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Suzuki RGV 250 Gamma
by Jonny_L
There are few things that stir the soul in the motorcycling world, be it the raucous grunt of a big Ducati, the whoosh of a 1000cc inline four, or the punch of a well set up RGV250 when it hits it's powerband.
And what a powerband. Until about 7500rpm you get pretty much nothing, you're riding it and thinking "hmm, have ... I bought a 50cc bike here?", and then it hits 8000rpm and literally all hell breaks loose. The kick it gives is similar to that of a good 600cc bike, only in a much more focused package.
Yes your mates will laugh when they hear the typical two stroke engine doing it's best crazy frog impression, and they'll laugh when they see the size of the thing, it's pretty titchy. They may be wrustled slightly, however, by the telltail paintwork (the one to have is really the Kevin Schwantz Lucky Strike replica). Of course, the laughter will soon subside by the first corner.
The slightest shove of the forks is enough to get your knee onto the deck, and if you've not ridden a little stroker before you'll be absolutely astounded, and probably make a few 50p peice shaped corners at first while you're getting adjusted to what this thing can actually achieve. This bike weighs under 140kg, I can lift the back end with one hand, and this shows in it's incredible cornering balance. Once on it's side it feels perfectly stable and considerably civilised for what is really an all out race bike with a number plate.
The ride position is focused. You're in a real racing crouch, don't expect to be comfortable on that seat either, it might as well be made from stone after half an hour's riding. That's not really what this bike is about though. The RGV250 these days is a brilliant track tool. Yes the big bikes will get you on the straights, but when the bends come along you'll have the last laugh.
Of course, the two-stroke V twin is the heart of it all. It's lightweight, simple to work with and pretty reliable. You do need to worry about powervalves however, as due to the overall cost of the bike if these go you'd be better off just getting a second hand engine. The weak point is a little pin that holds them in, and if that breaks or comes out, your looking at a nice big metal peg inside the barrel. Don't be scared by this though, as long as they're checked at every service you'll be fine. Also you can be happy in the knowledge that those powervalves are making the bike much easier to use at low revs.
Servicing is really straight forward on the RGV250. You may need to change the piston rings every so often, but being a 2 stroke there are no valves to worry about, and the engine is a really nice and simple affair. Good quality 2-stroke oil is a must, Castrol R is expensive but worth it if you really want to look after your bike.
There are lots of bargains to be had when it comes to buying these, starting at around £500! But really you're looking at a right dog for one of those, and you'd be much better spending around £1500+. Many of these bikes will have been thrown down the road at some point, so make sure you've got your wits about you. A good owner will be able to tell you when it was serviced and which oil they've been using.
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Other Suzuki...
by danfarrell_ne
i have a suzuki zillion ux50
its is very reliable scoot and will start on elecric every morning cold or warm.
the zillion is one of the most stylish scooters about in my oppinion although thay arnt too fast.
my scooter is de-restricted and totaly standard and will do 44 mph on flat.
thay have cool fat tyres and a low ... ground clearance and handle very well.
there is on thing about my scooter though and that is going down hill it vibrates and is very loud, if anyone knows what that is please tell me. it may just need suvising.
the zillion has good mpg (althought i dont know what it is)
it will get past my mates gilara runner our of corners no problem.
it has space for a helmet under the seat and just over a gallon tank and two stroke oil under there as well.
over all i think it is a great little scooter for getting around town, and beats getting the buss anyday.
there wernt many of these scooters built so parts like the fairings are hard to get a hold of, but every thing else is fine, and you can use the same exhausts as the more common suzuki katana so its easy to get them for round about £69.
i am going to get an exhaust on mine and lighter rollers and a survise so i will add on then.
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Suzuki GSX-R600
by Jonny_L
The bike I'm reviewing is a K6 (2006) model.
We live in an age now where the only real difference between supersport bikes is the make and the fairing. Gone are the days of the road biased comfy, everyday sports bike, such as the likes of the CBR600F, in favour of sky high redlines and whopping horsepower at the cost of ... torque.
However, there is still hope in the shape of the Suzuki GSX-R600. This bike is as you'd expect, mind-bogglingly fast, as agile as you'd ever want a bike to be for the road, and a serious track tool at the same time. But there's a bit more to it than that. The K6 engine is very usable, it has ample pickup from the bottom revs, and although you'll want to be sure that you're in the right gear, this has a nice wide powerband.
Comfort-wise, I found it better than I had expected. The seat is large and there's a fair amount of room for your legs. There is a bit of weight on your arms, but not too much, after a good hour's hard riding I found I could still feel all my ligaments and my wrists and backside weren't too bad off.
The bike isn't the best quality, the rear panels did feel a bit flimsy and creaky, but the front was ok. You'd want to get some crash bobbins though as that fairing would break at the slightest impact.
Luggage carrying capacity isn't brilliant obvously, though I really think you'd even struggle to get a set of throwover panniers on there. The tank is mainly plastic, so you'd need to be creative to fit a tank bag.
But then that's not what this bike is all about I suppose. It's really more than you'd need for a road bike, with the capability to break every national speed limit in 1st gear, but still enough real life usability. You don't get much in the way of information, a rev meter, a digital speedo, trip and possibly a fuel light, plus the now obligatory shift light, which is a pretty bright white. Switch gear is as you'd expect, but I'd want to keep it under cover as suzuki bolts have a tendancy to rust a bit.
You'll notice I've not mentioned the engine yet. It is a great engine, but you don't get much of a feeling of character from it. It's hard to explain as it sounds good, goes well, but there's a degree of clinical engineering to it. But you can't complain, it's smooth as double cream, as is the gearbox, quick and reliable.
Overall the quality isn't that great, but this is one bargain motorcycle. You can pick these up new for around £6000, and used you can get a good one for as little as £3000. That's a lot of bike for your dosh. Of course, the CBR600RR is worth a second look too.
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