Which year Hyosung GT250R to buy?

[not2slow]

Hi all,
i am considering a 250 to buy for my learners. I will be using it to get to work over the Harbour bridge and will keep it for sometime as i am in no real hurry to get my full and get a bigger bike (yet??). Since i have time before i need a bike i have been doing quite a bit of trawling through the old posts about 250s here on KB. I have also been perving at a few Hyosungs on Trademe and watching the prices that the different year bikes are selling for. So i was wondering if there is any difference among the 2007, 08 and 09 bikes in terms of faults or problems. Ultimately i would like to know whether a 2007 bike going for $4k is a better buy than a 2008 going for $4.5-5k (taking into account km’s and servicing record etc.) or that the extra $500 to a grand spent on the 2008 is money well spent?

[vindy500]

All the R's from 06-09 are pretty much the same as far as i know

[Damage88]

Yep apart from fairing style there's not much difference between 06-09. 10's have EFI though.
So no an 08 with more k's than an 07 is not worth more unless you like that style of fairing better.

[CookMySock]

You will be fine with any of those. As usual, buy as low-km and as modern as you can, for the best price.

What you MUST do, is get the bike to the hyo dealer right away and make very sure that it has the modern cam chain tensioners in it, and that it is mechanically up to scratch. I'd pay them to spend a full hour on it making sure everything is cool. It might feel like a hundy down the tubes, but if theres something amiss with it you will wish you had.

If you get one with worn tires on it, then celebrate and replace them with something suitable for riding in the wet. The stock tires are bloody scary in the wet - great to learn on but not amusing to commute with.

Steve

[vindy500]

Yep apart from fairing style there's not much difference between 06-09. 10's have EFI though.
So no an 08 with more k's than an 07 is not worth more unless you like that style of fairing better.

the fairings didnt change until 10 did they?

[trailblazer]

like db said you will be fine with any of those years just get the best bike you can afford.

[Eyegasm]

I'm pretty sure the 06 had issues with the welding on the tank.

Shitty brakes and suspension come standard.

[Hiflyer]

The hyo's with black forks 08 --> are inherently more reliable than the gold forked (07 backwards) hyo's. I think while they were designing the 08 model they actually started shitting bricks when they looked a the pile of warranty claims they had.

[JimO]

best hyosung to buy would be a vtr250 honda

[Old Steve]

Expect to need a chain and sprocket replacement at 12+ thou km, I had mine replaced on my GV250 (almost identical mechanically) at 13,000 km. Cost around the $300 mark, I fitted a ScottOiler at the same time for $300 - 350, supposed to extend the life of chain and sprockets 7 to 10 times and no messy chain lubing every weekend - just top the bottle up every 800 to 1000 km. My back tire needs replacement before I go for my 6R in August, that's going to be about 15,000 km life. Front tire still OK, probably be good until I next replace the new rear tire.

The Hyosung 250 gearbox does have an annoying difficulty finding neutral when the engine is running, a hang over from the same quirk in the Suzuki Intruder. I've done an engine oil change with Total semsynthetic SAE10W-40 and eased off the clutch cable, now I can get neutral 8 or 9 times out of 10. When I parked it (and I still do) I would turn off with the tranny in first, turn the electrics on so I could see the green light when she went into neutral, and click into neutral without the engine running.

My GV250 has an anti-theft mechanism fitted to it - this is the name HYOSUNG printed across the back of the pillion seat

[CookMySock]

I'll second the oiler. We have four bikes with oilers on now - one scott, the others homemade. Wouldn't be without them.

Steve

[Spearfish]

I'll second the oiler. We have four bikes with oilers on now - one scott, the others homemade. Wouldn't be without them.

Steve

Are you able to post a pic of your DB oiler?

[not2slow]

Thanks for the advice guys.

DB, thanks for the tip on the cam tensioner, was planning on getting a bike shop to get a pre-purchase inspection. Can you recommend a good shop to use? Does the Hyo dealer on Barry’s Point have a workshop? Or is Red Barron ok? Also a pic of your DIY oiler would be good. Checked out the pics of your bikes too! Holly heck, you like these Hyos!

Old Steve, thanks for the info as it is good to know of the extra costs that i may be in for in the not too far future.

I'll be doing the theory test this week for my learners and will look to test ride some 250s (VTR, bandit, Hornet, GT250, GT250R and Ninja) in the coming weekends. I've been sitting on a few bikes in the shop and so far the Hyos and Hornet "feel" most comfortable as i'm 6'1", but the test is in the pudding, or riding. But i must admit these Hyos are at the top of my list due to the looks, price and availability of parts (and sound, they sound really nice with a SD pipe!).

[trailblazer]

good luck with your learners test it's pretty basic. I don't bother with an oiler i just give my chain a quick spray every time i fill up or after a long ride. Happy bike hunting you can't go wrong with any of the bikes you have mentioned.

[CookMySock]

Are you able to post a pic of your DB oiler?

I think I have already. Have a search and see what you can find. All it is, is squeezy bottle with a thin line out of it into a 100mm long section of 8mm dia clear plastic tubing, and then back into a thin bit with goes down and rubs on the sprocket. The rider squeezes the bottle and fills the thicker tubing with oil, and then rides off as it drains down onto the sprocket and gets flung into the chain. Simple. Lots of cable ties to hold it all. Thats it.

Can you recommend a good shop to use? [...] Holly heck, you like these Hyos!

I could recommend my local bikeshop but I'm not in auckland, so thats no use to you. I'd rock on in there tell them you just bought "this" and you're looking to start a long-term service relationship with the most experienced hyo people around, and were they interested?

Hyo's, yes they are cheap and cheerful, and easy to work on. And we just like them too.


Steve