2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 review: Still relevant?

₹1.71 - 1.75 Lakhs*
*Ex-showroom price
3 out of 5
Pros
  • Strong road presence with the full fairing
  • Committed but comfortable riding posture
  • Sublime motor makes it easy for daily riding
Cons
  • Not the most "wow" performing bike in the segment
  • Braking performance could be better on the motorcycle
  • Doesn't feel as premium as some of its rivals
  • For 2023, Suzuki updated the Gixxer SF 250 with Bluetooth connectivity and made it BS6 Stage 2 compliant.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 is the fully faired version of the Gixxer 250. The motorcycle was recently updated for 2023. 
The manufacutrer made the motorcycle OBD2 compliant and E20 fuel ready. This was done by using a new exhaust cover and a new ECU.
The manufacturer also added Suzuki Ride Connect Bluetooth connectivity which works surprisingly well. The instrument cluster can show missed calls, messages and even turn-by-turn navigation.
Braking duties are performed by disc brakes in the front as well as at the rear. The front brake lacks initial bite whereas the rear one's ABS engages too soon. 
The engine on duty is a 249 cc, oil-cooled unit that produces 26.13 bhp and 22.2 Nm. The engine is rev happy and the torque comes in top-end of the rev range. 
The gearbox is a 6-speed unit that works well most of the time. However, finding neutral can be a bit difficult and it some times goes into false neutral as well. 
There are some mild vibrations that start to creep in on the fuel tank and handlebar as the rev climbs. As long as the revs are above 3,000 rpm, the engine pulls cleanly. 
It can even hold cruising speeds without any major vibrations in sixth gear.  So, if the person is comfortable with the slighly commited riding triangle, he or she can even cruise on the Gixxer SF 250.
The highlight of the Gixxer SF 250 is the way it handles. It dips into the corner effortlessly and sticks to the line very well. Moreover, it responds to rider inputs without any hesitation. 
The straight-line stability of the motorcycle is excellent. The front suspension is well damped but the rear one is a bit stiff. This and a hard seat means that some of the jolts are transferred to the rider. 
The ergonomics are comfortable for a sports tourer. There are clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs. The small windscreen in the front does not offer much protection from the windblast.
Not once, the engine on the Gixxer SF 250 felt hot. This means that the rider should not feel heat from the engine in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
View all Images
The Gixxer SF 250 does attract a lot of attention on the road because of the MotoGP-inspired colour scheme.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 is the fully faired version of the Gixxer 250. The motorcycle was recently updated for 2023. 
1/12
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 is the fully faired version of the Gixxer 250. The motorcycle was recently updated for 2023. 
The manufacutrer made the motorcycle OBD2 compliant and E20 fuel ready. This was done by using a new exhaust cover and a new ECU.
2/12
The manufacutrer made the motorcycle OBD2 compliant and E20 fuel ready. This was done by using a new exhaust cover and a new ECU.
The manufacturer also added Suzuki Ride Connect Bluetooth connectivity which works surprisingly well. The instrument cluster can show missed calls, messages and even turn-by-turn navigation.
3/12
The manufacturer also added Suzuki Ride Connect Bluetooth connectivity which works surprisingly well. The instrument cluster can show missed calls, messages and even turn-by-turn navigation.
Braking duties are performed by disc brakes in the front as well as at the rear. The front brake lacks initial bite whereas the rear one's ABS engages too soon. 
4/12
Braking duties are performed by disc brakes in the front as well as at the rear. The front brake lacks initial bite whereas the rear one's ABS engages too soon. 
The engine on duty is a 249 cc, oil-cooled unit that produces 26.13 bhp and 22.2 Nm. The engine is rev happy and the torque comes in top-end of the rev range. 
5/12
The engine on duty is a 249 cc, oil-cooled unit that produces 26.13 bhp and 22.2 Nm. The engine is rev happy and the torque comes in top-end of the rev range. 
The gearbox is a 6-speed unit that works well most of the time. However, finding neutral can be a bit difficult and it some times goes into false neutral as well. 
6/12
The gearbox is a 6-speed unit that works well most of the time. However, finding neutral can be a bit difficult and it some times goes into false neutral as well. 
There are some mild vibrations that start to creep in on the fuel tank and handlebar as the rev climbs. As long as the revs are above 3,000 rpm, the engine pulls cleanly. 
7/12
There are some mild vibrations that start to creep in on the fuel tank and handlebar as the rev climbs. As long as the revs are above 3,000 rpm, the engine pulls cleanly. 
It can even hold cruising speeds without any major vibrations in sixth gear.  So, if the person is comfortable with the slighly commited riding triangle, he or she can even cruise on the Gixxer SF 250.
8/12
It can even hold cruising speeds without any major vibrations in sixth gear.  So, if the person is comfortable with the slighly commited riding triangle, he or she can even cruise on the Gixxer SF 250.
The highlight of the Gixxer SF 250 is the way it handles. It dips into the corner effortlessly and sticks to the line very well. Moreover, it responds to rider inputs without any hesitation. 
9/12
The highlight of the Gixxer SF 250 is the way it handles. It dips into the corner effortlessly and sticks to the line very well. Moreover, it responds to rider inputs without any hesitation. 
The straight-line stability of the motorcycle is excellent. The front suspension is well damped but the rear one is a bit stiff. This and a hard seat means that some of the jolts are transferred to the rider. 
10/12
The straight-line stability of the motorcycle is excellent. The front suspension is well damped but the rear one is a bit stiff. This and a hard seat means that some of the jolts are transferred to the rider. 
The ergonomics are comfortable for a sports tourer. There are clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs. The small windscreen in the front does not offer much protection from the windblast.
11/12
The ergonomics are comfortable for a sports tourer. There are clip-on handlebars and rear-set footpegs. The small windscreen in the front does not offer much protection from the windblast.
Not once, the engine on the Gixxer SF 250 felt hot. This means that the rider should not feel heat from the engine in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
12/12
Not once, the engine on the Gixxer SF 250 felt hot. This means that the rider should not feel heat from the engine in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

There are not a lot of fully-faired motorcycles in the Indian market. Because of this, when there is one in some traffic, they do attract some attention. However, if that motorcycle is the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 then it is bound to turn heads. This is because of the sheer road presence that the motorcycle has. The good looks are not the only strong suit of the Gixxer SF 250. As the motorcycle was recently updated, Suzuki decided to add more equipment and make the motorcycle BS6 Stage 2 compliant. We got to ride the motorcycle for a week and here are our thoughts.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: It's a looker

Let's get the looks out of the way first, the Gixxer SF 250 in Race Edition colour scheme looks amazing. People often mistake it for a full-fledged sports bike. The front fairing with huge 'Suzuki' lettering and blue, grey and black colour schemes is inspired by the livery of Suzuki's MotoGP motorcycles. Suzuki is also offering two other colour schemes that are much more subdued.

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2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Ergonomics

Despite having clip-ons and rear-set footpegs, the riding triangle is not very committed. So, if a person is used to riding fully-faired motorcycles then he or she would not face any issue. However, if it is his or her first time then there might be some adjusting period.

Suzuki Gixxer SF 250
The Gixxer SF 250 gets a sleek set of LED headlamp and tail lamp. Unfortunately, the turn indicators are still halogen units.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250
The Gixxer SF 250 gets a sleek set of LED headlamp and tail lamp. Unfortunately, the turn indicators are still halogen units.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Engine and gearbox

The performance of the oil-cooled 249 cc unit is quite likeable. It is rev happy and it is the mid-range where the engine comes alive. However, where the engine lacks is the low-end grunt because of which it likes to stick to the 1st and 2nd gear only. Also, the on-off throttle transitions are not the smoothest. At the top end, there are some mild vibrations on the fuel tank and the handlebar but nothing major. The 6-speed gearbox is smooth to use for the most part but finding neutral can be a bit tough sometimes. Moreover, on some occasions, we also encountered false neutrals. And if you want to cruise on this machine then you can, the engine stays relatively vibe-free at 100 kmph.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Ride and handling

The handling is the highlight of the Gixxer SF 250. It turns into corners nicely and holds its line. The front suspension is well damped while the rear one can feel a bit stiff on very bad patches of road. However, this is what ensures that the motorcycle stays composed through the corners.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Brakes

One department where the Gixxer SF 250 is lacking is the brakes. Suzuki is using disc brakes at both ends. The front brake lacks initial bike whereas the rear ABS engages too soon.

Suzuki Gixxer SF 250
The Bluetooth turn-by-turn navigation works surprisingly well. The digital instrument cluster also shows missed calls and notification alerts.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250
The Bluetooth turn-by-turn navigation works surprisingly well. The digital instrument cluster also shows missed calls and notification alerts.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Features

One of the biggest updates for Gixxer SF 250 for 2023 is the addition of Suzuki Ride Connect Bluetooth-connected technology. We connected the motorcycle to an Android phone. The procedure was fairly simple and once connected the digital instrument cluster can show notification and call alerts and turn-by-turn navigation which worked surprisingly well.

2023 Suzuki Gixxer SF 250: Verdict

If someone is looking to upgrade to the 250 cc segment and wants a fully-faired motorcycle with decent performance as well as handling. Then the Gixxer SF 250 makes a lot of sense. It can do city duties, it handles well, can tour also and is one heck of a looker! So, yes, the Gixxer SF 250 is still quite relevant in the segment.

First Published Date: 24 Jun 2023, 18:51 PM IST
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