South Korean Bikes

Any one heard of Hyosung Motors???
They have a full page add in the Feb 07' Cycle World so I checked them out. They seem to borrow alot of design cues from various manufactures; some of the bikes are almost VFR'esque in styling.
Motors are v-twins 250 & 650cc
www.hyosungmotorsusa.com

 

I was stationed in R.O.K. from 2000 to 2001. I have renamed it "The land of the not quite right" because everything I purchased from there was being sold at a discount due to it's poor construction, or it broke soon thereafter. I imagine the same will hold true for thier bikes....

Perhaps others had a better experience than I did...

Awesome chow and haircuts, though. And that Jinro Soju. Whew. Good stuff!

 

If I do recall correctly, Hysung uses borrowed engine designs from Suzuki (similar to what hyundai today does with mitsubishi), and the new Fischer sportbikes will also use Suzuki derived, Hyosung built engines. Im sceptical about these bikes, because I have owned a hyundai, and perhaps the car itself wasnt all that bad, but the service that came with it was worse than aweful. Something turns me off about knowing im riding a potentially unreliable motorcycle, just waiting for something to fall off...

 

Jinro Soju

So is that closer to vodka or whiskey?

 

Hyosung raced last week in some new non-AMA race in Daytona. It was 8 hours long, only V-twins. Multiple classes at one time. Speed channel had it compressed into one hour. Hyosung DNF because of mechanical failure. No other information. I guess they got about 1/2 way through. I was hoping they would do well. Hell I was quietly routing for Buell during Daytona in March.:ban:

I saw the 650 over a year ago at Woods (Austin) and all I can say is... it is for the small budget. I hope they do well and become a contender in about 20 years. UM is another one of Hyosung calibre.

http://www.umamerica.com/site/usa/motorcycles/sp/features/features2.html#usa_motosp2

http://www.hyosungmotors.co.kr/product/roadsport/m_gt650r.asp

Well, if you look at both links, both bikes are identical.

As for Korean stuff being cheap, they are next in line to replace Japan. Samsung, LG (not just phones but chemicals, resins, etc), Hyundai (not just cars). Most of your LCD displays come from there. I see better displays from Korea (Hydis) than Japan (Toshiba). They've nice cars - bigger models they don't bring stateside. Bigger than the Azera. Granted MB S-class clones, but nice. Worlds biggest ship yard is in Korea. years ago some of you may have come across pictures of an inline 10 cylinder engine during construction. Cylinders the size of swimming pools (OK, large hot tubs)...Korea again.

A Chinese-Malay factory owner once told me, "If you want to get the Japanese to cooperate, threaten to take your business to Korea. If you want the Koreans to cooperate, threaten to take your business to China."

No, I'm not Korean. I'm Turkish, but that doesn't make me a Turkey!:tongue:

 

Don't write off Fischer or Hyosung. Any other geezers remember when Honda, Yamaha, and Sosuki were jokes? The folks who build Fischer's chassis built the VR that Picotte and DuHamel placed on the poduim w/a horribly overweight, down on HP motor.
PS Hubby- UM is Hyosung.

 

Vodka. Really sneaks up on you if you are not careful. Very cheap there too. korea was a great year for me. Learned a lot.

 

I'll be a naysayer for quite a while guys, sorry. I know all about ROKs rapid growth, and I really want them to succeed. I trained with thier soldiers and helped defend their country. I have a great deal of respect for thier countrymen, especially those who have not forgotten what we did and continue to do for them. They have been shit on for years and do not get enough respect from the world body. In time they will be a technical and mechanical force to be recon'd with. For now, they are still missing the mark in many areas IMHO. Thats all it is, BTW, just an opinion...

Sorry to wax poetic, just don't want to walk away from this post looking like an ugly American xenophobe.

 

Okay, the UM and they Hyo are obviously different, one has black and red... and the other is only red!

I owned a 2003 Hyundai (I know unfair comparision). It had a tranny problem, they couldn't fix it, they tried like 8 times... nice warrenty... sold it bought a honda... warrenty is over but nothing has broken.

Sure honda used to be crap and now they are the most reliable (at least to many people's perceptions)... so I don't want to buy any more Korean crap products, just so in 20-30 years I can say I had one a long time ago... I don't care if I look like an ugly american... I buy Japanese!

 

supposed to be an ok bike for the money but time will tell.....

 

look at one up close, the only thing worse than chinese bearings.

 

Unlike my friend betarace I liked the one I saw, I've been around the naked 250 that looks like a mini-SV650. I didn't get to ride it, but my buddy did and he thought it was nice. Its a bit big for a 250 (in overall size) so it oddley doesn't look like one. The owner, Andy's neighbor, reported no problems so far.

Andy's only complaint was the top speed was 70 and he had to ride part of the Baltimore beltway.

For a ride around bike, seems OK. Hopefully prices will lower and quality will go up!

BZ

 

while there is always some merit to "having something shiny and new" for the money that hyosong charges for their bikes ($6499 for a GT650R and $3799 for a GT250R) you can have a pretty sweet VFR (2-5+ years old), CBR600RR (3-5 years old) or any other reasonably new jap bike. For your money you get a dealer and parts network that is unrivaled, high build quality (excepting R/R issues) and a bike you can street, track, tour etc...

not sure I get the "buy cheap" model, but to each his own

http://www.hyosungmotorsusa.com/product/introduction.asp?Cat=RoadSports&model=GT650R

 

^^^^^

I hear ya brother, or a new Ninja 250 for 3,500. Which will get you dealer support and Kawasaki's been making them for years.

It's tough when you are new on the block.

BZ

 

People said the same thing (lack of dealer networks, unproven build quality) about Toyota and Honda when they first came over, and look at them now. You have to start somewhere. Sometimes it's necessary to take one's horse blinders off and think outside the box...

 

They make the engine for the engine for the Suzuki SV650 as well as some other parts for Suzuki motors. They also offer a hot little 250 sport bike which would make a nice 250 track bike for the price.

Look at their sport offerings and look at the SV....

They also provide the engine etc. for Fischer motorcycles in Maryland.

Fischer Motor Company


Hope this helps.

 

Founded in 1978 as a division of the Hyosung Group of industries, Hyosung began producing Suzuki motorcycle designs under license in 1979.

There is some incestuous relationship between the two companies.

 

Soju is a non controlled liquor so you may get different alcohol levels with different orders but it taste pretty awesome. I got well wasted on the stuff and almost brought back a Korean wife from Osan. :doh:

 

I have a ducati, learned my lesson, hondas for me

 

Hi Guys

I have a Hyosung GV 650 and have had no problems with it. It's a fantastic bike, goes like the clappers, looks cool, cheap to run and is very comfy to ride.
I had my dyno-tuned the other day and it produces 64 hp at the wheel, which I have been told is very good from a cruiser. After all it's not a sports bike.

Here in Oz they have just released the new upgrades and they have done a lot of work to improve the quality of the bikes, they seem to listen to the customers want and have provided the goods.