Nowadays, the mention of a Japanese 250 usually makes on think of the Ninja, a solid learner bike that doesn’t normally excite the senses like other current motorcycles. But 20 years ago, Suzuki built a 250 two-stroke race-replica of its Gamma V-2 racer – good for over 50 horsepower in the narrow power-band. The Suzuki RGV250 was born, and it was impressive. As MCN puts it, “back in the day 250cc race replicas were the sharpest handling, most frenzied, maddest things you could buy on two wheels. Nowadays the RGV250 is a modern classic and is probably a bit slower and softer than you’d remember. It still looks good, sounds amazing and the smell of burning two-stroke oil will take you right back. Put simply, it’s still sensational.”
The bike got even better in the second generation (known as the VJ22), as shown in this featured example. The watercooled V-Twin engine got bigger carbs, bumping up output to 62 horsepower between 8-11k rpm. Later versions of this engine were actually shared with the Aprilia RS250. Other upgrades included a new swingarm that yielded better ground clearance and a stiffer rear end, though it added 22 pounds to the weight. For more information on this bike, check out the model history from SuzukiCycle.org.
This specific Suzuki RGV250 (VIN: JV22A110447), like all of its kin, is a grey-market import. It has just a couple of cosmetic issues, including a ding in the front of the gas tank and small cracks in the right rear fairing. You’ll need to clean he carb, but otherwise the bike is claimed to be in decent mechanical shape. It has under 8,000 miles and despite its grey-market history, it comes with an eleven digit VIN and an Ohio title.
Find this Suzuki RGV250 for sale in Alliance, Ohio with an opening bid of $7,500