[Olympal]

Inazooming- 2500 kms on my Suzuki Inazuma

I wanted to replace my 2 year old Honda Unicorn with something bigger and better and what is better than another Honda right? So I went to the closest Honda showroom to test out the cBR250R. The sales person agreed to a long unaccompanied test drive since I was a known customer. However, a 15 minute ride through crowded roads left me with mixed feelings about the bike. A lean- forward riding position that may be good for the race track was unsuited for city roads. Every time I had to stop the bike at a red light, I had to straighten up to put my foot on the ground and back to crouching again for riding. Riding position wise, I was left with a pain in my neck and shoulders after a mere 15 minute ride, as I had to keep my upper body crouched low and my head a little upright to keep the road and rear view mirrors in my line of vision. The engine was noisy and rough at low rpms but became refined past 5000 rpm. The bike begged you to ride it hard. The chassis and suspension urged you to take sharp turns. Overall, the bike was good and Honda reliability weighed heavily in its favour.

Next stop was the Enfield showroom. Having owned a bullet in the past and gone on several long trips, I expected the fuel injected Classic to be a modern bike. But sadly I was disappointed. The old pushrod engine is the same which means the torque is available only within a narrow RPM band. Ride slowly and the engine knocks, speed up a little and torque flattens out at around 5000 RPM. You need to work the gears often to keep it within the torque range, an exercise made difficult by notchy gearshifts and a tight clutch. The suspension and chassis felt similar to that of the pre-UCE bikes. The Classic 500 crashed into bad roads transmitting all the shock to the spring loaded seat. The vibrations were something else, at speeds over 60 it felt as if I was passing through an earthquake zone. The test bike was leaking oil from the engine head and the kick starter. Needless to say, I was mightily disappointed.

I borrowed a friend’s KTM Duke 390 for an afternoon and found it more uncomfortable than the Honda CBR. The foot pegs are set too far back for the upright position required by the wide handlebars. The narrow and hard seat gives no room to find a comfortable riding position. But the bike itself was a pocket rocket. It was happiest at speeds over 80 and did not like slowing down. The low profile tyres and hard suspension punished you by transmitting shocks and jerks. The engine was noisy at low RPMs and needed to be pushed to 5000 RPM for the fun to begin. Thereafter it was dancing all the way to 130 kmph. The engine is a gem and I only wished the riding ergonomics and suspension were better.

In the meantime, I read in the newspapers that the Suzuki Inazuma had dropped its price by INR 1 lakh and decided to check it out. An Inazuma was not on my radar initially as I had read a few positive and mostly negative reviews and a constant line that the bike was underpowered.

I took a longish test drive and it became apparent that here was a bike that met most of my requirements. The riding position was comfortable- neither too upright nor too sporty, the freely revving engine that took off from very low RPMs, the ease with which the bike went over broken roads and potholes had it growing on me. It built up speed in a linear manner unlike the frenzied hurry of the Duke 390. I found the Inazuma immensely controllable, yet capable of quick turns of direction.

I decided to buy the bike against the advice of my friends who said its price was high as a ratio of its BHP. The upcoming Kawasaki Z250 would a better buy belting out 31 BHP vs 24 BHP of the Inazuma. But after riding the Inazuma for 2500 KMS, I feel there is more to a bike than BHP and torque numbers. The Inauzma might not impress you with it headline numbers, but its scores in features which are not found on the spec sheet. The Inazuma offers a ride quality which is smooth and rock steady on good roads, on bad roads it has a magic carpet ride quality. Unevenly laid roads, speed breakers and small potholes do not seem to bother the Inazuma. It simply glides over them at moderate speeds. Then there is the ultra light clutch and slick gear shifter which makes shifting up or down super easy.

Not that you need to do this often as power is available from 2000RPM onwards which means you can do minimum speeds of 25 kmph in 4rd gear and 30 kmph in 5th . In sixth gear you can ride from 40 kmph and accelerate to 130 kmph. The wide power band enables you ride with in an unstressed manner without the bother of frequent gear shifting.

What further helps cut driving stress is the 183 kg unladen weight which gives it a planted feel. The bike remains unruffled by bad roads and wind blast. The fantastic suspension further works its magic to isolate the rider from shocks. The long wheel base aids in taking sharp turns and you can weave in and out of traffic. And if you want speed up, the torque enables you to get past all the 100-150cc bikes and scooters in a jiffy. In city riding, the Inazuma has the manoeuvrability of a Yamaha FZ (well, nearly so). I once found a madcap in a Suzuki Swift coming at me from around a bend. He was in the wrong lane. I desperately tilted the bike with my left knee kissing the ground and managed to avoid him by a whisker. I was very surprised at the ease at the which I was able to haul the bike back to vertical position.

Post first service, I went on a 600 kms highway trip. The Inazuma’s ride quality and ergonomics were at work again to make my trip an enjoyable affair. You sit upright with your arms stretched which enables the weight of your top body to be distributed over your spine and shoulders and not burden your lower back like in a Bullet. After a 2-3 hour ride, you don’t get off the saddle with a numb feeling in the bottom of your spine. Then there is the ample seat on which you can adjust your position to find that comfortable spot. The engine lets out a mellow but deep growl which is not disturbing even at high speeds. The icing on the cake is the complete lack of vibrations at speeds of upto 120 kmph. You can drive on for hours at speeds of 90-110 without feeling fatigued.

The bike is extremely stable in a straight line and you don’t get unruffled by wind blast and air pockets caused by cars and SUVs passing you by at high speeds.

The Inazuma enables you maintain a higher average speed than many other bikes. You can quickly speed up, even in 6th gear, after slowing down to give way to a car being driven at suicidal speeds. Having clocked hundreds of highway miles on a Bullet, I can say for sure that if you are trying to cover the maximum distance within a given time, it is more important to maintain a consistent speed and take fewer breaks. Riding at 120KMPH plus for short bursts, quickly decelerating and building up speed again fatigues you forcing you take more frequent breaks reduces your average speed.

The more I ride the Inazuma, the more it reminds me of what the Bullet should have evolved into. It is in the same weight category as the Bullet 350 (around 180 kgs), which means the bike rides glued to the road. But unlike a bullet, it does not thud and shake when ridden over road humps and other offerings of the famous ‘Indian road conditions’. Instead, it goes over them causing minimum discomfort to the rider. The linear power delivery from 40 kmph all the way to 120 kmph in top gear is just what the doctor ordered for highway riding. Unlike a bullet which vibrates like crazy when pushed to anything over 80 kmph, the Inazuma is totally vibration free at 100-120 kmph speeds. Rides up curving hill roads are particularly enjoyable. You can tilt the bike to take in that road sweep at sharp angles. The same road I went on my 600 km highway trip, I have been on a Bullet earlier. If I compare the two riding experiences, it is like business class for the Inazuma and economy class for the Bullet.

The bike is extremely well built. Every component looks to be of a high quality. The switch gear is the best I have seen on any bike in India. The wiring is well hidden and barely noticeable. Believe me, instead of a Suzuki badge, if this bike had the moniker of a famous German manufacturer, auto magazines would have written pages and pages praising its build quality. After two months and 2500 kms, there is no loose nut on the bike, the break and clutch lever play is the same as when it was brand new. The tappets do not sound loose and were not even adjusted at the first service. The engine feels much smoother now than when it was new.

The secret to the Inazuma’s engine performance is its long stroke twin cylinder two valve per cylinder engine. This configuration allows it to offer great low and mid-range power besides maintenance–free performance for thousands of kilometres. Unlike a 4 valve per cylinder engine which has 50% more moving parts, a two-valve per cylinder engine loses out on top-end power but gains in low end power and lower maintenance.

I have been a regular biker in my younger days having done Delhi- Leh, Delhi-Jaisalmer and many other trips on a Bullet 350, a bike I immensely love despite its quirks. The Inazuma makes immense sense for the folks who go on leisurely highway rides on Bullets and also use it for their daily commute. Many of the shortcoming of the bullet are addressed by the Inazuma while improving upon its core strengths.

What to like:
- Excellent riding position, no fatigue even after riding for hours.
- Ride quality is fantastic, can go over the worst of roads with no discomfort.
- Smooth engine with linear power delivery. Lots of low and mid-range power.
- Long and well-padded seat which is very comfortable for both rider and pillion.
- High quality components. I rode in water logged roads several times and there is no rust anywhere. Nothing feels loose after clocking 2500 kms. No issues with the engine which starts at the first press of the self-starter.
- Fuel efficiency of around 30-32 kmpl.

What not to like:
- Poorly trained service personnel. My headlight beam was pointing upwards and the guys at Meghdooth Suzuki were trying to force the headlight dome to point downwards. It was my instinct that forced them to stop prevented major damage. I could not imagine that in a bike which has been so well put together would have such a crude system for headlight beam pitch adjustment. I was right. There is a screw behind the headlight dome which does this, just like many cars where there is a knob in the dashboard.
- No Free service. The service manual has coupons only for paid service. Suzuki provides six free services for the Access scooter, but offers not even one for the Inazuma which costs four times as much. The service center did not have the required tool to remove the oil filter.
- No follow up call. I have not received a single call or e-mail from Suzuki asking me how the bike is performing.
- No accessories such as crash guard and luggage carrier. The same are offered by Suzuki in Europe. I had to do a “jugaad” and fit a bullet crash bar. Am working on a luggage carrier as well.
- A rough part in the power band at 5500 RPM which eases out at 6000 RPM. I thought it would go away after the first service but it has not.

[Steer4Ever]

Nice report. Yeah .. the looks are the absolutely only part of the bike which is not very cool - though I think it looks pretty good from the rear view with the double side exhaust and all. But otherwise, it is a smart and canny decision that gives the best of all worlds - commute, touring, quality, reliability, best-in-class comfort (plus a class above and below :-) ), linear and strong torque performance, quiet engine with a beautiful note upwards of 5k rpm (checked one out at Outer Ring Road, JP Nagar in Blr). And a tireless twin to munch up the miles. What more do you need to ask for? Way to go! And looking forward to updates as you cover the miles.

[narenteam]

Wow! Nice bike.
I love Suzuki bikes for their understated design and maintenance free performance.
I am not fond of dual-sided exhausts, though. Is the left side exhaust causing any inconvenience?
Tell us more as you clock more miles

[Added_flavor]

Congratulations Olympal for the wonderful purchase! You are very right about the top notch component quality on this bike!

• The main stand looks BIG! Does it scrape the road when riding with a pillion?
• How does the bike fare when riding with pillion? Does it feel underpowered?
• As you said, the After Sales service seems to be a bit of a headache with untrained/incompetent service personnel.
• I noticed the guys in showrooms are not very keen on selling this bike. I have asked them for a test ride multiple times but am yet to get one! How was your buying experience?
• The main stand at 5500 is expensive! How are the other spares priced?
• Also, I read in some other review that the bike feels stressed at 110kmph and it doesn't seem comfortable at such speeds all day! What's your take on it?
• I might be mocked at for this, but I'm looking at this bike to replace my KTM 390! What do you think?

[supremeBaleno]

Nice bike. And a good report.
The first pic looks killer.

With Suzuki reducing the stupidly-high initial prices, we should be seeing more of the Inazuma around.

[RYP]

Originally Posted by Olympal

The service manual has coupons only for paid service. Suzuki provides six free services for the Access scooter, but offers not even one for the Inazuma which costs four times as much!

Free service to me is just a absurd term for bikes, coined in by our home grown two-wheeler makers. Labor charge is the only thing offered for free and we are paying for everything that goes in. Premium offering in two-wheelers always had only paid services. If i'm not wrong Kawasaki, Triumph, HD dont offer these so called free-services.

[neil.jericho]

Lovely thread, waiting for more updates. Which showroom did you pick it up from? Its because of your new thread and 4x4 addicts ownership thread on tbhp that I decided to stop by the Suzuki showroom today to check out the bike before deciding on my next one. I have penned my thoughts below as they answer many of Added_flavors questions.

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

Congratulations Olympal for the wonderful purchase! You are very right about the top notch component quality on this bike!

• The main stand looks BIG! Does it scrape the road when riding with a pillion?
• How does the bike fare when riding with pillion? Does it feel underpowered?
• As you said, the After Sales service seems to be a bit of a headache with untrained/incompetent service personnel.
• I noticed the guys in showrooms are not very keen on selling this bike. I have asked them for a test ride multiple times but am yet to get one! How was your buying experience?
• The main stand at 5500 is expensive! How are the other spares priced?
• Also, I read in some other review that the bike feels stressed at 110kmph and it doesn't seem comfortable at such speeds all day! What's your take on it?
• I might be mocked at for this, but I'm looking at this bike to replace my KTM 390! What do you think?

Dropped into the BTM layout showroom today and asked for a test ride. At first they said I should book the bike first (Rs 10k) and then they can arrange one. I mentioned that the KTM showroom half a mile away gives out test rides for similarly priced bikes and then they said they can manage to get me a test ride on the black bike in the showroom. So a little gentle persuasion from your side should get you a test ride as well.

I took it for a nice spin around BTM layout with the sales guy Lokesh joining me. It was much better than what I expected - nice, smooth and quiet coupled with surprisingly good pickup with a (admittedly lightweight) pillion. Very comfortable seating as well and sharp brakes.

Lokesh and a senior (service?) staff member did ask me when I planned on making a decision and have taken my contact details. They gave me the cost break up and the brochure. So no complaints from my side on the willingness of the sales staff to sell the bike.

WRT knowledge of the staff, I suspect it will take some time for Suzuki to train their sales staff to be the best in class. I asked them which brand supplied the tyres and they had to check and mentioned they were made by Road Warrior. Later they realized they were from IRC under the brand Road Warrior (made in Japan).

There is one new black bike in the Banashankari showroom for immediate delivery. The black one in the BTM layout showroom is the test ride bike. If you want red, it will take 15 days to a month tops.

I also stopped by my mechanic to enquire if any of his regulars have picked up this lovely Suzuki 250. His opinion was that while the bike might be really great, spares might end up being a problem in future.

On your last question - I'de pick the Suzuki any day.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

• I might be mocked at for this, but I'm looking at this bike to replace my KTM 390! What do you think?

Do not know about others, but I would like to know the reason behind this. Of course, the only similarity between both is that they are naked.

Originally Posted by neil.jericho

At first they said I should book the bike first (Rs 10k) and then they can arrange one.

Despite a bike being available, I do not think it was very polite of them to ask for a booking amount.

[bhp4putuval]

Originally Posted by Olympal

Price: INR 247500 (on road Bangalore).
Extras: Main stand: INR 5500
Fuel efficiency: 30 kmpl (approximate).

Hi,

Nice report! I also feel like buying this bike.

Can you tell me how you arrived at this FE? Was it a purely highway ride or it also included loads of city rides? The reason I ask is, because I am purely a city driver in Mumbai, and does not have too much highways to cover.

Regards,
R. Putuval

[Olympal]

Hi guys,
Thanks to everyone for your interest in my post.
To reply to your specific questions:

Added_flavor:
My buying experience with Meghdooth Suzuki, Trinity Circle, M.G. Road, Bangalore was good. When I walked into the showroom and uttered "Inazuma", three people got up from their chairs:- one came with a brochure, another with water and third offered a test drive! At no stage did they attempt to hardsell the bike. I told them that I will take a decision after checking the Duke 390 and the Honda CBR250R. when I returned after a week and requested a second, longer test drive, they were ok with that.

At the time of booking I made a few pre-conditions:
1. I must have a centre stand.
2. Do not register the bike without me doing the PDI.
3. I will make a booking provided there is no deduction in case of cancellation.
They agreed to all three!

The waiting period after paying a booking amount of INR40,000 was 15 days. I got a call on the 16th day stating that my bike had arrived. I checked if all systems were working and gave the go-ahead for registration.

I have not taken it up to 120 kmph so cannot comment. It seems eager to go beyond the 75 kmph I am currently riding in and freely accelerates from 30 KMPH to 75 KMPH before I let go of the throttle at the 5500 RPM mark.

The main stand is expensive, yes, but I feel it has been designed to hold the weight of the bike plus luggage (it is a touring bike). The stand does not scrape anything. In fact in the horizontal position, it neatly folds up and you can barely notice it.
There is no difference in pick-up with a pillion. On the other hand, I found the ride quality to have improved with some weight behind. The pillion rider is happy as the seat is wide and well-cushioned.
My wife, who has reservations about its looks of the bike, is all praise for the pillion seat which she says is a lot more comfortable than that of the Unicorn and the Bullet.

bhp4putuval:
I filled in 6.2 litres when the reserve LCD started to flash and checked till the next flash. The KM ridden was 195. The ride was 50% in congested Bangalore streets with about 25% on the ring road and another 25% on the highway.

Sheel:
If you are looking for a bike to commute and tour, the Inazuma makes for a better case than the Duke 390. The 390 has its advantages- its engine is fantastic and the bike can be thrown around, but it is not the best bike to ride for long hours on the highway or even short hours in traffic. The rest is how you evaluate your specific riding requirements and chose the right bike for your needs.

narenteam:
The left side exhaust, I feel helps in maintaining the balance of the bike (both in terms of looks and weight). One advantage I noticed is that overtaking bikers maintain some distance to the left and right as the large twin exhausts can be seen prominently jutting out.

RYP:
You are right regarding the free service. On the other hand, if they know you are a paying customer, they may attend to you with a little more seriousness.
I have been told by Meghdooth Suzuki that they have a mechanic specifically trained by the company in Inazuma repairs and service. I have also been told that commonly used spares have been stocked and if anything is unavailable, it will be procured within 15 days from Suzuki in Gurgaon.

[Added_flavor]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Do not know about others, but I would like to know the reason behind this. Of course, the only similarity between both is that they are naked.

I do not want to hijack Olympal's thread, but to tell you very briefly I am looking for two things primarily from my bike.

1. More pillion comfort.
2. An all rounder. That odd day I decide to take the Duke to work and I get stuck in traffic, ensures I have pain in my left hand, thanks to the heavy clutch.

Yes Yes I know the N650 is what I need and I hope the vitamin M God is reading this.

EDIT: I still don't know how big a sacrifice it is in terms of performance since I haven't ridden the inazuma. Hence the dilemma.

[sandeepmohan]

Nice choice for your new motorcycle. The updated pricing makes it a serious contender. I only wish Suzuki could get more power out of that engine.

If I think of it now, the cost for the centre stand makes sense considering you will end up spending a similar amount for a paddock stand and this is not something you can lug around. What I don't get it how did you pay just Rs 5k over what 4x4addict paid. I believe it was something close to 24k for the centre stand and crash guard.

Originally Posted by Added_flavor

EDIT: I still don't know how big a sacrifice it is in terms of performance since I haven't ridden the inazuma. Hence the dilemma.

One thing you need to put aside is the kinda of performance you will get between the Suzuki and KTM. These are two very different motorcycles with very different purposes.

Considering this Suzuki is good being a cruiser (probably the best at the asking price), is pillion and luggage friendly, how much more do you get with a Inazuma over a cheap Hero ZMR?

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Motorcycle Section. Thanks for sharing!

[naveenroy]

Congratulations! Yeah we were all laughing when Suzuki priced the Inazuma initially. Prices seem better now but would still love it to be a little lesser. Perhaps I should take a test ride....hmm....

[Sunsh!nes]

A very detailed review, loved it. Please post more details as and when you come across any in terms of maintenance. I really got interested in Suzuki Inazuma after reading your review. Good read and very informational. Many actually dont take aspects into consideration when buying a bike, you have covered most of it.