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Suzuki Rumored to Show More 250cc Bikes, Hopes for a Small GSX-R on the Rise

In Europe and North America, Gixxer is a shorter nickname for the GSX-R bikes, but in India and Asia, there is actually a bike with this exact name. No, it's not the local version of the GSX-R family, but a small-displacement bike sold locally.
2016 Suzuki Gixxer 155 6 photos
Photo: Suzuzki
2016 Suzuki Gixxer2016 Suzuki Gixxer2016 Suzuki Gixxer2016 Suzuki Gixxer2016 Suzuki Gixxer
Still, even though the Asian Gixxer has absolutely nothing to do with the supersport motorcycles or the superbikes House Hamamatsu produces, there may be more to the new rumors regarding the 250cc versions than meets the eye.

Suzuki lags a bit in the small-displacement segment

For starters, Suzuki is the only big manufacturer that doesn't have a small-displacement version, and they know that filling this slot would have a good impact on their sales.

The most recent rumors in India indicate that the local branch of Suzuki is preparing a 250cc version of the current Gixxer, which is a smaller, 155cc bike. The "big Gixxer" is said to be a derivative of the Inazuma 250 machine, which still slots under the new 300cc bikes from Honda, Kawasaki or Yamaha, but which would be warmly welcomed in the Asian markets.

These markets seem to follow the world trend and favor displacement increases, which are, after all, what the riders want. Looking at how the rest of the Japanese manufacturers acted in this segment, we can suspect that Suzuki might be thinking about a 300cc GSX-R for the Western markets.

250cc for Asia, 300cc for Europe and North America?

If this supposition turns out to be true, we might get to see Suzuki finally taking this step and adding their machine to the 300cc market. A GSX-R300 that retains the styling of the new GSX-R1000 concept would look smashing.

If Suzuki can also come up with an engine that offers solid A2-compliant performance, it will make the 300cc sport bike class even hotter. And since Hamamatsu is planning an all-new engine for the liter-class superbike, maybe a good, strong and gritty 300cc engine is not such a far-fetched perspective. After all, Suzuki can't ignore the 300cc sport class forever, can they?

PS: The bike pictured here is the 2016 Gixxer.
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