Suzuki Inazuma GW250 India: Launch & Price Rumor

Suzuki Inazuma, also known as the GW250, is a 250cc segment naked motorcycle that's set to make its debut in India this month. While Suzuki has confirmed a January launch, rumor has it that the Japanese two wheeler manufacturer's first entry level performance bike will be launched on January 27th.

The question on everyone's minds, however, is the price of Inazuma 250 in India. In the United Kingdom, the GW250 costs GBP 3,408, which is equivalent to about INR 3.5 lakhs. If rumors are to be believed, the motorcycle will cost over INR 3 lakhs in India. That seems like an outrageous asking price for a 248cc motorcycle that produces 24 HP at 8500 rpm and 22 Nm at 6500 rpm.

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The other popular 250cc segment motorcycle in India, the Honda CBR250R also delivers roughly the same level of performance, but even the highest variant costs about INR 2.2 lakhs. If Suzuki indeed prices the Inazuma around the INR 3 lakhs mark it is unlikely to find many takers in India. Having said that, the GW250 could indeed cost so much and for a good reason.

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For starters, the Inazuma is a premium model in its class as it boosts of high build quality and even shares parts inventory with the Hayabusa. Plastic parts are fewer, with metal parts taking their place.

Then there is the type of engine that's found in the Inazuma 250. While the likes of Honda CBR250R and KTM 390 Duke use single cylinder engines, the Inazuma has a parallel twin cylinder unit. The only other entry level sports bike in India with a twin cylinder motor is the Ninja 300 and that retails for about INR 4 lakhs.

In the video, the Suzuki rep speaks about the Inazuma as a motorcycle that's suitable for commuting. It needs to be understood that in western countries people commonly commute to work on freeways, unlike in India, where commuting almost entirely takes place within city limits, which involves wading to thick traffic.

We bring this point because the Inazuma will perform better than the Honda CBR250 or the 390 Duke while cruising. Large and comfortable seats and the twin cylinders also make the Inazuma a better touring bike than other bikes in its segment. However, it's not the perfect motorcycle for city traffic, due to its relatively heavy weight among other things.

All said and done, if Suzuki does price the Inazuma 250 in the INR 3 lakhs range it cannot actually be called overpriced, but would not look good in a market filled with options that cost less and offer better power and torque figures. We would like to conclude by saying, motorcycling is more than just power, acceleration and top speed figures.