2006 Suzuki GZ250

[Sundowner]

A good little bike, the name should sound familiar, its mostly used in the MSF Courses.

I decided to write this review, not just for the fact that there is one sitting in my garage, but for the simple fact that Fuel prices are hitting over 3 bucks a gallon (and predicted to hit 3.50 by Christmas here in FL)

Pros:
*Lightweight as anything with a 302 dry curb weight. no breaking your back if you dump this ride.
*under 4k out the door price.
* Insane 70+ mpg (specs specifiy 85 mpg- best we gotten out of it is 76 mpg with aftermarket saddlebags and passenger backrest added)
*with a bout 300 buck in mods, you could swear this thing is a mini Harley (with the aforementioned Backrest and saddle bags
*27.8 in. Seat height
*Some of Suzuki's Boulevard line of parts will bolt up (always check with your dealer first)
*Brake work extremely well (see below for the con on the brakes)
Cons:
*Despite its simple design, its a single lung bike, not too much torque or power for that matter (Remember its a 250)
*No Fuel gauge, no tachometer. Just a very minimumistic Speedo (with Trip)and the Turnsignal, Highbeam, Neutral inditcators.
*Not enoigh room between the handlebars and the bottom of the mirrors. If you are big Pawed with glovesyou will have trouble getting your hands on or off this bike if you need so in a hurry. Reccomend replacements with more clearance.
*only the rear Suspension is truely adjustable. I have yet to see a way to adjust the front forks.
*you virtually have to remove the saddlebags (if you install them under the pillon) to do any rear wheel maintance.
*No centerstand (even though it looks like there are mountpoints for one)
*Rear Brake is drum. I wouldn't even mention the brakes if it had a disk in the back end
Final Note. This is a good beginner bike, but one will get tired of it really soon if power/torque is what you crave. its real selling point is the insane Gas milage this bike will get. (normal Fillups range between 3-4 dollars USD). What really kills this bike is the lack of a gas Gauge. I am currently looking to see where and if i can get one added to this bike.
just a note on the actual GZ 250 sitting in the garage the bike has developed a pin hole leak mid pipe. you can tell its there when the you rev the bike not sitting on it and a little jet of exhast billows out from under the bike. its something i am having checked when the kid goes in for its next service. I am uncertain with the future with this bike, I thought all Motorcycles were supposed to be FI but the 2008 model is still carberated.
There ya go kids.

[steves]

I think the FI requirement is based on displacement....

[blkpitbull]

now that was a proper review for this section!!!

Thanks!

[Sundowner]

I decided to revisit this review for some updates....
I rode this bike for the majority of the last 7 weeks as a daily driver.
As we see in my initial review of alot of pro's with the bike and some cons.

Pro's:
Still insane gas milage. Our initial test range was 100 miles on a tank. I did a little test to see where the bike truely lands its around 150 (just like our Kats) average speed was between 50 and 60 mph (Note this not an Interstate Cruising bike, unless you like getting killed)

Power is there- you got to ham it out of it (God Did i ever miss a tach)

Con's:
Unlike out 4 Cylnder brothers, this single lung bike has a slow speed range, 0-30 takes forever, 0-60 take a rough 45-60 seconds. If you needed to get someplace in a hurry- Not with this bike.

After 6 years, this thing is notorious to get into Neutral. after a while i just gave up on it. Maybe just needs adjusting.

Brakes: when i got this thing WOT at around 65 mph, if i have to stop in a hurry, the brakes fade after application, maybe its age, but it feels more like heat fatigue (Rotor getting too hot to handle the job)

thankfully my long range test is over....

[DClark]

I think that bike has been replaced with the TU250:
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%...50X.aspx#Specs
It is now FI and imho, is gorgeous, the looks remind me of my old '71 CL 100 that I learned on. If it were cheaper, it'd be in my garage.

[MotoKatana]

Originally Posted by DClark

I think that bike has been replaced with the TU250:
http://www.suzukicycles.com/Product%...50X.aspx#Specs
It is now FI and imho, is gorgeous, the looks remind me of my old '71 CL 100 that I learned on. If it were cheaper, it'd be in my garage.

I was thinking of getting a TU for a while and turing it into a poser cafe racer

[il_ragazzo]

Originally Posted by MotoKatana

I was thinking of getting a TU for a while and turing it into a poser cafe racer

yeah I would love to do that too. my Gf should be getting her M1 this summer so I'd like to get a 250 or 500 for her.

[WebDevDan]

As far as cafe racers are concerned, I always wanted one of the Ryca C1's (converted Savage 650's). Too dang expensive, though. http://www.rycamotors.com/

[Sundowner]

now the bike is back in my possession, again. it is my mom's bike, but with her psoriasis in her hands bad it is best that she hangs it up until it clears up, and I clean the bike up as I ride it- its got hella lot chrome, I did find a site like KR for the bike and one guy there did café his GZ-250- it is sick looking