Faults:

I have a problem with the blinkers.

General Comments:

Firstly as a bike for a pure 100% beginner, I'd say the bike is fine, great even. It's really light and easy to handle, and it'll be a lot of fun for probably two weeks, but after that you'll start to get a little annoyed with the lack of power, or I did anyway. There's been a few times the wind has kept me from reaching a 55mph speed limit, and I weigh 160.

The gearing isn't great; if you're going up a hill at all you have to max it out then shift, or it'll just stutter for a bit, and 5th gear... is for purely maintaining speed maybe, not gaining LOL.

I hate to just diss on the little machine, it's kind of grown on me and I've certainly turned a lot of heads, and it shines up nicely and it's a fun ride most of the time, but if you're in a pinch for time, this is NOT the ride you should take! Mine is pretty big looks wise for a 250, but I saw a newer model the other day and it's a lot smaller...

Overall, if you're wondering if you should get this GZ250 or no motorcycle at all, I'd get it. But don't let this be your only opinion of a bike if you don't like it, because honestly it probably won't be the best motorcycle for the price; it's alright though.

Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

Never rode a bike in my life (56 then).

I wanted a vehicle where I would be in control of it (i.e. weight, power, etc.), not the other way around.

Bought a Plain Jane 250. Ideal choice for the task.

Was told (by the salesman) not to invest into extras and upgrades as I would grow out of it into something bigger.

Was he right. Used it every day. Sold it (the same year) when something bigger (Honda 900C; 10 speed, 98HP) happened.

Maintenance: occasional wash only + chain lubrication (frequent, thus my next bike was shaft driven - entire different world; will never go back to a chain).

Comfort: rather spartan. The seat becomes an issue after 1 hour of driving.

Fuel mileage: excellent.

This is not bike meant for the highways (freeways) or speeds exceeding 55mph!

Had to abort passing of another (bigger) bike; an extremely humbling experience.

Ideal for learner on country roads to learn the ropes safely. Have it for a season and move on.

Faults:

I have a 2002 Suzuki GZ250.

It has been very reliable for the most part, although I did need to get the choke cable fixed last year after it got stuck.

Also, the front brake pads needed to be replaced after just 7000 miles.

The spark plug needed to be replaced at 11,000 miles, but it was very easy and cheap to replace.

The exhaust and chrome bits will rust easily if you don't keep them clean and polished.

The chain maintenance can be a pain. I have adjusted the tension 3 times in the past year.

However, I accept that a motorcycle will be more maintenance intensive than a car, and I enjoy a little tinkering.

It's a very fun bike to ride around town, but would get tiring on a long trip with the low power and high revving.

General Comments:

My 2002 Suzuki GZ250 is a great little bike. The gas mileage is fantastic - about 70-75 miles per gallon. With a 3.7 gallon tank, it has a range of well over 200 miles. It has a top speed of about 75, although 55 is a comfortable cruising speed.

It is a nice looking bike, and is cheap to insure and run. Plus the fact that it is a 250 makes it less desirable to thieves.

The bike is simple and very easy to work on. It makes a great first motorcycle that you can learn the ropes of riding and maintenance on.