A few years ago my leg was injured in a car accident, and I couldn’t ride a big bike, so I bought a TUx. I used it for the usual stuff: commuting, dirt road exploration, errand running. My wife wanted to go on an adventure, so we loaded it up with a bunch of our camping gear and rode it 500+ miles down to Hatteras Island, where we stayed for a week at the National Seashore camp ground for a week. 1/3 of the trip was on Interstates, the rest mostly on 2 and 4 lane state roads. The bike did fine. We averaged about 200 miles a day, for a total of around 2000 miles. The trip was uneventful (except for getting soaked in a storm on the way home. We were very surprised at how easy the trip was on such a small bike. Stopping was more of a concern than speed, but we just made sure we maintained plenty of space. We enjoyed the trip so much that we did it again the following summer. We are getting older, so we tour together on our Vulcan 900, with its comfortable Mustang seat and copious leg room, but I still ride the TUx on solo trips and just for fun. The 2011 Tux now has more than 50,000 miles on it. It still has the original chain, sprocket, and spark plug. I adjust the valves when I feel in the mood, change the oil once a year and lube the cables, clean the chain ever 5-600 miles, and that’s pretty much it. The only repair it has required was a new plastic gear thing to the speedometer, plus a bit of repairs after sliding on some loose gravel. The brake lever is still bent, but not enough to bother with it. She’s been a great bike, one that has been able to do anything I’ve asked of her, just at 70 mph or less! A bit of advice: the TUx likes to ride at her own pace. Let her and you’ll both be happier. Pushing her harder just frustrates both the bike and the rider. She’s a faithful little donkey of a bike, not some flighty thoroughbred. Ride accordingly and you’ll never outgrow her.
I got this bike for my MSF course and I have been kind of obsessed with it since then. Would love to have one. I'm not terribly drawn to the newest, most powerful bikes. This dude just ride this bike and I love seeing that.
I rode a Suzuki VanVan 200 for my course and immediately fell in love with that bike. I'd decided I'd get the VanVan or the TU depending which came available first. I've done about 8000km on this bike now and although I don't think the 250 is too weak, I'm not sure I'd feel the same about a 200 right now. The TU250 is just such a fun and easy to ride bike. Have you purchased a bike now?
It truly is more fun to ride a slow bike fast. I have a straight piped Moto Guzzi V7 850 that only makes about 70 horsepower, but the sound of a pushrod twin screaming to redline in the twisties is just sublime and transcends the endless quest for more and more power. Great video!
The TU250 is awesome! I had one for several years…toured on it with no issues keeping up with traffic as long as I was not on the freeway. (Who wants to ride the freeway anyway!😁) The bike is pretty much bulletproof with a rather large cylinder barrel compared to the cc’s, you know you’ve got a lot of cooling area and that engine should last long time. If you want to make it a little faster, you can go up one tooth on the countershaft or if you want a little more low end grunt, you can drop one tooth on the countershaft from stock. All in all, not only is the TUX a good bike to start out on, as I get older, I feel it’s a great bike to finish on!😊
Thanks! I've read a bit about people changing things on these, but now that I'm 2000km in I don't think there's anything wrong with the stock setup aside from the tires being lackluster. It'll get a rack sometime soon for sure. It maintains 110km/h no problem, and can do some more of it needs to. Perfectly adequate. Have you had some other bikes as well?
@@howdidigetthere In my 46 years of riding I have had upwards of 30 bikes cross through my garage. Everything from a 1800cc Gold Wing to a Honda CT90.😁 I have enjoyed every one of them at the time I had them. (Well, maybe not every single one!😂) Right now, I am really loving my latest purchase, the Honda ADV160 scooter! A Light weight fun machine that I find perfect for exploring the back roads like you are doing. And it will go 110kph when needed! If I need to go faster or further, I can load it in the back of the truck. Perfect! 😁👍
It really is a great bike and super reliable. I often strip my 2016 down by removing the fenders then bolt on a custom aluminum deck that can be used for carrying stuff, even a dog carrier. Weather permitting it's a fun beach blaster. It isn't my only bike but it is the most versatile. 👍
What a great choice. A 250 is fast enough for weekend camping trips searching for covered bridges. There is time enough for large displacement bikes. In a couple years ill be retired. I'll have a Suzuki TU strapped the back of my vacation van. I think i will customize a bit. Raise the exhaust and add some type of mud tires. Im a little envious...
Welcome to the world of motorcycling and there's nothing wrong with a 250, especially for your first bike,. If you decided to keep it and you are going to do a lot of dirt roads you should check out a set of Shinko 705 tyres ( Australian spelling).
The size of your bike isn't very important. What matters is whether or not you are enjoying the bike. I started on a 100cc back in 72 when I was 13. Then got a 125 then a 250 ... later on a 650 then a 1500 and now I ride a Honda VTX 1300. I am planning on a 650cc bike next cause I'm getting kinda old and so heavy bikes are not that appealing to me any more. I might even just get a Honda 500 rebel. My point is this; I had just as much fun on my 100cc and my 125 cc bikes as I did my 1500 cc and my 1300 cc bikes. Some motorcycles give you one type of fun and other motorcycles give you a different kind of fun. So I really can't say which bike is the best because almost all two wheeled vehicles are a lot of fun.
I have a couple of relatives who rode Gold Wings and similar knock-offs. Its all great and each bike has its spot. I'd like to try out all sorts of sizes too
Hey man, i've seen a couple of your videos so far and I have really enjoyed them. I think its awesome that you chose a TU250x, it would've been my choice too but in my area its priced pretty close to much more modern machines so I opted for a Yamaha MT-03 instead. wishing you all the best on your many adventures on your beautiful Suzuki.
Thanks! The prices on the TU's are all over the place, but I ended up getting a great deal on this one. I couldn't believe that new bikes like the Kawasaki KLX230 or the Yamaha XT250 are around $10000 CAD rolling out the door. The MT-03 must be a good ride!
wow, nice scenery from NB. Super cool bike, I am thinking about getting this model myself. Would love to see more of your ride, off road and on road. Cheers from Ukraine!
Fuel injection costs $1,500 per motorcycle. I just cleaned the carburetor for the first time in 25 years. My BSA C-15 250 goes 60 MPH and 70 MPG. 2 up with throttle left over.Put it on a milk crate to adjust the chain. Cheap prices for tires, chains and sprockets. Cheap touring. I have 4 BSA C-15 250' s in both street bike and dirt bike versions. My Triumph TR25W Enduro goes 60+ MPH down dirt roads no problem. You will enjoy the hell out of it.🎉
I have 2014 TU250X, originally bought for my wife, but became my main bike for city commuting. It's so small and light (I'm pretty short rider) great for city commuting. Though, I'd say it is a bit scary getting on the highway at my location since it tops out at 65~70mph on flat, 60ish when climbing.
The speed limit on my local highway is 110km/h (68mph), and although the TU can keep up with the limit, there's not much power for passing. I've also bought a Suzuki GS450 since this. I have mixed feelings about the effectively identical but bigger bike. The TU is just such a joy to ride, despite lacking power at highway speed. In town is really where it shines
So, I never considered this as a gravel or off road bike, but it looks like it's kinda ok-ish at it (when you jammed up that dirt pile I was sure you were going to spill! - was that on street tires?). I'm an experienced rider, 53 and have been riding (street) on and off for 35 years but lately have been longing to go back to the simplicity of a basic, smaller bike (I have a Shadow 1100 right now, honestly, in suburban traffic riding it feels more like work than fun) and this TU250X kinda brings me back to my first bike, a CB350 (XS400, Vanvan and TW200, too). My girlfriend and I are moving to Nova Scotia in the next year or so and really look forward to living in a place where speeds are more sane and country roads are abundant - perfect for small bikes. In the suburbs of Atlanta where we currently live - people drive too fast and stupid here for a small bike to be safe. Great job on the video.
That was with full street tires! I've since put on some dual sport tires and they're treating much better with the odd places I end up. This is my first motorcycle aside from some 50cc Honda Ruckus', so I couldn't say how it compares to the bigger bikes. However, I absolutely love cruising these NB and NS backroads. It is just barely strong enough to feel reckless, but it takes some enjoyable effort (at least for me) to keep it at a lively pace. You're going to have a great time being back. I moved away from around the Greater Vancouver area and am so glad to not have people stacked everywhere
A good choice I think. 250cc is lots for poking around. And you can take a highway if you choose. Expect you will enjoy the TUX a long time. You may know already about reducing speed in strong winds so you don't get pushed out of your lane. We Grom pilots are sensitive.😃
On my first ride I was going along the coast and rounded a corner at 80km/h to get smacked in the face by some serious wind from right off of the ocean. I was surprised like a real novice!
i'd rather have this over any other small single because it looks like a smaller Triumph Bonneville and looks way cooler than something like a TW200. when i find one on the market, i'll pick it up to use as an ADV bike.
The suspension definitely leaves a little to be desired. This bike did a great job when I did two nights camping, and I'm sure someone who knew a little more about what they were doing could do some great adventuring on it. Dual Dorks is a good channel for seeing someone get out on a TW200 and just have a great time. Thanks for checking out the video
Are you in New Brunswick, Canada? That's a good reason to not want a Honda 150L(carbs) but I met a woman & I drove to meet her in...... NB, Canada ! I stayed in town for 7 weeks & almost moved up there but I kept pushing my departure date until I just had to go. Snow in the yard was so high that from the front window I could only see the upstairs of the house across the street. I was 1-2 blocks from the bay but it was one big block of ice for my whole visit. I came close to being your neighbor to the north of you. But I'm back in the 100degree weather of my home..... ahhh, where you can ride everyday. peace
I started on a 2019 Tu250X last summer. Absolutely LOVE the motorcycle. My biggest complaint by far is the seat, it is terribly uncomfortable. I like to sit practically with my balls on the tank, and that portion of the seat SUCKS. Other than that, love it to no end.
I was looking into the Rebel when I first started seriously trying to decide on a motorcycle. The Rebel was just too cruiser oriented for the stupid things I want to do to my bike, but they've got a great reputation for reliability
Thank you for your review but most important, thank you for taking us for a beautiful ride. The scenery is breath taking. Visiting Canada is a life's goal for me, only thing missing is money 😄
Thank you! Here in New Brunswick is among the less commonly known parts of Canada, but having driven coast to coast I can say that there's plenty of beauty all over the place
I had my 1997 TU 250x until this year, loved every minute of it.
Amazing how much Ryan F9 has influenced our lives. Congrats on the TU205X!
Thanks!
He must be one of the most well known figures in motorcycling
A few years ago my leg was injured in a car accident, and I couldn’t ride a big bike, so I bought a TUx. I used it for the usual stuff: commuting, dirt road exploration, errand running. My wife wanted to go on an adventure, so we loaded it up with a bunch of our camping gear and rode it 500+ miles down to Hatteras Island, where we stayed for a week at the National Seashore camp ground for a week. 1/3 of the trip was on Interstates, the rest mostly on 2 and 4 lane state roads. The bike did fine. We averaged about 200 miles a day, for a total of around 2000 miles. The trip was uneventful (except for getting soaked in a storm on the way home. We were very surprised at how easy the trip was on such a small bike. Stopping was more of a concern than speed, but we just made sure we maintained plenty of space. We enjoyed the trip so much that we did it again the following summer.
We are getting older, so we tour together on our Vulcan 900, with its comfortable Mustang seat and copious leg room, but I still ride the TUx on solo trips and just for fun. The 2011 Tux now has more than 50,000 miles on it. It still has the original chain, sprocket, and spark plug. I adjust the valves when I feel in the mood, change the oil once a year and lube the cables, clean the chain ever 5-600 miles, and that’s pretty much it. The only repair it has required was a new plastic gear thing to the speedometer, plus a bit of repairs after sliding on some loose gravel. The brake lever is still bent, but not enough to bother with it. She’s been a great bike, one that has been able to do anything I’ve asked of her, just at 70 mph or less!
A bit of advice: the TUx likes to ride at her own pace. Let her and you’ll both be happier. Pushing her harder just frustrates both the bike and the rider. She’s a faithful little donkey of a bike, not some flighty thoroughbred. Ride accordingly and you’ll never outgrow her.
I got this bike for my MSF course and I have been kind of obsessed with it since then. Would love to have one. I'm not terribly drawn to the newest, most powerful bikes. This dude just ride this bike and I love seeing that.
I rode a Suzuki VanVan 200 for my course and immediately fell in love with that bike. I'd decided I'd get the VanVan or the TU depending which came available first.
I've done about 8000km on this bike now and although I don't think the 250 is too weak, I'm not sure I'd feel the same about a 200 right now.
The TU250 is just such a fun and easy to ride bike.
Have you purchased a bike now?
It truly is more fun to ride a slow bike fast. I have a straight piped Moto Guzzi V7 850 that only makes about 70 horsepower, but the sound of a pushrod twin screaming to redline in the twisties is just sublime and transcends the endless quest for more and more power. Great video!
The TU250 is awesome! I had one for several years…toured on it with no issues keeping up with traffic as long as I was not on the freeway. (Who wants to ride the freeway anyway!😁)
The bike is pretty much bulletproof with a rather large cylinder barrel compared to the cc’s, you know you’ve got a lot of cooling area and that engine should last long time. If you want to make it a little faster, you can go up one tooth on the countershaft or if you want a little more low end grunt, you can drop one tooth on the countershaft from stock. All in all, not only is the TUX a good bike to start out on, as I get older, I feel it’s a great bike to finish on!😊
Thanks!
I've read a bit about people changing things on these, but now that I'm 2000km in I don't think there's anything wrong with the stock setup aside from the tires being lackluster. It'll get a rack sometime soon for sure.
It maintains 110km/h no problem, and can do some more of it needs to. Perfectly adequate.
Have you had some other bikes as well?
@@howdidigetthere In my 46 years of riding I have had upwards of 30 bikes cross through my garage. Everything from a 1800cc Gold Wing to a Honda CT90.😁
I have enjoyed every one of them at the time I had them. (Well, maybe not every single one!😂)
Right now, I am really loving my latest purchase, the Honda ADV160 scooter! A Light weight fun machine that I find perfect for exploring the back roads like you are doing. And it will go 110kph when needed! If I need to go faster or further, I can load it in the back of the truck. Perfect! 😁👍
Congrats on the TUX!
Thanks!
It really is a great bike and super reliable. I often strip my 2016 down by removing the fenders then bolt on a custom aluminum deck that can be used for carrying stuff, even a dog carrier. Weather permitting it's a fun beach blaster. It isn't my only bike but it is the most versatile. 👍
I love the options you considered & reasoning for choosing the tu250 seems spot on
Liked the statement "This is REAL.... LIVE ACTION of me getting on to a HIGHWAY !!! .... and it was AWESOME!
I'm keeping it real out here
What a great choice. A 250 is fast enough for weekend camping trips searching for covered bridges. There is time enough for large displacement bikes. In a couple years ill be retired. I'll have a Suzuki TU strapped the back of my vacation van. I think i will customize a bit. Raise the exhaust and add some type of mud tires. Im a little envious...
There's such cool stuff on Instagram that people do to these things. Its great that a decent size bike like this can still be comfy at highway speeds
Welcome to the world of motorcycling and there's nothing wrong with a 250, especially for your first bike,. If you decided to keep it and you are going to do a lot of dirt roads you should check out a set of Shinko 705 tyres ( Australian spelling).
I've ordered a Shinko 241 for the front, and I'll get a set of more aggressive tires for the winter time. Maybe studs. Lots to consider!
The size of your bike isn't very important. What matters is whether or not you are enjoying the bike. I started on a 100cc back in 72 when I was 13. Then got a 125 then a 250 ... later on a 650 then a 1500 and now I ride a Honda VTX 1300. I am planning on a 650cc bike next cause I'm getting kinda old and so heavy bikes are not that appealing to me any more. I might even just get a Honda 500 rebel. My point is this; I had just as much fun on my 100cc and my 125 cc bikes as I did my 1500 cc and my 1300 cc bikes. Some motorcycles give you one type of fun and other motorcycles give you a different kind of fun. So I really can't say which bike is the best because almost all two wheeled vehicles are a lot of fun.
I have a couple of relatives who rode Gold Wings and similar knock-offs. Its all great and each bike has its spot.
I'd like to try out all sorts of sizes too
Hey man, i've seen a couple of your videos so far and I have really enjoyed them. I think its awesome that you chose a TU250x, it would've been my choice too but in my area its priced pretty close to much more modern machines so I opted for a Yamaha MT-03 instead. wishing you all the best on your many adventures on your beautiful Suzuki.
Thanks! The prices on the TU's are all over the place, but I ended up getting a great deal on this one.
I couldn't believe that new bikes like the Kawasaki KLX230 or the Yamaha XT250 are around $10000 CAD rolling out the door.
The MT-03 must be a good ride!
wow, nice scenery from NB.
Super cool bike, I am thinking about getting this model myself.
Would love to see more of your ride, off road and on road.
Cheers from Ukraine!
Thanks
I'm half Mennonite, so I surely have some relatives over there.
The TU250 is awesome. Many more videos of the area to come
Fuel injection costs $1,500 per motorcycle. I just cleaned the carburetor for the first time in 25 years. My BSA C-15 250 goes 60 MPH and 70 MPG. 2 up with throttle left over.Put it on a milk crate to adjust the chain. Cheap prices for tires, chains and sprockets. Cheap touring. I have 4 BSA C-15 250' s in both street bike and dirt bike versions. My Triumph TR25W Enduro goes 60+ MPH down dirt roads no problem. You will enjoy the hell out of it.🎉
Carbs will outlive us all, but they're not for me right now. That's awesome about the C-15s, and BSA has great history.
Thanks for sharing!
I have 2014 TU250X, originally bought for my wife, but became my main bike for city commuting. It's so small and light (I'm pretty short rider) great for city commuting. Though, I'd say it is a bit scary getting on the highway at my location since it tops out at 65~70mph on flat, 60ish when climbing.
The speed limit on my local highway is 110km/h (68mph), and although the TU can keep up with the limit, there's not much power for passing.
I've also bought a Suzuki GS450 since this. I have mixed feelings about the effectively identical but bigger bike.
The TU is just such a joy to ride, despite lacking power at highway speed. In town is really where it shines
Bought my 2016 in Bridgewater NS! you might of came across it on Kijiji at one point. Looks good man!
Thanks!
I did come across another TU in Charlottetown a couple of months ago. Now I'm on the lookout
Excellent video , enjoyed the ride.
Thanks!
So, I never considered this as a gravel or off road bike, but it looks like it's kinda ok-ish at it (when you jammed up that dirt pile I was sure you were going to spill! - was that on street tires?). I'm an experienced rider, 53 and have been riding (street) on and off for 35 years but lately have been longing to go back to the simplicity of a basic, smaller bike (I have a Shadow 1100 right now, honestly, in suburban traffic riding it feels more like work than fun) and this TU250X kinda brings me back to my first bike, a CB350 (XS400, Vanvan and TW200, too). My girlfriend and I are moving to Nova Scotia in the next year or so and really look forward to living in a place where speeds are more sane and country roads are abundant - perfect for small bikes. In the suburbs of Atlanta where we currently live - people drive too fast and stupid here for a small bike to be safe. Great job on the video.
That was with full street tires! I've since put on some dual sport tires and they're treating much better with the odd places I end up.
This is my first motorcycle aside from some 50cc Honda Ruckus', so I couldn't say how it compares to the bigger bikes. However, I absolutely love cruising these NB and NS backroads. It is just barely strong enough to feel reckless, but it takes some enjoyable effort (at least for me) to keep it at a lively pace.
You're going to have a great time being back. I moved away from around the Greater Vancouver area and am so glad to not have people stacked everywhere
A good choice I think. 250cc is lots for poking around. And you can take a highway if you choose. Expect you will enjoy the TUX a long time. You may know already about reducing speed in strong winds so you don't get pushed out of your lane. We Grom pilots are sensitive.😃
On my first ride I was going along the coast and rounded a corner at 80km/h to get smacked in the face by some serious wind from right off of the ocean. I was surprised like a real novice!
i'd rather have this over any other small single because it looks like a smaller Triumph Bonneville and looks way cooler than something like a TW200. when i find one on the market, i'll pick it up to use as an ADV bike.
The suspension definitely leaves a little to be desired. This bike did a great job when I did two nights camping, and I'm sure someone who knew a little more about what they were doing could do some great adventuring on it.
Dual Dorks is a good channel for seeing someone get out on a TW200 and just have a great time.
Thanks for checking out the video
Enjoy the ride!
Thanks!
Are you in New Brunswick, Canada? That's a good reason to not want a Honda 150L(carbs) but I met a woman &
I drove to meet her in...... NB, Canada ! I stayed in town for 7 weeks & almost moved up there but I kept pushing
my departure date until I just had to go. Snow in the yard was so high that from the front window I could only
see the upstairs of the house across the street. I was 1-2 blocks from the bay but it was one big block of ice
for my whole visit. I came close to being your neighbor to the north of you. But I'm back in the 100degree
weather of my home..... ahhh, where you can ride everyday. peace
I started on a 2019 Tu250X last summer. Absolutely LOVE the motorcycle. My biggest complaint by far is the seat, it is terribly uncomfortable. I like to sit practically with my balls on the tank, and that portion of the seat SUCKS. Other than that, love it to no end.
An airhawk cushion makes a world of difference!
I am modifying my suzuki gs150 into tu250x, using chinese 250cc engine of rx3 csc. Your bike is beautiful.
250cc is fiene. Honda rebel 250 is also an excellent bike.
I was looking into the Rebel when I first started seriously trying to decide on a motorcycle. The Rebel was just too cruiser oriented for the stupid things I want to do to my bike, but they've got a great reputation for reliability
dang that phone mount really is sturdy
125 km/h and not so much as a wiggle. Incredible
What is the big problem with the carburettor? It gives you a better connection and feel with the engine.
Not everyone wants to deal with the maintenance that comes with them.
Hey dude, get a full face helmet please.
Thank you for your review but most important, thank you for taking us for a beautiful ride. The scenery is breath taking. Visiting Canada is a life's goal for me, only thing missing is money 😄
Thank you!
Here in New Brunswick is among the less commonly known parts of Canada, but having driven coast to coast I can say that there's plenty of beauty all over the place