Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 vs rivals: Specifications comparison

The last time Suzuki sold a 250cc motorcycle in India, things didn’t go as well as planned for the manufacturer. The Inazuma 250 was discontinued in 2014, just a little over a year after its launch; and Suzuki has left the gap between its entry-level motorcycles and big bikes unfilled, since. That, however, is set to change with the launch of the Suzuki GIxxer 250 in less than a week. Little was known about the motorcycle up until what appeared to be a brochure leaked online, in this past week; and if the specs revealed are in fact, correct, the Gixxer SF 250 will comfortably fit right into its intended segment.

While we still have to wait until the launch date to announce the pricing, we expect the Gixxer SF 250 to cost along the same lines as its most direct rival, the Yamaha Fazer 25. We’ve also compared it to the only other fully faired 250cc motorcycle in the market, the Honda CBR 250R, and threw in Bajaj Pulsar RS200 too, considering its almost identical performance figures and very competitive pricing. .

Powertrain

The Gixxer SF 250 appears to be powered by a 249cc, single-cylinder engine that makes 26.5hp and 22.6Nm of torque – numbers that are almost identical to those produced by the CBR, which happens to be the most outdated motorcycle on this list. The difference in the power figures numbers may be minimal (almost negligible, really) but the CBR weighs 6kg more. The Suzuki’s numbers are considerably more than that of the Yamaha, which is the least powerful bike here. The gearbox is another aspect where the Yamaha doesn’t have as much on offer as its rivals here; the bike is equipped with a 5-speed unit in comparison to the 6-speed transmission on the other bikes. Meanwhile, the Pulsar manages to hold its own with 24.5hp and 18.6Nm of torque, with the latter figure a result of the motorcycle's disadvantage in displacement.

Powertrain
	Suzuki Gixxer SF 250	Yamaha Fazer 25	Bajaj Pulsar RS200	Honda CBR 250R
Engine	249cc, single-cylinder, oil-cooled	249cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled	199.5cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled	249.6cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled
Power	26.5hp at 9000rpm	20.9hp at 8000rpm	24.5hp at 9750rpm	26.5hp at 8500rpm
Torque	22.6Nm at 7500rpm	20Nm at 6000rpm	18.6Nm at 8000rpm	22.9Nm at 7000rpm
Gearbox	6-speed	5-speed	6-speed	6-speed
Power-to-weight ratio	164.59hp/tonne	133.12hp/tonne	149.39hp/tonne	158.68hp/tonne

Design and styling

If the image in the brochure is a representation of what the upcoming Gixxer SF 250 will look like upon launch, the bike will feature aggressive styling. Design elements like the sharp grooves on the tank and the grooved indents on the upper half, are cues also seen on the smaller Gixxer 150. Another design aspect that contributes to the aggressive look is its headlight. On the other hand, the Fazer 25’s alien-like front end may not be to everyone's liking, but it is a head-turner, nonetheless. The drama isn’t as prominent towards the rear, resulting in a decently proportionate design. Speaking of which, the least dramatic design of the lot has to be of the Honda, which is now over eight years old and – barring a few graphic schemes – hasn’t received a substantial cosmetic update. The last bike of the lot, the RS200, sports a half-fairing and styling that is as unconventional as the one on the Fazer, with bug-eyed headlights and a stubby exhaust. That said, it isn't an unattractive motorcycle either, and its sharp lines still allow for its four-year-old design to seem fresh.

Chassis

All four motorcycles come with a disc brake at either end, but the Pulsar RS200 features only single-channel ABS while the others offer a dual-channel system. Another thing the four motorcycles have in common is the use of a telescopic fork and a monoshock. While the motorcycles don’t weigh too far apart from each other, at this performance level, every kilo makes a difference, and it's evident from the power-to-weight ratios in the subsequent table to see how this pans out. The Yamaha Fazer, despite its almost excessive bodywork, is the lightest motorcycle of the lot at 157kg, while the CBR weighs a whole 10kg more at 167kg.

Underpinnings
	Suzuki Gixxer SF 250	Yamaha Fazer 25	Bajaj Pulsar RS200	Honda CBR 250R
Wheelbase	1345mm	1360mm	1355mm	1369mm
Seat height	800mm	795mm	810mm	784 mm
Kerb weight	161kg	157kg	164kg	167 kg
Brakes (f)	Disc	Disc	Disc	Disc
Brakes (r)	Disc	Disc	Disc	Disc
ABS	Dual-channel	Dual-channel	Single-channel	Dual-channel
Suspension (f)	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork	Telescopic fork
Suspension (r)	Monoshock	Monoshock	Monoshock	Monoshock
Tyres (f)	110/70 R17	100/80 - 17	100/80 - 17	110/70 - 17
Tyres (r)	150/60 R17	140/70 - 17	130/70 - 17	140/70 - 17
Fuel capacity	12 litres	14 litres	13 litres	13 litres

Summing it up

When it comes down to the numbers, the Gixxer SF 250 makes a whole lot more than its direct rival, the Rs 1.43 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) Yamaha Fazer 25. The Honda CBR250R produces similar performance figures as the Suzuki but is now severely outdated and is priced too high at Rs 1.94 lakh. The RS200, on the other hand, at Rs 1.39 lakh produces as much power, but considerably lesser torque and a single-channel ABS. Like we’d mentioned earlier – if these leaked details are the ones the Suzuki Gixxer will offer, the bike does seem like a promising proposition, if Suzuki get the pricing right. Having said that, the manufacturer has priced its bikes relatively competitively so far – albeit towards the premium end of the market - and we expect them to do the same with the Gixxer SF 250. Just how premium it will be, though, remains to be seen.

from Autocar India - News http://bit.ly/2HsMz7s