Great starter bike, cheap on gas, fun to ride, lacks power and speed
18 months and only thing was I broke clutch cable. Easy fix, maybe normal wear and tear. It's 7 years old.
This was my 1st motorcycle, and it is great!
Very easy to learn on, very low to the ground, even my 5'2" wife can ride standing flat-footed with ease.
Getting about 55+MPG which is good, but other people are claiming closer to 65MPG. Maybe mine needs some adjustment, but been very happy with economy.
Handles great. Riding position is perfect. My wife feels very safe riding too. Very easy to control, very maneuverable.
One complaint is the shifter. It has difficulty shifting from neutral to 1st gear. You really gotta stomp on it, and sometimes you gotta release the clutch and try again, then it works. I have heard several other similar stories on this bike. It doesn't bug me too much since I am used to it. Mostly I downshift to 1st at stop lights etc, and only use neutral to start and park.
Another complaint is the power or lack of. Just learning I was fine, but now I am wanting more. I ride it to work daily about 20 miles on the back roads and in town. If I take it on the highway (seldom) I can only get the thing up to about 70MPH. If downhill or wind at my back, maybe 75... but that's it!!! The 5th gear is a cruising gear ONLY!! At 60-65MPH you had better be in 4th gear to try and accelerate. Shifting to 5th only reduces RPMs and and will only maintain your speed if you are lucky. Perhaps I expect to much from a 250cc motorcycle.
I think this bike looks very nice, better than any of the other 250 cruisers out there. It has wide tires, wide fenders, and a wide tank. I looked and sat on a Honda Rebel, and the Rebel seemed really dinky compared to the Suzuki. I have also compared the 250 VStar which also looks small. Several people have asked what size it is, and they are almost always surprised it is a 250cc. It looks like a medium size cruiser.
I might get rid of it soon for more muscle. I do love the looks and great fuel economy. It's fun and easy to ride, light and maneuverable. Perfect for short commutes, good gas mileage and short distance fun rides.
Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th July, 2009