Suzuki GZ 125 Marauder

Mid price cruiser style Suzuki GZ125 Marauder works well and makes a decent learner steed. It’s got more presence than the budget custom style 125s like Yamaha’s SR125 but it’s usefully cheaper than the twin cylinder alternatives which cost about a grand more when new. The Suzuki GZ125 Marauder makes a decent, frugal urban commuter too.

Low seat height makes it an easy bike to control, especially at low speed. Wide bars help more and the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder is pretty handy in town as a result. The suspension’s basic and the tyres thin, but the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder will still lean over in corners until the footpegs scrape – something that happens later than on most cruiser 125s thanks to good clearance.

Air cooled, two valve, four stroke, single cylinder – engine’s don’t get much simpler. It only makes 12bhp – three less than UK learner law permits. But the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder is quite light so it’s not too slow off the line plus a single makes batter low rev torque than a twin. Get above 55mph and it get breathless – it takes determination to get 65mph on the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder's clock.

Reliability is good unless the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder is neglected. Low oil levels can harm the engine rapidly. Suzuki don’t build the most corrosion resistant bikes and their budget options are worse still. Rust can appear quickly on chrome parts and ruin the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder's looks – plenty of cleaning and protective spray should keep it at bay.

There are cheaper learner-legal motorcycles than the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder – basic machines like Honda’s CG125 do the same job just as well for less money – but look plainer. Then there’s the Chinese / Korean alternatives – cheapo and some look funky but it's always a gamble. The Suzuki GZ125 Marauder provides a good balance of pose, performance and economy for the price. 100mpg is quite achievable and running costs are low.

The Suzuki GZ125 Marauder is basic but effective as standard. The riding position’s pretty comfy and the pillion accommodation’s better than many 125s. Wind turbulence is never a problem due to the Suzuki GZ125 Marauder's modest speed. There’s plenty of extras available from Suzuki and other suppliers, many of which are chromed for added bling.