2006 Suzuki GN 250

[allycatz]

Thanks for the advice peoples. I figure if I treat intersections with the same respect as I do on the scooter it can't all be bad. Im in no hurry to get on the highway yet anyways

[NOWOOL]

The 250GN's are great little bikes. Some say they are slow but they are still faster than economy cars. Any 250 bike you buy is going to be a compromise. My advice would be get something used and cheap and reliable until you get your full licence. Afterall, the only people who will think a flash 250 is cool is non-riders and other 250 riders.
Put in your learning time on a bike you won't be afraid to drop at a stoplight.

[ralph4alice]

I had a 1984 GN250 for about 3 years (mid-1994 onwards). I really liked it, (in spite of some comments about "lawnmower" LOL):

Pros:

- reliable! Didn't miss a beat for me, and started EVERY time (this one would have been Japanese-made, cannot comment about the more recent Chinese-built ones)

- nice solid low-down torque

- comfortable seating position

- really nice city handling: easy and simple to turn, feels nice and stable.

Cons:

- becomes a bit strained around 90kph, and getting close to redline. I wouldn't want to go on long tours with it. Might be OK to get a higher-geared sprockets - ie: to give lower revs at the same road speed (assuming they're available for the GN).

Regarding handling: a couple of other bikes I rode during that time were the 'usual' type (where you lean right over the petrol tank). I found the low-speed steering a bit awkward compared to the GN, but it would have been just what you want at highway speeds. It's just a matter of what you need, as always.

Volty says "aaawww thanks! "

I do find KB bike reviews quite interesting and often useful
...
I haven't seen many professional reviews written by people in my demographic, so I'll keep reading KB reviews, and paying attention to the ones that fit my requirements.

This is a really good point. While the KB reviews might be a bit random, their major strength lies in that the writer is another person probably just like you - rather than, say, a professional magazine journalist writing for a living. This isn't devaluing a magazine review, but IMHO a fellow motorbiker is generally going to come up with a more relevant piece.

I reckon just read all the reviews, pick out the relevant bits and ignore the rest. What I'd do is look for any particular brands/models that are known to be troublesome (using the whole 'net, not just KB), and cross 'em off your list. After that it's simple, just buy what you like! Who gives a rats if others don't like it?

... Well since we are talking about the GN... you wouldn't buy it for the track now would you...

No, I wouldn't! No surprise there.

... I also like the comfort aspect which after being pillion on a CBR600RR will be such a refreshing change. I guess bikes are like so many things in life they are a matter of personal prefernce
...
Maybe hire a bike for a day to see how it feels.

Second that.

More power shmower... not everone likes to go around every where at a million miles per hour either... especially those that are touring since you are wanting to see and do things on the way...or those that are communting

Second that too.

I never found the power a problem; in fact, I find the big fat dollops of torque much more satisfying than having to wind up the RPM to some stratospheric speed to get into the power band (okay, I've only ever gone on 250s and a 400, perhaps I should try something bigger sometime :-). But sure, it wouldn't be as exciting as some mad-arse crotch-rocket.

Getting bored... hmmm then you are simply doing it wrong...

Yup. Simple solution: go buy another bike! Or take up skydiving or something.

[Squiggles]

They are perfect commuters. Not built for performance, but very good at what they do. Might have to write a review on my ones

[carver]

seems like people dont like what i think of GNs haha owell it was to be expected

its Kiwibiker!

Like i said, it's not my cup of tea,

at least your honest dude!

[MDR2]

So now I get told I'll need more power to get out of sticky situations and Ill get bored on smaller bike.

You don't need a bike with horsepower to get you out of sticky situations, you just need a brain between the ears to keep you out of them.

and it's not what you ride, it's how you ride that makes the journey fun!

my thoughts anyhow.

[davebullet]

I'd be more worried about the build quality of a chinese made GN250.

[retro asian]

seems like people dont like what i think of GNs haha owell it was to be expected

its Kiwibiker!

Like i said, it's not my cup of tea,

After riding a GN for a day, getting back on the VL250 was like heaven!
Nothing like a ride on a GN to help you appreciate your non-GN....



But the first bike I ever rode was a GN, and that was pretty exciting at the time.

[crash harry]

seems like people dont like what i think of GNs haha owell it was to be expected

its Kiwibiker!

Like i said, it's not my cup of tea,

I'm right with you dude.
A lot of KBers have this weird nostalgia thing for GNs because it was their first bike. Or they think that ubiquitous = good or something.
Meanwhile I rode my first GN when I was test riding 250s for a friend of mine. Without doubt, the worst bike I have ever ridden. My impressions were:

• Uncomfortable
• Gutless
• Ill-Handling
• Not fun

That last item is the biggest thing. All the other < 250cc bikes I test rode were fun in some way. The GN was just an ordeal. FWIW, she felt the same way, and she's not a nutter sport biker like me.

[MDR2]

• Uncomfortable
• Gutless
• Ill-Handling
• Not fun

1) Perhaps you were the wrong size for it.

2) Learner don't need litre bike horsepower (gotta crawl before you learn to walk kinda deal

3)It's not a bike that encourages high speed corner entry or is a bike hardly set up for that kinda stuff... I can tell that just by looking at it let alone getting on one. It's just a inner city pootler and i would class it in the predictable handling class

4) differint strokes for differint folks

Its a naff bike but its great for leaners to dip their toes in the water if you catch my drift.

Im not completely ignoring what you have to say, but seeing what you ride you kinda have to take what you've said with a pinch of salt coming from an R1 and reviewing a GN is kind of a crack up.

I guess if your looking to buy a bike you should

[Irontusk]

Ok I too just test rode a GN250 for a friend.. what a fucking horrible bike It was VERY light and easy to manouvre out of the particularly overcrowded driveway, I'll give it that, and the feel of the controls didn't bother me, but the bit on the shifter that you get your toes around did seem a little small.

But seriously, what the fuck is going on with those handlebars? Way too narrow for being angled in so much, I could feel the stress in my wrists in less than a minute.

Overall it made me VERY happy that I spent the money on buying a new VL250 instead, it felt soooo good to get back on my own bike!

An ok bike if you just want to learn what controls what on a bike, and then sell it immediately after, I'd really not want to be stuck on one for 2 years waiting to get my full class 6.. would this be why both him and his flat mate who also has a GN250 (and what a surprise that he's selling his too..) only ride about once a month?

[crash harry]

1)
Its a naff bike but its great for leaners to dip their toes in the water if you catch my drift.

Im not completely ignoring what you have to say, but seeing what you ride you kinda have to take what you've said with a pinch of salt coming from an R1 and reviewing a GN is kind of a crack up.

I guess if your looking to buy a bike you should

Yeah - but I didn't ALWAYS ride an R1 did I? I've ridden a lot of bikes, and I relly enjoy a lot of the smaller ones too - FXR150 would have to be one of my favourite little bikes. They make me grin from ear to ear the entire time I'm riding them. GN, not at all.

The thing with the GN is that, IMO, just about all the comparable learner bikes are better. SR250, FXR150, RGV150, VT250, GSX250, whatever. None of them have the scary-bad handling or total lack of fun that the GN does. Jeez, even the old X7 that my dad used to have was more confidence inspiring.

And dude, your profile pic shows an RG150 - so I'm going to assume that you also know that not all cheap learner-legal bikes are crap - RG's are probably the most fun of them all! At least 1000 times better than a bloody GN!

[crash harry]

would this be why both him and his flat mate who also has a GN250 (and what a surprise that he's selling his too..) only ride about once a month?

I reckon you could be onto something there, me old son...

[MDR2]

And dude, your profile pic shows an RG150 - so I'm going to assume that you also know that not all cheap learner-legal bikes are crap - RG's are probably the most fun of them all! At least 1000 times better than a bloody GN!

I like sport bikes, not crusiers. If I had been after a no thrills commuter that just got me from a to b cheaply, I would have looked at a GN or a Tu or something along those lines....

they serve a purpose, how they do it is down to the individual.

people like you and me... we get our kicks in other ways

[Choco]

I managed to get the front wheel maybe a foot and a half in the air but that’s nothing compared to what I have been told GN’s can do (banzai)

Banzai? Badger8 was the GN wheelie master

It's a great bike to learn on (as i did), but there does come a stage where you may want a more comfortable position/ power/ room/ speed/ handling/ brakes etc, and then you can upgrade to a bike which takes more skill to ride

But as for a first time rider they're great bulletproof little bikes!