Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 : For manufacturers the Australian motorcycle market has always been a hard nut to crack, riders here (as well as New Zealand) have particularly distinct likes and dislikes.
Now, in this competitive landscape the Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 has been an uphill battle from the get go, having failed to gain the pie it was hoping for in the market. Even though the combination should turn heads on paper, the quarter litre sportster has struggled to make a splash when mix with Australians love of the above menti0ned.
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Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 A Solid Outing Turned Sour Fast
When Suzuki unveiled that the Gixxer SF 250 is coming to Australia, there was some real excitement among riders. Suzuki GSX-R150 The full-faired sports bike has a compact, lightweight design, and was claimed to offer an easy point of entry to sport riding and was based on the design language of its elder GSX-R siblings.
Early sales numbers were also encouraging, but the initial enthusiasm paled as riders started to discover the FieldTrial and look for other options.
Suzuki dealers say that floor traffic for the model has all but dried up over the past few months, with prospective buyers coming in to view but ultimately walking out with rival models or none at all.
“We hook people in the idea,” says Suzuki dealer Mark Davidson, from Brisbane’s western suburbs. “On paper, they love the concept of a Suzuki 250 sports bike, but then when they go out and comp shop it, they end up buying someone else’s model.”
The struggle for sales even after 18 months on sale is in contrast to Suzuki’s reputation for reliability and value for money, hinting at a bigger problem for the model within the Australian market.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Price Point Pressures
What are the challenges for Gixxer SF 250? While the Gixxer SF 250 seems to be ticking almost all the right boxes, for me the biggest challenge Gixxer SF 250 faces is pricing. In the Australian market, marred with further UFC, importation and ADR costs, the Gixxer falls between two stools.
Furthermore, at the current retail rate, the Gixxer SF 250 has been priced at close proximity to rival bikes that are comparatively more powerful and get other noteworthy features in the 300-400cc range. This would be more of a challenging price point since every one here rides trying to get the most bang for their buck!
“For just a little bit of money, people can step up to something that has a lot more performance,” says motorcycle industry analyst Sarah Thompson. “Aussies are really price savvy and they are doing the numbers on dollars per cc, and features per dollar. On such parameters, the Gixxer SF 250 flatters to deceive under competition often.
Recent pricing revisions have tried to rectify this problem, but the basics of the value equation are still tough for Suzuki.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Below Par Performance
The Gixxer SF 250’s 249cc single-cylinder engine offers decent performance, at around 26 horsepower, with taut handling, but it dives into a field in which riders demand more. Most likely the Gixxer doesn’t quite have enough grunt for the Australian riding environment of tall gearing and high speed highways.
Test riders who have taken the bike for a spin generally laud its handling demeanor and city behavior, but mention that on the open road it feels a bit overwhelmed next to rivals. That ethos carries over into a place like Tassie, where riding faster is more accepted.
“It’s a good bike for the city,” explains Jason Miller, a motorcycle tester who had the Gixxer SF 250 for two weeks to ride, “but I would be really surprised to find anyone commuting on it more than about 20 miles.”
“The issue is when you’re on the expressway and you want to pass. That’s the one area where you do notice the budget constraints of the package and that’s where you miss the likes of the Ninja 400 or the R3 – both feel that little bit more planted at speed.
This isn’t as big of an issue if riders are buying in according to versatility and capability in a variety of riding environments.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Feature Set is Not Competitive
Then there’s technology and equipment, which the locally sold Gixxer SF 250 has failed to woo Australian buyers over with. In a world where basic motorcycles come with advanced electronics even at the entry-level, the Gixxer feels a bit old-fashioned in that regard.
Add to this the absence of ride-by-wire throttle, traction control and several riding modes – all the rage on its rivals – and the Gixxer is something of a machine that belongs to the yester-generation, despite the modern outlook.
Yes, you heard that right! The simple LCD instrument console, the colourless and less feature-rich TFT screens some of its rivals get, is usable but does not have that visual appeal.
“Young riders in particular are valuing tech features,” says Thompson. “They want their motorcycles to be technologically advanced in the same way as their computers and smartphones. Appraisal The Gixxer lacks the sense of high tech that consumers are increasingly paying for in this segment.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Market Positioning Confusion
Australia The Gixxer SF 250’s main problem in Australia is a lack of identity on the local market. It is not cheap enough to introduce new riders to the segment nor performant enough for aspiring enthusiasts. It is this mediocrity that has prevented the bike from finding a niche customer base.
The bike’s looks imply it can be some pretty serious sportsteed, but the true potential of this bike veers more towards commuter-plus. This gap between perception and truth is causing confusion in the minds of potential purchasers.
Suzuki has had a hard time explaining what this bike actually does,” says Thompson. Is it sports-styled commuter, or the real thing? This ambiguity has arguably hurt its performance in the marketplace.”
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Dealer Network Challenges
The smaller size of Suzuki’s Australian dealer network (compared with some rivals) has also hindered the Gixxer’s market infiltration. Nomura SA Equity Research analyst Mark Whaling also believes motorcycle sales may be suffering because there are now fewer dealerships, especially in regional areas, for potential new buyers to test ride the motorcycle – a key to closing the sale.
Service availability is also a consideration when it comes to purchasing decisions, and riders in rural areas in particular are aware of the importance of support infrastructure. The idea that components and certified service might potentially be more difficult to reach in the case of Suzuki vehicles has prompted some consumers towards the brands with larger dealer forces.
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 New Zealand’s Mitch Evans wins Over and Out !
But the story of the Gixxer SF 250 in Australia isn’t necessarily over in spite of these hurdles. According to industry sources, Suzuki is discussing various plans to change the fortunes of the model.
A large performance-improving feature-enriching update has the power to rectify much of the criticism. Alternatively, if Suzuki can price this bike aggressively enough, the Gixxer could find itself to be a value-priced option for new riders.
“Suzuki has the engineering capability and brand legacy to reverse this,” says Thompson. “They need to be very attentive to the specific requirements of the market in Australia repackage in a serious away.” Tweaking on the margins likely won’t cut it at this point.”
Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 Conclusion
Oh that’s a lot to chew and swallow, and poor ol sexy 250Gixxer SF is finding that out the hard way in Australia – not the easiest, but consumer, the toughest motorcycle market in the cosmos. Despite being a good overall package and nice-looking motorcycle, the machine has unfortunately not made enough of a splash in the face of the better competition.
The struggles of the Gixxer SF 250, in Suzuki’s case, should be teaching the brand the importance of positioning, pricing and local flavour of offerings in time to kick-start product planning.
Whether the company can figure out a solution to these problems — and breathe new life into the model — is an open question, but it will likely involve doing more than a little tweaking.
For potential buyers, the Gixxer SF 250 still makes sense, especially for those who trust Suzuki’s proven reliability and for those who like the precise mix of ingredients on offer.
That is not to say there are not buyers at the moment for what are actually easier-to-use, favourably-priced machines, but clearly they are in the minority in the local 250cc sports bike market.
