Naked 250 Bikes VTR250 VS GSF250 Bandit

[EntSetZen]

So which would be better to buy out of a Honda VTR250 and a Suzuki GSF250 Bandit?? It will be my first bike. I'm looking for fuel economy but with a bit of power as I'm quite heavy. I also dont want a bike which is too old or will require too much maintenance.

[James Deuce]

1. Never admit you're "heavy" on an Internet site. That can only end in tears.

2. Ride them and buy the one you like. We can't tell you in advance what bike you'll like

Jim2's test ride advice:

Look with your heart
Test with your bum
Buy with your head.

[EntSetZen]

I'm actually quite comfortable with my weight. It's all muscle :bleh: I'm more interested with technical aspects and opinions than anything else.

[James Deuce]

I'm actually quite comfortable with my weight. It's all muscle :bleh: I'm more interested with technical aspects and opinions than anything else.

Seriously, the only opinion that matters is yours because you'll have to live with your purchase, not the bloke that you get the advice from. Which one do you like the look of best? That usually has more bearing on a first bike purchase than anything we can tell you.

Stats can confuse the issue too - a small V-twin has lower HP figures than a small inline 4, but the way it delivers its power makes it easier to ride in 80% of situations.

Go ride stuff.

[skelstar]

Welcome to the site EntSetZen.

[flash]

get a vtr with the red sparkly tank and tail with the black frame, it makes me want to buy/ride one, even if its too slow for me ;)

[EntSetZen]

Yeah thats quite a nice bike.

[flash]

nah theres even a better red (may be aftermarket, but i dont think so) which is shiney candy red. il try find a pic

[flash]

here it is. it may be the same red just in better light

[Hitcher]

I'm looking for fuel economy but with a bit of power as I'm quite heavy. I also dont want a bike which is too old or will require too much maintenance.
Neither of these bikes will be any great chops in terms of fuel economy, although the Honda may have an edge over the Suzuki. Speaking from personal experience, one tends to wring the neck on a 250 for two reasons: because one can; and because one needs to to get them to perform on the open road. I am a "fuller-figured gentleman" and probably expected a bit too much at times from my Mighty Zeal. It consequently drank like a Fish. When I moved up to a ZRX1200R I actually got better gas mileage.

[skelstar]

Waving the flag a bit here but the Hyosung is a full sized bike. Its bigger than the VTR250, and $2000 cheaper (brand new), bloody easy to learn on and seems to have a similar power (maybe)...give LimBimTimWin a PM and ask him...we rode together a bit when he had his. Have a search through the site re: reviews and opinions. My name will pop up here and there :).

[Wasp]

the hyosung might be full sized but it makes my vtz look less of a toy when compared with a gsxr.

im 80kgs and if i was any heavier i fear my bike would go backwards.

guess thats the disadvantage on starting on a 250, i just dont know how much slower i could go :p

[EntSetZen]

Actually that Hyosung GT250 looks like a very nice bike also.

[skelstar]

Actually that Hyosung GT250 looks like a very nice bike also.
I like it. Considering the big brother (650) as next bike, its only $8000 new.

[EntSetZen]

Well according to IndiaBike.com "do not so much as glance at this Hyosung if mileage is a concern". The V-Twin maybe nice but it seems to be fuel hungry. The 250 Bandit I think uses much less fuel.

[skelstar]

Well according to IndiaBike.com "do not so much as glance at this Hyosung if mileage is a concern". The V-Twin maybe nice but it seems to be fuel hungry. The 250 Bandit I think uses much less fuel.
Really? When I was running my bike in I was getting 30km/l, now when Im chasing my mates around the Wairarapa (terrorising locals apparently) I get about 25km/l. My FXGT Corolla ('87) used to get 11km/l.

[Krayy]

...Stats can confuse the issue too - a small V-twin has lower HP figures than a small inline 4, but the way it delivers its power makes it easier to ride in 80% of situations....
I can attest to the fact that the VTR250 has a lot of pull for the bigger bloke. I'm 100+kg (a few too many pluses actually) and I find it has enough pull to drag you up any hills in a not too shabby fashion. I can pretty much keep up with the 6's going over the Coromandels (have yet to haul in the thou's, eh Yoshi?). Plus it handles great. You can really get the VTRs to whip through the twisties.

Top speed isnt anything to write home about, as I can barely get it to 140 on the flats, but getting up to there is pretty quick, and it'll cruise (okay, buzzes) at 120 all day. The good news is that the available torque makes for a very easy ride in the city, as you just throw it in third and you can fluctuate between ~30 and 80 km/h and dawdle through the traffic. I did take a Bandit, a Hornet and some others for a test when I was looking, but just found that the VTR fit me better with the riding position and space under the tank for my legs to grip on to.

The only addition I've had to make is to whack a Givi screen on to help with the wind in the winter months, but I'm just about to take it off again to get the full naked feeling.

And welcome to the site mate.

[Krayy]

P.S. I got mine in the bestest boike (and no, that's not a typo) colour ever....YELL-ARRRR!!!! (Pirate speak)

[limbimtimwim]

So which would be better to buy out of a Honda VTR250 and a Suzuki GSF250 Bandit?? I had a vtr250 as my first bike. It was fantastic. I am a bit of of heavy person too, but in my case it's protection for my small muscles, not muscle :-) . The handling was excellent, when going at silly speeds round a corner the front would start to push and you'd run wide, but it didn't feel scary. Both ends are perhaps a bit soft, but no so much you want to spend lots of money sorting it. Yeah, it was lacking a bit in power, but when you wrung it's neck and kept the engine spinning you could really hustle. It also sounds like an air compressor, which is a bit sad. So I put on a loud one from www.rooracing.com, and that fixed the noise (ohhhh yeah) and I rejetted the carbs (www.factorypro.com) . After that at higher revs it pulled harder. Pootling through town you can be in the wrong gear and it'll cope. It pulls from about 55km/h in top (5th) gear with no problems. First gear runs out at about 50km/h too. The Bandit would undoubtably have more power, however. I know someone with a 250 bandit, it looks smaller, so maybe you may not fit on it. Also, it has only mid-teens KMs on the clock, and already the seat stitching had failed. Not bagging the 'zook, but that was a suprise considering mine had just rolled over 40,000ks and the seat was fine. You would have to rev the bandit even harder to get anywhere. I used to get about 230km per tank (~10-11L per fill) before I got nervous about running out of gas. You use more in town than on the open road. Mind you, I only hit reserve twice while owning it, so I was being careful.

Make sure you sit on them both, try and have a go on both too. Also consider the Honda Hornet 250, pricey and less common but bloody cool. There is a young woman down here with (sorta) predecessor to the Hornet (A Jade) and she is mad fast on that thing. And it's done like a kazillion KM on the clock.

[slopster]

I borrowed a gsf 250 for my full licence test and rode it for a week. I liked it much better than my zxr 250 I'd just sold - which was worth a lot more. It was reasonably quick - good for an indicated $1.65 with my 80kg and felt real good on the corners. Not so much super sticky race handling but just predictable and agile. Wasn't so good on the gas but most 250's aren't. If I was back on my restricted I'd buy one in the blink of an eye. Bandits rule.

[peter8231]

I borrowed a gsf 250 for my full licence test and rode it for a week. I liked it much better than my zxr 250 I'd just sold ... Bandits rule.

I've spent 12 hours or so on a borrowed Bandit and I just couldn't get over the revs needed to go anywhere - great on a small twisty road where 50kph will keep you awake through the corners, but a nightmare on the motorway - I can't stand 8000rpm for long, and that's legal!

I'd go for a twin.

[Phurrball]

I've spent 12 hours or so on a borrowed Bandit and I just couldn't get over the revs needed to go anywhere - great on a small twisty road where 50kph will keep you awake through the corners, but a nightmare on the motorway - I can't stand 8000rpm for long, and that's legal!

I'd go for a twin.

I can only second what has already been said re trying out all the options if possible. All of the mentioned bikes look pretty fine - VTR250 probably the best looking of the lot. The VTRs I've looked at (briefly) don't seem to have a tacho, which seems odd. Look around and see if you can find a Kawasaki Balius (Naked bike with zxr250 engine), or an FZX Zeal as a comparison as well (May be some of these in Akld) and have a look at <a href="http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?p=431196#post431196">this</a> old post of mine in a similar thread with links to piccs and specs of the bikes.

And yep, the Bandit is a real screamer - especially with an aftermarket 'zorst'. The noise is no bother if it's changing in pitch, but does become wearing on a long, steady speed ride. That said, 'tis a small price to pay - my Bandit is outregeous fun and I love it to bits!

The beast is a little on the greedy side - I get between 15-16KM/L (44ish mpg/6plus L/100km) around orcland, projected range of around 230km on a 15L tank. I weigh around 90kg, but I can't help myself when it comes to the 'green light grand prix' it has me grinning like an idiot every time - maybe this explains some of the greediness...but whichever way I look at it, it's cheaper than any car I've ever owned on the gas, and ten times the fun!

[Zapf]

have had a VTR250 as my learner bike... its great. :) gots pull every where... and can power out of corners much better than 250 4's. the 04+ models have rev gauges. and my VTR drank the same amount of gas no matter how hard I was reving it...

[Leong]

I second all that Krayy said. I've enjoyed my VTR250 but haven't ridden the bandit. Great first bike!! Usually get 290km before reserve, but have hit reserve at 250km while trailling litre bikes. My bikes for sale late January...

[ducatilover]

I'd go for a twin.
ooooh yeah! :niceone:

i rode a vtr 250 nit to long ago. it felt quite big and a bit wider than my 650 but it handled rather well and sorta got to 100 in reasonable pace [anything that takes longer than 4seconds is inadequate for my small mind/penis] i'd rather have the vtr with a decent can then a bandit:spudwhat: but just try them for your self:first: