A couple of days ago, what looked like a brochure for the upcoming Suzuki Gixxer SF 250 made its way online. It contained an image of what the bike could look like as well as its technical details. Now, a similar brochure with an image of an updated Suzuki Gixxer SF 150 has leaked online, revealing similar styling to that seen on the Gixxer SF 250. We expect Suzuki to unveil this updated Gixxer SF at the Gixxer SF 250 launch scheduled for May 21.
As we also saw in the leaked image of the bigger bike, the updated design consists of sharper styling than on the outgoing Gixxer. The most prominent of these styling elements is the new headlight, which hangs off the front end to give the motorcycle a more aggressive look, up front. Suzuki could also choose to equip the bike with an LED headlight unit.
Other elements that are obvious at first sight are the use of a clip-on handlebar and the chrome-tipped double-barrel exhaust, which it carries forward from the existing model. Also new is the addition of a split seat, instead of the single piece seen on the older bike, as well as new graphics.
We expect the bike to remain mechanically identical to the existing bike, with the 154.9cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine making 14.8hp at 8,000rpm and peak torque of 14Nm at 6,000rpm. Other hardware elements like the suspension and brakes also appear to be similar; but that can be confirmed only when the official specifications are out. The updated Gixxer SF 150 will continue to offer single-channel ABS.
The update in cosmetics is expected to bring about a minimal hike to the current price tag that starts from Rs 98,076 (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the carburetted ABS-equipped model.
Suzuki could not have updated the Gixxer at a better time, considering that Hero just launched the Xtreme 200S (Rs 98,500) that will directly rival the Gixxer.
Azaman Chothia
