Suzuki GN250E 250

I have now had my gn250 for 5 1/2 years and it has now done 55000 mlsof which I have done 23000mls.had no major problems but have replaced the usual wearing parts.i was fortunate in being given another gn250 for spares and last year bought another complete bike for £100,this one had new tyres,rebuilt front wheel,new chain and sprockets and battery so by my reckoning it was worth £100.it is used most days for a 18 mls round trip to work and I cant fault it.i have upgraded the headlight to a 55w halogen which is a great improvement,but apart from that it is still in standard form.as another poster commented they are quick off the mark up to about 45/50 mph then they struggle a bit.i have no intention of changing it,in my view an ideal short distance commuter which still returns 80mpg even equipped with a full rickman fairing,rickman panniers and top box

Bought this bike (Suzuki GN250, 1993 model) 2nd hand at 34500km. Serviced (oil & filter change) and changed both tyres, and rear drum brake with new one.

Frankly I could not ask for anything more for the price I have paid (1600 AUD including everything). It starts first time every time, has more than enough power (22hp) for city riding (I live in Adelaide, Australia) with a pillion rider (my wife).

The bike goes up to 100 KM/h without any drama. However, after 100 km/h it starts to struggle. Not that I expect much more from a 250cc- Air-cooled cruiser type bike… but a little bit of extra power would help.

Top speed on highway drops to 90 km/h or lower even if there is a slight incline. General highway speed here is 110 + km/h thus it can be frustrating and risky at times.

Rear sprocket of the bike is probably much larger than it needs to be. This increases low end torque and instant acceleration by far compared to Honda CB250 Nighthawk.

Cylinder has two exhaust pipes coming out which merges in to one muffler. Personally I have NO idea why it’s necessary!!

The engine is super reliable, easy to work on, very simple to service (oil filter/oil change etc). Oil drain plug is 22mm which is unusual. In short:

Pros:

• Super reliable single cylinder engine. Solid frame design.

• Nice ‘thumper’ sound

• Easy to work on. Easy access to oil filter, air-filter, and battery.

• More than enough low end torque. Very light (129kg) and easy to handle

• Very comfortable sitting position (low seats)

• Has parking light option (keeps rear and front parking light ON while the neck is locked)

• Has gear position indicator (great for beginners; however I have been riding for years and never use it)

• A safety switch which shuts off engine if the side stand is down and you put the bike in gear

• Front disc brake

Cons:

• Not enough power for long highway rides or accelerating in hilly area.

• Handling not good enough for hilly areas or twisty roads (due to cruiser styled sitting position I guess). The bike tends to under-steer compared to Honda CB250 nighthawk.

• No kick starter (would help in case of flat battery).

• No fuel gauge (most bike in this class of that era does not have fuel gauge though).

• Only drum brake at rear (common in this price range).

I bought my second GN 250 four month ago. I bought the first GN 250 in the beginning of 2012 but I got it replaced by a Honda CB 500 S. But almost immediate got a bad feeilng, the Honda was a piece of junk, I never liked Honda's but I liked the CB 500 S for the look. But the Honda almost immediate got me into trouble with the wrong valve adjustment and bad starting procedure. So after two month I replaced the Honda for a Kawasaki ER5, which bike I still own. This bike is much more reliable, but still I think about the GN 250 which was a very nice bike to ride on. So I saw a GN 250 on Marked Place in Holland and for 300 euro's I was the owner of another GN 250. Today (31 december ) I've taken the GN 250 for a ride because it was dry. It is so much fun to ride the GN 250 over the smaller roads. I passed a car with two wheels in the air because I passed the car over a speedramp. My brother in law, who rides a suzuki GSX 750 is not able to stay with me during rides on smaller roads. I love riding the GN, although not so fast, mostly I ride the GN at speeds of about 70-90 kmh. Fuel comsumption is extremely low. Maintainance is very easy and I do it all by myself. I am a very experienced rider, I am 53 years old and I have ridden motorcycles all my life, but I love the little bikes the most, I had a MZ ETZ 250 for more than ten years and I've ridden this bike on the Nordschleife in 1990. Now I have a plan to do the same trip from Holland to the Ring like I did with the MZ in 1990. I hope I can keep the GN 250 for many more years. I have ridden also the new Honda CBR 250, although it is much faster it is not so smooth and the power delivery at lower speeds is worse than the GN 250, which is easier to ride in commuting traffic. With the Honda you always go full speed, that costs me to much on driving penaltys. If I have some extra money left I will buy an additional GN 250 for my wife so we can ride together and enjoy this lovely bike.

The Suzuki GN250E is a much overlooked lightweight. I have a bmw r80 and since we got the gn it does not get used much, my other half, who is vertically challenged, prefers to ride pillion on the gn. We have had this bike 9 months now and have done over 4000 mls on it. I use it most days for commuting to work and we also use it most weekends. If you want to tear up the motorway get something else but if you want a commuter and something for not too hurried trips I reccomend one. Main thing to remember is to change the oil and filter regularly - I do mine every 750 mls and filter every 1500 mls. It only holds i.3 ltrs so it want break the bank, but if you neglect this item it will soon break the camshaft which runs in the head, once this has had it, you might as well throw the bike away.

Excellent bike for any gender. Doesn't look much but does its job with ease. Its timeless looks, still looks great!Fuel efficient, strong and sturdy, also fast enough for a learner.

Overall a great bike for a learner. I had trouble with chrome de-lamination and rust even though I looked after it well. I got 30kms per litre driving around town. The battery wasn't great over the winter and I found that I had to push start a bit when I hadn't ridden it for a while. Should hold it's value in NZ due to the restricted licence laws requiring 250cc bikes. It does the job it was designed for well.

Seems like something is constantly going wrong on my Suzuki GN250. This bike feels cheap. The battery will last one year as will the chain. For a brand new bike I expected more. In hindsight I would buy a secondhand Honda because at least it would be more reliable. Also I am over how slow it goes.

The Suzuki GN250 is a great learners bike. Excellent for city riding. Quicker take off than a car up till about 80. Not very good on the open road. Watch those overtakes very carefully and dont try anything too brave.

I bought this Suzuki GN250E 250 Motorcycle 4 days ago and have done 515kms allready. I love this bike it is perfect for learners and even hardened motorbike riders have respect for its timeless design. Im sorry if I sound like a salesman but this bike has got me hooked. It's my second honey and I call her suzy.

If your looking for a learner legal bike look no further. Its just 3000 New Zealand$ brand new.(which is the same price that it was 17 years ago!)

comes with alloy wheels, front disk brakes gear indicator with neutral light. LOUD horn. I'm 6'3' and weigh 205lbs (103kgs) and I don't feel cramped on this bike. I can hardly wait untill this bike is properly broken in and I can give this bike the treatment it deserves. I will update this review later on when it is broken in.