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Hyosung GT 650i review

Good and cheap?

New injection, new brake system and facelift in many details: Hyosung is clearly making an effort to bring its prestigious GT 650i to Japan level. The price, however, remains Korean.

At first glance, almost everything is as it was. The 650 is sturdy, has nothing of an economy vehicle or even a waiver on two wheels. On the contrary: Compared to what the Japanese competition is driving in this class, the Hyosung 650i is a powerful, full-blown motorcycle. But also in terms of the details, the latest edition of the Korea bike doesn’t look cheap either. Well, steel dominates instead of aluminum and hard plastic instead of finely grained surfaces. But that is common elsewhere in an environment that, despite its mid-range displacement, sees itself as entry-level terrain.

Hyosung GT 650i review

Good and cheap?

Hyosung Motors & Maschinery Inc. was founded in 1978 and has been operating since it was taken over in 2007 by the automotive specialist and automotive supplier S&T Motors under Hyosung S&T Motors and has had the relevant know-how ever since. Seen in this way, it is basically not surprising that the manufacturer has further optimized and put another hand in this area in particular.

Hyosung

The shock absorber of the GT 650i is overdamped in the rebound stage.

Nominally, however, everything stayed the same. The Koreans promise 82 hp at 9250 rpm? and still lean far out of the window. On the dyno role, the 650 only delivered a modest 72 hp (previous model 73 hp) and proved to be neither a power nor a torque master over the entire speed range. The consequence: if things are going to move quickly, a nimble foot switch is required. The four-valve engine still needs speed to get up to speed. But then it goes forward with the usual propulsion. The GT 650i reaches its high torque at a good 7000 rpm, around 2000 revolutions later it mobilizes its maximum power and beyond that it only continues to turn cautiously, so that upshifting in good time pays off. In terms of performance, the revision did not have a positive effect. Since the response behavior in the lower speed range also takes place with a noticeable delay and the fuel consumption of 4.7 liters is not exactly modest, there is still a lot to do for the Hyosung developers. At least if you look at the matter under very sober test criteria. From the point of view of a newcomer or returnee, however, things can be quite different. For 5395 euros more additional costs (175 euros) ?? and thus around 500 euros under the cheapest competing product Yamaha XJ6 and even 900 euros under a Suzuki Gladius ?? Is there a grown-up motorcycle with more than enough power and a brisk appearance at the Hyosung dealer.

Ergonomics and chassis

Hyosung

The four-piston caliper and floating brake discs are a real step forward.

And one in which the revision in terms of ergonomics has definitely paid off. Longer people in particular feel more comfortable on the GT with its 810 millimeter seat height than on the lower Japanese middle class consistently, especially since a modified seat and the lower tubular handlebar ensure a feeling of well-being. This also applies to the rear seat. The distance to the footrests is sufficiently large, and the passenger handles that cannot be overlooked serve their purpose perfectly. And there is something else that predestines the Hyosung for two-person operation: it drives almost better with a pillion passenger than without. This is because, in the course of the current revision, the Koreans have reshaped the rear section and provided it with an LED taillight, donated a new license plate holder and worked on the quality of the paintwork and corrosion protection, but they missed a central weak point: that in the rebound stage mercilessly overdamped central strut has remained as it was.

As a result, the rear end severely deals with humps. At least as long as you are traveling as a soloist. Since the upside-down fork, which can be adjusted in the rebound stage, is no example of sensitivity, solo tours on bumpy roads are a real challenge for the intervertebral discs. The additional weight of a pillion not only has a mitigating effect, but also takes away some of the instability of the GT 650i, which is particularly noticeable in quickly tackled bends. When traveling alone, the utmost attention is required to keep the Hyosung on the desired course, because from a certain incline the Korean woman presents herself as wobbly instead of confidently and resolutely gripping

Hand required. A point that caused annoyance in the last comparison test. Another weakness, however, has been permanently eliminated. With the new four-piston fixed caliper system, the GT delays what it takes. Every time it’s a real pleasure to pick up the lever and let the front wheel whistle, on which the good old Brigdestone BT 56 in J specification does its job and shows at every opportunity that it is by no means old-fashioned. What is the bottom line of the test? The answer is ambiguous. On the one hand, the Koreans still offer a full-fledged motorcycle in this lower price segment and also show that they are staying on the ball and making the GT 650i better step by step. On the other hand, the Korea SV has still not quite reached the level of the Japanese. But what is not, can still become.

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