No more new GN250s?

[Chickadee]

Anyone else heard about this?

According to my local freebie rag (Auckland Eastern Courier) the little Suzuki GN250's are not going to be made for NZ market anymore. Sad news for the folks that are starting out on bikes, and looking at bikes in the new cheap & cheerful section. Apparently the lights would have had to be modified to satisfy new lighting regulations which wasn't cost effective for the manufacturer.

I'm sure there will be GN250's on the road for ages to come but no new shiny ones when all the existing stocks gone. They've been sold in NZ for 26 years - nearly as old as me!

Don't get me wrong, they're not my first choice looks wise but they have started many a biker off in good stead.

[davereid]

Yet more regulations to satisfy the red-tape makers.

The GN has been a great starter bike for so many riders, it will be sad to see it go.

[apteryx_haasti]

That's too bad, I've found it an excellent choice as a first bike for me.

On the plus side - that helps it hold its resale value!!

[riffer]

Yes, it's true.

On the plus side, the Yamaha Scorpio SX-4 is a worthy sucessor, and only about $800 more expensive.

[sunhuntin]

its true. reasons i heard was the quality was pretty shit [which i can prove] and the cost of repairs wasnt worth it. that bike spent more time in the shop than on the road.
tyres aint really road worthy either [though i never had trouble with mine, i have read on here they aint that great.]

the gn has been around longer than i have, but the japanses made ones are the best quality...the chinese ones [new] are not worth the plastic the fenders are made out of.

[Pumba]

That is a real shame as the mighty GN will aways be a special bike to me personaly, kinda wish I never sold my 85 GN now, more for sentimental reasons than being worth anything, although on todays second hand market it is worth more than I sold it for

[jade]

My gn 125 was the shit, Went to the dealer without ever riding and ended up with it, wasnt my first choice.
I was a pro at drink driving on that thing (Tho im totally against drinkdriving now) Burnouts, standstill wheelies, taught me everything I know !

[Karma]

Run outta GNs? No bloody way, those things'll be popping outta the woodwork for decades to come yet.

Can barely walk down the road without tripping over one at the moment...

[Maha]

Yet more regulations to satisfy the red-tape makers.

The GN has been a great starter bike for so many riders, it will be sad to see it go.

That's too bad, I've found it an excellent choice as a first bike for me.

On the plus side - that helps it hold its resale value!!

Have to agree with both of ya....$2995 new when i got mine, had no probs with it at all and only lost about $400 on the resale about 10 months later......by by GN......

[kensuem]

Never seen so much misinformation about a great little bike !!!!!
How about someone start a Poll on the GN.Something asking questions like these,
1) How many members own GN's
2)bearing mind the low cost,Are you satisfied with it.
2)how many members have owned Gn's in the past.
3)were you happy with it.
4)Did you sell it because you were unhappy,or just to have a larger or more powerful bike.

[Maha]

Never seen so much misinformation about a great little bike !!!!!
How about someone start a Poll on the GN.Something asking questions like these,
1) How many members own GN's
2)bearing mind the low cost,Are you satisfied with it.
2)how many members have owned Gn's in the past.
3)were you happy with it.
4)Did you sell it because you were unhappy,or just to have a larger or more powerful bike.

1= Dunno
2= Was
3= Once again, Dunno, but i did
4= Wanted lager more powerful hard cornering type pleasure machine......

[Ixion]

The GN is a fine machine and does what it is designed to do.

However, the reality is that a largish proportion of motorcyclists , and an even larger proportion of new riders, are young men.

And young men being what they are, they MUST have a motorcycle that is faster than (or at least as fast as) their mates'. The "keeping up with my mates" syndrome , otherwise known as the "they'll all think I've got a tiny dick" syndrome.

So as soon as one mate has a machine that is faster than the GN (no matter what the cost of that speed advantage may be), then the GN will be scorned.

Human nature, I'm afraid.

[T.I.E]

they are a ledgend in my book. i had three broke all of them. when ya see what i was trying to do to them you would understand.
its a shame but understandable. the tyres were crap. headlights poor. but many a long story i sure can be told by many.
sad to see them go, as in my book they were real motorcycling ( for beginners )
dam think ill go out and get one.

[McJim]

They stopped making GN250s back in the mid eighties - started making water soluble replicas in China after that!

[Lissa]

Ive got a 2006 GN.... and I really enjoy it. Ok so the light bulb blew and the baffle fell off (replaced for free).. but other than that I am satisfied with her, shes my practice bike until I go on to something alittle more grunty (not sure what yet). But at the moment she is just perfect, and I am getting alot more confident and skilled on her. I get alot of 'older' men admiring her and reminiscing about when they had one. I got told they werent making anymore when I brought her, so hopefully resale value should be good.