Why I switched from Apache 180 to Gixxer 250: 6 likes & 5 dislikes

I'm getting a fuel efficiency of 35+ km/l which I think is pretty good for a 250cc motorcycle.

BHPian mad4nfs recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Sharing my ownership experience and impressions of the Suzuki Gixxer 250. I hope prospective buyers are going to find it quite helpful and informative for their buying decision.

It's been just over 3 months since I got this motorcycle and I've completed the first service and have clocked over 1500kms on it. Previously I owned a TVS Apache RTR 180 and wanted a VFM upgrade. Why I went for this bike only? Because I never wanted to own an RE and am also not a fan of fully faired motorcycles. I wanted a bike strictly under 2 lakh and this suited the best for me. So here's me sharing my likes and dislikes of owning this bike.

Likes

1. Low profile or should I say no profile? This motorcycle is almost invisible on the road. It is very compact and plus its colour makes it really hard to get noticed by others including cops. Perfect for an introvert like me.
2. 250cc engine churns out 26bhp which provides ample amount of power for start-stop city riding as well as for chilled-out highway rides.
3. Handling and flickability is really good but the turning radius should've been a bit less.
4. For the starting 100+kms I didn't like the seat as it was pushing me towards the tank. But now I know that it takes some time to adjust to your seating position and once the foam of the seat settles in, it's super comfortable.
5. The mileage I am getting so far is 35+kmpl (city + highway combined) which I think is pretty good for a 250cc bike.
6. I've read several bad reviews about Suzuki's after-sales service but I am quite happy with it. I've been to 2 service centres and I was satisfied with their service. Maybe the bike is new, that's why they are being nice? I hope not.

Dislikes

1. Horn is pathetic for a quarter-litre motorcycle. My previous Apache had dual horns which are really needed for Indian traffic. Going to get another horn on 2nd service.
2. Digital display should have a distance to empty instead of battery voltage. I mean, who wants to check the battery voltage of their motorcycle? Nobody.
3. Instead of that engine rpm LED, it should have a side-stand warning LED. (I know it has engine auto cut off when the side-stand is engaged but still.) Again, a much more useful feature ignored.
4. Also that dual exhaust plus its mediocre sound. Dear Suzuki please stop using the same exhaust on every product. An exhaust sound gives the motorcycle its character, so try differentiating your products by at least giving different exhaust sounds plus designs to every product.
5. This is subjective but at least more color options. Or maybe a little bit more graphics to make it stand out. 99.99% of customers don't like to have low/no profile.

But overall, I am very happy with my purchase and can't wait to cover so many more miles on it. Planning a long ride on it in the upcoming month(s), will make sure to share the tour report here.

Some photos

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