You and I have the same addiction.
We endlessly scroll the internet trolling for our next motorcycle.
Does the ‘disease of more’ impel the search for something better?
There are much worse addictions.
The price was beyond right for a newer street legal motorcycle with a title.
The ad had been running for weeks with no takers.
The Suzuki GW 250 is an odd little duck.
Not much info for the American market.
Small Japanese machines bear the stigma of gutless beginner bikes.
The road tests said the GW was underpowered.
Could barely keep up in freeway traffic.
Bad reviews are the kiss of death.
I know Suzuki has many versions of their 250 street bikes.
Both singles and twins.
For the record, the GW250 is a water-cooled, fuel injected parallel twin.
I drove out to the country for a look.
The condition was typical of a bike in a barn.
The seller was gracious enough to allow a road test before buying.
The riding position; classic UJM.
The instrument cluster just about perfect:
Analog tach with digi speedo, clock, fuel gauge & gear indicator.
All you need and then some.
The engine was a pleasant surprise.
The reviews shouted: counter balanced, long stoke, two-valver.
To me it was a twin that felt more like a four.
Very smooth revving out to a pleasant crescendo at 11,000 RPM.
Suspension and brakes were fine, considering.
Handling is good, even if the front lacked feel when pushed.
Which might say more about me being a ham-fisted rider.
While the GW250 will never be a freeway flyer,
It was a pleasant roadster on narrow lanes.
I took her home, removed the stock mirrors and a few logos, put on a pair of my favorite grips.
Plus the usual stuff; changing the oil, service the chain, set the tire pressure.
My eighteen-year-old daughter liked the Japanese Anime styling.
Enjoying the back roads.
You must carry your momentum,
This bike will never go down a gear and disappear. Ever.
But the motor has good character.
It sounds like a motorcycle should, even with a stock exhaust.
The GW250 is quite a refined little package.
I dubbed the little roadster “Lusso”.
Clean bathrooms, lots of pumps & fresh coffee.
A young man rolled up on his Ducati as I refueled.
I nodded in his direction.
He took off his helmet and asked “Is that your piece of shit? Like are you just learning to ride or something?”
I laughed, mentioned the Ducatis I’ve owned, and that I was service manager at a Ducati dealership.
Said Ducati makes nice art work, but his sportbike is miserable as a road bike.
The riding position is a pain in the neck, the heat from your 1098’s engine will melt your legs on a summer day.
Plus, we all know what they’re like to get serviced.
He fired back ‘Well I meet babes”.
Shaking my head I replied ‘If you want to meet women, buy a Vespa”.
There is not much respect for small motorcycles.
The adage of the bigger the engine, the bigger the man is tiresome.
A brand doesn’t define the man.
Are we not all riders?
I paid cash for my little bike, and will carry on riding it.
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Didn’t realize you were in SEPTA territory.
That is a fine motorcycle. Small bikes are hardly appreciated. A friend let me use his Honda 400-4. I wore the tires and needed to replace them before returning the gem. A Kawasaki 250 Ninja was another gem. Now there is a Honda CL 175 looking for a new home. I have driven them on the freeways, it what kind of fun is that. Get out on a fun motorcycle road, like the local Sierra mountain roads.
My two ‘ unloved ‘ M/Cs
One I owned and regret ever selling … BMW R1200C … the best fitting M/C I’ve ever sat my tail on . A 500 mile ride was a walk in the park on that unloved little gem
The other I regret not buying …. the Bimota Mantra .. perhaps the most under rated , unloved ( despised actually ) sensible ‘ sport /commuter/light tourer/fast as ( bleep ) cruiser ever created ( read my essay on Odd-Bike ) Test rode one .. still can’t tell you why I didn’t buy it … been kicking myself ever since !
Trouble is when considering either today .. trying to find an unmolested one is like trying to find a Unicorn in a pig pen
Hmmm … makes me wonder if there’s anyone out there in love with the Honda Pacific Coast ? [ which was another unloved gem ] Perhaps even more despised than the Mantra ?.
And once again Lawless .. nice one … any clue yet about a book ?
I love the design of Honda Pacific Coast and long considered purchasing one when I was making the transition (read this as “growing up”) from 30yrs on American Iron. Found one at a local dealership (used with low miles), took it for a ride and opted out (despite my appreciation of the design and a waterproof trunk that held enough for a week on the road) because of to the over abundance of plastic and underpowered drive train; 800cc just isn’t enough for me. I ended up with the Kawasaki Concours.
Thank you! A book is my dream and my goal. I think I need an agent (lol)
The y’all should get yerself one . !
Might I recommend approaching Copper Canyon Press in Port Townsend WA . Suffice it to say they publish a wide range off contemporary poetry the pinnacle of which are Jim Harrison’s ( a personal favorite )
If in your shoes … I’d ring their bell and see what’s what
I love riding period. My two long term, most prized possessions are my 72 commando and 01 st2. Both have enuf of what it takes to pull 160# me right off the fukin handlebars! But nevertheless, last time I was in Honolulu, I could choose between rentals; a $170 a day sportster or a $40 scooter. Guess who won….. I had some leftover cash for a nice lunch out with my ex, though she didn’t want to go for a ride after hehe
re: the Ducati rider’s comment: have always disliked the elitist posturing of many motorcycle riders; looking askance at others’ machine, doing their very best to keep their brand elevated above reproach. goes to prove that divisive behavior is present even in our small community.
Not as divisive as one might logically ( since just the fact os riding an M/C in the overall scheme of things is in the overall opinion of mass society .. both rebellious and divisive )
Fact is … the M/C community is the polar opposite of divisive … rejecting new design after new design despite the benefits ( re; Vyrus , Bimota Tesi , Bimota Mantra , Honda Pacific Coast as just a few examples ) preferring things remain the same as they ever were … with a few more electronics and maybe a touch of carbon fiber . The H-D community being the worst ..
So once again I’ll refer you to my extended essay on Odd-Bike ..( the Mantra article ) where you’ll read the extended evidence to our almost total lack of divisiveness . Cause in reality … we’re the most overly homogenized bunch of the gearhead lot
😎
That was a great comment to the ducati rider, but he’s under the spell of the advertisers and hasn’t lived long enough to find his true self by the sound of it. Fair comment on the Vespa too. I have a C125 SuperCub that I take up to the local biker cafe atop Mount Glorious near Brisbane. Every time I get people coming up to chat about it, older guys that had their first bike ride on an old C70 or a couple of women very interested in the details of the bike. I never get that attention with my other bikes.
” That was a great comment to the ducati rider, but he’s under the spell of the advertisers and hasn’t lived long enough to find his true self by the sound of it. ”
Agree 150% .. couldn’t of said it better myself .. fact is … I didn’t ! So kudos to you good sir
I mean … don’t get me wrong .. I has a bit of a soft spot for Ducs … but like H-D … for the last two decades or so … its all about marketing and image and to hell with substance . ( and actually when it comes to H-D … its been a good four decades of platitudes and attitudes )
Since I keep referencing this … thought I’d post it .. hopefully it won’t send the system into a tailspin due to the length ;
Over the years I’ve been given a lot of grief as I’m sure I will here as well over the fact that I am a major fan/ advocate of the Bimota Mantra . But to all the detractors of the Mantra I say with a loud and clear voice ; Ride one before you go shooting off your mouth spewing forth your unfounded criticisms based solely on the Mantra’s appearance that for the majority of you has been gleaned from magazines and photographs rather than any real first hand experience
Full discloser . Back when the Mantra was introduced in the US I came within a hairs breadth [ or a hares breath as I jokingly like to say it ] of buying one . Fact is if I ran across an unmolested ‘ rider ‘ today I’d buy it in a heartbeat . Suffice it to say in the metal the Mantra from nose to tail makes perfect sense . The logic of the whole design coming to the forefront once you start riding one . Simply stated the bike works . As a city commuter – part time canyon basher – occasional scare the ___ out of the Rice Rockets urban warrior – make the so called power cruisers of today look like asthma patients on wheels [ the Mantra proceeding power cruisers by over a decade ] – bar hopper – as stock a wonderful and comfortable mid distance traveler – add a couple of bags carefully packed and its a long distance tourer – the funky ‘ glovebox’ begging the question ‘ why hasn’t anyone else done this ? Not to mention you’ll garner more looks and positive responses aboard a Mantra than you will on almost anything you can imagine be it stock or custom . The bike just Works . Period ! From the mechanicals right on down to the most finite detail of its aesthetics … it works .
And how many other bikes with this much performance – style – innovation and heritage can you say that about ? If you’re honest and have experienced the Mantra first hand .. not many .
In my opinion two of the biggest mistakes Bimota ever made in its storied history [ mostly due to lack of finances ] was not evolving both the Mantra as well as the Tesi . Had they done so both [again] in my opinion would of become their greatest successes . Doubt my words ? Look at the overwhelming success of the Ducati Diavel which owes much if not most of its looks/design to the Mantra as well as the limited yet financially profitable success story Vyrus has had with what in reality is an evolved Tesi .
Also one of the greatest tragedies for the motorcycling in general was the disappearance of Sacha Lakic from active motorcycle design due in part to the Mantra’s poor reception . The second tragedy being that the majority of the Mantras built have been scrapped for parts or the foundations of one kind of custom or another with very few original bikes remaining
But what the real tragedy is and what truly disturbed me back when the Mantra [ as well as the Tesi ] was introduced and still disturbs /, confounds and confuses me to this day whenever the Mantra [ Tesi ] or any other revolutionary design [ e,g, JT’s bikes , Vyrus etc ] are brought up in conversation be it online or face to face is the blatant hypocrisy of much of the Motorcycling community . Oh sure … most of you talk the talk of individuality and freedom but the minute anyone dares step outside the design box of motorcycle homogenization and conformity .. even when it works … almost to a number every one of you starts claiming foul .. criticizing this .. condemning that .. bashing everything you either don’t understand or refuse to comprehend like a bunch of lemming xenophobes afraid of your own shadow .
So in closing please allow me to be so bold as to say ; Next time you’re asking yourself the question ; Why is there nothing new happening with motorcycles or motorcycle design ? Have a good long look at yourself in the mirror . Because its those of you unwilling to at least test ride something different never mind buy one that is at the very root of the problem .
Big fan of your writing! Any more projects in the future that you would care to share? This site itself might be a good place for your writing. I’d be interested in you doing a deep dive on French boxers that aren’t the one that used the Citroën motor, but that’s just me.
Having a blast on my ’96 Suzuki gn 250 for about 8 years. Quite the little rascal, considering it’s humble displacement (binary-wise, of course). And tremendously durable and reliable, all that with much less cost than the average middleweight. Original tired shocks, ratty chrome, fugly 45L topcase and all, but still pumping a smile through my heart every time I go at in the twisties of Sintra! Cheers Mr. Lawless, and congratulations for your savvy acquisition.
I love riding period. My two long term, most prized possessions are my 72 commando and 01 st2. Both have enuf of what it takes to pull 160# me right off the fukin handlebars! But nevertheless, last time I was in Honolulu, I could choose between rentals; a $170 a day sportster or a $40 scooter. Guess who won….. I had some leftover cash for a nice lunch out with my ex, though she didn’t want to go for a ride after hehe
Indeed, riding is the thing. Shared with willing company is also paradise, but, if not possible, we always make the best of it anyways! The GN is just my 2nd ride, and also my 2nd dream-bike, very close to the Suzuki TUX 250 (back in 2005 here in Portugal they were out of stock). I got an SV 650 and fell enlove with it thoroughly for also 8 years and 120.000km, until a nasty red light burner snuffed it out, and almost me in the process. Got up a few months later, and hopped on the GN 2 years later. Still I hope for many a good year still awaits me on this trusty machine! Cheers and, as we say around here, “boas curvas!”
I’ve had the same 2002 Honda CB250 Nighthawk for over 17 years… I’m taking it on a camping trip this weekend. Light (and lightly powered) and fun little bike that I have genuine affection for, we’ve been on a bunch of quiet adventures.
Slow down, smell the forest on a windy back road, and enjoy the ride. Easy DIY maintenance, cheap to run and insure, it’s good to have a little pony that will get you anywhere on the planet, as long as you’re not in a huge rush. I’ve even thought about getting an old CB125S at some point, maybe when I get a bit older and an even lighter bike would make more sense
I love smaller bikes. Right now I have an Enfield Meteor 350 with 20 hp, but it is an absolute delight to ride, even if the suspension is a bit on the hard side (it was made for the Indian market, so carrying 2+ people is probably a given). I’ve had lots bigger bikes, but that hasn’t meant more fun. I can easily keep up with traffic, have a great time on smaller roads, and save a lot of money on gas and insurance. Once you get past the image thing, smaller bikes are the way to go.