Suzuki Inazuma Gw250

The Inazuma's parallel twin pulls smoothly from about 3,500 rpm and feels genuinely refined for a 250 — you forget the modest power figures until a highway on-ramp reminds you that 19 horses run out quickly above 110 km/h. Around town it's genuinely pleasant: the fuel injection starts crisp on cold mornings, the six-speed gearbox clicks with satisfying precision, and that 785mm seat height means most riders can flat-foot without drama. The 191kg wet weight is the dirty secret — this thing feels heavier than its class rivals in slow-speed U-turns and parking lot maneuvers, and the front suspension goes soggy over broken pavement. Build quality felt solid for the price bracket, but the chrome-heavy styling ages fast and aftermarket support was thin in those early years.

The Gen 2 Inazuma is exactly what it looks like: a sensible, slightly dull learner bike that does its job without complaint. The parallel twin pulls smoothly from low revs, and the revised suspension tuning — while subtle — takes a little edge off the wooden feel the first-gen had over broken tarmac. Above 110 km/h it runs out of breath fast, and that 204 kg wet weight makes itself known every time you're shuffling it around a tight car park. What Suzuki got right is the accessibility: the 785 mm seat, forgiving clutch, and predictable handling mean a new rider can genuinely build confidence on this thing rather than fight it.

The Gen 3 Inazuma is exactly what it was before, just breathing a little cleaner thanks to Euro 4 compliance — the revised ECU mapping smoothed out a slight flat spot around 4,500 rpm that plagued earlier models, which I noticed immediately on my first canyon run. In city traffic it's genuinely pleasant: the parallel-twin pulls smoothly from low revs, the 785mm seat height suits shorter riders without compromise, and fuel economy sitting around 3.2L/100km means you'll forget what a petrol station looks like. Push it toward its 130 km/h ceiling on the highway, though, and the chassis starts feeling its age — the front end goes vague above 110, and that 181kg wet weight makes itself known when you're muscling through a tight U-turn. The new graphics are a non-event, but the fundamentals — reliable, accessible, sensibly priced — remain untouched.