FXR vs GN

[Steve 555]

Are these two bikes a much of a muchness. I'm a bit disapointed with the GN's performance on the motorway is the FXR better oh man did I make the wrong choice for my first bike ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHH

[R6_kid]

GN250's are pretty much just for commuting, or perhaps for crazy people to do longer open road rides if they fell the need.

The FXR is a fantastic commuter, but can also be fitted with sticky sports tyres and can be used as a weapon in the twisties to show big bike riders that its no all about outright power.

One is a sports bike, one is a commuter/cruiser... its all in the style and delivery!

[merv]

But one has 100cc less and I doubt that helps it overall. The FXR might look racier but is it faster? In a head wind up hill I doubt it.

After Lissa's comments about the GN and it being mentioned that they are a cramped bike to ride on it got me wondering (I've never so much as swung a leg over one so don't know really) but would the GN benefit from a decent set of lower handlebars because its the dicky chopper look that makes them cramped with the big swept back handlebars? Would a set of dirt bike bars help even so you've got a bit more room in front of you?

I presume the motor is similar performance to a DR or DRZ250 or is it better with its twin header pipes and all?

[FROSTY]

Dude--I've owned BOTH bikes
The GN CAN be faster. As is they are about the same --The GN will out drag the FXR but the fxr will leave the GN for dead in the tight twisties.
Now fit a set of flatter bars and a handlebar fairing to the GN maybee gear it up a fraction and slide the forks a tadd through the clamps and I think you'llbe suprised at the improvement

[YLWDUC]

I've only owned an FXR, but it was enjoyable enough to ride whilst on my learners/restricted. My two cents boils down to the tacho on the FXR being about 10km overreading, which never made for very fast commuting. Sure was a safe way to avoid speeding tickets. The tyres were never wide enough to give me enough confidence on corners, and the half fairing wasn't quite big enough to take the wind off.

An FXR without all the crappy stickers would be my vote

[Moxy]

Don't sweat it. The GN will have good resale value, so just sell it and buy something else whenever you're ready.

I rode an FXR 150 for the years which I had my L/R license, and it was fine.

Merv, I've known lots of FXR riders who are quick-as, keeping up with the people on the big bikes around the hills, I've never known GN riders to be particulaly fast.. Also, I "commuted" all the way up to Whanganui on my old FXR several times with no issues. Comfortable all the way. FXR is a fine all-round bike for sure.

Steve, why don't you take an FXR for a test ride and see what you think.

[merv]

Yeah but we're trying to help Steve who has a GN and that's why I commented on the bars to make the GN more comfortable and racey as that would be a cheap mod and I figured with the bigger engine you know the saying there is no substitute for cubes. A killer on a small bike is the wind and lower bars would allow you to lean into the wind easier and keep your speed up.

I've had years riding small capacity trail bikes and if necessary on the road we even ride one hand on the throttle and all tucked in on the left, will add 10 - 20 km/hr to your speed. Difficult to do so easily with the damn ape-hangers the GN has.

If you want to move up but are still stuck having to ride a 250 do what Lissa is doing and buy a sportier 250 - why settle for 150? A twin or four is going to eat any single in a straight line on the motorway too, but probably not in the twistys.

[Steve 555]

Nah I think I will wait and get something when I get more confident a 600 or something. Good thing about the gn is if I did drop it there wouldn't be a fairing to crack. Think I made the right choice for me anyways.:scooter: :scooter: cheers guys

[skidMark]

But one has 100cc less and I doubt that helps it overall. The FXR might look racier but is it faster? In a head wind up hill I doubt it.

After Lissa's comments about the GN and it being mentioned that they are a cramped bike to ride on it got me wondering (I've never so much as swung a leg over one so don't know really) but would the GN benefit from a decent set of lower handlebars because its the dicky chopper look that makes them cramped with the big swept back handlebars? Would a set of dirt bike bars help even so you've got a bit more room in front of you?

I presume the motor is similar performance to a DR or DRZ250 or is it better with its twin header pipes and all?


ive owned both the fxr and gn 250 a fxr is faster than a gn250 alot more grunt stupidly better cornering, and you can get decent tyres for it.

i put moto x bars on my gn and it was still rubbish in comparison to the fxr150

[kensuem]

I have read all these posts and tried to keep quiet,but i just have to stick up for the poor old GN.
I ride mine every day,whatever the weather,from Katikati to Waihi and back every day.It is reliable,cheap to run,easy to maintain and despite what everyone says not that slow on the corners.Anyway,what is slow on the corners?the ones marked at 75,I usually go through at 110,and the ones at the start of the gorge,marked at 45,I usually enter at about85 and exit at 65 to 70.Is that slow?,i wouldnt realy know.On the open road i can 110 to 120 in good conditions. For what it costs it is good value!

[CM2005]

you could bucket the FXR and ride it home again...?

[disenfranchised]

Now fit a set of flatter bars and a handlebar fairing to the GN maybee gear it up a fraction and slide the forks a tadd through the clamps and I think you'll be suprised at the improvement

What about the Volty and the GZ250.....they're all pretty much the same bike aren't they, but with different enough styles to change the riding position.

[Quartermile]

oh god take the
FXR!!


you will thank yourself for it

[Steve 555]

Thanks for sticking up for the GN but to be honest I like both bikes test rode an FXR today. Great fun. You guys are awesome thanks for the insights.:yes:

[merv]

Thanks for sticking up for the GN but to be honest I like both bikes test rode an FXR today. Great fun. You guys are awesome thanks for the insights.:yes:

... but would you waste money changing bikes like that to an FXR when in my view you'd be better to save your money and putting it towards something at a different level altogether like a full noise 250 or something bigger when the licence allows?

[FROSTY]

What about the Volty and the GZ250.....they're all pretty much the same bike aren't they, but with different enough styles to change the riding position.
In my opinion no dude--all pretty much the same--

[Steve 555]

Hey Merv nah like u say will stick with my little GN unti licence allows bigger bike.

[bimotabob]

The FXR being a sports bike has more potential for speed as performance
engine/electrical bits are available here in NZ.
For commuting the GN is fine as town use requires low fuel use and reliablility
which they have.

Note this though:

Both bikes are not quality Japanese made with this exception:
Early GN's (1980's) are made in Japan and are superior in every way
to asian stuff eg thailand, china, mayasia.
The market is flooded with non-japanese bikes which are mostly poor quality
including the suzuki stuff RG150 FXR150 GN250 SJ50.
When I worked in the trade I seen these bikes for what they are - avoid like the plague.

Heres a Good example and I have many more:

I have friend who owns a Suzuki AX100 (original 1983 model) and who brought a brand new (chinese I think) AX100 a couple of years ago.
He told me recently that the new one has degraded so badly and quickly that his old one has a better all round finish, (chrome, paint etc) now than the new one with 20 years difference!

There is not much to choose from these days I know.

[Quartermile]

The FXR being a sports bike has more potential for speed as performance
engine/electrical bits are available here in NZ.
For commuting the GN is fine as town use requires low fuel use and reliablility
which they have.


Ahem, FXRs use are a lot more fuel efficient:yes:

[kensuem]

I am a bit new at working with image programs,but this gives some idea of what a GN could look like.

[dman]

... but would you waste money changing bikes like that to an FXR when in my view you'd be better to save your money and putting it towards something at a different level altogether like a full noise 250 or something bigger when the licence allows?What do you mean by a "full noise 250"?

[merv]

What do you mean by a "full noise 250"?

Something like a CBR, ZXR or Bandit that's putting out more like 40 hp, not the lower power singles like the GN.

[Bonez]

... but would you waste money changing bikes like that to an FXR when in my view you'd be better to save your money and putting it towards something at a different level altogether like a full noise 250 or something bigger when the licence allows?As with the other suggestions about bars etc. I'd personnally go down a size at least for the back tyre and replace the chain/sprockets with decent aftermarket jobs at 6/7,000kms as that is all the OEM items will last judging from the gents at works one he bought new.

[skidMark]

I am a bit new at working with image programs,but this gives some idea of what a GN could look like.


nice but still gn250's are too slow

[dman]

Something like a CBR, ZXR or Bandit that's putting out more like 40 hp, not the lower power singles like the GN.The FXR has about 20hp, but the RG150 has 36hp. Which is nearly 40hp, does this make this 150cc bike a "full noise 250"?! :bleh:

[merv]

The FXR has about 20hp, but the RG150 has 36hp. Which is nearly 40hp, does this make this 150cc bike a "full noise 250"?! :bleh:

Nah it makes it a full noise 2 stroke 150. Its the state of tune being referred to of course. You just got to keep up with the language or give us some of your own.

[dman]

"State of tune"?

[merv]

"State of tune"?

Are you a real nOOb or are you having me on?

State of tune is the level to which the design team has pushed the envelope in tuning the engine to extract the kind of power they want. A low end machine may have mild cams (4 strokes), maybe lower compression, maybe smaller intake and exhaust valves (and maybe even less of them e.g 2 not 4 or 5) and ports and header pipes, perhaps a longer stroke to bore ratio in the cylinder and basically be designed for a slower revving life with not so much top end power and rev ceiling as a "full noise" engine which will be tuned to extract as much power as possible from the engine size - except when we are talking road bikes we are still talking tuned for at least some longevity for road use. Racing engines are tuned to higher state of power output with more attention to all these things plus these days electronics are playing a big part in controlling ignition and fuel injection to optimise the fuel/air mix and ignition timing and burning of the charge in the cylinder with optimum flame paths from spark plug etc. Do you get that now because otherwise I could go on and on and I am sure someone like Motu could add a lot to this.

The state of tune explains why my XR250L is 28hp at the crank whereas my WR250F is about 40hp for the same engine displacement. They are built to a different state of tune for different purposes. One will rev to about 9,000rpm the other to 13,500rpm.

[dman]

Are you a real nOOb or are you having me on?A real n00b? Well, kind of. Often I can guess at what is meant by stuff said here, but still.... I can not be 100% sure. So often I'll ask questions even when I think I know the answer, because I possibly I don't really know after all.

Thanks for the reply, that is roughly what I thought. (those wasn't thinking in quite that detail!)

Though still don't see why the GN250 is underpowered, I presume the design team was simply going for outright cheap. Or perhaps fuel economy. What is the design intention with a cruiser engine?

[merv]

Though still don't see why the GN250 is underpowered, I presume the design team was simply going for outright cheap. Or perhaps fuel economy. What is the design intention with a cruiser engine?

No worries, no harm in asking.

With the GN I am sure the design team were putting together something kind of soft and easy to ride around crowded Asian places with longevity and fuel economy in mind, not outright power. The fact it has a sort of high bar cruiser look about it I am sure was purely for some idea of a style wanted by its potential buyers.

As for the bigger cruisers it all seems to be about this how much torque can you get at low revs so the riders can cruise along in high gear just taking it easy with the rythm and vibration of the engine giving them their jollies or something like that.

[Bonez]

A real n00b? Well, kind of. Often I can guess at what is meant by stuff said here, but still.... I can not be 100% sure. So often I'll ask questions even when I think I know the answer, because I possibly I don't really know after all.

Thanks for the reply, that is roughly what I thought. (those wasn't thinking in quite that detail!)

Though still don't see why the GN250 is underpowered, I presume the design team was simply going for outright cheap. Or perhaps fuel economy. What is the design intention with a cruiser engine?GN250s have been out since around 1981 or so, so the original design concept has probably been long forgotten and the tooling for them has long since paid for itself no dought. It is a model that seems to stood the test of time and will probably be produced for a wee while more.

The first paragraph in the '80s service manual reads-

"The SUZUKI GN250 was designed to offer superior performance though light weight design, four stroke power (TSCC) engine). The new GN250 represents another major advance by Suzuki in four stroke motorcycles."


Now some may snigger but what other Jap model, albeit made in China, has been in production for this long?

[Ixion]

For a rela n00b, a GN250 is an excellent starting machine. They are very tough, even unwitting misuse or abuse will probably not break them. And if they do break they are cheap as chips to fix. And can be fixed by semi trained people. The village "fixit" man.

They were designed to be a simple, reliable transport machine, that could cope with almost anything in the way of roads, carry sizable loads, and keep going despite untrained (or no) maintainance.

The design brief was "tough and simple; keep running no matter what". No necessarily cheap. the reason they a re cheap, as Mr Bonez has said, is because all the original capital costs are long since amoritised. They paid their way long ago.

The measur eof a good bike is that it does well what it sets out to do. On that measure the GN250 is a very good motorcycle indeed.

[dman]

arrrgghhh..... now I'm reading a bunch of very good reasons for why I should starting considering the GN250 again! But I think I'm going to stick with having changed my mind away from it, because of its very low levels of performances (which means it struggles with merely going on the motorway at legal speeds etc...).

[merv]

dman it all gets down to how much money you want to spend and what sort of riding you want to do. GNs are cheap, but if you want something faster you got to buy a twin or a four.

If you want to do road and trail and want a dirt bike they are probably similar top speed to a GN on the highway, but they aren't cheap. My 250 Honda for example was $9,000 new damn near three times the price of a GN at the time and once of course GNs were only $2,995 new.

[kensuem]

arrrgghhh..... now I'm reading a bunch of very good reasons for why I should starting considering the GN250 again! But I think I'm going to stick with having changed my mind away from it, because of its very low levels of performances (which means it struggles with merely going on the motorway at legal speeds etc...).

Dont believe all those that knock the GN,they only do it because it is a recognized sport,like duck shooting but all year round ,no closed season!The Gn easily cruises at 110,and on the flat will make 120!

[dman]

dman it all gets down to how much money you want to spend and what sort of riding you want to do. GNs are cheap, but if you want something faster you got to buy a twin or a four. My riding would be to and from work. A little less than 100k per day. Plus whenever I go around NZ on holiday, a few times per year.

Not sure how much I'm willing to spend, which probably doesn't help much. But obviously less is better! And certainly not more than 5k. Half that amount sounds much better.

I've other things at the moment I'd much rather send my (not even yet earned...) money on. Though the likelihood I'm going to get hooked to this motorbike thing is very high...

[Nasty]

My riding would be to and from work. A little less than 100k per day. Plus whenever I go around NZ on holiday, a few times per year.

Not sure how much I'm willing to spend, which probably doesn't help much. But obviously less is better! And certainly not more than 5k. Half that amount sounds much better.

I have now ridden both the GN and the FXR ... I love the FXR .. riding position was great, really comfortable and a lovely wee blat machine, but with limited speed particularly on hills and the Gorge in Wellington ... with someone my size, which is not small. The GN I rode today .... was an interesting ride ... the riding position was great .. seat was slippery (it felt waxed!) ... the speed was constant, it didn't really blat but would go 100 easy and stay there on the flat .. it also didn't have issues with the Gorge ...

just my thoughts to add to the others.

[dman]

Over all.... you prefer which bike? The FXR had better performance I presume?

[Ixion]

Have you considered the new Yamaha Scorpio. Only a few hundred more than a GN, within your budget, and a very nice bike. I have now had the chance to ride one (thanks to The Stranger) and I was VERY impressed.

[McJim]

There's a good suggestion for you dman. The Scorpio..since you are a n00b I will advise that Ixion is a veritable font of knowledge - in short he knows his shit and is well worth paying good heed to.

It will be unlikely to kick you in the arse the way the RG did if you abuse the throttle and clutch.

They are actually quite good looking for the money too.

[dman]

Yup, saw that once in a shop. Haven't yet looked closely at it though. If I am to buy new then that would be one of only a few that I'd have to consider, but I'd gradually deciding getting a bike 2nd hand would be a better idea?

There are none 2nd hand on trademe at the moment though.

[elle-f]

The RG150 is fun BUT if you are gonna ride about 100kms a day you might be better off getting a 250. I havent ridden a GN but a good mate of mine had one and I think its a great commuter BUT i wouldnt buy one *hiding*....but thats because I dont think they have the speed to get out of trouble *hiding again*

[xwhatsit]

Yup, saw that once in a shop. Haven't yet looked closely at it though. If I am to buy new then that would be one of only a few that I'd have to consider, but I'd gradually deciding getting a bike 2nd hand would be a better idea?

There are none 2nd hand on trademe at the moment though.

No, they've only recently been released onto the market here in NZ, although they've been around for a few years overseas.

2nd hand is cool, because you can get a better bike for your money (with the money I had I'd be lucky to get a scooter new), but mine blew up not long after I'd bought it. Better off paying a little more and buying 2nd hand from a dealer, as that way you have some recompense if (like many 250s have) it's been abused and goes bang.

I suppose I sound like a scaremonger, and my bike was made more than 20 years ago and had 8 owners, so take my words with a grain of salt. But you being a n00b like me, it's better to have some sort of backup in case something bad happens.

GNs have adequate poke, I think. You just need to work the engine a bit, use more throttle, pick the right gear. They (IMHO) look ugly as shit, though. See if you can find a Yammie SR/SRV/SRX for a good price.

[orange dog]

GO THE GN !
Got so excited the day after I brought my first 'real' bike (GN) I bungeed a raincoat on to the back and rode from Nelson to Hokitika then back up and over to Christchurch on sat, then from Chch back up to Nelson on Sun (over 1000km). Met some cool people, saw the country and had a blast, you can't BUY memories like that !
Ended up putting 50,000 k on that bike for the cost of a few tyres, an exhaust cam & frik-all petrol.
Had my first 2-3 crashes, my first 'bike sex' and ended up selling it for the same price I paid for it... :yes:

Having said that, nearly brought the wife an FXR as a first bike, so either way just get out and ride !

[breakaway]

I thought dman had settled on the RG150 :lol:

[Squiggles]

For a rela n00b, a GN250 is an excellent starting machine. They are very tough, even unwitting misuse or abuse will probably not break them. And if they do break they are cheap as chips to fix. And can be fixed by semi trained people. The village "fixit" man.

They were designed to be a simple, reliable transport machine, that could cope with almost anything in the way of roads, carry sizable loads, and keep going despite untrained (or no) maintainance.

all so true


about the bars as mentioned before, i've got two gn's, different designed gn's.... the old style one doesnt seem to have the same cramped feeling that i sometimes feel on the newer one, the bars dont seem to come back into you as much, and when side to side, the angle of the headstock seems different, its more comfy to ride :mellow:

[Nasty]

The RG150 is fun BUT if you are gonna ride about 100kms a day you might be better off getting a 250. I havent ridden a GN but a good mate of mine had one and I think its a great commuter BUT i wouldnt buy one *hiding*....but thats because I dont think they have the speed to get out of trouble *hiding again*

Now i have completed using the GN for four days in both ok and bad weather I wouldn't recommend it for longer commutes ... and agree with Elle .. was interesting .. but would look for one with slightly more guts in it.