VOL. 54 ISSUE 49 DECEMBER 12, 2017 P73
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK/PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUZUKI
I
am always thrilled when a class gets a new mo-
torcycle, particularly so when it's a sport bike.
Junior sport bikes—unlike the class in general
right now—are the hot ticket for manufacturers
who are eyeing big time sales in Southeast Asia
and Central and South America as a driving force
for overall company revenue. These areas of the
world (especially places like Thailand and Malay-
sia) are nuts for little sport bikes, mainly due to
capacity restrictions that mean it's rather difficult
to own an R6 or a GSX-R1000.
Thus, bikes like the new GSX250R carry a lot
of clout when it comes to end-of-year board meet-
ings. The class may be for little bikes but there's
big money to be made, and it's now a more com-
petitive segment of motorcycling than ever.
Suzuki's answer to class stalwarts like the
Yamaha YZF-R3 and KTM RC390 is this 248cc
parallel-twin, wrapped in a little and lithe twin-
spar aluminum chassis with looks inspired by the
legendary Suzuki Katana range. That's part of the
reason why the GSX is called so and not taking
the same designation as the GSX-R. The Katana
was labeled a GSX and has gone onto receive
cult-like status in the motorcycle community, and
rightly so. Whether the same future awaits the
GSX250, is up for debate.
Got the looks!
The Suzuki
designers
certainly nailed
it in the style
department.
The Little Bike
That, Err, Might
Suzuki's finally stepped into the
junior sport bike ring with the new
SX250R, but are they too late?
