Background info:
Being annoyed that the across doesn’t have a clock in its instrument set, I purchased a combination clock/stop-watch/battery meter from Jaycar electronics.

This unit has a time display with seconds and 12 or 24 mode. It also reads out the voltage of thebattery and has a five place stop watch.
A third power wire to the fuse box can give you 3 led indicators of battery health and backlighting of the LCD.

Initially, I couldn’t find room to put it anywhere except on top of the plate right under the ignition key.
Unfortunately this spot invites every loser to steal it, as it’s too obvious, so I made room for it elsewhere.

Room is made by just moving over the position of the fuel lights, to either the left or right. The lights come off easily as an assembly, once the 2 obvious allen key bolts are undone.
Then find or make up a small plate of some sort. The one I used was already drilled, so was less work.

This plate runs from the point that you see in the piccie all the way over to the right hand side allen key bolt for the fuel lights.

Rear of fuel lights moved over to the left of the original mounting position and held in place by bracket. You can see that the rear of the fuel light assembly protrudes by about 1.5 cms at the rear, meaning you have to allow for it in the re-mounting.
You either have to cut the custom plate you put in (if wide enough) to allow the back of the fuel light assembly to protrude through, or bend around it as I did, if it is soft enough. There would be many ways to get a plate across the surface that we need to mount the instrument.

A couple of small metal C shaped clips (that were meant for venetian blind mounting!) finished the job, providing a spot on which to mount the actual instrument - in this case the clock/meter was supplied with velcro which is plenty strong enough to hold the unit (very light) in place.
You can’t see the original allen key bolts (that originally held the fuel light assembly) in the picture above because the small metal C shaped pieces and the plate that runs from the right bolt hole all the way over to the left of the fuel lights are all mounted on those 2 original bolt holes.
The black velcro also seen above is adhered to the small C shaped metal bits.

It modernises the across dash a little to have the LCD display in there, and it fits so snug it almost looks like it’s factory. You could probably mess about a little more and get both instruments side by side into the middle of the instrument cluster together, which might look better.
But remember that your bracket & the lights & new instrument have to clear all of the cables on the bars when they are turned.
I chose the lazy option because it was much easier this way using the original mounting positions of the fuel lights.
It still gives full clearance with handlebar rotations, but I had to cable tie the choke cable away from the new display. The clock unit is mounted exactly in the middle and it looks quite good that way, I think.

Afterthoughts:
I don’t know how well this unit will stack up over time, regarding weatherproofing.
Some kind of clear plastic cover that fit neatly over the instrument would do nicely, but I haven’t found anything yet. You could use the plastic cover that the instrument was
wrapped in at purchase; cut it to size and place it over the instrument with a bit of glue/tape however.

Power for the clock!

I ran the black and red straight of the battery terminals, and ran the brown-orangey coloured wire off of the 10 amp fuse as you can see here.

Caveat:
This mod probably isn’t for everyone, and you won’t want to do it if you are squeamish about hack sawing up your ‘trusty steed’. I cannot guarantee the legality or safety of this modification in any geographical area, and so you also do this at your own risk.

Background info:
The choice to chop is a personal aesthetic one. I think it looks less like a friggin’ malvern star and more like a sporty bike this way. It also streamlines the look if you happen to add an exhaust can.

If you have a rear rack that holds the indicators, this job is a snap. If you don’t, you have to be a bit more creative with cutting the plastic of the rear fender so that you still have indicator mounts.

I cut the fender leaving about 4 centimetres underneath the rear light so as to re-mount the licence plate mounting bracket straight back on. It’s a good idea to bevel the edge with a small grinding wheel or sandpaper and perhaps apply a bit of matt black spray to finish the job.

I left a little bit of tail this way. If the rack was to go, I could easily drill holes in the remaining plastic & put back the stock or custom rear indicators.

Before:

In situ

Up close

After:

Up close

Note:
The licence plate may no longer be illuminated properly by the tail light.

Background info:
My ignition switch would, 99 times out of 100, refuse to push down and lock the steering. Virtually useless.
The main reason for this occurring is that there is a small square metal pin that moves out into a hole in the frame at the steering head, and it can become misaligned with the hole that it is supposed to go into.

Here is the hole (in the centre of the photo) that the pin goes into - it is black metal like the rest of the frame. We are looking in towards the steering head behind the forks. The pin protrudes from the alloy ignition switch body that you see on the left of the hole.

The repair:
There are probably numerous ways of fixing this, involving the complexity of taking apart the ignition and pin & realigning it all.
When you do, there are some screws that have to be completely replaced (according to the workshop manual).

I couldn’t be bothered with the hassle. What I did was simply look at where the pin was landing by moving the ignition key towards locking position,
and at the same time moving the steering about to see where the pin was hitting against the side of the hole.

Once I determined the edge that was the problem I ground the section of metal slightly, and put a taper on it’s edge so that the pin can move into the hole more easily. Presto… the steering lock works perfectly again!

Then again, if you are serious about your bike not getting stolen you won’t rely on this alone!

Note:
There may be another way of addressing this problem if your front forks are already slightly out.

First check that your front fork steering alignment is correct with the front wheel. Maybe it is slightly out… if you have bought the bike second hand then maybe it has had some “trauma” that has misaligned the front steering. This could put the ignition lock pin out.

If you jack the bike up and then loosen up the four bolts (2 x allen key, top steering plate, 2 x hex nut, bottom plate) that fasten the steering head yolks to the forks (there are 2 on either side) then loosen the four outer (larger) allen key bolts on the fork brace/front wheel guard, then the whole front steering section is loose and you can move it around marginally (i.e., change the relationship between where the bars are pointing and where the front wheel is pointing); kind of like how you would adjust a push bikes handlebars to the front wheel.

The top alloy steering head plate that carries the ignition switch holds the whole locking mechanism, and with a slight adjustment of the whole steering it may bring the pin into alignment with the hole. But you have to keep an eye on the front wheel and that everything else is aligned too; a bit of trial and error.

Make sure you correctly torque all of the bolts when everything, including the pin, is re-aligned.

Background info
The needles are a part of the Across’ carburettor. There are two in each carburettor, so four in total. When the throttle is turned, the needles move in and out of the jet. The jet allows fuel into the main carburettor body which is then mixed with air and sent to the cylinders for combustion.

If too much fuel is allowed through the jets, the engine runs rich. This can foul the spark plugs and cause poor fuel economy, degradation of performance, a smell of unburnt fuel when the engine has been switched off, and hard starting.

Conversely, if not enough fuel is allowed through the jets, the engine runs lean. This can cause the engine to run hotter than it should be, which can cause all sorts of problems like pre-ignition of the air-fuel mix in the cylinders (causing the pistons to want to go the opposite way to which they are currently travelling and damaging the engine) and detonation (where the air/fuel mix explodes rather than burns slowly) which can seriously damage engine parts.

The slide needle

This is a diagram of the slide needle. On the Across there are four of them, two in each carburettor, one for each cylinder.

Adjusting the needle setting is easy. The needles are easily accessed when you replace the slide holder in the processes described elsewhere on this website.The needles are set into their position by a circlip. Pop the circlip out by pushing gently on its open sections with a screwdriver, then reset its position at one of the five ridges along the needle to alter needle jet-jet needle mixture characteristics. Do it for all four cylinders! Read plugs after a ride. Reset/experiment if necessary.

Common problem:
The bike runs too rich and chews too much fuel. The fix is easy. Once you get into your carbs you will probably find they are on the factory setting of #3. If you are experiencing flat spots through the midrange that get worse as the bike gets hotter, move them to #2 on the diagram above - that is lower the needles, or make it leaner. It’s a trial and error process.

Check out the suzukiacross.org guide about how to get into your carburettors and remove the slide needles if you need further assistance.

Background info:
The throttle slide holder is a part within the bike’s carburettor which holds the carburettor needle. The needle moves in and out of the carburettor jet, allowing fuel to pass through the tiny jet holes. If the slide holder fails, the needle gets out of balance and this can seriously affect performance of the bike.

When the throttle slide for one cylinder drops totally, it causes a massive flat spot between around 4000 to 8000 rpm. In some cases, the bike becomes so under-powered that it is dangerous to ride in traffic.
This item is also of concern for a less severe reason. With time, the holders wear down and mess up the bikes fuel mixture. This leads to a noticeable decline in performance. (However, it is a good way to get you scratching your head & going in to a service department for assistance/loss of money!)

1. The offensive item

This is the culprit. Here you can see a fully stuffed slide holder; the very same one that dropped my slide & caused me grief. I hate this thing. (so what else do I do but immortalize it on a web site?) notice the right hand side of the holder tapers out only slightly compared to the holder below, a half worn holder. Note that this holder is from a 1995 across that has done 31900 kms.

2. Half Worn holder

You can see that the right hand side here tapers out enough to grab the throttle slide body from the inside. However, the play that is present as it is half worn means that the accuracy of your carby needle & slide is way out. If one is worn out then they are probably all on the way so replace all four at the same time; it will only cost you about $22 for the parts. Save old ones like this in your glove box as a quick ‘n nasty repair if you ever suddenly see #1 offensive item above. Or better still, ride with a new spare (or four) in waiting.

3. The new part.
(Suzuki part no. 13511-38400)

The new item has a perfect taper that is seen as a ridge on the two old holders. It holds the slide tight with no play.

4. The repair

Gain access to the carbs by swinging back the glove box/fake tank. (If you don’t know how to do this, see Krazy Ivan’s site for instructions.) Take off the top of the carby (4 philips head screws) and remove the rubber diaphragm. If both holders are still doing their job by grabbing at the slides, they will come out at the same time. If one has fallen, you will take out the diaphragm followed by the slide that has fallen, and the dud holder is likely to be sitting in the small well at the front top of the carb. Take the broken holder out and throw it to kingdom come, ritualistically burn it in an occult ceremony or make a web site about it. Note the direction of the assembly as you pull it out. The plastic part under the diaphragm that holds the slide holders has its openings set forward towards the front of the bike. A small tab on the circumference of the diaphragm itself is mounted towards the rear of the carb and should help you get it back in place (if you become disorientated after the occult ceremony.)

This is what you should have in your hands now. The new holder just pushes in to the large plastic piece under the diaphragm. You can take off both slides and check for play between holder and slide. Any play? Replace the holder. Otherwise accuracy of the needle valve is thrown out. This is evident as the adjustments on the needle for mixture are a hell of a lot smaller than the possible play on a worn slide holder such as seen in #2 above. Holders can be (gently) hauled out with a set of pliers.

Make sure everything is scrupulously clean first before reinserting the assembly with new holders into the carb. Especially if you choose to lay down the assembly in a filthy area like I have in the pictures above. I was moments away from putting them into cat litter for the photo, but prioritised cleaning/labour time over political- symbolic statements.

That’s it. Lay it all back in the way that you found it and you are done.

p.s. you may need to make adjustments to the needle setting if the bike isn’t running right. See the suzukiacross.org article about adjusting the carburettor needles for more information.

by Peter Lee
http://www.dixonarchive.com/across/

The Suzuki Across GSX-250F is a unique motorcycle in the 250 class. No other motorcycle 250 to date has the practicality of this particular bike. Hence it is strange that it is only available as a 250cc.

It’s engine is a 248cc DOHC 16 valve 4 cylinder engine featuring a CDI (distributor) unit for the carbs. It was the only 4 cylinder 250 in Australia until the arrival of the CBR250RR and the Yamaha Zeal. The engine is a 4 stroke unit.

Features

What makes this particular bike special is it integrated storage area which is located where the fuel tank is normally located on a bike. The tank has the capacity to carry a XL full-faced helmet with space to spare and a max load of 10kgs. The tank lid is electro-magnetically opened via the ignition switch, turned fully to the right. In essence it’s a lockable boot. The tank is fully lined and rubber sealed to prevent water from getting in. Believe it or not there’s also a compartment light ! which comes on when you open it !

There are other features on this bike that are not even found on other more expensive bikes. For starters there’s full instrumentation, excluding a fuel gauge, but there is a 2 stage fuel light. Although only one bulb ? it lights up when its nearing empty and even brighter when you really should be seeking out a fuel station (orange and then red). My particular version also had a parking light which is activated or turned off again only with the key. The instrumentation also includes a neutral light. There’s also a 4 way span adjusting brake lever.
The bike has a manual fuel tap with a reserve setting. Believe it or not I’ve actually run out of petrol a couple times ! When you do fill up the Across, it also has a electronic fuel lid opener. It’s a big red button on the right of the fairing. The fuel lid is on the tail of the bike above the rear brake light and because its very well integrated you’d never know it was there unless you were familiar with the bike. The fuel tank is under the set. The seat is locked down and is unlocked with the usual key.

Quality

The Across is one of the more expensive 250s (when available new) in Australia. Justified by the level of equipment. My bike was second hand and despite that it still looked ‘new’. Looking at new ones the quality is reasonable. It certainly needs an update in certain areas soon, as the instruments for example are dating pretty badly, apart from that it still looks up to date. The full fairing is thick and hard wearing. The frame is tabular steel. The headlights are still made of glass. The bike weighs in at 163 kgs. Thus it would take much to make it lighter that’s for sure.

Comfort

The Across is a big comfortable 250. Upright riding position, however the seat is a tad hard. It’s a large 250 and many who don’t know what it is will ask what capacity it is. First time riders will think is feels big. It’s a reasonable low bike and shorter people will have no problems sitting on it. It’s even got room for a pillion, however I would hesitate to guess the drop in performance. I never had a pillion on the Across.

Performance

Mechanically, the Across is robust. It even has a electronic controlled (CDI) carbs. Very unusual. Performance is leisurely especially under 7500rpm. Yes 7500rpm. The bike revs out to 16,500 rpm. Take off with 7000 on the clock and its quite zippy. Why ? the power seemed to step up at these revs. Certainly a match for any Aussie V8, bar the fastest ones of course. You won’t be embarrassed by a Harley ! In essence its pretty surprising for a 250. Cruising can be done at 100km at 10,500 rpm. I loved the way it screams along ! Engine vibes are fine ! Gearbox is very slick.

Performance figures: Sorry everyone but I don’t have any figures for the Across. But in order to be more informative I have written the following :
The amount of power the engine produces as per the brochure is 45PS or about 33Kw and 25.5Nm worth of torque or about 1Kw for every 8.1Kg based on running weight of 268Kg. (163Kg dry could equal 183Kg fuelled and oiled. Add the rider, say 85Kg on average clothed and the engine is pulling at least 268Kg)

Torque plays an important factor in performance too but to keep this simple only references to Kw are used. As a comparison the Hayabusa claims a dry weight of 215Kg add say 30Kg fuelled and oiled and a 85 Kg rider and the weight all up could be 330Kg but the Hayabusa 1300cc and has 130Kw and 138Nm thus 1 Kw for every 2.5Kg.

In comparison to a normal 1300cc car (They don’t make 250cc cars unfortunately.) Say the Toyota Echo (1299cc) 63Kw 122Nm 850 dry - fuelled and oiled (50kg) with driver (85Kg) 985Kg all up say 1Kw for every 15.6kg.
Thus in theory the Across should be at almost twice as fast as an Echo ! So some interesting stuff to ponder on at the next dinner party !

Here are some of the factors that effect the performance of any bike; these factors are more applicable to the lower capacity bikes than the larger ones as there is much less power to spare.

Weight: The bike and rider weight combine to limit the performance of the Across. 163Kg dry could equal 183Kg fuelled and oiled. Add the rider say 85Kg on average clothed and the engine is pulling at least 268Kg. Hence lower performance.

Engine condition: The engine’s condition is an important consideration. A well maintained bike will always go faster than one which is not looked after. Manufacturing tolerances will also effect the final figure.

Type of fuel: Through my own experiences higher octane petrol will certainly make the bike feel more responsive, whether it has ultimate performance effect I don’t really know.

Environment: A cool dry day will no wind will certainly help those figures.
Other factors include gear ratios, sprocket, tyre condition, altitude, road conditions, etc.. the list goes on and on.

Handling

Soft but grippy.
The Across is easy to ride !
It handles corners very fast but a bit wollawy.
I never once thought I’d loose it around a corner.
Brakes as I can recall worked well.
Very flickable after riding bigger bikes.

Problems

Any problems with the Across? The good thing about the bike is it’s parts compatibility with other Suzuki models. Like the switch gear and the levers which are interchangeable with the 2-stroke RGV ! Rear mirrors can even be sourced from any GSX-R ! So parts can be very cheap. Eg. New clutch lever for under $10. There are no known consistent mechanical problems with the bike.
Note that the speedo cable can come off quite easily even whilst riding. The headlights including high beam are feeble. Essentially it’s very reliable if you look after it.

Major services which include valve clearance shim checks are recommended for this type of bike every 20,000km. Although from experience it depends on how hard you ride the bike. Red-lining all the time means these checks are essential. I heard that some even after 40,000km did not need any adjustment.
Speaking of which, the battery is located under the boot which also needs to be removed to check out the engine.

The Across is susceptible to the choke being clogged. After sitting for awhile the fuel floats also tend to drain making it difficult to start. A few fully throttle turns before starting tends to help things along.

Quirks

Those decals. What one earth does New Urban Sports and the X913 mean ??? Almost forgot, the Across sounds and looks like a much bigger bike. The rear brake light looks really el-cheapo rectangular thing. My version had the oval shaped one which was infinitely better looking.

Pricing

When available new the Across was an expensive bike.
However it was cheaper than a new Honda CBR250RR. Hence the Across wasn’t perceived as premium bike and the runner-up. Having ridden both to be honest there’s not much difference in performance or handling on a normal ride.
The CBR250RR may have an advantage on a race track…
The Honda’s advantage is that it is a Honda and it looks fantastic.
The colour schemes the frame all design all replicate THE then performance bike the CBR900RR Fireblade. Since the bike is no longer available new and the latest changes to the licensing laws means 250cc are no longer the only choice for new riders (In some Australian States anyhow) and the availability of grey-import have effected the prices you can pay.
QLD appears to be the best place to purchase the Across.
The choice is quite amazing. $3500 - onwards.
Since there is so much choice that some dealers offer a starter pack with helmets and jackets etc.. thrown in.

Why did I choose the Across?

To be honest I must have spent 6 months deciding on which bike to get. At the time there was the GPX250, ZZR250, CBR250RR. All sporty looking fully faired type bikes. Eventually it was down to specifications. The Across looked big, had lots of features especially the boot and was the most powerful in the class. All 250s are inherently reliable as their engines have been unchanged and made for at least a decade hence not a consideration unless you get a dud one.

I sold the Across a few years back for a GSX-R600. Although when I see an Across it will also remind me of great times I had with mine.

It’s only a 250 but the package as a whole makes it a pretty good choice.
Why did I sell it? I moved out of town and wanted a bigger bike so riding in freeway traffic would be easier.

An additional gallery that the team put together for the suzukiacross.org gallery series is an Across from Japan. A very well maintained black Across, and the photos show lots of detail about the bikes different parts. Click each one for a bigger photo.

Eighth in the suzukiacross.org gallery series is a Chinese Across from 1989 - complete with all the stickers! Click each one for a bigger photo.

China

China

Seventh in the suzukiacross.org gallery series are Across’ from 1991. This gallery features a spectacular yellow machine from Hungary, a well maintained red Across from Chile, as well as a model from Australia. Click each one for a bigger photo.

Hungary

Hungary

Australia

Chile

Chile

Chile

Chile

Chile

Chile

Chile

Sixth in the suzukiacross.org gallery series is an Across from 1992. Now this bike certainly does not look like a GSX-250F Across, but it looks great as a travelling bike! Click each one for a bigger photo.

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary

Hungary