Monday 21st November 2011

PH2: new Suzuki Inazuma

Low cost two-wheeled fun from Suzuki

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Cheap and stylish two-wheeled transport from Suzuki

Suzuki was so overcome with excitement at the thought of the NEC Motorcycle Show it decided to launch its first 2013 model (yep, that's over a year in advance...) in Brum - the new Inazuma 250.

Ok, this parallel twin may not set your pulse racing like the new GSX-R1000, but you have to admit it looks pretty cool. So what's the deal with it?

Basically, Suzuki Europe has been badgering Suzuki Japan to make a small capacity bike that will appeal to riders who are looking for budget two-wheeled motoring. So they created the Inazuma, which is Japanese for, er, lightning. The little liquid-cooled 248cc motor promises to offer superb fuel economy and reasonable performance and all for a bargain price of around £3,500. Which is tremendous value for money.

Poking around the bike it looks to be pretty well built and has some neat features such as a gear indicator and fuel economy display. There is no official word on performance or weight but Suzuki says the bike will be in the UK late 2012. Not a headline grabber, but a bike that is certain to sell well and is just what the struggling UK bike market needs. When it is launched Suzuki say it will have developed the usual range of aftermarket extras such as a screen and crash bars to ease commuting pain.

250cc is good for running costs and insurance

Stuck for something to do this week or next weekend? Why not pop along to the Motorcycle Live Show at the NEC? The show runs until Sunday 27th November and as well as all the latest models there are stunt shows, loads of interactive events like off-road and trials riding activities and even various biking celebrities to annoy.

Find out more information at www.motorcyclelive.co.uk and check out this video of British GP rider Cal Crutchlow revving his M1 race bike on stage from the Show's opening day for a small taster of the action.

 

 

[graham22]

WTF is going on with that front mudguard?

Surely this engine in similarly priced/spec trail bike, ie budget DRZ400/mini V-Strom would make as much sense as an all-rounder and at least have some style/credibility?

The country's going mad for Adventure Touring bikes but any post learner/commuter gets something rather boring like this.

[garypotter]

Hmmmmmmm! £3,500 for this new bike or nearly new bandit, cbr600 for commuting, riding 60 miles a day to and from work I guess this bike is not aimed at myself.

[Artstu]

Nice to see another smaller cc bike being launched.

I also rather like the Honda VTR 250, another small bike not available here, perhaps Honda will follow Suzuki's lead and start bringing some small bikes here.

[dapearson]

I've been wondering why they haven't made a bike that can do 70-80 mph and 80 mpg+ for a while now. A 125cc is no good on a dual carriageway and 500cc are ok, but mpg isn't that tremendous. It must be possible to make something that can do 300 miles on a 16 litre tank, yet can still cope with dual carriageway traffic!?

[PaulMoor]

dapearson said:

I've been wondering why they haven't made a bike that can do 70-80 mph and 80 mpg+ for a while now. A 125cc is no good on a dual carriageway and 500cc are ok, but mpg isn't that tremendous. It must be possible to make something that can do 300 miles on a 16 litre tank, yet can still cope with dual carriageway traffic!?

The BMW F650 dose 75mpg... The old ones even better. It dose make you wonder why there are not more bikes with this sort of economy. I suspect it is down to the fact that "super mega racer monthly" will pan it as being a bit dull so they won't sell.

[R66STU]

dapearson said:

I've been wondering why they haven't made a bike that can do 70-80 mph and 80 mpg+ for a while now. A 125cc is no good on a dual carriageway and 500cc are ok, but mpg isn't that tremendous. It must be possible to make something that can do 300 miles on a 16 litre tank, yet can still cope with dual carriageway traffic!?

This is the answer.. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/automobiles/24KA... during my time in the forces i was lucky enough to get a go on one of these.. 80mph no problem..(will go more if you push it) and 90 - 100mpg

Trying to get hold of one will be no easy task though..

[dapearson]

Pretty cool. I can get 240 miles out of 17 litres on my FZS600 Fazer, but that involves a VERY steady throttle and slipstreaming vans :-)

[off_again]

That NY Times article says that there is only one production diesel bike around - from what I read the other day, there is a company in Holland and some bloke in NI that does the previous generation Triumph Tiger with a Smart diesel. Was in a bike magazine that I read on a plane.... cant remember the web site though.

[Gixer_fan]

Don't want to put a major downer on the bike but I imagine it's cheap cause it's made cheaply - steel frame & swingarm, budget suspension, tarted up with some fancy plastics, all components sourced from China, assembled in Vietman or Brazil, etc. Would probably begin to look second hand very quickly..

[boyse7en]

dapearson said:

I've been wondering why they haven't made a bike that can do 70-80 mph and 80 mpg+ for a while now. A 125cc is no good on a dual carriageway and 500cc are ok, but mpg isn't that tremendous. It must be possible to make something that can do 300 miles on a 16 litre tank, yet can still cope with dual carriageway traffic!?

My BMW F800S can top 130mph and 80mpg (not at the same time, I hasten to add).

I average over 60mpg on my daily commute, which is an A-road at 60-90mph.

[Jon Urry]

It seems like mpg is the new mph! Honda are also claiming big mpgs from their new 700s. I don't know, I kind of like mph personally...

[VPower]

Bit of a niche market I know, but apparently these Diesels will do 180MPG at 60MPH all day long!

One owner is currently riding half way round the world on one, using cooking oil!!!

http://www.pricepartmotorcycles.co.uk/page_2219102...

[fwaggie]

Great news that a small CC, cheap bike is on the way.

Not for me, but it'd be great if a lot more young people take up biking.

In the 70s & 80s (and 60s but that's before my time) kids first form of transport was a bike.

With sky high car insurance now, I bet a lot of kids wouldn't mind a little 250 bike that does look quite good for a first bike, with cheap insurance, cheap tax, good MPG.

Kudos to Suzuki, hope other manufacturers follow suit.

[Fire99]

VPower said:

Bit of a niche market I know, but apparently these Diesels will do 180MPG at 60MPH all day long!

One owner is currently riding half way round the world on one, using cooking oil!!!

http://www.pricepartmotorcycles.co.uk/page_2219102...

But 10hp??? 10? That's Honda CG125 territory but with a lot more weight.. I can't see the point of this one.

[N3V4N5]

I'm not a big bike fan, but that does look nice

[hman]

graham22 said:

WTF is going on with that front mudguard?

Surely this engine in similarly priced/spec trail bike, ie budget DRZ400/mini V-Strom would make as much sense as an all-rounder and at least have some style/credibility?

The country's going mad for Adventure Touring bikes but any post learner/commuter gets something rather boring like this.

Trail bikes are generally tall so not much use for short people, also generally uncomfortable for much more than an hour in the saddle ( you're meant to be standing up), having the bike as a trail bike would mean increased cost for durability of parts or it would get a bad rep very quickly, and lastly a bike which looks like a dirt bike is a scrote tea leafs wet ream so wouldnt expect it to stay outside parked on the road for too long.

[KM666]

Nice enough looking and a good concept but what happened to stuff like the honda nsr they are capable of winging it along duel carrageway

[FestivAli]

I wish they had these in showrooms a few months back, instead of the somewhat overpriced TU250X (cool looking though that bike is). I hope they sell it in Aus, we don't have many (any?) naked 250's here new outside of the above and cruiser-types. Looks good too

And fuel and gear indicators! Don't have those on my GS500F

[graham22]

hman said:

Trail bikes are generally tall so not much use for short people, also generally uncomfortable for much more than an hour in the saddle ( you're meant to be standing up), having the bike as a trail bike would mean increased cost for durability of parts or it would get a bad rep very quickly, and lastly a bike which looks like a dirt bike is a scrote tea leafs wet ream so wouldnt expect it to stay outside parked on the road for too long.

Appreciate what trail bikes are about. Why not style it like a trail bike/adventure bike - afterall these are meant to be good at everything. Does not have to be trail bike spec but just styled like one, imagine a 250 V-Strom. There's a 125 Varadero someone locally uses to commute, if Honda made a 250/400 model then surely that would be a good all-rounder.

Just feel the styling on this thing is just too boring.

[ian2144]

Back in the day early 70's when I was 16, a 250cc bike was a big bike and you could ride it on L plates. My dream bike was a Kawasaki 250 triple.