2009 Suzuki GZ250 Review

Introduction

The small model carries on to 2009 without any changes and, even more, it loses the gray coloring available for the 2008 model year and simply sticks to black. Based on a simple strategy that is best concluded by the words “why fix it if it ain’t broken?”, the Suzuki GZ250 is being powered by the same economical four-stroke, single-cylinder, SOHC, 2-valve engine with Twin Dome Combustion Chamber (TDCC) put at everyone’s disposal as the seat is 27.8 inches from the ground and the bike’s curb weight is 331 lbs.

History

1998 Suzuki GZ250 Marauder

If you thought that 2009 is just an exception and the GZ250 gets its fair share of revisions on certain intervals, checking out the bike’s evolution will change your opinion. First introduced in 1998, the Suzuki GZ250, also called the Marauder, used the GN250 engine and the looks of the VZ800 Marauder in order to do a first great impression and that’s pretty much it.

The seat height hasn’t been modified ever since, but the first Marauder did weigh an impressive 302 lbs. Small, but reliable, the 249cc single-cylinder, SOHC, four-valves engine produced 20.1 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and 18.7 Nm at 7,000 rpm, which is pretty decent even nowadays.

Future production years didn’t brought any upgrades or even the smallest change despite the new color schemes with which Suzuki juggled almost every year.

Ever since 2004, the Suzuki GZ250 featured improved fuel economy as a result of a redesigned combustion chamber into a Twin Dome shape. The bike was exactly the same as the one today.

Competition

2008 V Star 250

Suzuki may start thinking about revising their smallest cruiser as Star Motorcycles likes to dominate the entry-level category with the V Star 250. The engine on this thing is also a 249cc air-cooled SOHC, but that’s about where the similarities end as the 60-degree V-twin configuration with 2 valves per cylinder set the Star apart from the easily neglected Suzuki.

2009 Honda Rebel

Already more of a temptation than the 2009 Suzuki, the 2008 V Star 250 ads a 27.0 inches seat height and 324 lb wet weight on top of that. Considering the 82 mpg (Suzuki) and 78 mpg (Star) as well as the $3,790 MSRP for this last, the decision is yours.

But if you’re looking for something in between the Suzuki and the Star, Honda is here to provide. The 2009 Rebel is an entry-level bike powered by a docile 234cc air-cooled parallel twin-cylinder, SOHC, two valves per cylinder unit. With the lowest seat height in its class (26.6 inches) and the exact same curb weight as the Suzuki (331 lbs), this is quite an alternative. MSRP is $3,399.

Exterior

2009 Suzuki GZ250

Having not suffered any design change ever since its introduction, the Suzuki GZ250 proves that timeless looks don’t need any by their nature. So what is it that makes beginners crave for this model with each year that passes and each missed revamp?

For starters, the smooth, flawless lines of the bigger Marauder describe the fenders and gas tank while the spoke wheels set it closer to the classic style as well as the multitude of chromed pieces (headlight, mirrors and instrument covers, exhaust and the rear fender ornaments).

It would be nice to see a V-Twin engine instead of the single-cylinder one underneath that gas tank as that is what practically defines a cruiser, but, the way we see things, there are few chances for that to happen pretty soon.

The only color scheme available for 2009 is the simple Black. If it was good enough for Henry Ford it is also good enough for this Suzuki.

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