Standard reviews

My wife is the primary rider of this bike, but I'm doing the review for her. The GZ250 is a great starter bike for beginners. My wife loves the bike because it's the same bike that she learned on at the MSF course. It's easy electric starting, simple to operate and it's easy to ride. I've taken it for a ride and was very pleased. It's a little small for me which is why I ride a Honda dual-sport, but for her it's perfect. You won't set the world on fire with its acceleration, but it gets 82 mpg. and it tops out around 72-73 mph.---more than enough for a beginner. I've never owned a Suzuki, but everyone says that the quality is very high. We're very happy with the bike! Show less

Since riding bikes under 305ccs since the 60s, this is the most comfortable motorcycle I've ever owned. It has a big touring saddle, good suspension for a guy with a bad back. I'm still breaking the Tour in, but it does an easy 60 mph. at half-throttle and has cleared 70 for short intervals. My neighbors appreciate the quiet muffler. The plastic hard bags hold more than my old leather ones. The extra lights add visibility and safety at night. Expect any 250cc bike to cruise comfortably at 60 mph. all day long. Keep interstate mad-dashes to a minimum and instead, take the scenic back roads. See America that way. Show less

If you can get by it's funky styling, it's a great bike. Suzuki styled this bike more for the market in Europe. So it's not too hot here in America. But it has a nice smooth power delivery and handles great. It's a great bike if your looking to get back into riding and has plenty of power for interstate speeds. Show less

When first purchased I thought the engine was too noisy and I still do. But I like the fact the bike is well thought out and simple. The valve adjustment is a snap. I like inserting the key to remove the seat, and large well for tools, papers, and such, under same. The battery placement is easy and simple to get at, take out and replace in winter. The engine is a little underpowered compared to my old Honda Rebel, but the fuel economy is better. I love the large fuel tank. The best mileage so far is 82.2 mpg. The worst is 65.3 mpg in the fall with high winds. Would I recommend one to a friend? Yes. Have I owned many larger motorcycles? Yes. The last was a V-Star 650. Big machines are all about hype. Want a fun machine? Want to enjoy the back roads of America? Take a trial ride on a 250. You'll love it! They are not Harley Davidsons, and they are not supposed to be. Always remember: It isn't how much you spend, it's how much you save. Show less

I own a TL1000R and have over 87,000 miles on it. I have liked how reliable it has been. So I looked at this bike for a cheaper transport and I like twins. I bought this unit new and have liked it ever since. The stock seat is bad, very hard with no foam. Suzuki did this for short riders which is nice but I bought Suzuki's taller seat and was very pleased. It is not that much taller than stock but way softer. I also installed larger handle bars (7/8 to 1-1/8) and adapters. This helped out, too. My bike has great power for its size and turns like no other bike I have ridden. It reminds me of super motards. It's a great good looking bike and I would recommend it for a starter bike and for the advanced rider it is that good. Show less

This bike is very popular in Europe and Asia. It's a cheap option of Ducati's Monster 696. In several reviews, it beat Kawi's ER6-N and Yamaha's XJ6 (not available here in the US). I did a two-month research before I bought it and got it at a real good deal. I looked at Yamaha's FZ6R, Triumph's Bonneville and the Kawi' ER6-N and decided to get the Gladius. I'm a new biker. I'm very pleased with this bike. I like the standard riding position and low seat height. It also has enough power to match the bigger bikes. Show less

I'm from Mexico City, and here traffic is awful so I decided to buy a bike. The price was great. My bike has 7000 km and still feels like brand new. I travel every day from my place to work, approx. 25 km, and the fuel is one liter. I think this is a very good bike if you live in a city with a lot traffic because it is not so heavy. If you really want to have style and good speed and don't want to be stuck in a traffic jam and save fuel, this bike is the perfect choice. If you prefer travelling around the country, in that case you probably need to buy a bigger bike. Show less

I got my Suzuki Marauder GZ250cc at the end of season 2009 and I had never ridden before. I am so pleased with it. It's perfect... really comfortable and handles well. Show less

Great beginners bike, or just something to ride for cheap. I've been riding for 10 yrs and I have to say that these off brand bikes are good. I personally prefer a Honda or Suzuki but I just want to ride again and this allows me to without spending a load cash. As far as any problems, I haven't had one yet. Show less

Bought this as a previous year leftover at the start of 2006. The ride on this bike is outstanding! If you are willing to wind it up a little bit the accelleration is really more than adequate. At the end of a 200 mile trip the gas mileage was about 81 mpg. The factory seat is very good and does not seem to tire after a long ride. I have owned 5 bikes in my life and this is probably the nicest one of the whole lot. It will cruise at 65 mph all day long. Show less