A 250 TO TAKE ON THE WORLD
The scene: A pub in Anytown, Anywhere. In the corner sits disgruntled biker Bruce sipping a pint of cider. Enter the Good Fairy, left.
“Why so disgruntled, Bruce?”
“Well, it’s like this, Good Fairy. I want to go on an adventure, but I’ve only got four-and-a-half grand to spend on a bike.”
The Good Fairy waves her magic wand and in a flash of sparkly magic, a brand new V-strom 250 sits in front of Bruce. he gives the Good Fairy a grateful snog, climbs on the bike and rides off into the sunset.
I do like happy endings, don’t you? And the good news is that a big adventure aboard this little machine is no fairy story.
Not that it looks little: with big bike presence augmented by a 23-litre top box and two 20-litre panniers as accessories and a claimed 300-mile range, you could easily head off around the world on it.
In spite of having the lowest seat of its class, which gives newbie and smaller bikers the security of being able to get both feet flat on the ground, the seating position is nicely upright and neutral, giving you almost the same commanding presence you feel on one of the monster adventure machines.
As with all suzukis, the six-speed gearbox is effortless, and the power delivery smooth and linear all the way to the red line at 10,500, accompanied by a very satisfying howl from the exhaust, as if you’d just disturbed a nest of angry hornets.
With only 25bhp, you will spend most of your riding life at high revs: at 70mph it was purring along busily at 9,000rpm, but if you think that makes it thirsty, think again – after a morning of getting thrashed everywhere on oxfordshire A and B roads, it was still giving 67mpg.
handling, thanks to nice fore and aft weight balance, low seat and centre of gravity and a wet weight of only 188kg which belies its big bike look, is pleasantly light and neutral.
With 17in wheels rather than the 21in fronts on more off-road machines, it’s orientated towards road use than dirt, but several miles on gravel tracks standing on the pegs proved effortless even for off-road idiots, and I speak as one.
Would I set off around the world on one? If I had a small budget but big dreams, absolutely
I would.