Those with long memories might well hear the name GSX-R250 and recall the GSX-R250R SP of 1989 but, while the moniker is about to be reborn, it’s not going to be applied to anything quite so exotic.
As a refresher, that old GSX-R250R was a screaming four-cylinder jewel, with 33.5kW from a tiny DOHC engine bolted to a GP-style aluminium beam frame and wrapped in jaw-dropping bodywork. The new one is none of those things.
Instead of that wonder-of-miniaturisation four-cylinder engine there’s a motor that looks to have come straight from the GW250 Inazuma. If it’s unaltered, that will add up to a sluggish 18kW.
These images are known to be accurate since they come from Suzuki’s own patents. They also match some poor-quality photos of a couple of GSX-R250s that were snapped inside Suzuki’s Chinese factory some months ago. We’ve got no technical details to go on, but several things are clear from these leaked pictures.
As well as the basic GW250-derived engine, it’s got a steel tubular cradle frame — much like the GW250’s but actually a new design. Rear suspension is in the form of an inexpensive and unbraced steel swingarm while the fork is again, much like the GW250’s, which means they’re simple, right-way-up units. And the brakes are a far cry from the radial-caliper exotica seen on other new 250cc sportsbikes like Honda’s newly-released CBR250RR.
No, the GSX-R250 seems to be targeting low prices rather than high performance. So while it’s sure to be less of a rider’s bike than rivals like the Yamaha R3, it’s likely to be rather friendlier to the wallet.
In terms of styling, it’s a massive step forward from the ungainly GW250 that donates so many of its parts. The bodywork is clearly inspired by the forthcoming 2017 GSX-R1000, and even if it’s not likely to match its more expensive 250cc-class rivals in performance terms the Suzuki still manages to look good.
Need to know
What: Low-spec, price-driven sportsbike with looks to boot
When: China and Indonesia first, international variant to follow
By Ben Purvis