2019–2020 · Supersport · Buyer's Guide
The Friendly City Sportster
The GSX250R wraps full GSX-R-style bodywork around a steel double cradle frame and a 248 cc liquid-cooled parallel twin making 24 hp and 17 lb-ft. Suzuki clearly went after usability instead of peak numbers here. The twin is tuned to pull smoothly and predictably from low in the rev range, the chassis is set up for real pavement rather than a stopwatch, and ABS is standard. It sits at the entry end of the sportbike class as the bike you buy for the look and for how little it asks of you, and it honors both sides of that deal.
It ages the way a simple Suzuki should. The engine is unstressed, fuel economy sits at 64 mpg, and the consumables are small and cheap, so a hard year of riding barely shows up on your bank statement. Parts and bolt-ons are everywhere when you want to make it your own. This fits a newer rider who wants sportbike presence without the intimidation, and a commuter who also wants something fun on Sunday. The honest caveat: 24 hp hauling 399 lb (181 kg) means highway grades and passes need planning, and ABS is the extent of the electronic help on board.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 24 hp (18 kW) |
|---|---|
| Torque | 17 lb-ft (23 Nm) |
| Displacement | 248 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 6-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 110/80-17 |
| Rear tire | 140/55-17 |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 399 lb (181 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15 L) |
| Fuel economy | 64 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
Most of this arrived the slow way: years of paddock talk, owner conversations at club nights, and the emails riders send me once they have lived with a bike. On the GSX250R the accounts line up unusually well: praise for how little it asks of the rider and for how it looks, complaints about power and about the front end.
Riders consistently describe a bike that is easy to manage from the first mile, and newer riders say the low seat and light, softly sprung chassis let them relax early. The styling earns nearly as much comment: owners like that the bodywork reads as a bigger, more expensive machine than the price suggests. A few point at the paint and panel fit as better than they expected here.
The most repeated gripe is the engine. Owners say holding highway pace means keeping it spinning hard, and several rate it short on muscle next to bigger small-displacement rivals. The other theme sits at the front. Some have little faith in the stock tires, calling the steering vague and trusting it less in the wet, while others report the fork turning skittish and wobbling over bumps once the pace picks up.
Headlight bulb premature failure
The low and/or high beam headlight bulb filament can fail prematurely, causing the headlight to go out while riding. Affects 2018 models but the issue may extend to later bikes with the same component.
Rear brake light switch corrosion
Water intrusion can corrode the rear brake stop lamp switch, causing the brake light to either fail to illuminate or stay on continuously. Affects 2018-2019 models.
Gearbox shifting difficulty
Some riders report problems engaging first gear from neutral (bike refuses to clunk into gear) and occasional notchy upshifts from fourth to fifth under hard acceleration.
Where this Suzuki GSX250R pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the GSX250R is actually built for.
If you run Angeles Crest at pace with fast company, this bike will leave you working on the straights. Take it for line practice and cheap miles, not for keeping up.
Made for Angeles Crest Highway · Coronado Trail / US 191 · Highway 1 / Big Sur
Light steering and modest power make this a genuinely good tool for cleaning up your lines on tight East Coast roads. The long highway slog to get there is the part you will not enjoy.
Made for Back of the Dragon · Blue Ridge Parkway · Cherohala Skyway
For unhurried Hill Country loops it stays comfortable, cheap to feed, and easy all day. Long, fast transits between the good roads are where 24 hp starts to feel thin.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Suzuki GSX250R. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2015–2020
City Light, Highway Capable
About the same used price as this bike at 6 yr
Competitor · 2019–2024
Light, Sharp, Rev It Hard
Roughly $1,200 pricier used than this bike at 7 yr
Competitor · 2018–2024
Light Weight, Sharp Lines
About the same used price as this bike at 6 yr
Same Platform · 2017–2020
City Miles on a Dime
Similar Character · 2011–2013
The Rider You Learn On