Suzuki motorcycles India has an impressive portfolio of scooters and bikes in India ranging across different segments. Now the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan has launched a new sports adventure tourer in the market. The all-New 250cc, V-Strom SX marks the brands’ entry in the 250cc sports adventure tourer segment in the country. The bike has been priced at Rs. 2.11 lakh (ex-showroom) and gets 3 colour options – Champion Yellow No. 2, Pearl Blaze Orange and Glass Sparkle Black. Suzuki has been selling the V-Strom 650 in the Indian market for a few years now while in the 250cc segment it retails the popular Gixxer 250 in its naked and faired avatars.
V-Strom SX (Glass Sparkle Black)
V-Strom SX (Champion Yellow No. 2)
V-Strom SX (Pearl Blaze Orange)
DESIGN
The V-Strom SX takes its styling and engineering cues from its extremely popular big brother Suzuki V-Strom series. This 250cc motorcycle displays the much talked about versatility of its elder siblings. The beak design of this sports adventure tourer is inspired by legendary DR-Z racer and DR- BIG off-road models and has been remade specifically for the V-Strom SX. The LED Octagonal shaped headlights provide sleek look and support the rider in maintaining strong road presence. At the back of the sports adventure tourer, the LED taillights are highly visible at night.
FEATURES
The bike comes with the Suzuki Easy Start System, Suzuki Ride Connect and USB outlet and the aim is to ensure rider comfort in all terrains. Suzuki Easy Start System allows the engine to start with a click of a button. The motorcycle is equipped with Suzuki Ride Connect feature which comes with the Bluetooth enabled digital console that lets you sync your mobile phone with the bike to provide features such as turn-by-turn navigation, incoming call, SMS alert and WhatsApp Alert display and missed call, speed exceeding warning, phone battery level display and estimated time of arrival. A USB outlet on the left side of the instrument cluster can charge a device. It glows blue making it easy to spot and use it even in low light situations.
ENGINE
Suzuki says the 249cc, 4 stroke, single-cylinder, oil cooler SOHC V-Strom SX engine is both strong and linear, offering excellent torque at low rpm and a smooth run up, making it easy to use for beginners as well as for veteran riders. The sports adventure tourer adopted analytic technology from MotoGP that was used to develop the valves, shim type roller rocker arms, retainers and piston to reduce the weight. V-Strom SX’s piston contributes to increased output and better fuel efficiency. Inheriting this MotoGP technology, this new motorcycle, according to Suzuki, can handle a wide variety of situations, from riding in town to high-speed cruising.
At the heart, the V-Strom SX comes with Suzuki Oil-Cooling System (SOCS), which warms the engine up quickly and keeps it at the optimum temperature. It also contributes to the engine’s overall lightweight and the V-Strom SX’s brisk, nimble feel. The sports adventure tourer also comes with sensors to provide data to the electronic fuel injection to monitor and deliver ideal amount of fuel to match the riding conditions. Powered by SEP Technology, Suzuki V-Strom SX promises to deliver high fuel efficiency without compromising on the performance and manoeuvrability.
RIDE & HANDLING
Under the design concept, “Toughness in a Slender Shell”, V-Strom SX gets its toughness from its rugged, adventure-inspired looks and confidence- inspiring chassis. The slender shell refers to a slim exterior shape owing to the compact engine design that appears to be wrapped in a “protector-like” shell. Its nimble handling and light weight make it simple to manoeuvre through the city. A well-rounded chassis forms the backbone of the V-Strom SX bringing together a feature set suited for riding both on paved and unpaved roads. With this bike the idea is to give a lightweight versatile crossover that will make it best suited for the daily commute, long highway rides, and exploring rough terrains.
The writer is Senior Editor at carandbike.com
