hyosung 250s?

[Phil B]

So, in all the hullabaloo recently about "modern gs500".. I happened to re-stumble on

http://www.hyosungmotorsusa.com/product/spec.asp?cat=Cruise&model=GT250R



I've heard some nasty gripes about the company/bikes.. prone to rust, and other shoddy stuff.

But I'm curious if anyone thinks this is going to change, and they will eventually become the new "hyundai" of 2015 or something?

As I said, just curiosity. I'm not looking to buy another bike (Too broke!)

specs are NICE, though. fuel injected, light little sucker, 69mpg. 4valve v-twin

and only $3000

the gt650r is droolworthy, but twice the price and 75lbs heavier.
(still  claimed good mpg though)

[The Buddha]

Yea and all the girls will just swoon over you cos you're be riding Syohung ...
Oh yea ...

Seriously though those bikes are rather tacky, everything is cheesy and chintzy, and to top it off, it is a 250 with a high compression motor that supposedly makes a lot of power ... sorry, gotta do a lot better than that to get into my pocket. Hyundai and kia may be industrial behemoths from Korea but sorry Syohung better do more than sound so cool.

Cool.
Buddha.

[Phil B]

I sense a little bias against HyoSung from you

[BaltimoreGS]

Don't know about the 250's but I remember reading a comparison of their 650 with a SV650.  The SV650 obviously won but the reviewer did say the Hyosung was a decent bike, just not as good as the SV.  They said it was much higher quality than anything coming out of China at the time (Hyosung is Korean for those who don't know).  My biggest concern with Hyosung are the prices.  They are not much cheaper than a better Japanese product.  And there is a lack of dealer networks in my area so I'd be worried about parts availability too.  I would probably by a dirt cheap used one just to try it.  I actually tried to low ball someone with a Lifan (chinese) motorcycle on craigslist before just so I could get a first hand feel for the quality (or lack there of).

-Jessie

[tt_four]

Someone up the street has a 650, it's a good looking bike, but I think I did see a few rusty parts. I know manufacturers are always looking for ways to cut corners, but buying hardware that's gonna rust is just in bad taste 

Overall I've always kinda liked them. The new ninja250 is a good looking bike, but before they updated it the hyosung was by far the best looking 250, not to mention USD forks are the way to my heart. If a bike doesn't have inverted forks, it's all I can think about when I look at it. I debated a front end swap the whole time I owned the GS.

In general all of the 250s are built pretty cheaply. I owned my 250 for one year and when I took it in for inspection I had to replace just about everything, chain, sprockets, brakes, it was unfortunate. The thing is, those bikes exchange hands so fast I doubt anyone really has time to care. I was a rare case that put 14k on  mine, but normally I see them on craigslist with 500 miles and people trying to sell them for $200 less than msrp, so it'll be sold long before they notice a huge change in rusty hardware.

specs are NICE, though. fuel injected, light little sucker, 69mpg. 4valve v-twin

I agree about most of them, and the v-twin is cool for a 250, but 4 valves is the minimum you can squeeze into a two cylinder motor, so nothing too impressive about that one.

[Phil B]

Don't know about the 250's but I remember reading a comparison of their 650 with a SV650.  The SV650 obviously won but the reviewer did say the Hyosung was a decent bike, just not as good as the SV. 
...
My biggest concern with Hyosung are the prices.  They are not much cheaper than a better Japanese product. 
-Jessie

for the 650cc maybe. but for the "new" 250cc market, theres no comparison. $3000 vs $8000? !!

[BaltimoreGS]

Are you in the US?  I thought the CBR250, Ninja 250 and TU250 were all about $4000 list.

-Jessie

[Phil B]

oh, oops. you are correct.

honda cbr250s, are msrp $3999.
But then a--hat dealers near me all decide to slap on $1000 dealer fees on top of that, because it's new and spiffy.

The ones near me, also even add $500 or more to the kawa 250s.
$1000 if you want the "kawa lime flavor".
Ugh, makes me sick!


To return to the honda: If both the hyosung and honda were reliable,  "good" bikes, I think I'd want the hyosung because of the twin, vs single.

Interesting comparison here:
http://otomotoshare.blogspot.com/2011/06/refiew-cbr-250-vs-ninja-250-vs-hyosung.html
Says that the honda and hyo are almost identical in performance specs.

Which... i find a bit disappointing

[XealotX]

I don't know...there's a lot of used bikes I would look at before buying a new hyosung.

[Kijona]

Those Hyosung or Shyokong or WHATEVER the FACK they're called are complete trash.

I saw a '10 model that somebody was trying to sell for 800 dollars because the key broke off in the ignition and they couldn't figure out how to start it. It was just sitting in a parkinglot near the road - had I been so inclined I could have easily taken a pair of channel locks and grabbed what little bit was left of the key and turned it. The guy that owned it was an imbecile and the bike itself was no more than that as well. Seat was all worn out (how the hell do you wear out a seat on a bike with less than 2k miles on it??). It looked ratty as hell and frankly, the only thing that even looked decent was the CHAIN because apparently the stock one had broken - it had a DID chain on it and I know that cheap crap doesn't come with a DID chain.

Point: STAY AWAY!!!!

[BaltimoreGS]

All dealers I know tack on set up fees and freight charges to new bike prices.  Usually adds $500-1000 to the advertised price.

-Jessie

[Kijona]

If you pay with cash they won't! I was considering buying an SV650 off the lot last year and I said "So, what kind of discount are you going to give me for paying with cash?" and they said "Well...what if we waive the assembly fee and service charge" and I said "...keep talking..." and they said "And we'll give you 5 free oil changes!". I didn't go back because shortly thereafter I came into somewhat of a hard time.

If I HAD gone back, I wouldn't be here (the forum, that is) today!

[BaltimoreGS]

During the recession most of the dealers around here folded.  Pete's Cycle is about the only game in town now so you are hard pressed to get any discounts.  Best bet for this area is to take a road trip to New Jersey and buy.

-Jessie

[Kijona]

Interesting - I only know of one dealership that closed around here. I can think of at least 5 motorcycle dealerships within 20 miles. Only ONE Suzuki dealership, however. 

Then again, I do live in Metro Atlanta.

[slipperymongoose]

Before I bought my GS I was looking at a hyosung gt250r. Features looked good oil cooked v twin, upside down forks, efi, big tank, nice instruments. But the vibe I looked at had rust on the swingarm, the dealer wouldn't move in the price so I walked away. Then I heard from my mechanic that their quality is pretty ordinary, give it a few years and like what was said above and they'll emerge as a Hyundai of bikes.

[Twisted]

Don't know about the 250's but I remember reading a comparison of their 650 with a SV650.  The SV650 obviously won but the reviewer did say the Hyosung was a decent bike, just not as good as the SV.  They said it was much higher quality than anything coming out of China at the time (Hyosung is Korean for those who don't know).  My biggest concern with Hyosung are the prices.  They are not much cheaper than a better Japanese product.  And there is a lack of dealer networks in my area so I'd be worried about parts availability too.  I would probably by a dirt cheap used one just to try it.  I actually tried to low ball someone with a Lifan (chinese) motorcycle on craigslist before just so I could get a first hand feel for the quality (or lack there of).

-Jessie

IRC Hyosung actually make the 650 twin that goes in the SV. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Unsane]

The Hyosung GT650R was on my short list of bikes before i settled on the GS500F - i read many tales of woe on Hyosung owner forums about breakdowns... on my first big ride I passed 2 Hyosungs parked on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere! Needless to say I was happy with my decision to buy the Suzuki.

The 650s are available in Aus in detuned for so they are legal for learners... but they are very easy to mod for full power and unfortunately that makes them popular

[BaltimoreGS]

IRC Hyosung actually make the 650 twin that goes in the SV. Correct me if I am wrong.

I believe that was a myth that was debunked in the article I read.  Hyosung does manufacture some components for Suzuki but the SV650 engines are not one of those things.

-Jessie

[tt_four]

But I'm curious if anyone thinks this is going to change, and they will eventually become the new "hyundai" of 2015 or something?

Harley owns Hyosung now, right? or are they just allowing them to be distributed in their showrooms? I can't imagine them letting another manufacturer put bikes in their showrooms if they don't own them.

They're pretty unpredictable as far as what that might mean. They restricted Erik Buell the whole time he was making bikes under them, and really held back the potential of his bikes, although they were nice quality bikes. At the Same time MV Agusta was able to make a new F4 and Brutale with the new money they were getting through Harley, and then HD ended up selling MV back to it's previous owners for $1. I feel like it's a 50/50 chance when whether Harley tosses a little money at them and they're able to pick up their quality a little, or if they're just going to keep them as a cheap alternative that'll get them a few extra dollars in their pocket. I feel like the 2nd is a little more likely.

[john]

Harley does not own Hyosung.  There are agreements where some HD dealers also sell Hyosung.