India is a difficult market for motorcycle manufacturers to fully penetrate and occupy big market shares. This is because the market is solely focused on one type of bike, the commuter. A majority of Indians have a rather low income, which means they focus on a more frugal aspect of things, like pricing of bikes, the mileage and how it fares on city roads. This is a big reason why manufacturers fail to find success in the market with their big releases.
Yet recently, in the past few years, the state of things is looking up. There is a noticeable increase in income and the youth feel that motorcycles are the machines they want to indulge in. Bike makers are targeting the middle cylinder segments namely the 250-400 cc niche as the bikes are powerful enough and buyers do not need to break the bank.
One such manufacturer looking to enter the market and recapture the heart of Indian bikers is Suzuki. The Japanese giants have not seen much success apart from the Gixxer series in India, but that might change with the introduction of a new 250cc motorcycle in India. The original Gixxer bikes featured 149 cc engines which were zippy enough and were aimed at the commuter crowd, but the Suzuki Gixxer 250 price is aimed at consumers who want more power and more bang for their buck.
The bike will be made in India, or at the very least assembled here, with parts being shipped from all over the world. The aggressive styling borrowed from the Inazuma is set to make it look very different from any previous Suzuki launch in the country. These make the Gixxer an extremely enticing prospect. As far as engine specs are concerned, as per the rumours, the engine will be a 250cc single-cylinder four-valve. It will be able to produce around 25-30 brake horsepower, which makes it a powerful machine at this price. The transmission system might be either a 5 speed or a 6 speed, depending upon the outlook Suzuki takes on India.
With an aggressive price point being the main factor, features such as ABS might come as optional. The bike is also set to use an oil-based cooling system instead of a liquid/air cooled system, to cut costs. The bike will compete with the likes of the KTM Duke 250 and the Honda CBR250. If you want a bike with a very unique styling, the Gixxer is the bike for you. If you want a more covered sports bike look, the Suzuki Gixxer 250 will also come in an SF version in the coming months after its release. The manufacturer looks all set to release this next year during the holiday season.
The 250 cc segment is set to heat up with so many releases lined up, but you can bet our eyes will be on this Suzuki bike and yours should be too. For more information and details on release dates, pricing, availability, and specifications keep an eye on the news.