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Thread: Hyosung GT250

  1. #1
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    Hyosung GT250

    Thanks to TSS Motorcycles I've had a ball lately. I've never had a shop so happy to loan ME of all people, a bike in my hour of need. I've had an interesting bunch of bikes and at last I've gotten one that I've always wanted to spend some time with, both from curiosity's sake and to get a handle on what this bike is all about.

    And the bike in question is: The Mighty Hyobag!.

    Which is of course a term of endearment, especially after sharing Skelstar's journey of motorcycling discovery via his experiences written up here on Kiwibiker.

    I want to say something right now, by way of a disclaimer. I have a problem. You see, I like all motorcycles. I find it difficult to do anything other than highlight the positive, sometimes almost to the point of flying in the face of conventional wisdom. I've said some pretty positive things about the bikes I've been lent to this point, and yes my attitude is coloured by the fact that someone is doing me a favour

    With that out of the way, let's discuss the best damn learner's bike available in NZ.

    1. Excellent low speed handling - check
    2. Powerful progressive brakes - check
    3. Comfortable and tunable ergonomics - check
    4. Plenty of tie down points for luggage - check
    5. Fuel gauge - check
    6. Large, clear, usable mirrors - check
    7 Some funky bits that make you smile when you look at your bike - check!

    Get the picture? I commuted on this bike for a week and didn't have a single bike generated drama. It is a full size motorcycle that real people can fit on and even the little people will find it easy to touch the ground. I can sit on it (more in it really) with both feet flat on the ground and knees bent, so 5ft nothing folks should be able to ride the mighty Comet without trouble.

    I've never had so many non-bike people talk to me about a bike, everyone from random people on street corners to security guards in the wee hours of the morning. All of them surprised that it was Korean, and "only" a 250.

    One never expects great things from air cooled 250cc motorcycle engines, which is why the fact this air cooled V-Twin makes usable power from 7000 rpm to redline is such a surprise. It's smooth, the power is delivered in a linear fashion, never threatening, and the gentle chuffing of the low and mid-range is replaced with a rather cool growl in the last third of the rev range.

    The mirrors! O! What JOY! What unexpurgated delight! Huge, clear, free of vibration, and full of cars, and trucks, and policemen going, "O Ho, time to hassle an L plater".

    "But you've got an L plate on and a full license."

    "Yes it's a borrowed bike while mine is in the shop being fixed."

    Frown.

    "So you don't own it then?"

    "No, TSS Motorcycles do."

    "And they lent it to you?"

    "Yes".

    Mutter, mutter. Wanders off to car.

    Comes back, "Why would you put an L plate on a 750 anyway?"

    That seems to be the general impression: The Comet looks like a much bigger bike.

    The Comet has a "rep", generated as much by newbie owners not looking after their Hyobag, as by being a "First Gen" product from a new manufacturer. First gear is too short, while second is too much of a jump, sometimes creating a bit of a rear wheel lock up going into a tight corner as you make the mistake of going down to first. The bars didn't fit me that well, but then it was a borrowed bike so I didn't feck with them, and the handling was much less precise than a Bandit 250, but much sharper than a GN.

    I would recommend this as a first bike unreservedly. You need something that can get you though the bits where you are truly dangerous during your first ventures onto the road, and the last thing you need is an uncomfortable riding position, snatchy brakes, and a peaky engine. It handles gravel surprisingly well, never feeling like it is floating on top of the loose stuff like so many balloon tyred sports bikes do.

    Best of all it's full sized and can cart you and some gear from Cape Reinga to Bluff with ease.

    This is a real biker's bike, not a fop's toy, or a nervous nelly's gentle introduction to two wheels. As can be seen from Skelstar's exploits it also crashes well and inspires you to work on your riding, encourages you to get out there and experience new things, and most of all it's Fun!


    Last edited by James Deuce; 17th February 2007 at 11:43.
    If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?



  2. #2
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    18th October 2005 - 16:47
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    lol at the cop

    by the way, which bandit did you take out? was it the one that looked like mine? (there is another one in there now - one of the newer vvt models)
    1990 Suzuki Bandit GSF 250 for sale 39k kms $3,500

  3. #3
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    Nice write up Jim.

    I had the pleasure of taking bulls one out (GT250R) and found it a thoroughly likeable bike. Could have done with a bit more horsepower but I'm spoilt from riding the RF and if I lost 20kgs it would go a hell of a lot better.

    I wasn't too rapt with the front tyre on it - it seemed to push a bit more than the RF but the suspension definitely made it turn in a lot harder so maybe that had more to do with it than anything else.

    Like you I was very impressed and would unreservedly recommend it too...
    And I to my motorcycle parked like the soul of the junkyard. Restored, a bicycle fleshed with power, and tore off. Up Highway 106 continually drunk on the wind in my mouth. Wringing the handlebar for speed, wild to be wreckage forever.

    - James Dickey, Cherrylog Road.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim2 View Post
    I've never had so many non-bike people talk to me about a bike, everyone from random people on street corners to security guards in the wee hours of the morning. All of them surprised that it was Korean, and "only" a 250.
    My wife has never been all that impressed by my Z.

    One day we drove past a parked Hyosung and she said "why didn't you buy one like that?".

    I went "Grrr" based on my then Hyosung opinion, but now I figure it's like Hyundai (as I told Jim2 at work the other day). Ten years ago I'd never have touched a Hyundai car (possibly fear of poking a hole in the rust). Today it's very different.

    (...and yes, she likes the looks of Hyundais too.)
    Measure once, cut twice. Practice makes perfect.

  5. #5
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    24th May 2006 - 09:23
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    Great write up,
    I've now done just under 4500K's on my Hyosung 250GT, and loving it.

    The mirrors are great, compared to the few other bikes I've ridden they the the only ones that show more than your arms

    I've also managed to be a pillion on my bike, and it handles 2x100+kg riders quite well

    The tank gets around 300k's, costing in the region of $16-$17 to fill. (commuting Wellington <-> Lower Hutt)

  6. #6
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    Great to see someone saying something positive about the Hyosung.
    I can only agree (having got one as my first bike) that's its great for learning on.
    It's in it's third generation now with the 2007 model (I've only got a 2006 one) and I reckon they're only getting better.
    When I trade up to a full sized bike, it will be hard to look past its big brother too....

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim2 View Post

    I've never had so many non-bike people talk to me about a bike, everyone from random people on street corners to security guards in the wee hours of the morning. All of them surprised that it was Korean, and "only" a 250.

    I get the same from general public in carparks, petrol stations. Even had a guy come in to the supermarket after seeing me go in to ask about it as he was thinking of going for his license.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dodger View Post
    The tank gets around 300k's, costing in the region of $16-$17 to fill. (commuting Wellington <-> Lower Hutt)

    Does the GT have a smaller tank than the GTR? I get 400km to a tank on my GTR (15-16ltrs)

    One of the shareholders at my work gets a bit annoyed everytime people mistake my yellow GTR with his yellow Triumph Daytona

    Hyo mirrors are good......word of advice though don't break one. They are $180+ to replace (each). They are also extremely temperamental. One of mine was cracked after someone bumped it (no sign of impact on mirror) and cracked the glass. I recently sold the other one to a guy in aussie and despite the packaging it arrived broken! (cracked glass). I purchased 2 aftermarket ones at $40 each as no way I would pay $180+

    My only complaint about the Hyo is the soft front suspension and lack of adjustment, but then every bike will have something that will niggle you.

    I plan to continue riding my GTR past when I achieve my full as it is a joy to ride.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fub@r View Post
    Does the GT have a smaller tank than the GTR? I get 400km to a tank on my GTR (15-16ltrs)
    Same tank, it's an analogue gauge, so maybe its not as accurate, and with no reserve I'm not going to risk it running out.
    I normally fill with it showing 1/8 of a tank.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dodger View Post
    Same tank, it's an analogue gauge, so maybe its not as accurate, and with no reserve I'm not going to risk it running out.
    I normally fill with it showing 1/8 of a tank.
    I seem to get 100k's before the needle moves below full
    By 300k's the needle is on empty
    Presumably I could do another 100k's with it staying on empty...just don't want to risk it.

    Never ended up putting more than 13L of fuel in though...not sure if I'm filling it up completely either..it looks pretty full, but if you do squeze more in it seems to just dissapear somewhere.

  10. #10
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    Was it the red one with the cool flame paint job ?
    Visit the team here - teambentley

    Thanks to my sponsors : The Station Sports Cafe and Bar | TSS Red Baron | Zany Zeus | Continental | The Office Relocation Company | Fine Signs | Stokes Valley Collision Repair | CBWD Digital Media Inbound Marketing

  11. #11
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    that one is a 650 deano

    i'm not too sure on that paintjob - first look its ugly 2nd its cool 3rd its ugly....
    1990 Suzuki Bandit GSF 250 for sale 39k kms $3,500

  12. #12
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    Dead right Wasp, on both points.

    It was one the same as Skelstar's Hyobag Deano.
    If a man is alone in the woods and there isn't a woke Hollywood around to call him racist, is he still white?



  13. #13
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    22nd February 2007 - 14:17
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    Quote Originally Posted by disenfranchised View Post
    I seem to get 100k's before the needle moves below full
    By 300k's the needle is on empty
    Presumably I could do another 100k's with it staying on empty...just don't want to risk it.

    Never ended up putting more than 13L of fuel in though...not sure if I'm filling it up completely either..it looks pretty full, but if you do squeze more in it seems to just dissapear somewhere.
    My gauge moves off full at around 120k and is on empty by 325k but I go for at least 400k b4 I fill it up. I get between 27 and 30k/litre. One day I will take a reserve bottle with and see how many ks I can get before it runs out.

    I fill mine at around 400-450km and get around 14.5l in

  14. #14
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    Cool writeup Jim. I find the rep that the Hyobag has is mostly by people that haven't ridden one yet jump at the chance to 'bag' them if someone wants an honest opinion of them.

    I might point out that I coined the phrase 'Hyobag' (and 'Rimutex' incidentally) and am earning royalties and will be collecting soon.
    "If life gives you a shit sandwich..." someone please complete this expression

  15. #15
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    Love the write up...

    I like the look of the GT but am a bit BIG and can't squat on them easily so as a 1st bike I chose the GV with it being a cruiser I fit it well. also I'm living in wellington so you sometimes get those decent gusts of wind ,side on ... handles that really well !!

    Braking it in is a bit of a bitch cant rev it to high to much in its 1st 1600k so it seems a little gutless at the mo... ...don't wanna screw it up so I'll keep it at low revs for now...

    Other wise I'm loving it ....
    : "Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes."

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