GN250 update

[kensuem]

Well,my GN has now been on the road for two years,so I thought I would do a bit of a report on how it is going.
It has now done23500 klm,in the 24 months since new,and passed its warrent on Friday with flying colours.
If anything it seems to go better every day,and I am still extremely pleased with it.
PROBLEMS SINCE NEW.
Cracked fork leg lug,fixed under warrenty.
Speedo drive seized,$161,just out of warrenty!
original chinese chain,wore out at 12000klm,replacement"o" ring chain still OK.
Original chinese rear tyre,wore out at 12500 klm,replaced it with one from the same manufacturer,and this one is still in use[3mm of tread at the warrent]

GN250 Urban Myths that I feel my bike has debunked!
The bikes rust,---- After 24 months of riding 5 days a week in all weathers,there is no sign of rust,and I have to admit to cleaning it a maximum of 6 or 7 times only!!!
The Chinese sprockets wear out----I still have the original sprockets with very little wear!!!!
The Chinese front tyres are useless---I still use the original front tyre which has 5mm of tread left!!!
The roadholding and handling is bad-----I have had no problem with either,and the bike has been used every weekday,in rain,frosts and high winds.However I have to admit that the narrow front tyre is not very good in loose metal,but as I don't normally go off the seal,that hasn't been a great problem.
The GN struggles to reach 100klm per hour----Not so,I normally travel at about110,with the odd burst of 120 on long straights or down hill.I agree that isn't fast,but it is plenty in a bike used to get me reliably to work.
The GN vibrates badly----Not at all,considering it is a small single which is driven flat out all the time I find it extremely smooth!!!
To sum up,A GREAT LITTLE BIKE,I change the oil and filter every 5000klm,and lubricate the chain at the same time.I am sure this is the answer to gtting a good run from a GN,Look after it properly from day one.
What a pitty for learners that it is no longer available,at the on road price that I paid ,$3600,it has to have been the best value ever,and I look forward to getting a few more years out of it yet!!!!

[BASS-TREBLE]

Good post !

Keeps the hopes up for us GN riders.
I have done 8000km in 4months and it starts every morning even in the frost we had last week.
Bike is to small for me but I love it !

Maintenance is the key to it, parts are reasonably priced, chains are only $85.

Keep it up

B-T

[Choco]

I just sold mine to a newbie mate and it was running great!
I had the same speedo problem as you; but got a 2nd hand one instead of a new one. I highly recommend the bike for new rider's!

Ride safe!
Choco.

[BANZAI]

[QUOTE=kensuem;1598149] GN250 Urban Myths that I feel my bike has debunked!
The bikes rust,---- After 24 months of riding 5 days a week in all weathers,there is no sign of rust,and I have to admit to cleaning it a maximum of 6 or 7 times only!!!
The Chinese sprockets wear out----I still have the original sprockets with very little wear!!!!
The Chinese front tyres are useless---I still use the original front tyre which has 5mm of tread left!!!
The roadholding and handling is bad-----I have had no problem with either,and the bike has been used every weekday,in rain,frosts and high winds.However I have to admit that the narrow front tyre is not very good in loose metal,but as I don't normally go off the seal,that hasn't been a great problem.
The GN struggles to reach 100klm per hour----Not so,I normally travel at about110,with the odd burst of 120 on long straights or down hill.I agree that isn't fast,but it is plenty in a bike used to get me reliably to work.
The GN vibrates badly----Not at all,considering it is a small single which is driven flat out all the time I find it extremely smooth!!!
[\QUOTE]

Good post!!

I changed my tyres coz sooo many guys thought that Chinese tyres are crap, got Pirelli on Front, IRC on rear now and I think they are doing great!

I found it very hard to do over 100km it vibrates heaps and feel very tired of doing 100 for more than 20mins lol

But its very fun bike! I like the vibration of lower revs :p

Choco you sold your GN??? What do you have now?

[Badjelly]

Good on ya mate for sticking up for economical transport, but ...



GN250 Urban Myths that I feel my bike has debunked!

The Chinese front tyres are useless---I still use the original front tyre which has 5mm of tread left!!!


It's not that the OEM tyres on the cheaper bikes don't last long enough, it's that they don't grip very well. (Or so I believe. I still have the original tyres on the Scorpio and I try not to go anywhere near their limits on wet roads.)

[Ragingrob]

I just sold mine to a newbie mate and it was running great!
I had the same speedo problem as you; but got a 2nd hand one instead of a new one. I highly recommend the bike for new rider's!

Ride safe!
Choco.

Dude what are you getting now??

[Choco]

Choco you sold your GN??? What do you have now?


Dude what are you getting now??

All will be reviled in good time my friends :D

[xwhatsit]

Good on ya mate for sticking up for economical transport, but ...



It's not that the OEM tyres on the cheaper bikes don't last long enough, it's that they don't grip very well. (Or so I believe. I still have the original tyres on the Scorpio and I try not to go anywhere near their limits on wet roads.)
Ah, but that's just another performance parameter, innit? Mr Kensuem is an old-time biker, who has probably experienced all kinds of horrible situations with early primitive Avons wrapped around a lump of Brit iron on shitty roads. If you ride within the performance parameters of your tyres/brakes/suspension then you'll do just fine. Ride it hamfistedly, thinking you're Rossi on warm slicks, or jamming on the front brakes (GN250s are a touch overbraked IMHO), and you will come to grief.

[BANZAI]

All will be reviled in good time my friends :D

Man you got Hornet too! Theres already 2 ppl I know got Hornet very recently!

Everyone is buying Honda!!! You traitors!!!:2guns:

[Choco]

Man you got Hornet too! Theres already 2 ppl I know got Hornet very recently!

Everyone is buying Honda!!! You traitors!!!:2guns:

I still love the GN250 bro! If I was only commuting everyday I would have kept it! But I'm doing more and more tours/longer trips and I needed a bike that actually fits my size and had some more power for overtaking up hills. That and I was kinda reaching the limits of the GN :(

I miss her :crybaby:

But WOAH! ACCELERATION! and a rev range you can use with your gears :niceone: and the seat is so SOFT and the position is so comfortable :drool: and the noise it makes when you wind on the power in second :love:

[jscottbowman]

I am looking to get a 2nd hand GN for cheaper commuting to work, in light of rising petrol costs.
Anything i should look out for? Its been a while since I bought a 2nd hand bike.
Cheers
Scott

[BANZAI]

I still love the GN250 bro! If I was only commuting everyday I would have kept it! But I'm doing more and more tours/longer trips and I needed a bike that actually fits my size and had some more power for overtaking up hills. That and I was kinda reaching the limits of the GN :(

I miss her :crybaby:

But WOAH! ACCELERATION! and a rev range you can use with your gears :niceone: and the seat is so SOFT and the position is so comfortable :drool: and the noise it makes when you wind on the power in second :love:

GN is perfect size for me! :rofl: It's even a little bit big! I have to tip toe :eek:

Could have got Bandit, stay royal to Suzuki :bleh:

[Choco]

GN is perfect size for me! :rofl: It's even a little bit big! I have to tip toe :eek:

Could have got Bandit, stay royal to Suzuki :bleh:

I love having a big tank and really liked the style and feel of the Hornet.
I'm thinking of a SV650 on my full maybe so I might come back to Suzuki soon :shifty:

[Fumph]

Well,my GN has now been on the road for two years,so I thought I would do a bit of a report on how it is going.
It has now done23500 klm,in the 24 months since new,and passed its warrent on Friday with flying colours.
If anything it seems to go better every day,and I am still extremely pleased with it.
PROBLEMS SINCE NEW.
Cracked fork leg lug,fixed under warrenty.
Speedo drive seized,$161,just out of warrenty!
original chinese chain,wore out at 12000klm,replacement"o" ring chain still OK.
Original chinese rear tyre,wore out at 12500 klm,replaced it with one from the same manufacturer,and this one is still in use[3mm of tread at the warrent]

GN250 Urban Myths that I feel my bike has debunked!
The bikes rust,---- After 24 months of riding 5 days a week in all weathers,there is no sign of rust,and I have to admit to cleaning it a maximum of 6 or 7 times only!!!
The Chinese sprockets wear out----I still have the original sprockets with very little wear!!!!
The Chinese front tyres are useless---I still use the original front tyre which has 5mm of tread left!!!
The roadholding and handling is bad-----I have had no problem with either,and the bike has been used every weekday,in rain,frosts and high winds.However I have to admit that the narrow front tyre is not very good in loose metal,but as I don't normally go off the seal,that hasn't been a great problem.
The GN struggles to reach 100klm per hour----Not so,I normally travel at about110,with the odd burst of 120 on long straights or down hill.I agree that isn't fast,but it is plenty in a bike used to get me reliably to work.
The GN vibrates badly----Not at all,considering it is a small single which is driven flat out all the time I find it extremely smooth!!!
To sum up,A GREAT LITTLE BIKE,I change the oil and filter every 5000klm,and lubricate the chain at the same time.I am sure this is the answer to gtting a good run from a GN,Look after it properly from day one.
What a pitty for learners that it is no longer available,at the on road price that I paid ,$3600,it has to have been the best value ever,and I look forward to getting a few more years out of it yet!!!!
Thanks for ur report nice to know the myths are just that ...myths.
I bought one 5 weeks ago for the "L" and have found it great for commuting and learning. Oct 2006 and only 2500 kms up. Agree with others coments about the speed though. Mine likes 85ks but struggles to get past 90ks. Just as well my L plate doesn't alow more than 70ks!

[BANZAI]

Can I add one more thing to myths?

The steering lock doesnt work sometime :pinch:

I rode it to Manukau, and then back to town it didnt work.

Then I went to Manukau again then it did work.

THEN I went back to town then it DOESNT work!!!! :angry2:

EDIT: I WD40ed key hole and it works now!!

[Steve 555]

Woooohhhhhhhhhho a gn250 thread my gn has done just over 6000kms nothing wrong at all going great no rust either

[Squiggles]

It's not that the OEM tyres on the cheaper bikes don't last long enough, it's that they don't grip very well. (Or so I believe. I still have the original tyres on the Scorpio and I try not to go anywhere near their limits on wet roads.)

The question is... has he ridden with a different brand on the front?

I've got 2 rims, when i pinched a tube on the normal set i rode with the chin shen for a week, absolute shit in comparison to the usuals, cant remember but i think they're bridgestones...

[cityboy]

I have my GN250 for 2 weeks now.
The look and performance of it is not fantastic, but very suitable for new biker like me.
Seeing other owners' experience, I can say it is a good "first" bike.

[cheesemethod]

Had mine a few months now. Great machine because it just ignores this shitty winter weather and just humms along fine. Although I rode my dad's CBX1000 last weekend and I think I prefer that :crazy:

[Fumph]

Saw an ad on trademe nz yesterday for a 11 months old GN250. the seller said it is full of corosion and provided pics to prove it. Showed heaps of corrosion on the alloy all over the engine.
I've heard this is a problem for the recent Chinese assembled GN250s.
Mine 18 month old has some small amount of rust showing on some minor parts. Example the right foot rest has a small amount of rust showing but the left side is fine. The right mirror stalk is rusted on the forward side very badly but the left mirror stalk is fine. Otherwise my bike is fine but as a precaution I have used CRC where I think corrosion is likely to appear. Mainly on nuts and bolts.
I did notice one very small spot of corrosion on the alloy of the engine like the pics on Trade Me but nothing to worry about. I was wondering why some bikes have this problem and others don't. Maybe it it the suppliers of the various parts being many and varied sub contractors and quality control being poor. If the bike on Trade Me was mine I would be wanting a replacement under warranty, quoting the Sale of Goods act.

[The Pastor]

two years on a tyre? WTF!

[howdamnhard]

Saw an ad on trademe nz yesterday for a 11 months old GN250. the seller said it is full of corosion and provided pics to prove it. Showed heaps of corrosion on the alloy all over the engine.
I've heard this is a problem for the recent Chinese assembled GN250s.
Mine 18 month old has some small amount of rust showing on some minor parts. Example the right foot rest has a small amount of rust showing but the left side is fine. The right mirror stalk is rusted on the forward side very badly but the left mirror stalk is fine. Otherwise my bike is fine but as a precaution I have used CRC where I think corrosion is likely to appear. Mainly on nuts and bolts.
I did notice one very small spot of corrosion on the alloy of the engine like the pics on Trade Me but nothing to worry about. I was wondering why some bikes have this problem and others don't. Maybe it it the suppliers of the various parts being many and varied sub contractors and quality control being poor. If the bike on Trade Me was mine I would be wanting a replacement under warranty, quoting the Sale of Goods act.
Yes they do corrode if you don´t look after them.Spray wd40/CRC on everything except the seat ,controls ,brakes and rubber and plastics.Clean it with a clean rag and CRC/WD40.Like most metals that aren´t protected they want to return to their natural state i.e metal oxides.Mine is two years old and used eveyday for commuting in all weather and is fine because I´ve taken the time to protect it.The original tyres will last a long time but aren´t very grippy.Speedo drives die early,replace with a 2nd hand Jap one(last much longer).Suspension is a tad soft and when pushed hard gets mushy.But it is light and nimble.Cruises at 100km/h easilly but does´nt have much more for overtaking.Max I´ve ever achieved downhill is 130.Cheap to run and can still be fun on the twisties.

[Fumph]

I agree with your comments. I bought mine two months ago (2500km)and I don't think the previous owner did anything to protect the metals. Another thing I noticed was that it now runs better than when I first got it and goes to 100 KM + with ease, whereas before it struggled. Of course that could be just the way I ride it now !! I am interested in your comments about the tyres. What would be a better replacement?

[BANZAI]

Mine got rusts and corrode all over the place too (was kept in outside at previous owner's place with ripped cover lol). Hope WD40 keep it as it is and wont make it worse.

Speedo cable did break, annoying how much that little thing cost!!! :pinch:

I changed tyres to front Pirelli City Deamon and rear IRC.

People say any aftermarket tyres available for GN other than standard tyre is good, so just change it to whatever you can get by known brands.

Can you try Bridgestone and tell me how it's like? I wanted Bridgestone but when I went to Cycletreads they didn't have :p

[xwhatsit]

Can you try Bridgestone and tell me how it's like? I wanted Bridgestone but when I went to Cycletreads they didn't have :p
Ha -- I must've got their last one, then. As far as I can recall, GN250 has same size front wheel as a CB250RS. 90x90 18" I think. I'm rather in love with BT45s :niceone:

[Fumph]

Thanks I'll look about and see whats available....