Suzuki gn250 information

**sunhuntin** · 19th October 2006, 12:55

Originally Posted by Courtancer

Just out of interest, what year did the GNs start getting made in China rather than Japan?

mines an 05, chinese build, so im guessing 04? or whenever they re-released them.

**Squiggles** · 19th October 2006, 23:26

there has been a slight change in the design of the bike... and i mean very slight spent 10 minutes with 3 of the colemans guys as we tried to work out why the hell the packframe wouldnt mount to my gn but would to the one parked next to it... the answer?

well, on both gn's there were two bolt holes at the back where you could mount it, 1 set for the indicators, 1 set where you can mount the pack frame, but on my gn the two sets are in a line, so the pack frame collides with the indicators..
the answer = a couple of metal door frame brackets i had, hacksaw'd them apart and drilled them, have mounted the indicators to the bracket and the bracket to the standard hole... now the frame fits

mine had a fatter tire than standard on it too, and i believe the pipe is non standard as well, when i went to get the tire changed the guy asked whether it actually was a gn because the fatter tire certainly gave it a different look from the rear

**lukelin250** · 21st October 2006, 20:35

ohhh loving the gns,good work guys. learn how to ride it to its extreme then get a faster 250. you can build good skills on your gn its easy to make a big 1000cc go fast but learning to get the most outta the single cylinder ginny is jut priceless,,, enjoy!!!

**Steam** · 22nd October 2006, 10:06

It's not a challenge, it's a question.

I sometimes go around corners thinking "OH FUCK I'm going to DIE", as I go in a little too fast for my skill level, because I didn't brake enough before the corner. I usually come out okay though, and I have learned to keep my hands off those damn brakes while in the corner.
Everyone says the bike will lean more than you expect, but how far can a GN250 go before those cheap tyres let go?
I heard of some dude on here who scraped the pegs on his GN fairly often. I'm nowhere near that, but it still feels really freaky to lean!

Should I be more bold and trust the tyres, or what?

**twinkle** · 22nd October 2006, 17:13

I still have the stock rear tyre and I scrape my feet on the ground sometimes, but my toes hang a bit lower than the pegs.

Mind you... that's on a hot dry day, when it's raining the rear will slip quite easily.

**sunhuntin** · 22nd October 2006, 18:54

Originally Posted by Steam

It's not a challenge, it's a question.

I sometimes go around corners thinking "OH FUCK I'm going to DIE", as I go in a little too fast for my skill level, because I didn't brake enough before the corner. I usually come out okay though, and I have learned to keep my hands off those damn brakes while in the corner.
Everyone says the bike will lean more than you expect, but how far can a GN250 go before those cheap tyres let go?
I heard of some dude on here who scraped the pegs on his GN fairly often. I'm nowhere near that, but it still feels really freaky to lean!

Should I be more bold and trust the tyres, or what?

o yeh, im the same as you...i dont really lean. i sorta line up so im as far left and go through on an angle so im still mostly upright, lmfao. must look bloody funny...motorbike staying upright on the corner.

there is one corner i love...go in at 50, come out at 70. but like you, i get freaked and alter my lean. its a wonder it hasnt resulted in disaster. i took a virago for a ride on friday, and only then did i notice my crappy cornering when the virago struggled through a corner and i noticed i had a lot more room left.

im jumping off the gn wagon and am going to get the virago on tuesday...scuff has done me well, and i love her to bits, but i need something with personality, and looks.

**judecatmad** · 24th October 2006, 12:16

Originally Posted by Steam

It's not a challenge, it's a question.

I sometimes go around corners thinking "OH FUCK I'm going to DIE", as I go in a little too fast for my skill level, because I didn't brake enough before the corner. I usually come out okay though, and I have learned to keep my hands off those damn brakes while in the corner.
Everyone says the bike will lean more than you expect, but how far can a GN250 go before those cheap tyres let go?
I heard of some dude on here who scraped the pegs on his GN fairly often. I'm nowhere near that, but it still feels really freaky to lean!

Should I be more bold and trust the tyres, or what?

Do you know, it's a question that's been bothering me ever since I started having to deal with corners here in Wellington! Never had to do too many corners up in Auckland! And I still don't have my answer (but my confidence in the bike IS increasing and I'm realising it WILL lean a lot more than I ever thought possible).

I had some fun over the Rimutaka Hill and around the Whitby corners at the weekend, however I'm definitely not a good person to ask cos my cornering is still shocking compared to others on the same bike with similar ride time....but when you get your answer, let me know

**Steam** · 24th October 2006, 12:32

This is what Buckbuck had to say on the leaning thing, and learning how far one can go. He posted it just a couple of days ago. I will wait for a sunny day and try to find an empty carpark.

Originally Posted by judecatmad

Here's how I approached the bike leaning and .....peg scraping:

Find an empty carpark put down a line of markers [cones - I used tennis balls cut in half] use 6 or 8 of them space them out evenly. Start with them fairly close and practise slow bike control weaving, then spread them further apart and increase your speed gradually each 2nd or 3rd run through this slalom exercise. [You are not trying to get the pegs down here but rather you will get a good feel for counter steering as you increase your speed and have the markers at a comfortable distance apart.]

Now pick up all the markers and just have two placed at a reasonable distance apart so you can practise a figure eight - it is durng this practise when you are feeling comfortable with the counter steering that you may encounter the wee touch down of a peg without even trying to lean over too much. Getting the practice as outlined in the previous paragraph and then moving to figure eight brings together several elements of balance, counter-steering, and looking where you want to go. Remember in the figure eight you will be constantly looking back over one shoulder and then the other.

Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

Regards
Heads Up and Enjoy

**Ixion** · 24th October 2006, 12:58

General rule of thumb:

If you're a chick, or a guy over 25, on a dry road on half way decent tyres (ie not knobblies etc), then you are not going to lean the bike enough for the tyres to let go. Cos they will hang on beyond any poiint that you would think any sane person would take them to. So just trust that they'll do their thing. And if you've gone in a bit fast, just lean some more, it'll be OK.

Guys under 25 , the sane person bit doesn't apply. They have their own , more painful way , of finding the limits of adhesion. But they wouldn't listen to anything that anyone said anyway. Its a variant of Darwin's law. The rare exceptions are the ones that eventually become old bikers.

**lukelin250** · 25th October 2006, 21:11

Originally Posted by Ixion

General rule of thumb:

If you're a chick, or a guy over 25, on a dry road on half way decent tyres (ie not knobblies etc), then you are not going to lean the bike enough for the tyres to let go. Cos they will hang on beyond any poiint that you would think any sane person would take them to. So just trust that they'll do their thing. And if you've gone in a bit fast, just lean some more, it'll be OK.

Guys under 25 , the sane person bit doesn't apply. They have their own , more painful way , of finding the limits of adhesion. But they wouldn't listen to anything that anyone said anyway. Its a variant of Darwin's law. The rare exceptions are the ones that eventually become old bikers.

that was epic,reading that was truly inspriational,i honestly have no idea how much grip the tyres are gonna have untill one day they let go, and guess i wont till it happens? you really think theyll hold on?

**Ixion** · 25th October 2006, 21:31

Um. On a four stroke 250, decent tyres , on a a smooth dry road, you'd have to be incredibly ham fisted to get the tyres to break away. Wet road, oil, or bumps, may be another matter.

Two strokes can also be a bit of a different story, cos of the risk of hitting the power band suddenly.

But try an experiment. Get someone to hold your bike and lean it over until the tyres are at the very edge of the tread (ie, just about to roll onto the sidewall). Stand back and see how far its leaned over.

If you've got quick reflexes and a feel for things running out of grip doesn't necessarily mean a crash. Though you'll have to find a way to handle the corner. Pull the bike back up a bit and climb off the side. You can feel the tyres start to slide, they don't USUALLY just let go all at once.

But look at your chicken strips too. I'm not one for the "oh look chicken strips, you pussy" blather. But they will tell you how near you are cutting things. Obviously, if you've got half inch wide ones you can lean a lot more than you have been doing.

EDIT: Knobblie tyres are another matter too. They have a world view all their own, you feel the knobs walking round as they get near their limit.

**Roj** · 1st November 2006, 18:49

Originally Posted by Steam

It's not a challenge, it's a question.

It is a matter of taking everything into account, tyres, brakes, road surface, rider experience, weather, the whim of the gods, and the other idiots on the road.

It is possible to have the bike almost falling over, and if you are in the right gear being able to put the power on to start picking it up, that is something that will come with practise, most bikes are capapble of a lot more than an inexerienced rider is willing to risk,

Take the time to practise as much as possible, find yourself a peice of road with some nice gentle corners that you like and spend the time getting to know the road to use as a practise area, when you feel that you are happy with your cornering you can increase the speed a little and start working on the corners you have become familiar with, don't push it hard, take time to enjoy the feeling that comes with a good ride, and pay attention all the time

**paturoa** · 1st November 2006, 19:09

Originally Posted by Steam

This is what Buckbuck had to say on the leaning thing, and learning how far one can go. He posted it just a couple of days ago. I will wait for a sunny day and try to find an empty carpark.
>>>>Find an empty carpark put down a line of markers [cones - I used tennis balls cut in half] use 6 or 8 of them space them out evenly.

strongly recommend getting some coloured chalk for this NOT tennis balls, cones or whatever.

If you are cranked over and your front or rear collects/runs over something that can slide well thats what you'll get ....

**nzcanadian** · 11th August 2007, 23:38

My lights were blowing every few weeks, then I tried starting the bike with the lights off, and turning them on once the engine was running. This extended the life of the bulbs significantly.

**Pancakes** · 13th August 2007, 17:46

I had a GN made out of 3 other ones! (2 oldies and a chinese one, the bolts etc of the chinese one were rubbish and the casings looked like they came from the same moulds but different metal).

LEANING OVER!

I would rub the pipe on one side and my toes/peg on the other daily in the dry and had the back out quite a few times in the wet, new springs on the back and oil (15w) in the forks w/ new seals had it drifting alot less tho.

have fun u guys!