We test this quarter liter ADV bike from Suzuki
It can’t be denied that the motorcycle-riding population has grown tremendously in the post-pandemic Philippines. Before, Marilaque would only be crowded with riders during weekends. Now, even after midnight, there are still motorcycle riders who ride on its beautiful twisties and enjoy a nice coffee or meal at the restaurants that offer 24-hour service.
Plus the fact that motorcycle manufacturers have been posting their all-time record sales.
With the growing population of motorcycle riders, many would also want to try adventure riding but are intimidated by the often heavy and bulky adventure bikes, not to mention the tall seat height that these bikes offer.
This is where entry-level adventure bikes like the Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX come into play.
Inspired by the V-Strom Adventure Bike
For over 20 years now, the V-Strom has been the choice of many adventure bike riders in Europe and around the world. While its 250 cc version has been available in select markets since 2017, it was not until 2022 that Suzuki Motorcycles Philippines introduced this quarter-liter model to Pinoy riders, and then became available in showrooms in 2023.
The V-Strom 250 SX is inspired by Suzuki’s flagship adventure bike – the V-Strom 1050 – and has a striking resemblance on the outside albeit on a smaller package.
Air and oil-cooled thumper
In the past, Suzuki equipped the V-Strom 250 with a liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that was borrowed from the GSR 250 naked bike. With today’s V-Strom 250 SX, Suzuki opted for a simpler oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine that was borrowed from the Gixxer 250.
While the engine boasts excellent fuel economy thanks to its Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) fuel management system, performance is not sacrificed as it churns out 26 PS of power at 9,300 rpm and 22.2 Nm of torque at 7,300 rpm.
Other highlights of the Suzuki V-Strom 250 SX are ABS for both the front and rear wheels, smartphone/GPS charging socket (USB type A), inverted digital panel, hand guards, sporty dual exhaust muffler, LED headlight, windscreen, aluminum grab bar with top box provision and 19-inch (front) and 17-inch (rear) alloy wheels.
V-Strom 250 SX – the starter ADV bike
As I’ve mentioned above, a lot of riders, especially those who want to try out adventure riding for the first time, get easily intimidated by the tall and heavy adventure bikes. Not on the V-Strom 250 SX.
In the video above, I took this quarter-liter adventure bike on some of the best trails that Arden Botanical Garden in Cavite has to offer. As you can see on the video, trailing a lighter and more agile dirtbike inside the single tracks has been quite easy, thanks to the V-Strom 250 SX’s weight of only 165 kilograms. Another way of saying this was that I was able to flip the bike easily from side to side on some of the tight sections of the trail because the V-Strom 250 SX was very light.
If a rider who is relatively new to adventure riding would hop on the V-Strom 250 SX, the low seat would allow him or her to touch the ground flat-footed – this alone is already a big confidence booster. If the bike is leaned, the rider could easily recover it back up because (again) it’s not heavy at all.
On the highway, with its robust oil-cooled 249 cc powerplant, V-Strom 250 SX can easily go beyond 100 kilometers per hour, outrunning even the fastest scooters and underbones on national roads.
As for fuel consumption, the V-Strom 250 SX still gave me a sweet 32 kilometers per liter fuel economy. Considering my bad riding habits on the highway and a full day of off-roading at Arden Botanical Gardens, I was expecting the bike to return a 25 kilometers per liter fuel economy but it exceeded my expectations.
Things I’ll replace
If there are things that I would replace on the V-Strom 250 SX, should I own one, I’ll start with the headlight. The headlight during night riding barely lights the road ahead. Either I’ll replace the headlight with a better one or add some auxiliary lights.
Another thing that I would replace on the V-Strom 250 SX are the handlebar and foot controls. When we were shooting the V-Strom 250 SX, I slipped and dropped the bike on its side (lowside). No worries there, this bike, after all, is an adventure bike and should withstand some beating. As soon as I stood the bike up, the handlebar and footbrake were bent. I’ll change the handlebar to a more durable handlebar like what we use on dirtbikes so that it won’t bend that easily. I’ll also change the foot controls (brake and shifter) to foldable ones so that these will not bend, or worse, cut clean in the event of a spill during an adventure ride.
I’ll also add some crash guards to protect the V-Strom 250 SX’s engine and bodywork.
My takeaway
I’ll say it again: the V-Strom 250 SX is light and will not be intimidating to those who wish to try adventure riding for the first time. At PHP 229,000, this is an affordable starter adventure bike before heading up to the “big guns” like the V-Strom 800 DE and V-Strom 1050 DE.
Thanks to its upright riding ergonomics and excellent fuel economy, the V-Strom 250 SX can also serve as your long-distance touring companion or even as your daily commuter to and from work.
