by baba zaneti » Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:26 pm
Suzuki RG250 1978—
I have put some RG 250 information on this page. The page is still under construction. I would be grateful of any contributions — sales brochures, magazine ads, magazine articles, pictures, specs, facts, corrections etc. Please scan the material in JPEG format (large enough that all the details are visible) and send them to me. Please tell me the source and the publication date if possible. If you send me pictures of your own bike, please follow these instructions.
From GT250 to RG250
RG250 and it's sister model RG250E were launched 1978, simultanously with RG125 and RG185, formerly knows as GT125 and GT185. But RG250 wasn't just a GT250 with new paint job. It was a completely new machine.
Many 250 cc motorcycles at the time were heavy and clumsy because the frames weren't often designed for the small engine. It was common to put a 250 engine into a 350 or 400 frame.
This wasn't the case with the RG250 (known as X-7 in many countries outside Japan). While the 1977 GT250 was a light mororcycle with its 146 kg (321 lbs) the new RG250 was 20 kg (45 lbs) lighter, making it super lightweight. The 30 hp's of the RG250 made the bike quite sppedy, thanks to the good power/weight ratio.It's no rocket, though. According to a Japanese test the bike made the 1/4 mile (400 m) at 14.2 seconds.
The RG250 kept the Ram Air cooling system of the GT250, that pressed the air through the cylinder head ribbons, a quite effective cooling system and it actually works.
The RG250E had alloy cast wheels, the RG250 had classic steel wire rims. There was also some differences in the colors, otherwise it was the same model.
Some RG250/RG250E specs (Japan):
Overall Length: 2 005 mm (78.9 in)
Overall Width: 760 mm (29.9 in)
Overall Height: 1 055 mm (41.5 in)
Wheelbase: 1 320 mm (52.0 in)
Dry Weight: 126 kg (277 lbs)
Caster: 62.7°
Trail: 107 mm
Engine type: Air-cooled 247 cc 2-stroke inline-2, piston reed valve. 30 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 2,9 kg-m/ 7.000 rpm.
6-speed constant mesh gearbox. Ratios:
1st gear: 2.500
2nd gear: 1.625
3rd gear: 1.210
4th gear: 1.000
5th gear: 0.868
6th gear: 0.782
Chain drive.
Kick start.
Brakes: single disk at front, drum rear brake
Front Tyre: 3.00-18
Rear Tyre: 3.25-18
Fuel economy: 5 liter/ 100 km
Gasoline tank capacity 15 liter
Price at the time: 295.000 Yen (Japan)
1978 Suzuki year code: C
RG 250 1978
Overall Length: 2 005 mm (78.9 in)
Overall Width: 760 mm (29.9 in)
Overall Height: 1 055 mm (41.5 in)
Wheelbase: 1 320 mm (52.0 in)
Dry Weight: 126 kg (277 lbs)
Engine type: Air-cooled 247 cc 2-stroke inline-2, piston reed valve. 30 hp/ 8.000 rpm, 2,9 kg-m/ 7.000 rpm. 6-speed gearbox.
Click on the image for larger format.
More: RG250 brochures & adverts
More: Suzuki RG models