Suzuki has opted to fill a gap in the market with its new GSX250R. Instead of following rivals down the path of making an out-and-out sports bike it’s created a softer machine using the Inazuma as its basis.
While the resulting bike isn’t as fast as some rivals, it’s also turning out to be notably cheaper than most of them.
The Inazuma-based parallel twin only makes 24.7bhp, which is a far cry from the 41.4bhp managed by the slightly large, 321cc Yamaha R3. But the newly announced GSX250R list price of £4299 in the UK makes it a full £800 cheaper than the Yamaha, too. In fact, despite their similar style and engine layouts, the bikes can barely be considered to be direct rivals. Their performance and price levels are just too far apart.
What about Kawasaki’s Ninja 300, then? It’s also based on an old engine, but again it out-powers the Suzuki with 39bhp. And it’s even pricier than the Yamaha at £5199, making it £900 more than the new Suzuki.
In fact, the closest rival must be the ageing Honda CBR300R. It’s just a single-cylinder, compared to the Suzuki’s twin, but still manages more power at 30.4bhp. It’s cheaper, too, at £3999. But it’s also been discontinued in Europe as a result of the new Euro4 rules, so finding a new one will depend on dealer stock. Eventually Honda will replace it with a variant of the Asian-market CBR250RR twin, but that is expected to be at least a year away from reaching European markets.
While the basic £4299 price will bag the GSX250R in all-black, you’ll have to find an extra £100 if you want the blue version with the MotoGP-style stickers.
