Lightweight Shootout: Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 vs Honda CBR 250R

Which bike should you get next?

Enrico Punsalang

By: Enrico Punsalang

Mar 28, 2020 at 8:00am ET

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In choosing your next motorcycle, several aspects can come into play. For some, comfort is of top priority. Others prioritize speed and performance provided by high-end sportbikes. Whilst others focus on affordability. In most cases however, what a motorcycle delivers—or the utility it provides its rider—is a combination of those three. It’s just a matter of skewing your preferences in coming up with a decision.

The Indian market is rife with motorcycles big and small simply because of the fact that the country’s congested roads make motorcycles the more viable mode of transport. A popular segment amongst Indian riders is the small displacement, lightweight sportbike category. With options from all the major manufacturers, and then some, India has tons of options for lightweight sportbike enthusiasts.

Two of the most popular choices are featured here: the Honda CBR 250R and the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250. Starting off with the Honda, The CBR 250R features a 249.6cc single cylinder liquid cooled engine that churns out a decent 25 horsepower and 23 Nm of torque. This affords the entry level CBR a top speed of around 150 kilometers per hour (93 miles per hour). The CBR 250R also comes standard with dual channel ABS, and a six speed manual transmission.

The Suzuki Gixxer SF 250, on the other hand, comes equipped with similar features. Bearing resemblance to its bigger brother, the GSX-R, the Gixxer SF 250, however, comes with just a 249cc single cylinder engine producing 25 horsepower and 22.6 Nm of torque. All this propels the Gixxer to a top speed of around 150 kilometers per hour, nearly identical to that of the Honda CBR 250R.

Given the similarities of these two machines, what better way to test them than in a drag race? Yes, these bikes serve the main purpose of commuting and puttering around town, but a sportbike's a sportbike, right? You're bound to go on one or two spirited drives every now and then. Luckily, Indian YouTuber, Ayush Verma, did just this. Pitting the two baby sport bikes against each other in a drag race, on what appears to be a closed-off section of highway, to see which bike is the fastest.

What do you think?

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In the video, we see the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 take the immediate advantage due to the fact that it is, after all, the lighter bike. However, we see the CBR gradually pick up the pace and eventually pass the Gixxer, ultimately winning the race. It's in this segment in particular, that even the smallest of differences can translate to big riding differences. The CBR has the same horsepower figures as the Gixxer, but shines ever so slightly brighter in terms of torque: less than 1 Nm, in fact. Of course, several other factors may have come in to play, such as gearing, bike weight in terms of how much fuel each bike had, rider weight, and of course, the rider's ability to launch the bike successfully.

At the end of the day, both these bikes are awesome choices for daily commuters and weekend bikes, especially for beginners, and especially if you're from India, or other countries with similar urban environments. Remember to stay safe out there, folks. We don't recommend drag racing on the street, so make sure to head over to your nearest track or get permission from the authorities to use a closed section of road.

Sources: CarToq, ZigWheels, Financial Express