Suzuki V-Strom SX: First Ride Review

The Visuals

The design of the V-Strom SX is inspired by the bigger V-Strom 650 and 1000. While the headlamp looks the same as the naked Gixxer 250, it is surrounded by a lot of plastic panels here. There’s a beak-like front end, a small side fairing blending in with the fuel tank, and a long tail section with a split-type seat and a chunky tail rack. Typical of an ADV, it gets a tall windscreen as well. The motorcycle looks appealing and proportionate from the front to the sides. However, when looked at from the rear, one might mistake it for a smaller 110-125cc motorcycle, courtesy of the profoundly slim tail section.

The Package

First, let me run you through the changes it gets over its Gixxer siblings. The front alloy wheel is a larger 19-inch unit in the V-Strom, as against the 17-inchers in its naked and faired sibling. As a result, the ground clearance is 40mm higher at 205mm while the seat height, at 835mm, has gone up by 35mm. Moreover, the inclusion of additional bodywork and a larger front wheel has increased its kerb weight. It tips the weighing scale at 167kg which is 6kg and 11kg more than the Gixxer 250 and the SF 250, respectively. Then, Suzuki has also tweaked its sub-frame to accommodate the long tail portion.

In terms of features, the V-Strom gets Bluetooth connectivity, which the Gixxer twins miss. This has enabled turn-by-turn navigation, notifications of calls, SMS, and WhatsApp, and phone battery level indication, all on the display itself. What’s more, the V-Strom incorporates a USB charging port too.

What’s not changed is its engine, suspension setup and travel, brakes, chassis, and even the 12-litre fuel tank. It’s powered by a 249cc, oil-cooled, four-valve engine that makes 26.1bhp and 22.2Nm. This mill comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Suspension duties are handled by telescopic forks and a monoshock while the stopping power comes from a single disc at both ends with dual-channel ABS.

The Ride

As I hopped on the V-Strom, placing my feet firmly on the ground wasn’t an issue, despite the seat height being taller than its Gixxer siblings. For reference, I am a little over 5’11’’. One of my fellow journalists, who is around 5’8’’, struggled a bit initially but got used to it in no time. Now, once you’re in the saddle, you’re sitting upright with the handlebar within easy reach and footpegs being centre-set. In fact, the ergonomics are extremely comfortable too, even for long hours of riding. The seat, in particular, deserves a special mention for its dense foam and abundance of space to move back and forth.

Push the starter and you realise the exhaust note is the same as the Gixxers; it evokes the same thrum at lower revs and a little bass when fully revved. That said, a bassier and throatier exhaust sound would have given it a little more character.

Refined and tractable is how I would describe the character of this engine. It accelerates with decent urgency until 5,000rpm and the pull gets stronger and more vigorous beyond that. The build-up of pace is quick but also linear, and you don’t feel a sudden rush anywhere in the rev band. Nevertheless, it’s enjoyable in the city with enough mid-range grunt to pull off quick overtakes. And impressive tractability means pottering around in the sixth gear at 40-45kmph is doable. This is backed by a supremely light clutch and a slick gearbox which add to its city ride-ability.

On the highway, it feels the most comfortable around 100-110kmph. Until these speeds, vibrations are well contained and you can overtake by going one cog down. Keep pushing it beyond 110kmph and the engine starts feeling strained with minor vibrations creeping in on the footpegs. Not that you can’t do 120s and 130s but the motorcycle feels strangled at these speeds. Also, the windscreen only works until about 100kmph and wind buffeting reaches fatigue-inducing levels post that.

As the road quality starts deteriorating, slowing down or standing on the pegs is the ideal move since the suspension setup has been firmly sprung. As you go over rumblers, deep potholes, or tall speed bumps, you feel a slight jolt to your back, with its intensity varying as per your speed. It’s not back-breaking level stiff but the firmness is noticeable through every major undulation. It smoothly glides over small-amplitude dips and crests though.

As for the handling, it does feel a tad lazy due to the larger 19-inch front wheel. However, the well-engineered chassis facilitates the motorcycle with decent agility. It’s quick and enjoyable around corners, especially through the sweeping ones. The only thing that holds it back is its dual-purpose tyres, which are close to proper knobbies, and don’t inspire much confidence when you push the bike’s handling envelope. Talking about the brakes, things are impressive in this department. The front delivers a great bite and there’s a decent feel from the lever, while the rear brake is quite progressive.

Should you buy it?

The Suzuki V-Strom SX 250 is a good motorcycle, with nothing extraordinary or mind-blowing. It does almost everything nicely. The engine is smooth and tractable, it handles well, the ergonomics are comfortable, and the features list is acceptable. Even the pricing, at Rs 2.11 lakh (ex-showroom), is lesser than the likes of the Royal Enfield Himalayan and KTM 250 Adventure. Well, it would have been more desirable with punchier engine performance, a better set of tyres, plusher ride quality, and brag-worthy features. That said, if you’re upgrading from a smaller displacement offering and want a no-fuss daily commuter which also has touring-centric traits, the V-Strom SX fits the bill.

Photography by Kapil Angane