Another new 250 - Suzuki TU250

How is it doomed? by price? seems pretty normally priced for a 250 in canada.
it appeals to a different crowd than the 250r gt250, or cbr250 due to not trying to look like a sportbike. there could be lots of people wanting a classic bike but as new riders not want the extra complication (argueable) of an older engine and no warranty. this is a good alternative to someone that had their eye on a cb350 etc.
only time will tell if the market is there for it. clearly it is not marketed to 21yr olds drooling over crotch rockets. but other people ride bikes too.
 
Drum rear brake?

OMFG! Did they ditch electronic ignition in favour of points and condenser?

1 U.S. dollar = 1.02169988 Canadian dollars So tell me again why stealerships in Canada need to charge more for the machine?

Oh, and I really dig the fact that there is a retro styled bike out there that is not cruiser or sport bike. There are a ton of people that are looking for a solid commuter that'll do highway speeds and the odd two up or weekend trip.
 
fyrebug said:
only time will tell if the market is there for it. clearly it is not marketed to 21yr olds drooling over crotch rockets. but other people ride bikes too.
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Good point, however do yourself a favor and check pricing on GS500. The price makes zero sense either way you slice it.
 
technology left that baby behind! Other than FI it's the same basic bike that's been around since 1962

Garden tractors are more advanced than that poor thing.
 
mxs said:
Good point, however do yourself a favor and check pricing on GS500. The price makes zero sense either way you slice it.
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No clue what the MSRP is to be honest and couldn't find it on gp or zuk site, but I keep seeing them for 3 grand and they sell, so I'm not sure where you're going.

can/us on bikes is always terrible, this is no exception so it really shouldn't be a surprise. most new riders that want this bike won't be stopped by a drum brake, or by spoke wheels (is that bad? see, I'm new, it wouldn't stop me) or by checking the US price. you're buying it for it's looks, the same as someone buying a 2008 ninja 250 is buying it for the looks instead of buying a 2006 ninja 250.
different strokes for different folks.

I'd prefer to see a streetfighter 250
 
I can't tell if that is a joke or not. Out dated technology like drum brakes yet similar MSRP to a Ninja 250. Did HD recently acquire Suzuki Canada or something? At least it is FI, can't complain about that on a beginner bike. This bike would make a lot more sense at the US price point.
 
fyrebug said:
No clue what the MSRP is to be honest and couldn't find it on gp or zuk site, but I keep seeing them for 3 grand and they sell, so I'm not sure where you're going.

can/us on bikes is always terrible, this is no exception so it really shouldn't be a surprise. most new riders that want this bike won't be stopped by a drum brake, or by spoke wheels (is that bad? see, I'm new, it wouldn't stop me) or by checking the US price. you're buying it for it's looks, the same as someone buying a 2008 ninja 250 is buying it for the looks instead of buying a 2006 ninja 250.
different strokes for different folks.

I'd prefer to see a streetfighter 250
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spoked wheels limits you to bias ply tires and inner tubes. While I'm not in the market for this bike, if i had the $ for a new bike i'd be on a vstrom, varadero, gs1200a or a ktm950 (and the irony that those four bikes have spoked wheels, they're streetable dirt bikes) you can get a similar bike (with carbs) for 1000-2000 dollars on the used market depending on the time of year.
 
This bike is just the existing 250 Marauder mini-cruiser with a few UJM cosmetic changes. Price is about the same too. Sure, it can't compete with a Ninja 250 on specs, but neither can any of its Rebel/Marauder/VStar250 equivalents.
 
The drum brake is perfectly fine, same with bias-ply tires. Maybe adjusting the rear pedal height will be a little foreign to some owners, but honestly I don't see most people putting enough mileage on it to wear the shoes much before trading up anyway. And doesn't the CBR125R still come with bias-ply tires? On the plus side, carbs are a major turn off for a lot of first time buyers (going by a lot of newbie threads alone) - it doesn't matter if the problems are minor or manageable.

Personally I like the styling. I think the only major problem is the price - who would choose this over the Ninja 250R, which costs less?
 
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Ok, so it's a lot of older technology mixed with the catchy word of fuel injection.

what do you think will happen with a snazzy sales man mixed with a new buyer that hasn't done their homework walking into a dealership?

I'm not saying I'd buy this bike, I'm not saying you should buy this bike.
I'm saying they're still going to sell a few.
 
I am seeing a perfect cafe candidate.

That said, single aircool engine is much cheaper should be much cheaper than the parallel twin that kawasaki offer. heck, it should be cheaper than the new CBR250, which is liquid cool.

Also, why their Murderer 250 (which is exactly the same bike, except cursierized) was 4700 MSRP before they discontinued, and 5300 for TU250, which is almost the same bike?
 
How I see it:
Older new riders tend to skip past the 250's and head straight for something that will fit in with the crowd their trying to mix with. They can do this because they have the disposable income to afford it.
Young new riders will be more concerned with price, looks, and performance per dollar (admittedly low regardless of 250) and the TU250 doesn't look all that appealing on those points when matched up against the Ninja 250 and CBR250.
This leaves a very niche group that is actually seeking a bike like this. And amongst this niche group, I have to believe a good portion are experienced because they're at a point in their riding life where they know what they want. Experience means they're more likely to be comfortable searching the used bike market for that particular type of bike at a price they accept. This leaves me thinking the TU250, at $5300+taxes, freight, admin, etc. is going to appeal to an extremely small market. Hold off until late next year and catch the blowout price when Suzuki tries to unload the overstock.
 
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Okay, no one is going to decide between this TU250 and a Ninja 250. It's either one or the other depending on what style of bike the buyer wants. Now I finally have a bike to recommend whenever someone stops me on the street and asks me if it's a good idea to buy a vintage bike with no motorcycle experience. Thank you Suzuki for making my life easier.


TwistedKestrel said:
Personally I like the styling, and the kickstart.
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I don't see one on the bike.
 
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RetroGrouch said:
I don't see one on the bike.
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...Huh, you're right. I heard about this bike a year or two ago, I swear it had a kickstart then. Maybe?
 
I like the vintage look, but it is expensive. Isn't that normal for a new product though. Wont it probably become cheeper?
 
rafiki911 said:
I like the vintage look, but it is expensive. Isn't that normal for a new product though. Wont it probably become cheeper?
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No, Suzuki will discontinue it shortly due to poor sales, just like the Kawi W650 10 years ago. There are people who like vintage looking modern bikes but they also expect a vintage price.
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