★★★★★ | Suzuki V-Strom 250 ABS
The bike
The bike we have here is a Suzuki V-Strom 250 which falls perfectly into the A2 licence* class. It’s an adventure bike, with longer travel suspension, upright seating position. Think of it like an SUV. Looks good, rugged, can handle all sorts from off road to motorways so it’s perfect for our crappy roads. It has a 248cc parallel-twin engine and is more road-focussed that off road. 248cc, 25bhp and 23.4 Nm torque doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to have fun and do whatever you need to do.
Riding
It’s not particularly fast with a top speed of 85 mph which means those faster overtakes need a little planning. With such modest power and a fun chassis, it does mean you can exploit the V-Strom pretty much everywhere without constantly looking over your shoulder for blue lights. You won’t believe how easy the little V-Strom is to ride.
Bars are fairly high and the seat is soft and comfortable, prompting you to sit up straight in a typical adventure bike style.
It’s big enough to have some road presence and small enough to filter through traffic and it does it all on a thimble full of fuel. This little adventure bike does a staggering 88 mpg which means over 310 miles on a single tank.
Details
There’s a 12V DC power outlet for your sat nav or your phone, a very neat reverse-lit full-LCD instrument panel showing; Speedometer, tachometer, odometer, average fuel consumption, fuel gauge, RPM, service indicator, clock, dual trip meters, gear position, coolant temperature and oil pressure. It sounds like a lot of information but it’s very easy to read. There’s a very handy screen in front of you to protect you from the wind too.
The brakes offer good feel and work well and Bosch ABS is standard. It’s rugged and handsome and doesn’t look like a beginner bike.
Living with it
On the road, the bike rides very nicely. The V-Strom turns well and is fun. It’s a very friendly package, helping you to feel safe and confident. If you’re new to bikes or returning, this is a great way to build your confidence. It’s very easy to manoeuvre with good steering lock which makes urban riding simple.
Despite its adventure bike looks, it’s a pussycat. With a low seat height, it’s a piece of cake to ride. The upright riding position is very comfortable but it isn’t fast.
The Verdict
If you are a new rider or returning to two wheels after a break the V-Strom 250 is great. It looks good, it’s easy to ride, it’s economical and won’t break the bank. It’s not fast so is ideally suited to urban riding and not really ideal for motorway miles.
There are many benefits to riding a motorcycle. it’s fun, It’s practical and in these times of ever-increasing congestion on our roads, a bike offers a fantastic alternative to sitting in queues of traffic hour after hour. It’s greener too!
Loves
Easy to ride & fun
Uses hardly any fuel
Rugged, handsome styling
Loathes
Not very fast
A little buzzy when you rev it hard
Exhaust is quiet
Lowdown
Motorcycle – Suzuki V-Strom 250
Price – £4.599
MPG – 88.28 mpg (combined)
0-62 – 9.3 seconds
Power – 25bhp and 23.4 Nm torque
Top Speed – 85 mph
Co2 – 72 (g/km)
*if you are over 19 with a full car licence, you can take your CBT (basic test), take your theory test and your practical test (just like a car), then you can ride any bike up to 35kw (47bhp). That’s called an A2 licence.
