GN250 speed ?

[Lissa]

I got told my numerous people.. mostly people from KB to replace the tyres on my GN.. which I never got around to. They seemed ok in the dry, but if I still had the GN during winter I would have changed them from the stock tyres. I had a quote for about $300 to replace both the back and front.

[Deviant Esq]

It may be that it never bites and you never know, but that doesn't mean to say that the tyres are good. All it takes is one occasion the tyre isn't quite up to it, and you could be skidding down the road. Changing the front tyre was the best thing I ever did on the NZ250. Sure, the old front tyre wasn't exactly bad, only worn, and it didn't catch me out as such, but phwoar, what a difference the new tyre made! I can now chuck the bike around with confidence (granted that it's not a GN, mind) if I'm in the mood, and it just keeps on sticking, wet or dry. Or maybe it's my smooth riding and impeccable lines?!

Tyres are the only point of contact between the bike and the road. It therefore makes perfect sense to know what your tyres are capable of, and when they're in need of replacement due to wear or just not being capable enough for what you want to do, it only makes sense to use the best tyres you're reasonably willing to buy. They could be the difference between a scary moment, and a crash.

[Oakie]

Dont' get recent model GN if you plan to go fast on it. I heard this from a bike mechanic recently. He said the metal some of the internals are made of just doesn't handle consistent high revs. He saw the evidence in his workshop. He said you're better off with a 10 year old one than a two year old one.

As someone else said ... look at 400s as well. The prices and quality aren't too bad as the kiddies getting out of 250s tend to go straight to 650/750 bikes.

[lti]

i suppose pretty much everything has been covered, but ill add my experiences.

Ive been riding a '03 GN125 for about a year or so before recently upgrading to the CBR250. What an upgrade!

The bikes really cant be compared, they are just too different.

In terms of speed for GNs, the GN125 would redline (10,000rpm) at 108ish kph in 5th gear. It could relatively easily get to that speed if you were going down hill. On the motorway id just ride with the throttle fully open, itd sit on 95 - 100 on the flat, down to 80 up a hill.

Not a fast bike, but incredibly fun, They certainly can be thrown round a corner, but watch the pipes, theyre a little low on the right.
Ive ridden with guys who were on GN250s, and although they could effortlessly out accelerate me and keep up with mway traffic, i doubt theyd be able to go faster than 130. As someone else said in this thread, they redline at about 130, so 140 wouldnt be feasible.

[swbarnett]

I've had my GN for 9months and until recently I hadn't found the limit of the tyres (and I don't drive slow). The last big rain storm I was out in I slid on each and every bridge expansion joint I went over.

[Gremlin]

The last big rain storm I was out in I slid on each and every bridge expansion joint I went over.

errr... just be aware that rubber and a soaking wet metal expansion joint will never be best buddies, even if you have $700+ worth of rubber...

However, you can be best buddies with it, if you were to say, hit it at high-ish revs

[Gizzit]

[B]Well I went to Auckland yesterday(Sunday) .... on my way to Hamilton to look at a GN250. I stopped in at a shop in Takapuna as I needed to buy a helmet and decent riding trou. I got a nice Shark helmet,and some excellent padded trou (and even shelled out for some boots!)
A mechanic at the shop I went to, who had been helping with my choice in helmet and trou (and steered me away from more expensive/and cheaper stuff - was very helpful - and not meant to be serving customers, but they were busy!) asked me what bike I was going to look at. I told him a GN250. He straight out said "don't buy it"! I asked why, and he said he services heaps of them, and said they are "crap". He told me that most of the old ones are good, and have more horsepower than the newer ones, and said if you could get a late 80's model with reasonable K's it might be worth looking at, but said the Chinese models were made from crap metal, and that all the bolts and crucial fittings are made from "cheese metal", which according to him, is soft and stretches, causing things to come loose and get damaged fairly easily. He advised me to get something bigger and older (as I have a full licence) and to steer right away from GN's.

I must admit, as I was travelling down to Auckland I got a twinge in my gut about buying the bike (an excellent low K' example - by the way), and almost turned back, but said nothing to my wife and continued on. Further down towards Auckland I realised I didn't have my clear lensed glasses for night driving, only my prescription sunglasses I was wearing ..... another not great feeling !! The the mechanic at the bike shop (who was a very honest guy) talking about bikes, and flatly telling me not to buy one. .... That was enough for me to change my mind. I had niggles about my decision, and that confirmed that this wasn't the right bike for me. You have to listen to stuff like that ... for what ever reason!
Anyway the other thing the mechanic told me was that because the quality of the GN's coming out of China was so poor, Suzuki have decided to drop the contract, as it was affecting their reputation. Thats why GN production has stopped.

Sorry if my experience has offended anyone who happily rides a GN, without any hassles. I'm sure you enjoy your bike and your rides. Just that for me, I am going to look at something else now, probably bigger and older, as some people have suggested.

Incidentaly ... as I was paying the manager of the shop for the stuff I had bought ( he hadn't heard my conversation with the mechanic), I asked him what he thought about GN's. He said the same thing, and why ... crap metal in bolts, fittings, etc. He said they don't last. He went even further and told me of his own experience with a Chinese copy of the Sach Mad Ass scooter he bought fro an Auckland agent ..... to cut to a short story .... it fell apart, literally, even the swing arm collapsed. He had to take the supplier to court, and ended up ruining his import business for him, as the chinese scooter wa such crap quality. He said don't buy any Chinese bike/scooter for at least the next 15 - 20 years, until they get their quality up to scratch, just likethe Japanese had to ..... remember ??

[Steve 555]

Oh shit I bought a 2004 gn250 2 months ago I feel like I have made the wrong purchase although I am only riding rond the city.

[Gizzit]

Oh shit I bought a 2004 gn250 2 months ago I feel like I have made the wrong purchase although I am only riding rond the city.

Na ... I'm sure most guys n girls aren't going to have too much trouble. Just for me .... and I was certainly going to buy one in Hamilton .... a nice red one, but after the "feelings" I had going down to Auckland, and after the two guys at the shop told me about the later models ... I thought that I would listen to those prompts, and not buy one.

From my perspective ... they have still been around a long time, and are probably one of the most popular commuters, that parts and service won't be an issue for a long time to come.

But because of that, I am looking "wider", at what may be the best option for me, and as I have a full licence, may just go straight for something like a Kawasaki 500, Suzuki 500, something mid range - 600, 650 ??? I'll just see whats around.
I wouldn't sweat about your purchase. I wrote about what I had decided, more to let people know that I have yet to decide what I'm going to buy, when I thought I had it down to either a Yamaha Scorpio 225, or the GN250.
It will now be neither, as I go for something larger!

[kensuem]

What a load of old cobblers!!!!!12000klm in the first year without any problems must show what they are really like!

[Gizzit]

What a load of old cobblers!!!!!12000klm in the first year without any problems must show what they are really like!

Pleased to hear you are enjoying yours!!! That's great and I hope you continue to enjoy it for many years to come.

I'm just relaying what I was told, and saying "I" have changed my mind about what I am going to buy.
As I said in the email above, I'm sure that loads of people have no problems at all, and there will always be sad tales about "any" bike! None are perfect, and some people will get duds, even with the most respected models.

However, I had a bad feeling on the way down to look at the bike.... (maybe intuition about that particular bike ?? I don't know).
I based my final decision on what a bike mechanic had to say who has serviced many GN's over the years, and then on what the shop manager said regarding the GN.

Sorry if I have upset any GN owners in what I have said, as it is certainly not my intention to do so. I'm purely relaying what I was told, and what I have personally decided to do.

Happy riding to all !!

Grant.

[kensuem]

Thanks for that,perhaps I am getting over sensative,but it seems the new National pastime is to rubbish Gn250s.With regard to things being made in China,we went to get a new microwave yesterday,I quite liked the WarehouseCascade model,but saw it was made in China,then I checked on the other brands,and found that the Sharp and sanyo are also now made in China,as was the phillips Sterio we bought a while ago!

[Oakie]

The moden GN250s are probably fine commuters. The problems we've been told of are when they're used as sports bikes.

[swbarnett]

errr... just be aware that rubber and a soaking wet metal expansion joint will never be best buddies, even if you have $700+ worth of rubber...

I used to ride a CB750 with Avon blue spots. They would stick to anything. Even wet metal wasn't a noticeable problem. Maybe it was the balance of the bike? After all, it was a Honda.

[kensuem]

My Gn has done 12000klm in the last 12months,and just about all of it flat out.I have to admit that it gets thrashed all of the time,but the engine hasnt fallen to bits yet!