Suzuki DF250SS STEALTH
Boat Reviews
Boat Review by: Rick Layzell
Like a ghost in the night, Suzuki quietly introduced their Stealth Black series of performance outboards and quickly took the industry by storm. With power options from 115 to 250 HP, the Stealth black or matte black paint scheme caught the immediate attention of the bass boat crowd and in no time pulled in pontoon and repower enthusiasts in record numbers.
This colour combination, a quiet move away from the traditional gloss black with red trim has a unique look on the transom. It has an even better appeal on the water. Note to Suzuki – please ditch the chrome S logo on the front of the cowling or simply match the paint scheme. Underneath the veil of exterior colour is incredible engine technology that will benefit all applications.
First up is the offset driveshaft. Engine manufacturers are always looking to make their product ‘smaller on the transom,’ and on the back of using offset driveshafts in their 90, 115, and 140 HP models, this was a natural fit for Suzuki to add it to the big power applications of their 250 model. Beyond the compact design, the big gain for Suzuki owners is how this technology positions the crankshaft forward of the driveshaft, which moves the center of gravity forward. This means there is less weight behind the boat. Next up is the use of a two-stage gear reduction system which provides better hole shot and the ability to swing larger propellers for higher top speed results.
Third, Suzuki incorporated a multi-stage induction system whereby each cylinder is equipped with a set of short and long intake manifolds. The long intake manifolds come into play at low RPM levels, boosting the bottom end torque. Conversely, the short intake manifolds engage at higher RPM to boost top speed performance.
The DF250 also benefits from Suzuki’s Variable Vale Timing (VVT), which alters camshaft intake timing during low to mid-range operation. This yields more torque and again, greater performance. It’s abundantly clear that Suzuki’s engineers were tasked with delivering a powerful performer in the DF250SS.
Our test engine featured a traditional mechanical throttle and shift set up, which worked incredibly well with the foot throttle on the Ranger. Suzuki has also introduced the DF250ATSS, which adds compatibility to their state-of-the-art Suzuki Precision Control (SPC) bringing electronic shift and throttle technology, which further integrates with Suzuki’s Pro-Pedal Foot Throttle. It seems evident that Suzuki is going to take a hard run at the bass and performance boating circuits.
The Stealth colour looked great on shore as we prepped for the day, but I admittedly underestimated how good she would look in the late June waters in Muskoka. As our capable captain Tom completed his pre-launch procedure and eased her into the waters, I was immediately struck by how sexy this unit looked at the dock. To say I was anxious to get out on the water would be an understatement.
Tom has owned the boat since 2017 (it’s a 2014 and was showroom pristine), and only recently made the move from an older two stroke to the DF250SS. I asked him what his top reason was for the switch – he had put hundreds of hours on the two stroke in multiple tournaments throughout North America. His immediate response was both compelling and understandable. The number one reason for the switch was to boost his confidence that he would get back to the weigh in/dock on time and without issue. It sounds like Captain Tom had a few incidents with the two stroke that kept him out of tournament top finishes. Bring on the reliability of the Suzuki.
Our testing protocols had me at the helm to run the boat through a series of speed trials including hole shot, cruising, and top speeds sessions. With Captain Tom on board and expectations that the performance would be very strong, I invited Tom to run us out to top speed. As he did so, I would simply track the results – it’s his boat after all, and bass boats require a lot of attention to trim angle, jack plate height, and more to deliver the best results. We both smiled when Tom found open water – showing off wicked fast hole shots averaging 4.37 seconds. He then moved on to show us a GPS tracked top speed of 70.3 MPH with the DF250 purring at 6,250 RPM. The Ranger was dancing while the Suzuki purred – Tom clearly knew how to handle his craft!
With a promise of responsible behaviour, I took the helm as we sought out cruising results and general observations. Admittedly, I had looked back more than normal while Tom was at the helm. That Stealth colour is wicked! From the helm and looking forward, I quickly realized was how quiet she was and how seamlessly she shifts into gear. A variety of hole shot take offs – not a full throttle as we already had our data – found me grinning from ear to ear. The low and mid RPM torque promised in the technology conversations absolutely delivered.
Cruising isn’t a priority in a bass boat but all captains – even my new friend Tom – will admit there are times when the tournament is done and it’s nice to just go for a ride. We cruised along nicely at 28 and 42 MPH with the engine quietly delivering at 3,040 and 4,500 RPM, respectively.
Suzuki has hit a very positive mark with the DF250SS Stealth. The obvious aesthetic appeal hits extremely high marks, not to mention the huge benefits of wicked cool, performance-focused technology under the hood. This is a powerful performer that will deliver exceptional customer satisfaction in both new packages and repower opportunities across the boating spectrum.
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