Available in Europe for nearly five years now, the diminutive TU250 has finally landed in Canada, to the delight of novice and seasoned riders alike. The naked, retro-styled newcomer is reminiscent of those British bikes that dictated the sporty standard genre in the 1960s, like the Royal Enfield C5 and Triumph Bonneville. Its pure styling cues and ergonomics highlight an exceptionally user-friendly machine.

The naked, retro-styled newcomer is reminiscent of those British bikes that dictated the sporty standard genre in the 1960s. (Photo: Sébastien D'amour/Moto123.com)

Small, well-known engine
New engine? Not quite. The TU250 calls on an air-cooled mill previously encountered in the little GZ250 Marauder. This time around, it has inherited an improved cylinder head as well as electronic fuel injection. Given the five-speed transmission and modest 16-pony stable deployed at 8,200 rpm, this 250 evidently can’t be described as high-performance. Nevertheless, it’s capable of hitting 120 km/h and can easily sustain 115 clicks on level surfaces, even against the wind.

However, this Suzuki is more suited to the city and roads where the speed limit doesn’t exceed 90 km/h. In fact, in busy downtown traffic the TU250 actually proves fun to drive. Smooth, responsive, sufficient and accompanied by a pleasant exhaust note, the bike allows you to zip through traffic without constantly having to shift or maintain a high engine speed at all cost. Similarly, on country roads you can serenely go with the flow and even treat yourself to a few nifty passing manoeuvres on unsuspecting Sunday drivers.

To ensure the TU250’s affordability beyond its purchase price, Suzuki has selected an air-cooled engine with two valves and a single camshaft. The mill is known for its reliability and extremely low maintenance cost given its limited number of parts and undeniable accessibility. It also demonstrates remarkable restraint thanks to a new fuel injection system. In ideal riding conditions, the 12-litre fuel tank allows you to easily travel over 300 km.

To ensure the TU250’s affordability beyond its purchase price, Suzuki has selected an air-cooled engine with two valves and a single camshaft. (Photo: Sébastien D'amour/Moto123.com)