Suzuki GW250 "S"

[Lao Jia Hou]

Let me know if you managed to get it on July 15! :)

Went to the dealer I ordered it from (Dadi ... aka North Suzuki). Was told "sorry, it won't arrive until mid to late September, at the earliest."

I then visited another dealer (Qili) and was given the same story - regular GWs won't be delivered until the Fall.

Sigh.

When will be the bike available in the market?

In China, the dealers are accepting orders for the GW250S (Travel version). No definitive ETA, though. Price is just under 26K rmb.

However, one dealer (Qili) has a brand new Police Version GW250S, complete with lights, siren and police stickers. It is sitting on the showroom floor. And anyone with 36K can buy it. But you are supposed to remove the lights, siren and stickers after you take it home.

Yeah right - I want it. I'd love to ride up and down Chang An Avenue, circling Tiananmen Square, giving out on-the-spot fines to anyone & everyone, including other policemen. Guess I'd need a fake black & white police plate. Shouldn't be a problem. Hmmm ... I wonder what could possibly go wrong?

My iphone pics sucked, but here is a taobao link with pics:

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=...id=20298827392

Incredible that someone can buy a police bike online, or in the shops, with a simple promise "Yes, I will remove the lights, siren and stickers ... I promise. Seriously, trust me, I will."

Oh, Qili also had a CF Moto 650-TR police version, completely with lights, etc. Looked good.

[Stev]

Dearlers in Shanghai don't even know when it will be available again... I've decided then to upgrade and go for the Benelli 600BJ.
I've also consider the CF Moto, tried two of them and was not really convinced compared to the Benelli.

By the way, I've tried to see if we could get the Benelli BN600 in China that looks slightly better that the BJ in terms of design (my opinion) but couldn't get a clear answer...anyone knows?

[Lao Jia Hou]

Dearlers in Shanghai don't even know when it will be available again.

Beijing dealers are saying September, at the earliest. Apparently sold out in China, Japan, India and the UK, with back orders. The launches in the USA/Canada markets have been delayed indefinitely, as sufficient product cannot be guaranteed.

Interestingly, despite (what I consider) the large number of sales in Beijing, there are very few that are in the second-hand market. I see lots on the road, but only a very few in the classifieds.

BTW, there's a foreign guy in Beijing that does nice custom work (including infused carbon fiber panels & CNC milling) that recently modded a BJ600 - it came to our bike night yesterday, and looked good. A couple of us GW owners are getting him to do work on the GWs. Slightly pricy, by Chinese standards, but you get what you pay for.

[MJH]

Has that bike even been launched in India? Its not listed on the Suzuki India website.
http://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in/


It is definitely selling in China and Japan and looks to be offered in the UK, advertised in the USA barely but the only word on it in India is through the notorious rumor generating India motorcycle press. That have even gone so far as creating prices, but try to find one for sale.


The GW250 also has a face book page in India….
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzuk...76019192473025


Obviously not sponsored by Suzuki, or at least does not appear to be?


Suzuki does change its line-up often, they have historically added and dropped models, I have never seen one advertised that never showed up though. This could be a first and that is more about misalignment to me, then anything else.


Who knows, is that bike going to be manufactured in India? If the bike is going to be offered in the USA then….has anyone checked to see if it has an EPA certificate issued? It cannot be sold until it does, it is unlikely the bike when offered in India will be manufactured in China and if the production center in China cannot keep up with demand then it can come from India?


I think they should make a different version in India, IMO one that looks more like the GSR 400 sold in Japan.



The high demand is likely Japanese, the price for them is a Super Bargain . That is a testament to brand loyalty which is based in national-ism, the Japanese do not see the bike as Chinese, they see it as a Suzuki and at a very good price.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Don't actually know about India, I was just operating on what I've heard. A guy from India contacted me, asking about accessories, so I'm assuming that they are somehow getting something there. It would make the most sense for a similar version to be manufactured there.

Was also contacted by a Canadian, who said the bike was once on the Suzuki Canada website, but has since been removed. I think it is still on the USA website. The Canadian/USA publications are saying the bike is coming this summer/fall (2013).

Met a Japanese guy, living in Beijing, who rides a new GW. He said that the GWs (GSRs) are very popular in Japan and aftermarket parts are developing quickly. The bike is apparently quite popular in the UK, and many of the UK's online aftermarket parts shops are selling various goodies for them. However, I've noticed that many of those UK parts are the same found on taobao, although at much higher prices in the UK (somewhat understandable).

I think other countries have "rules" about displacement, and the 250 somehow fits within those rules, which can help explain its success.

A couple of us are getting new front / rear fenders built on our GWs - that GSR400 looks about right (although perhaps a bit more off the rear). Not sure about the exhaust design. Annual inspection rules in China mean that we need to keep the original body work / exhausts.

[Lao Jia Hou]

Bought a GW250S Travel Version (without rear bags). Picked it up today, and have only put tens of kms on it. More info later.

What I will say, however, is that:

1) The riding position is incredibly different from the regular GW250. The 250S is very comfortable for those who like a more upright position (that is me). I wasn't expecting much of a difference, but when I was checking it out at the dealer, I was very surprised. Probably no more than a few cms in handlebar height, but wow, what a difference. The riding "feeling" of the 250S is much more like my JH600 than the regular GW.

2) The fairing does have room for easy installation of goodies.

3) The round handlebars will allow easy installation of RAM mounts.

4) There is a side stand switch (not on the regular GW)

5) There is an emergency 4-way light flasher (nice)

Before seeing one in the flesh, and trying it out, I was skeptical (and critical) of Suzuki doing this to its wildly popular GW. I still think the factory rear bags are ugly (and have that weird map-reading light on the top box), but between the two GW models, I most definitely prefer this 250S - at least at this point (50 kms on it). But I've never been a great fan of sport-position bikes, so I am biased. Although the regular GW is only what I would call a "partial sport position", it does put too much pressure on my wrists.

Suzuki might have hit another home run with this 250S (time will tell), for those who prefer a more upright position - especially for long hauls.

The dealer I purchased it from has several outlets, and they had to truck it over to one near me. When I arrived, the bike was still on the truck. The boys-in-pink prepared to unload it:

unloading 01.jpg

These next two pics made me REALLY nervous.

unloading 02.jpg

unloading 03.jpg

But, I guess they do this all the time. It made it off without a scratch. Still, if I was the boss, I'd tell them to do this before the customer arrived.

unloading 04.jpg

"Prep" was installing the battery, removing some minor protective plastics, and firing it up to make sure it starts.

01 kilometers.jpg

I get to ride it around for a few days without plates (being plated next week). This is great, especially because my black regular GW just got nabbed by one of the traffic cams on the Airport Expressway.

EDIT: The wheel color is a silvery-grey, which is different than the regular GWs, which are all black. I have only seen this black 250S, so I do not know if the blue or the white 250S models also have this different wheel color. Aside from the color, the wheels look identical to the regular GW250.

[prince666]

Love the bike well done just need to know if you dont mind how much please would love these to be a bit bigger C.C. you said .....

"This is great, especially because my black regular GW just got nabbed by one of the traffic cams on the Airport Expressway."

so what happen now to your regular ride do you just get a ticket and a fine or do you hind the regular bike away lol

[Lao Jia Hou]

... how much ...

Retail is 26,300, versus 23,800 for the regular GW. Not sure how much the rear bags are - didn't ask.

so what happen now to your regular ride do you just get a ticket and a fine or do you hind the regular bike away lol

I was very lucky to get only a 200 rmb fine, because there can also be a 6 point penalty for this particular offence, but none in this case. BTW, it wasn't me - an unlucky someone was using this particular bike.

[Greenish]

an anybody please assist I am trying to find a SMC dealer in china that can send OEM parts overseas. we here in Bali are trying to convert 250l3 into the 250J=h but it has proven seriously difficult to get these parts.. the boxes front fairing wiring harness sirens etc...
I have many times tried to talk to Haojue by email but never reply to my email. also tried Taobao.com but none of the sellers want to send overseas or just get confused and slack in translation.
We here at Inazuma Owners Division in Indonesia and myself have been trying desperately for a long time to get these parts but no success yet.
I have parts lists and PDF's and such which themselves were a nightmare to obtain for the GW250J.

My intention is to provide conversion kits and installation in association with a Suzuki dealer here in Indonesia as currently they can only recommend fiberglass copies produced locally and of low quality.
There are so many people lining up ready to buy the parts from me as soon as i can find a dealer willing to send the parts to Bali.
PLEASE help.. The only thing i can think of now is dealing direct with a SMC parts dealer in China.. but contacting one has been a nightmare. Can somebody please help with email or website of Suzuki parts dealer in China? contacting Suzuki China has proven useless by their Global website and I have extensivly tried to deal with Suzuki Australia and Indonesia.. these model and parts are not available for order .
This could be a lucrative business opportunity for the right person in the coming year. as there are over 200 bikes ready to convert.