apollo Alpha H1 on Kerala roads?
3. Any similar alternatives for Apollo Alpha H1 in the 5-6K price range that you will recommend?

[neil.jericho]

After the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 was fitted with the highly praised Apollo Alpha H1 tires, the bike was crying out for a couple of proper rides, to fully test the performance of the new rubber.

Ride 1 - Border Parotta
A fellow TBHPian from Trivandrum had recently picked up a Suzuki Avensis in the stunning Metallic Triton Blue paint scheme. To celebrate his joining the Suzuki family, I proposed a run-in ride for his scooter, coupled with the scrub in ride for my Gixxer SF 250's new tires, by having lunch at the famed Rahmath parotta stall, which is commonly known for its Border Parotta. Joining us would be another close friend and ace rider from Trivandrum, on his KTM Duke 390.

Thenmala Dam

We met up at the Thenmala dam, before proceeding together towards the border, to try out the food. Damn, these Trivandrum bikers really know how to ride quickly in the twisties. The ride was so involving that I could have been forgiven for mistakenly believing that I was riding alongside Brad Binder and Alex Rins!

The plucky little Suzuki Avensis did a marvellous job all throughout the ride, even though it was technically still in its run in phase. The scooter's quick pace could also have something to do with the fact that sometimes, my friend was riding it like he was riding his litre class Italian motorcycle.

The KTM Duke 390 was on the excellent Michelin Road 5 tires. Between the excellent package that is the Duke 390, the top notch tires and a very skilled rider, at times, it was hard to keep up with the orange motorcycle.

Quick stop for a photograph

The sporty Suzukis

The food was every bit as good, as it promised to be. If you are ever in the area, you absolutely must have your lunch at the Rahmath parotta stall. You can thank me later for this recommendation.

The thunder rolls and the lightning strikes ...

Back at Thenmala, it started drizzling. A short while later, the heavens opened up. The rains were so heavy that in between, I even had to stop for a while, in the hope that the downpour would settle down. It didnt. I must have ridden for a couple of hours in the pouring rain. Talk about stress testing the new tires. All in all, I did around 450 kilometers that day.

Ride 2 - Athirapally
There is no better proving ground in this region for both, motorcycles and motorcyclists, than the excellent twists and turns which lead to the popular tourist destination that is the Athirapilly waterfalls. I really enjoy riding there on all 3 of my motorcycles. With the Apollo Alpha H1 tires, I was able to ride rather enthusiastically all through the ride. Now that the tires match the well tuned suspension and sporty chassis, the motorcycle's full potential has been unleashed.

A view of the waterfall


Mandatory picture at the bridge

Apollo Alpha H1 tires - In Summary
Its safe to say that I am extremely happy with the Apollo Alpha H1 tires. I have a ride coming up in a few days time, which be another stern performance test of their capabilities. Once I return from that ride, I will post detailed feedback on the new tires.

For now, after 600 kilometers of hard riding, these new Apollo Alpha H1 tires get two thumbs up from me.

Front tire


Rear tire

[Avikbrio]

Originally Posted by krishnaprasadgg

Avikbrio, I changed to the Alpha H1 just a few weeks back and have already put over 700kms on it and can say it's a pretty good tyre as my first impression.

Thank you Krishna. Apollo Alpha H1 it is then! I will stop my harrowing search for 140.

[SilverHawk]

@Avikbrio:
I own a 2014 Honda CBR 250R and have recently upgraded the tires to Apollo Alphas
1) Front: Apollo Alpha H1 (110/70/R17)
2) Rear: Apollo Alpha S1 (140/60/R17)

Note:
As rightly pointed out, 140/70/R17 isn't available in H1 variant. (S1 comes with 140/60/R17)
I visited a dealership here at Pune and inspected both the tires in person (H1 & S1).
The rubber on H1 is more premium, albeit on the softer side (prone to worn-out early - comes with W-rating)
The rubber on S1 is very capable too (comes with Steel belted radials as well, comes with H-rating).
S1 still felt better than any Ceat / MRF tires with the pricing almost similar (I bought mine at INR 3300/- incl. fitment), which is a whooping ~2.2K less than H1..!

Riding Experience;
1) Since the Aspect Ratio has been changed from 70 to 60 on the Rear Tire, the riding position has become a bit upright (as most of my commute is within the city, the change-over was happily welcomed)
There is ~5-10% increase in speedo reading (error - owing to change in aspect ratio)
2) The grip offered by the tires is Superb.!
No issue riding in rain either.
The braking response has increased 2 folds (compared to my previous stock Continental Tires)
Owing to comparatively stiffer rubber on the Rear tire, the stability and grip on bumpy, gravelly roads is better.
The suspension feels better too, since the rubber really sticks to the ground and absorbs shocks at initial stage.
3) The bike actually feels lighter (reduction in weight due to lighter Rear Tire)
Throttle response feels better too.

I'm quite satisfied with the purchase..Cheers..!!


Suggestion:
Get a portable tire inflator and monitor the tire pressure fortnightly (weekly is even better).
Correct tire pressure solves most of the tire related problems.

[Kottayamkaran]

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

There is no better proving ground in this region for both, motorcycles and motorcyclists, than the excellent twists and turns which lead to the popular tourist destination that is the Athirapilly waterfalls.

Did you ride to Athirapally the last Sunday? I remember passing a blue Gixxer250 coming down while riding up. It was around 8ish in the morning. I was on a black Apache RTR. When i saw the bike i thought about your bike.

[Passatman]

Nice read about the SF250! I own a similar bike in Triton blue livery and yes, it's a great machine. I'm a 55 yr old relic who had not ridden since 1990 ( kb100 RTZ coll days) since I moved to cars. The COVID scare egged me to buy a bike and I found this an appealing choice. Have done a couple rides to Chikmagalur only apart from short 100km rides.
Has anyone here tried the front mask and tall visor being sold by a chennai based outfit? Costs about 4k I read for the triton blue mask and clear visor.
Does this reduce wind blast at 100k+ speeds?

[neil.jericho]

Originally Posted by Kottayamkaran

Did you ride to Athirapally the last Sunday? I remember passing a blue Gixxer250 coming down while riding up. It was around 8ish in the morning. I was on a black Apache RTR. When i saw the bike i thought about your bike.

Kottayamkaran, yes, that was me. P.S - nice handle!

Originally Posted by Passatman

Nice read about the SF250! I own a similar bike in Triton blue livery and yes, it's a great machine. I'm a 55 yr old relic who had not ridden since 1990 ( kb100 RTZ coll days) since I moved to cars. The COVID scare egged me to buy a bike and I found this an appealing choice. Have done a couple rides to Chikmagalur only apart from short 100km rides.
Has anyone here tried the front mask and tall visor being sold by a chennai based outfit? Costs about 4k I read for the triton blue mask and clear visor.
Does this reduce wind blast at 100k+ speeds?

Welcome back to motorcycling, Passatman. Do share some pictures of your motorcycle. Can you share images of the mask and visor combination that you are referring to? I can check with my friends here. From what I hear, the visor of the Apache RR 310 is the most effective option for those looking at wind management.