The Suzuki TU250 is an air-cooled 250 cc single-cylinder street bike in a deliberately old-fashioned style. It was built in two generations from 1994 to 2019 and sold as the TU250X, ST250 and ST250 E-Type depending on the market.
Suzuki TU250 at a glance
| Built | 1994–2019, two generations |
|---|---|
| Also called | TU250X, ST250, ST250 E-Type, Volty |
| Engine | 249 cc air-cooled SOHC single, four-stroke |
| First generation | Japan 1994, 125 and 249 cc |
| Second generation | shown at the 37th Tokyo Motor Show, 2003 |
| Japanese launch | December 2003, as ST250 and ST250 E-Type |
| Early power | 20 PS at 7,500 rpm |
| Fuel injection | from February 2008, one horsepower less |
| US model | TU250X from 2009, 16 PS |
| Curb weight | 148 kg |
| Brakes | 275 mm front disc, rear drum |
| Style | 1960s-era Universal Japanese Motorcycle look |
History of the Suzuki TU250
The first generation
The TU appeared in Japan in 1994 as a 125 or 249 cc single, and its variations spread across markets as the VanVan, the Grasstracker TU250G, the Grasstracker Bigboy TU250GB and the Volty. Confusingly, the first-generation TU250 was sold in Asia as the Volty and in Europe from 1997 to 2003 as the TU250X Volty.
The retro second generation
The second generation was shown at the 37th Tokyo Motor Show in 2003, when Suzuki described it as a street motorcycle with a traditional, simple design, familiar and nostalgic. It reached Japan in December 2003 for the 2004 model year as the ST250 and ST250 E-Type, the latter with a two-tone tank, polished engine, chromed exhaust, CDI ignition and both kick and electric starting. The basic ST250 was dropped in 2007, leaving the E-type. The carburetted engine made 20 PS at 7,500 rpm until February 2008, when fuel injection and a catalytic converter brought one horsepower less, full transistor ignition, no kickstarter and a silver frame.
America and the details
Suzuki Motor of America sold the bike from 2009 as the TU250X, skipping 2010 and 2014 to match supply to demand; the American version has more emissions equipment and makes 16 PS. Australia got it in 2011. The TU250X uses closed-loop fuel injection with a 32 mm throttle body, an oxygen sensor and a catalytic converter, plus Suzuki PAIR air injection, a gear-driven counterbalancer and SCEM-plated cylinder walls, while valves are adjusted by screw and locknut. It has a five-speed gearbox, a 275 mm front disc and a rear drum brake, a 148 kg curb weight and a 47.4/52.6 percent front-to-rear weight split. Reviewers praised its rev-happy single, light handling and 1960s British looks, though Canadian long-term testers found the rear suspension harsh on rough roads.
Design and features
- Retro style: a 1960s Universal Japanese Motorcycle look with modern reliability.
- Modern engine details: fuel injection, SCEM cylinder plating and a counterbalancer.
- Light and simple: 148 kg, a five-speed gearbox and screw-and-locknut valves.
- Long life: two generations and 25 years on sale.
Suzuki TU250 versions
- TU250 / Volty (1994): the first generation.
- ST250 and ST250 E-Type (2003): Japanese second-generation models.
- TU250X (2009): the North American and Australian version.
- Grasstracker and VanVan: related models using the same family of single.
The TU250 is the modern evolution of the GN250 and shares its engine family with the VanVan. More Suzukis are in the Suzuki collection.
Video: Suzuki TU250 review
Video by aslan9999 on YouTube.
Sources
- Suzuki TU250, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, equipment, reviews
