Hyosung 2010

**Elysium** · 29th August 2009, 07:20

Well lets hope they sorted their blowing engine problems as well as other problems the bikes were known for.

**James Deuce** · 29th August 2009, 08:51

Originally Posted by Elysium

Well lets hope they sorted their blowing engine problems as well as other problems the bikes were known for.

See this attuitude is starting to get on my tits. 25 years ago, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha all had sporting 250s that only got through 20,000 kms if they had a single, commited owner who really knew what they were doing. Luckily these young owners were usually endowed with a Dad who knew bikes and knew that these particular bikes needed religious maintenance and quality lubrication products.

25 years ago all these manufacturers had been in business far longer than Hyosung have been. You couldn't go on a n00b ride 25 years ago without an MVX 250 seizing the middle piston or an RG250 grinding to a halt because some egg forgot to put oil in the reservoir.

I have it on good authority that some people rode off on their Hyosung 250s, only to reappear with 12,000km (or more in one case) on the clock with no intervening oil change only to whinge blue murder about the destroyed crank bearings not being covered under warranty. It had no warranty. It's supposed to have had three oil changes by then.

The expectations of bike ownership are firmly rooted in the appliance corner now, and you're not expected to look after your bike and it is expected to just run and run. We can probably thank the US culture of suing manufacturers for the stupidest of things, but mark my hairy nostriled words, Hyosung are at a much better stage than any of the big 4 manufacturers were after 5 years of exporting product. Hell, what Honda did to itself with the first iteration of their much lauded V4 is still talked about today. Their reputation for reliability and build quality (starting to fade from what I can see) is built entirely around the fact that they built a bike way more unreliable than a Hyosung 250 after being in the business much longer and then had to over-engineer everything they made from then on.

Anything they built for the next twenty years after that incident was almost bullet-proof - except for the first batch of RC30s which were sent out with valve seats made of cheese. $6000 worth of stuff went into mine under warranty. Hyosung in 2009 are no where near as twitchy as Honda in 1989.

**naphazoline** · 29th August 2009, 09:04

I believe that with all the new manufacturers floating around now,there will be some stiff competition for the big four in years to come.

Does Hyosung manufacture the engines, or does another company make the engines?

**James Deuce** · 29th August 2009, 09:09

Originally Posted by naphazoline

I believe that with all the new manufacturers floating around now,there will be some stiff competition for the big four in years to come.

Does Hyosung manufacture the engines, or does another company make the engines?

Hyosung started out making engines for Suzuki. They make their own engines.

**jrandom** · 29th August 2009, 09:42

I went on a ride last weekend with a chap on a new Hyosung 650 cruiser.

He's a moderately accomplished road racer, and he made it go fast. Like, properly quick road riding. If I'd overtaken him, it would only have been a gratuitous display of having 50 more horse powers than he did. That cruiser boogied along real good.

Those Hobag 650 cruisers are a surprise. Horribly ugly, true, but about the same power and weight as an SV650, super comfy, and still possessing very reasonable ground clearance.

I wouldn't ever buy one, of course, but if I was in the market for a cruiser, and motorcycling wasn't all about the image, I might be tempted.

**ital916** · 29th August 2009, 15:18

Originally Posted by James Deuce

See this attuitude is starting to get on my tits. 25 years ago, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha all had sporting 250s that only got through 20,000 kms if they had a single, commited owner who really knew what they were doing. Luckily these young owners were usually endowed with a Dad who knew bikes and knew that these particular bikes needed religious maintenance and quality lubrication products.

25 years ago all these manufacturers had been in business far longer than Hyosung have been. You couldn't go on a n00b ride 25 years ago without an MVX 250 seizing the middle piston or an RG250 grinding to a halt because some egg forgot to put oil in the reservoir.

I have it on good authority that some people rode off on their Hyosung 250s, only to reappear with 12,000km (or more in one case) on the clock with no intervening oil change only to whinge blue murder about the destroyed crank bearings not being covered under warranty. It had no warranty. It's supposed to have had three oil changes by then.

The expectations of bike ownership are firmly rooted in the appliance corner now, and you're not expected to look after your bike and it is expected to just run and run. We can probably thank the US culture of suing manufacturers for the stupidest of things, but mark my hairy nostriled words, Hyosung are at a much better stage than any of the big 4 manufacturers were after 5 years of exporting product. Hell, what Honda did to itself with the first iteration of their much lauded V4 is still talked about today. Their reputation for reliability and build quality (starting to fade from what I can see) is built entirely around the fact that they built a bike way more unreliable than a Hyosung 250 after being in the business much longer and then had to over-engineer everything they made from then on.

Anything they built for the next twenty years after that incident was almost bullet-proof - except for the first batch of RC30s which were sent out with valve seats made of cheese. $6000 worth of stuff went into mine under warranty. Hyosung in 2009 are no where near as twitchy as Honda in 1989.

+1

, well said.

**tri boy** · 29th August 2009, 15:29

Originally Posted by Elysium

Well lets hope they sorted their blowing engine problems as well as other problems the bikes were known for.

Care to show a link/proof to how many engines have "blown up"?
JD hit the nail on the head. I did my time on Honda's, and still remember the VF/CBX750,550/MVXNSR/XR re,rf/and many more diabolical engine failures.
Big ends, cyl seizures, cams, tensioners, primary chains, clutch housings, etc etc etc.
If it wasn't for Honda's superb results in all facets of racing through the 70-80's, and that exposure and marketing, nobody would of bought much except for CT, TRX's and nifty fifties.
Rock on Hyosung NZ.

**Bonez** · 29th August 2009, 19:03

Originally Posted by tri boy

Care to show a link/proof to how many engines have "blown up"?
JD hit the nail on the head. I did my time on Honda's, and still remember the VF/CBX750,550/MVXNSR/XR re,rf/and many more diabolical engine failures.
Big ends, cyl seizures, cams, tensioners, primary chains, clutch housings, etc etc etc.
If it wasn't for Honda's superb results in all facets of racing through the 70-80's, and that exposure and marketing, nobody would of bought much except for CT, TRX's and nifty fifties.
Rock on Hyosung NZ.

You just had to metion the CBX750 didn't you

Honda have always made things harder and more complicated than necessary. Two cam chains when one would do the job,RFVC , V-TEC bah blah etc ect ect.

**tri boy** · 29th August 2009, 19:05

You'll be right bro.
I'm sure Honda chamferred the big end oil galleries on your crank properly

**Bonez** · 29th August 2009, 19:15

Originally Posted by tri boy

You'll be right bro.
I'm sure Honda chamferred the big end oil galleries on your crank properly

Swing arm bearings are clapped out at 45,000kms though.

Honda seemed to have forgotten what grease nipples where used for for a bit.

**James Deuce** · 29th August 2009, 19:23

Originally Posted by Bonez

Swing arm bearings are clapped out at 45,000kms though.

Honda seemed to have forgotten what grease nipples where used for for a bit.

What do you mean "for a bit"?

The only new bikes I see grease nipples on are Guzzis.

**trailblazer** · 29th August 2009, 19:44

Originally Posted by James Deuce

See this attuitude is starting to get on my tits. 25 years ago, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha all had sporting 250s that only got through 20,000 kms if they had a single, commited owner who really knew what they were doing. Luckily these young owners were usually endowed with a Dad who knew bikes and knew that these particular bikes needed religious maintenance and quality lubrication products.

25 years ago all these manufacturers had been in business far longer than Hyosung have been. You couldn't go on a n00b ride 25 years ago without an MVX 250 seizing the middle piston or an RG250 grinding to a halt because some egg forgot to put oil in the reservoir.

I have it on good authority that some people rode off on their Hyosung 250s, only to reappear with 12,000km (or more in one case) on the clock with no intervening oil change only to whinge blue murder about the destroyed crank bearings not being covered under warranty. It had no warranty. It's supposed to have had three oil changes by then.

The expectations of bike ownership are firmly rooted in the appliance corner now, and you're not expected to look after your bike and it is expected to just run and run. We can probably thank the US culture of suing manufacturers for the stupidest of things, but mark my hairy nostriled words, Hyosung are at a much better stage than any of the big 4 manufacturers were after 5 years of exporting product. Hell, what Honda did to itself with the first iteration of their much lauded V4 is still talked about today. Their reputation for reliability and build quality (starting to fade from what I can see) is built entirely around the fact that they built a bike way more unreliable than a Hyosung 250 after being in the business much longer and then had to over-engineer everything they made from then on.

Anything they built for the next twenty years after that incident was almost bullet-proof - except for the first batch of RC30s which were sent out with valve seats made of cheese. $6000 worth of stuff went into mine under warranty. Hyosung in 2009 are no where near as twitchy as Honda in 1989.

very well said. It's good to see someone that doesn't own a hyosung sticking up for them