The Japanese manufacturers Suzuki have been in the motorcycle business for quite some time and have dominated many international markets. The Indian markets, however, are a completely different story. The country is the fourth largest and the fastest growing auto market in the world. This is also, and especially true for two-wheelers, as the mean income of the residents allow them to afford mainly motorcycles. The commuter is a segment which is very popular in India, but lately, as the income seems to be on the rise, the love for motorcycles have not quite rescinded. Instead, there is a demand for various multi-cylinder and entry-level sports and street bikes.
The 250cc segment is one area which is filled with some of the best bikes, which scream affordability and performance. The main leaders right now are the Yamaha FZ25 and the KTM Duke250 the latter being the outright leader in this segment. Here the Japanese company, Suzuki faces a challenge, on how to price their motorcycle the Suzuki Gixxer 250 and when should be the appropriate launch date.
The Gixxer 250 has been in the pipeline for quite some time and has faced several launch delays, the most recent ones coming off the back of the failure of the Suzuki Inazuma. The plans as of now detail on a launch next year. The bike will be carrying the ever popular Gixxer moniker. The motorcycle is first set to launch as a naked bike and will then be followed up by a fully faired version. The bike is to feature a very muscular design and the styling will be inspired by the 750cc and the 1000cc version of the bikes. For the motorcycle enthusiasts, they can buy the higher cylinder versions of the bike as they are already on sale in the country.
Yet these cycles are quite costly, mainly due to the heavy import duties placed on them as they are completely built units which ships to India. The upcoming Gixxer 250, however, is going to be built in India, thus substantially lowering costs. In terms of looks, the bike should look like the Suzuki Houje 300 which is sold in China, but will instead feature led head and tail lamps along with a digital instrument cluster.
In terms of the engine and transmission specs of the car, those are quite unknown. The engine is rumoured to be a single-cylinder 250cc engine which comes with four valves. The manufacturer might keep the cooling system as oil based one, instead of a liquid cooling system to keep costs in check. The output will be around 25-30 brake horsepower and will come with a six-speed transmission for smoother rides on highways. The avant-garde styling combined with an aggressive pricing will force sales of the bike through the roof. If you have been on the market for a bike which looks completely different and will turn heads, you might want to wait for a little longer, as the Suzuki Gixxer 250 might just be the bike for you.
